Unforgettable three days........

Hi Friendsssssss, how about your mid-term break? Balik kampung? Travelling? HAHAHA.

No matter where you are, hope you guys having a fanstatic holidays. Haha. But I think the most meaningful activities in this break is our 3 days NURI events. Am I right?

Day 1

23/03/2018 is the first day we visited the Pusat Jagaan Nuri. We have to gather at bioinformatics building on 06.45 am. Due to the reason, I have to wake up around 5.45 am. It was surprising as I could wake up on time because I helped Ming Hui in making origami till 1.00 am for decoration of our closing ceremony! I think the main factor I can wake up early was that I am looking forward to visiting the children at NURI. Hahhahaha……..

When I reached bioinformatics building, I took my own nametag. At that moment, I was moved because finally we have to start our social engagement programme after a long-time preparation. All of us have gathered at bioinformatics building and we started to board van and departed to Pusat Jagaan NURI. Around 30 minutes journey, we reached NURI. Ehmmmmm…… Actually, my first impression towards NURI is not good enough because I think the place is quite small and how the small place can fit up to 60++ children!

Plan couldn't catch up with change. I was shocked because there has only 20 ++ children over there, even P&P have separated the children into different group but I realised that only a few children in a group and even only 3 children in a group as well. OMG!!!!! How can we carry on if only a few members in a group?

Anyway, we still have to carry on our activities. Firstly, we started our self-introduction session. We have to introduce ourselves. Finally, it is on my turn, actually I have to introduce myself with a “perfect” speech. However, most of my cute “teammates” ask children calling me “nyamok” !!!! Nerver mind, I also do not know how to teach them pronounce my name correctly, so I think “nyamok” is easier for them to remember and address me. HAHA..

As I was the breakfast PIC, I help ahmad to prepare breakfast after introducing myself. We faced another problem, we have prepared around 60 ++ packed meal but there was only around 30 ++ persons including all of us. OMG!!!!! How should we settle the remaining foods? Luckily, I saw most of them are willing to eat more than 1 packed meal for their breakfast. Good Job!

After having breakfast, we started the most difficult activity (I think) --- gotong-royong! Well, as a fasi bantuan of kumpulan 4, I was distributed with kumpulan 1 to clean the outside place where is used for our closing ceremony. I helped in sweeping the floor, wiping the chair. It was quite easier than I thought because some of the children are willing to help us! Thanks for your kindness!

Other than that, as the photographer on that day, I get an opportunity to go inside the house and I found that for those who are handled to clean inside was more difficult. A lot of things, a lot of tableware have to wash and clean. Unfortunately, after I took a series of photos, I have to join and help them to wash the tableware due to they have not enough helper. But I think it is quite interesting, Ming Hui, Sin Hui, Erni and I with a cute kid worked together to wash plate, tableware and we chatted with each other at the same time. We were more understanding and closer with my coursemates as well as the kids without being noticed.

Basically, we have to clean second floor after having lunch. Unfortunately, as the second floor of NURI was locked, pengarah not allowed us to clean upside. Hence, we have to change our gotong-royong 2 to game session. In fact, the changes were not in our plan and I do not know well what I should do. Due to the reason, I am may not participating myself in game actively. Actually, I felt regretful when I recalled about it because it was a cherish memories with the children especially I saw them look very enjoyed in the games.

After a series of activities and reflection, finally we have to back our kk. During the post mortem, Rehana represented Ar Arpah to give us some advices. From the advices, I know what we have to improve and what we did well. But anyway, we have two days more, I have to try my best to make the program going well. Even we faced a lot of problems we did not estimated in our plan, but we still have make some changes according the situation.

From today, I learned that never put anything planned, because the plan will never catch up with change !!!! Flexibility is an alternative way when you faced some problems which are not in your plan.

