Hi guys,
Thank you in advance for your participation in the upcoming edition of the JVS Newsletter. There are a few questions that the Secondary 2 student reporters have come up with just for you.
I hereby reproduce them below (please post your answers as a REPLY to my post):
- What is your name, class and CCA?
- Describe your OSL experience in two sentences.
- What are two things you have learnt from taking part in OSL (e.g., lessons, values)?
- Were there any challenges you faced during the process?
- How did you overcome these challenges?
- What was the most memorable aspect of OSL?
- Lastly, do you have any words of advice for your juniors who might want to take part in future runs of OSL?
Thanks, again!
Ms Chng
JVS OSL 
1. NurElyza Azrina, 3C, Girl Guides and English Drama Club
2. It is something we will feel good after helping. It allows you to know that Singapore isnt the only country in the world.
3. I learn that even if you have no technology, you can still be happy. We have to also always be grateful in whatever we have.
4. They might not understand what you are saying. The sand papering as we had to do the sandpapering in the hot weather.
5. We had a translator, so that was a BIG HELP. I thought to myself that the construction do these in the hot sun to make a living and I am only doing it for a short period of time to change a living life. Thus, I do it out of sincerity.
6. I am in a dilemma between the bonds made with my schoolmates and teacher or the fact that we, as JVS OSL, made a difference there.
7. I wish I could go again…. It is a lot of effort but it is worth it knowing that you are going to make a difference.
LikeLike
1.Muhammad Afiq Bin Asman,3A,Chinese Orchestra.
2.Enhances your worldview through uncommon interactions.It was fun and good for my development as a person.
3.I learnt that by keeping in mind your goal while at the same time having fun can help make the task feel easier and more meaningful.We should always be clear of our roles to do tasks efficiently and reach our end goal on time.
4.Working as a single team and having to plan for the last day of activities amidst our stay there was a challenge.We were absorded in our own mini groups and sometimes couldn’t all work together to do our tasks.We also had to come up with how to perfectly sum up the lessons so far as well as say our goodbyes to the kids.
5.We would have spent many of those nights gathered to plan for it.We all contributed our ideas from each of our mini groups to help consolidate a solid plan.We finalized the plan after much discussion and also had tested the activities we planned on conducting.By finally working as one whole team, we managed to get it done.
6.The entire adventure in Cambodia was the most memorable aspect of this journey.We each will show our true colours and strengths through the actual trip.I got to know the other members much better as we all put in our tears, blood and sweat in the things we did.It also helped me realise how my strengths could help support others or be used on its own to get the job done.
7.Be clear as to why you want to be apart of this journey and what change you can make to the lives of others.Have fun when you can but be serious when it is necessary.
LikeLike
1. Yap Kwang Hwee, 3A, Chinese Orchestra & Sailing
2. An opportunity to interact with your friends and teachers. Helps me see the beauty of a simple life.
3. I learnt that if you really want to achieve something, you can do it. There is nothing standing between you and what you want to achieve. I also learnt that teamwork only works if you compromise with each other and put yourself into each other’s shoes.
4. We had quite a hard time planning for the activities as we only follow what we want to do, we tend to go against others if their opinion or idea does not suit our ideology.
5. We overcomed it by compromising, for example, taking turns providing suggestions for the activities. This satisfied everyone and it allowed us to carry on with what we were doing.
6. Seeing the people in Cambodia smile. It was a warm sight to see the people there smile after their encounter with us. Their smiles were genuine and it showed me the impact we made on them!
7. Don’t be afraid to step up. Everybody has the potential to be a leader, it is only whether you want to show it or not!
LikeLike
1)Muhdfahmyhakeem(Mahmud), 3N1, Football.
2)Its like studying without a textbook. It was fun as i get to explore different living lifestyle.
3)I learnt to appreciate what we have in Singapore and help others in need.
4)Sanding the walls.
5)We sand harder.
6)We get to communicate with the different types of people like the poorer ones.
7)Stand up and do what you’re told to do.
LikeLike
1) Lorwin Jan Tay, 3C, National Cadet Corps (NCC)
2) Full of fun, meaningful and enjoyable moments with the OSL team and Cambodian Children. Would go back to relive the experience again if given the chance to.
3) I’ve learnt from the children there, to be more appreciative of what you have as the children there are not as privilege as us to have a strong roof over our heads, clean water, concrete pathways and basic necessities. The children taught me to see the better side of things, they do not have the best conditions to live in but they remained super cheerful and hyped throughout our stay and was always happy to see us.
4) The main challenge I faced was communicating with the kids, although I tried to speak Khmer, it was not easy to get my message through and must rely on the translator to help us. I only lesrnt the basic Khmer words and it was very hard to understand them as they spoke very complex sentences and had to rely on their actions to understand them
5) Turn to the Logistics Officer there if need be and ask them questions about how we should conduct lesson or paint the T-house. As they know the children better and what they want the T-house to look like. Ask them to translate what the children say if you don’t understand.
