Week 1

27 June Happy Birthday to you..

Happy Birthday dear brother!! (though you’ll only get to read this like maybe at the end of the week) hahha.. hope things are well at home. called home just now, wanted to say hi & happy bday but mum told me you were out having exams or something. hope the paper went well. =) do take good care at home k?

guess what everyone? i gave my vit c pills to nurse ann (the resident camp nurse) as well as all my other medications, not that i had that many (panadol, po chai pills, decolgen) to her. the policy is that we don’t want any camper to ‘stumble upon’ the drugs & u know, get into any form of overdose or allergies so no meds in the bunks.. but well, i get one doze of vit c every morning! how nice.. =) it comes in a small little cute envelope! Well, that way, i get to be ‘reminded’ to take them.. i’m eating well, trying to stay away from too much sweet & salty stuff.. taking my vegs (although they serve like mainly salad, no cooked vegetables.. boo =p) & fruits whenever i can. i had milk (reduced fat =p) for breakfast then an apple for lunch.. the fruit punch were too sweet so i’m going to ask the kitchen not to pack those packet juices in for me anymore.. i love water. it was really hot today.. also got sunburnt on my thighs but they’re fine for now.. just need to remember to bring the whole bottle of sunblock tomorrow. =p

don’t really know what to do with my 4-5 year olds.. they’re so adorable (i took a few pictures of them!!) but it’s been hard trying to get them to play games especially when they cant understand the instructions i give them.. not that they cant understand the way i’m talking (i’m catching the ascent just fine) but it’s the simplicity of their understanding that seems to be in the way.. got a few ‘tips’ from mum & some friends (thank God!) so well, here goes nothing.. tomorrow, here i come!!

1 July 5 weeks already?

it’s end of the first week of camp liaoz (phew, i survived the little ones!!) & man, time really flies by very fast here. Well, technically when i’m leading the kids through the day, it certainly gets tiring & drag-gy & how i’d wish so much that 4pm came (the kids will be @ the day camp field, taken over by the leadership staff for games & preparation to go home.. =p) i got an email from ah leng giving me URLs (thanks gal but i got no internet connection leh) for ideas/games for 4-5year olds.. looks like i’ll be having ‘homework’ this weekend (going to a leadership staff’s house for over-2-night stay), to compose lots of emails, do up my preparation for bible study & games for next week. that’s enough to kill lotsa brain cells =( but well, nothing much i can do about it. i appreciate all the things that everyone has been doing (sabos through emails – i didn’t get to sing this week because i wasn’t at meals with the staff & the rest of camp this week since day-campers bring their own lunches so we get packed lunches to eat out with them) & all the updates i’ve been receiving. really thankful for you guys (& gals) for making that effort in keeping me in the chain, in prayers & in thoughts (i hope *crosses fingers*)

been pairing up to lead a group of about ten to twelve 4-6.5year olds with sung hye. the kids do get into ‘temper’ sometimes, throwing a fuss that they were tired from walking (it’s like only a 5min walk & they ask “are we there yet?”) or even saying “i hate the waterslide” (but love it after trying it *rolls eyes*) but yeah, i know, the kids do test your patience at times but they’re just so adorable you cant resist not loving them.. or taking care of them for that matter. hahha.. learning to be surrogate mother hen to so many chicks ain’t easy.. *takes a deep breath* i had loads of fun with them in the pool on tue, becoming like a tree (read: i had at least 2 monkeys clinging on me at any one time) for the kids as support.. that was also where i ‘broke’ the barrier between this kid who was so shy she didn’t talk the first 2 days to a stage when she just came up to me & asked “can i hold your hands to swim?’ =p they are absolutely so cute (will post photos when i can. sorry i haven’t been able to because no internet connection throughout the week) & will cause your heart to melt when they smile at you.. =)

the asthma camp (resident camp for week 1) ended yesterday & all the other ‘non-day-camp’ (i.e. resident camp) counselors will be helping us to lead the day camp groups while most of the international staff (who somehow or other are day camp staff) will be going to the social security office to get their social security card done. i got a confirmation letter from the office & will be receiving my card in a weeks’ time so i’ll be staying with my little ones.. will be a slack (important ok?) day because i’m ‘dumping’ my kids @ the craft shack to do arts & crafts (they love it!) for 2 hours! hahha.. something every kid likes so yep, i’m doing them a big favour k? (read: i get to do cool stuff with them as well, like yesterday, the kids made bracelet & i made one too! =p) traci-ann (arts & craft ‘teacher’) is really great! =)

doing a stream hike after lunch.. then i’m almost all set for the day liaoz. will elaborate later. got to go now. continue later..

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it’s night now. we’ve safely arrived at jaime’s house.. dropped by target (this well, mart quite like our carrefour..) to pick up some stuff but it was great to walk in ‘civiliation’ again after being in the ‘greens’ for so long.. bleah. am so glad to be away.. break from the kids.. break from camp.. =) am pretty tired from playing ‘babysitter’ for the whole week. really amazing how God led me through everything. to the point when i had to totally surrender my all to Him.. times when i couldn’t go on, He was there to provide me strength.. even when i was lost & didn’t know what to do or how to handle my kids, God showed the way.. praise be to God! for He is good forevermore..

i miss being able to stay connected to the world. today will be an exception. i’ve internet sitting beside me.. it’s such a wonderful feeling. we’re all pretty dead tired & all we wanna do is have a hot shower & hit the bed. i’ll try to wake up early to go online so i can chat with the night people in Singapore. oh i really miss you guys back home.. it’s been great here, wonderful staff but the thing i miss most, as i’ve predicted is being able to converse in the most comfortable language i use – singlish. hahha.. i let sung hye read the email i got from jie (sorry jie, but there wasn’t much ‘secret stuff’ inside =p) & she couldn’t understand it at all.. hahhahah. though technically it was in english..

had a good shower.. =) *smiles* shall try to go online to check my emails & read blogs then rest for the day. am letting other international staff check theirs first because i did so at jill’s house last sunday (*gasps* it’s almost a week already!!)