Day 2

Same time, same members but different venue. Due to all of members stayed at kk5, hence we changed our gathering venue to bus stop kk5. Luckily, all of us gathered at bus stop on 06.45 am sharp. We did not make the same mistake as yesterday. HAHAHA.

Like yesterday, we went to NURI to start our new day after signing the attendance. Today is a new day for all of us. I think I have to thanks Jeremy because he helped us to rearrange the fasi tetap and fasi bantuan in each group and ensure that each group has average fasi and members. This was easier for us to gather the children to padang for the most interesting activity. What is it? Senaman Pagi !!!! We danced zomba, panama and bang bang bang with the children together. HAHA.

Normally, I would be the ones who guided me to dance and I just had to follow them. This is my first time to guide the children to dance. It cannot be denied that it is quite fresh and great experience to me. Especially I saw their dancing very cute till I do not know how to describe it. Anyway, this was a cherish memories to me. At the same time, I am looking forward for the tomorrow’s morning session. ^_^

After dancing session, I found that all of them still had a lot of energy to do work. Not like me, I felt exhausted. HAISSS, I just realised that I am older than them. =(

Fortunately, we were having a breakfast after dancing, I have enough time to eat and get a rest. After I helped in distributing breakfast, I realised that they were sitting in row as requested. This was great because we had a larger spare to having our breakfast. I think this is one of the improvements we did. GOOD!!! CARRY ON!!!! 

Today, the children were more willing to cooperate with us because we have prepared a board to record how many stars they get. The final winner group would get a hamper in our closing ceremony. Luckily, we attracted the attention from children by using this way. They were more active participating in our activities. Besides rewards, I think they were more familiar with us, this is another factor to encourage them more willing participate in our activities.

After having breakfast, there has an interesting story I must mention is that because I was the PIC of food, hence I have to help my teammates to distribute and clean the cups. During we were cleaning the cups, Putri and I acted a drama, both of us were working over there. HAHAHA.

It is quite funny. But I think it is a way to build a bond with them because I really do not have much time to communicate with them during lecture time. It is a great chance for me to more understanding them.

Besides the senamam pagi, Mandarin class is one of the activities I expected. Ming Hui as the PIC taught us some basic and simple mandarin like greeting, feeling and some short sentences to introduce yourself. Even I was the fasi bantuan of group 3, however I have to teach group 2 Mandarin because we have to measure that each group has average Chinese to teach them. This encourage me to know the children besides group 3. I think it is quite good. I taught adirah Mandarin patiently in order to make sure she can pronounce correctly. She was very hardworking. She learned mandarin conscientiously and wrote down notes and mistakes. She was the best student ever.

Not only the children, most of our coursemates were also interested in Mandarin, especially Azmil ^_^. He asked me a lot of mandarin words and meaning. Ahhhaaa, I am looking forward of the days we communicate in mandarin, Azmil. Fighting! ^_^

It cannot be denied that the children are clever, they could learn and pronounce the words correctly in a short time. It was very surprising to me. I thought I have to spend more time and remind them again and again. But I did not, they could remember the pronunciation and meaning in a short time. Bravo !!!!!!! I hope these basic mandarin words could help you all in the future!

Another thing I cannot forget to write is our explorance games!!! Ahmad and I was the PIC of checkpoint 5. The game is quite interesting and meaningful because teamwork is very very important to accomplish this task. Actually, I realised that every group has their own strong and weaknesses. For group 3, they were willing to listen the instruction from their abang and follow them. For group 2, they were more prefer to think and do it by their own without group discussion. For group 1, I found that some of us involved themselves in game actively but someone was not. From this game and from them, I also learned a lot especially the role of leader and teamwork is important to complete a task given. Sometimes, we have to willing to hear other’s opinion especially in group work.