6) For me there wasn’t A memorable moment but memorable MOMENTS. Everything about the trip was memorable from the museum visit to teaching the children to eating with the team to our little Group 2 shenanigans inside our van and watching ‘Crime watch: Cambodia edition’ with the team at night before we slept was all memorable.
7) Strengthen your bond with the team before the trip and understand where everyone is coming from to have a more enjoyable trip filled with laughs. Facing difficulties along the way is normal do not be afraid to ask for help from your fellow OSL-ers if you need it. Be there for one another and always lend a helping hand. Lastly, HAVE FUN.
LikeLike
1)Muhd Rifqi bin Kamarruzaman,3N1,Football.
2)An opportunity to develop your leadership skills.To live a simple life with no technology.
3)To be grateful of what we have in life and to always help others in need even if you yourself needed help too.
4)We tried to communicate with the kids there but most of them did not understand us.We also have to paint the T-house outside with the sun shining brightly on us.
5)We have to rely on the Logistics Officer to translate for us so that the kids understand what we are trying to say.Just stay focus on what u have to do and have that never give up attitude in you.
6)That we managed to complete our task TOGETHER and that makes us bond as one.
7)Just bear in mind that the more challenges you have,the more things you will improved at.Also,anything you do,you must relax and stay calm.Last but not least,the more stress you are,the more you think that you cant complete the task that you have been given.
LikeLike
1.Ben Quan Laclemence,3A, sailing and Chinese orchestra.
2.It was epiphanic as I realised how fortunate I was compared to some.
3.I learnt that no matter how strenuous it got, pesevere and you will come out on top.
4.The main dilemma we encountered was to prepare for the lessons for the children. We had to make sure we were educating them and at the same time keeping them entertained.
5.We overcame this by discussing not in our small groups but as a whole OSL team. By strategically coordinating our efforts ,we managed to construct fun and enriching sessions for the children.
6.My most memorable aspect of OSL was finishing the renovation of the T-house. We got to see the smiles of gratitude that the kids shone at us.
7.If your feeling lazy or hesitant of going for OSL, do it anyways. We must all exit our comfort zones to try something new, only then can we know what we are capable of.
LikeLike
1) Tan Zhe Kai, 3A, Boys’ Brigade & Tchoukball
2) – It was a memorable experience as we serve build bonds and serve others.
– Although it was tiring at times, we managed to pull through together to make this journey successful!
3) I have learnt that preparation is an important factor to achieve expected results. This also includes being clear of respective roles and what items are needed for the activity. This allows the programme to run smoothly. I have also learnt it is important to take care of your fellow teammates and friends whenever they are not feeling well or so. When 1 man is down, the team is not able to function at its optimal standard, therefore its really important to look out for each other.
4 & 5) At times I felt exhausted due to the scorching heat and tiredness, but I continued to persevere on just like my other teammates who are willing and strong to try and accomplish tasks. One challenge was that we had to stay up after dinner time to plan out and confirm our programs the following days, even as we are very tired we tried our best to stay focused. Not being prepared can cause a major problem the next day as we will get panicked and not sure of what to do. This is when back-up plans are needed but since we did not had any, we thought on the spot of what has to be done.
6) The most memorable aspect was on the final day of hard work and serving the kids. EVERYTHING paid off as we watch the smiles on the children faces which are simply priceless. The fact that the journey was ending, I felt the sense of regret that I could have done more towards the kids. This is the part when we had to deeply reflect about ourselves of what could be done better and so.
7) A great opportunity and an exciting adventure you would not want to miss! I guarantee you it is worth it!
LikeLike
1. Nur Radiyah, 3N1, –
2. An experience to enhance leadership skills and to get out of my comfort zone without technology/gadgets
3. I’ve learnt that we don’t necessary need the trending stuff to give you happiness. Being around with good people gives you rare happiness. Also, I’ve learnt that I have to appreciate all the little things. unlike in Singapore, we always complain about the weather and request for an air-conditioned classroom while in Cambodia, students are to sit in the ground with only 2 fans in the T-House.
4. The challenges I faced during the trip was the weather.
5. I persevered and endured throughout the days in Cambodia. It was totally worth it as I managed to get out from my comfort zone.
6. The whole trip was memorable. I couldn’t name AN aspect. The whole team worked hard together as one and we bonded well. we completed our task together as a team despite the rollercoaster ride.
7. All the long hours of staying back after school, after the challenges you face with your teammates, after all the hard work you’ve put in until the end of the trip, you never know how much you’re going to change a person’s life. Trust me. all the efforts will never go to waste. its gonna be worth it. 🙂
LikeLike
1. Nur Radiyah, 3N1, –
2. An experience to enhance leadership skills and to get out of my comfort zone without technology/gadgets
3. I’ve learnt that we don’t necessary need the trending stuff to give you happiness. Being around with good people gives you rare happiness. Also, I’ve learnt that I have to appreciate all the little things. unlike in Singapore, we always complain about the weather and request for an air-conditioned classroom while in Cambodia, students are to sit in the ground with only 2 fans in the T-House.
4. The challenges I faced during the trip was the weather.
5. I persevered and endured throughout the days in Cambodia. It was totally worth it as I managed to get out from my comfort zone.
