INNOVA JUNIOR COLLEGE

laughing out real LOUD

sweetest & sexiest people :D

My apologies for this super late post. Vietnam is unforgettable! I miss Vietnam. I feel that our 9 days there, was very meaningful.

My first impression of Vietnam was the hectic traffic. The road is filled with numerous motorcycle, rather than cars. At there, we would just dash across the road, hoping that the vehicles will stop before you.
On the 2nd to 4th day, we started our real mission! We visited the school. The condition of the school was quite bad. They do not have any clean water and a proper study environment. We were divided into groups; group 1 did the white washing, while others did cementing. It was a total new experience. For the painting, we have to climb up the scaffolds to paint. The people cementing had a hard time under the hot sun.

Next, the visit to the orphanage! The kids there are really cute and fun-loving. At first, I was quite lost as I didn’t know how to start. My first attempt to approach the child failed, the child sobbed. Everybody started naming the kids. Each of us has a kid. I miss my kid! Some of them started to piggy back their kid and run around the orphanage, whereas some sat at a corner with their kids folding origami. Also, we saw the kids sleeping soundly. The sight let me wonder why would their parents bear to abandon them? Aren’t they worried?
Group 1 also spent our last day there removing and adding stuff to the library. It seems the books are left there untouched for some time. When we were to leave the orphanage on the last day, some of the kids and the students cried. It was quite difficult for us to leave as in the few days, we have bonded we the kids.
The cultural exchange at Hong Bang University. At the university, we started to mingle with the students there. The students are extremely friendly.

Lastly, the shopping was fun! We had a fun time bargaining price. From there, we could understand more about the people around us. Simin, hongyu and kahkiat have very good bargain skills. all of us bought tons of stuff.
I have benefited a lot from OCIP. This trip has taught us to treasure what we have and stop bargaining. Although there are unexpected things that happen during the trip, we make through it. Our team bond was strengthen. We learnt more about one another. I think this trip will be impossible without the 3 teachers, the exco and all of us.

To sum up, all of us have enjoyed our days there and some of us didn’t want to come back to Singapore. At there, everyday was live to the fullest. If I am given a chance again, I will surely wish to go back to Vietnam for another round of ocip!

Qianhui

As much as we enjoyed the trip throughout the nine days, time passes so quickly that the day for us to return has come.

Definitely all of us have benefitted from this trip some way or another. As for me I think I have gained more than I expected before the trip. Values like team work, volunteerism, independence, passion and leadership were further reinforced in this trip.

Being in the EXCO, I also learnt the things to take note during the planning and executing of activities. Personally I am impressed by Mark who has really done a fantastic job in facilitating the whole team during the nine days.

All of us grow up in an environment that everything has been made properly and prepared for us, and hence we often take things for granted. Through this trip we learnt to be responsible for our own action and learn to precious what we have and not focus on what we do not have, especially after the visit to the school and the orphanage. I think we are all very proud of what we have done and left for the children over there, be it the marvelous mural or the cemented ground that contains our blood and sweat or the long forgotten method, the irrigation system we dug.

The trip has also broadened my perspective of other countries. On the arrival, the first impression I had for the country was... “Man! They sure have tons of cars here!” I was stunned by the traffic in the country. However later of the trip to the local hotspot like the Cu Chi Tunnels, War Remnant Museum and etc left me deep impression about the country, what the country has undergone, and its rich and diverse country.

Not only so, the trip has allowed me to know more people in specific the three young at heart teachers who are always there working with us, helping us and taking care of us. And also Yuhui Renee Fion and Qianhui who never fails to brighten the day with their endless laughter and jokes. In all, I definitely enjoyed working with the whole group. I miss the days we had together in Vietnam.=)