Before going back, the children prepared a performance to us ----- dikir barat. From their performance, I could know how they practice hard and how much time they spent in practicing. Even for those who are not involved in dikir barat performance, they still remember the lyrics. The lyrics was included their schedule in a day, when they wake up and when are they going to sleep. In fact, I felt touched even they do not have their parents accompany with them but they still can be a discipline child. I felt graceful because I have lovely parents and they always encourage and support me when I faced the obstacles. As a daughter, I have to work harder and harder to repay our parents and love them.

Last but not least, I have no much things to say.  I think we are going well today. We made some improvements and did well compared to yesterday but we still can make it better on tomorrow especially for our closing ceremony.

Day 3

The time past so fast. Today is our closing ceremony. Feeling sad because we just bonded a closer relationship with the children. Feeling happy because it is the time to go back home and enjoy my mid-term break.

According to our tentative, our first activity was senaman pagi ^_^. Same with me, the children were also looking forward the dancing. Thanks Sharzul for spending time to find other suitable songs online for us even we all have no enough time to sleep. I was very enjoyed in this session.

After dancing, as I am the fasi bantuan, I have to help P&P to decorate our closing ceremony so I not really involved in the other game and session. It is quite disappointed because I cannot have a fun with children.

Anyway, I helped Ming Hui to decorate our closing ceremony by using origami – butterflies. Actually, we have discussed with Ming Hui yesterday night, but we cannot find a suitable way to link 4 butterflies in a string, it looks more in a ‘dying’ butterfly. Anyway, Dr Arpah taught us another way to make it. It cannot be denied that it is useful for us to make it. Thanks Dr Arpah. HAHA.

Unfortunately, after having lunch, some of the children had to go out for their dikir barat performance. I realised that at least half of them left and it is quite quieter compared than past two days. Anyway, I still wish them do it well in the hotel.

Well, as there has only a few children, we still have to carry on our activity. One of the activity is “mystery box”. They are very cute because they want to try to take something inside the box but they scared. All fasi shouted and screamed when they were trying to put their hands into the box. Some of them were shocked and ran away. Their response was cute and funny. Especially Mira, she tried and tried to put her hand but always failure because she scared. HAHA

Again, plan never catch up with change! It was raining when we have to start our closing ceremony! We force to change our closing ceremony to inside. Due to we faced a heavy raining, we cannot to hear the emcee’s (Erni) sound clearly.

As a member of technical, we force ourselves to make a temporary mic by using computer and handphone. Finally, we can use it as mic but the laptop was no battery! Fortunately, the raining was stop when we start our closing ceremony. HAHAHA. Thanks, God!

From our tentative, we have to leave NURI on sharp 7.00 am. But we were late. Putri, Fahmida,Arinah and I cleaned all the cups as soon as possible. It is quite difficult because we have to clean all cups during raining. We called ourselves as “ kumpulan basah”. At that monet, I realised that cooperation with each other is very important because we have to finish washing the cups as soon as we can but I think we were closer because we had the time to work together. Am I right?

It is really hard to say goodbye with all of the children. I can see the disappointed on their face for those who involved in dikir barat and cannot back NURI on time to participate in our closing ceremony. Some of them were crying and unwilling to separate with us. I felt very reluctant but I was happy to meet you all. It was a cherish memories to me. Not only you all, I also learned a lot from you in these three days. Especially I saw the determination and bravery and fortitude for you all. I wish you all have a bright future. All the best!

During our last post mortem, we shared the experiences we gained during these three days. In these three days, I can remember all of my coursemates, your name, your face and your pattern. HAHA.

It was surprising because I am quite hard to remember a person’s name. I think we have built a bonding and improved our relationship during this programme. Looking forward for our next three years. Hello and nice to meet you, coursemates!

Finally, social engagement programme was ended. I apologize for any mistake I made and felt thankful for you all are willing to help me during these days. Thanks Dr Arpah because you are willing to spend time to guide and accompany us during the programme.

Again, thank you everyone. Without you all, I believe this project would not be going through smoothly.

Thanks everyone! 

---Nyam Chiaw Qing---