6. The whole trip was memorable. I couldn’t name AN aspect. The whole team worked hard together as one and we bonded well. we completed our task together as a team despite the rollercoaster ride.
7. All the long hours of staying back after school, after the challenges you face with your teammates, after all the hard work you’ve put in until the end of the trip, you never know how much you’re going to change a person’s life. Trust me. all the efforts will never go to waste. its gonna be worth it.:)
LikeLike
1.Glyn jong jun long ,3C ,Concert band
2.I felt very fourtunate being born in a place where we have proper living condition like Singapore.
3.I have learnt that even if something seems impossible on your own , with teamwork and perserverance it can be done
4.The challenge i’ve faced was the languge barrier between us and them.
5.I overcame the challenge with the help of the coach and the teachers there helping to translate our instruction.
6.For me, the most memoriable moment was when we were painting the jouse together.At first it seemed impossible to get it done within 4 days, but we did it anyways.
7.For those juniors who want to go for osl, my advice is to learn some basic words from their language so we don’t need to depend on the teachers there too much.
LikeLike
1) Nur Ellyana, 3N2, Girl Guides
2) Roses are red and Irises are purple, it made me realise how (an unfortunate) life can be simple.
Banana’s yellow and strawberries’ pink, the experience opened my eyes not only just blink!
3) Appreciate. I know it’s a common term but honestly, I have learnt on how to appreciate life more. I’ve also learnt how to communicate with people around me better — how to compromise and make choices everybody else is happy with.
4) YES — a) heat injuries and b) different opinions on planning.
5) a) Drank lots of water; rest but do not procrastinate! b) As I’ve mentioned above, as a team, we discussed each and everyone’s voices as they all matter and we narrowed it down to one idea. 😀
6) T HE K I D S, T H E T E A M, T H E T A S K. The cheerful KIDS in the T-house motivates us all to get the TASK done and the TASK rewards the TEAM with yummy food from Mamak’s! (I hope this made sense lol)
7) Yes. Please suggest “Let’s bring the 21 seniors who took part in OSL 2016 along with us.”. I’m serious.
LikeLike
1. I am Ong Zhing, 3A and English Drama Club.
2. it was not all about the state of giving, but the state of becoming – becoming a more understanding and considerate individual and knowing your effort and contribution made the world a better place.
3. I learnt that we should spare a thought for the people around us and be less obvious to the surroundings by lending a helping hand to the people around us that are struggling make their ends meet.
I also learnt that the tangible provision and manual labour could not only benefit the local community but also across the borders of Singapore, and what we reaped was the priceless and intangible satisfaction and contentment.
4. a challenged faced was the activities we planned for the children in the T-House, we had to improvise on the spot when things did not went as how it was supposed to be which resulted in momentarily decisions to be made.
5. Reflections on the blogpost were uploaded to help us better reflect and cogitate after every day. This is to help further improve and hone our skills and understand what we need to improve on. The recollection of our thoughts allowed us to be more prepared and ready for the activities ahead as we planned things in advance.
6. as time ticks away after landing in Singapore, my heart still lingers in cambodia even when i’m physically living in the scent of my usual crib. I wholeheartedly miss the presence of my the present moment where everyone was physically and emotionally present at the very spot of the T-House, be it the exhaustion and sweat we faced or the screams and laughter we hear in the T-House. We were all equipped with profound strength and courage and worked towards the same goal.
7. This Overseas Service Learning Trip will definitely be one of the many chances or the only (as of now) I treasure. It was not only about the experience of the awaited trip itself at Cambodia, it was also about the gains and takeaways. You got to live it to believe it 😊
LikeLike
1. I am Ong Zhing, 3A and English Drama Club.
2. it was not all about the state of giving, but the state of becoming – becoming a more understanding and considerate individual and knowing your effort and contribution made the world a better place.
3. I learnt that we should spare a thought for the people around us and be less obvious to the surroundings by lending a helping hand to the people around us that are struggling make their ends meet.
I also learnt that the tangible provision and manual labour could not only benefit the local community but also across the borders of Singapore, and what we reaped was the priceless and intangible satisfaction and contentment.
4. a challenged faced was the activities we planned for the children in the T-House, we had to improvise on the spot when things did not went as how it was supposed to be which resulted in momentarily decisions to be made.
5. Reflections on the blogpost were uploaded to help us better reflect and cogitate after every day. This is to help further improve and hone our skills and understand what we need to improve on. The recollection of our thoughts allowed us to be more prepared and ready for the activities ahead as we planned things in advance.
6. as time ticks away after landing in Singapore, my heart still lingers in cambodia even when i’m physically living in the scent of my usual crib. I wholeheartedly miss the presence of my the present moment where everyone was physically and emotionally present at the very spot of the T-House, be it the exhaustion and sweat we faced or the screams and laughter we hear in the T-House. We were all equipped with profound strength and courage and worked towards the same goal.
7. everyone is a leader! choose your path wisely and do not commit if you do not have the heart for it. Your journey of your own will slowly unravel as you venture forth. Exciting isn’t it? You got to live it to believe it 😊
LikeLike