Signing off
Simin

Ocip Vietnam 2008- an unforgettable memory engraved within me.
Fellow ocip members- the coolest bunch yet!
The trip to Vietnam has proven to be a treasure trove of insights and experiences. Through this trip, I’ve learnt a lot about myself and about the people around me. Most importantly, I realized the importance of giving in life. One of the highlights of the trip for me is the trip to the orphanage. Yes, it has been rephrased various ways but I truly appreciate what I have back at home- a family to come home to, my own bed to rest on each night and just things that I can call my own. However I’ve also learnt from the orphans whose radiant smiles still captivate me. They have taught me that the only path to being truly happy is to look at the brighter side. After all, we are what we make life out to be.
The 8 day trip has enabled me to strengthen old ties and forge new ones. Everyone put on their best smiles each morning, ready to change the world one step and a time. Although we come back to our hotel rooms all tired out and with more mosquito bites than ever before each evening, it was well worth it. And I think we’ve managed to leave a mark of change back at Vietnam. Cheers guys, we did it. Through all the spit and grit and through those challenging times we put aside any differences and worked as a team, as one innovian team=)
I am thankful for being able to experience and appreciate the Vietnamese culture. I realized that across the world, customs and traditions may vary but the spirit of giving from within ourselves stays the same.
Oh yeah, and soccer is pretty universal too.
OCIP ALUMNI HERE I COME!


taadaaa that was RAHIMAH's post.

ops. i m utterly sorry that i am posting this so late.
hm... where shall i start about the vietnam trip.
it is really an enriching trip ba, i gave learnt alot of things, and maybe matured a little from this experience.
Especially for my pickiness on food. I guess i was too pampered by my parents that they cook whatever i like to eat all the time to an extent that there are really lots of food that i don even touch at all. Maybe the most extreme one would be eggs and fish.
I still remember during the 1st stock up at supermarkets, how worried i was about the food i would be eating for the next few days.. lols.
and i actually snatched all the cup noodles which was about 10 of them..
and as expected, the first few days was all noodles, noodles and noodles.. lols..
fortunately i was able to appreciate the food there better for the next few days? and infact enjoyed them =)

as for the activities, i feel that mark is really key person in this trip.
his reflection time could really make every1 start to plan and work together.
of cos, we cannot forget those excos, especially for Genevieve and Melvin who have shown great leadership qualities and abilities.
although the cementing was very tough, managed to work together as a team, and actually were doing better and betetr each time we do it.
and we managed to fill up a few holes completely on our own!!! thats feels so purposful =)
as for the painting job, it was quite a dreaded activity i guess, espeically for the whitewash part.
many people did not like the job as they felt that the progress was not as obvious as cementing.
but, actually i thought maybe we could look more on the experience, the process instead of the final outcome.
I know that we were only going to vietnam for a week plus, and would only be doing CIP for 5 days or so.
the things we could actually help on is really limited.
and what we can achieve is limited.
however, if we can appreciate more on the experience, the process,
maybe this feeling of growth can make us feel greater than seeing the result.
well thats wat i feel ba..

and of cos, i have to thank the teachers for taking such good care of us =P
they were not just teacher, they were also nannys, friends, buddies.
i still remember when i had a slight fever during the third day, i could remember the worried expression from the teachers ..lols. and i feel so guilty now. =.=
and all the teachers are really very friendly, they could completely merge into our team..lols.
especially for miss lin who looks like and behave like a "teen", or maybe younger? lols.
and mr wong was geneous enough to share his voice by singing for us.. =P
and of cos, the close freinds in there i have made, all have a part to play to make mi trip so fun.
thnx my roommate- kia kiet, "the nma group", the sarcastic Gladys, the fatherly melvin, the no expression Ian, the D gal wen ling, the laughing non stop shining, the flower lovers navida, rahima, athira and all my other ocip mates!! Though i din get to mix much wif some of the people, but i can see all are v nice peoples =P
and 1 more thing i learnt- every1 is nice, but u need to open your heart for them and frens would come for u.




Good luck everyone

By:

The "emo" Hongyu.

My reflection is a bit late;) Em.. let me recall what have happened for the past 9 days in vietnam
First day
It was rather relax, free and easy for that day as what we did most was traveling and stock up food for the next few days. From Singapore to Vietnam, I get to experience the change of environment. The main concern in Vietnam is the TRAFFIC!... There were COUNTLESS number of motorcycles and only a few cars. It was certainly dangerous to step out of the road!
Second, third & fourth day
Its time to get started! We were split up into two team. One incharge of "painting" and another "cementing". Thanks to Mark, teachers and the excos, we were well aware of our individual task. This is very important as it save much time. By the time we reached the school there, automatically without wasting much time, my team (grp1) started white washing, &painting. During one of the day, I was tasked to do some red painting of the words. It was very fun and I'm addicted with painting of the words.. muhaha
fifth&sixth day
Orphanage! Initially when we just reached the place, I was quite unsure of what we are going to do with the kids. When I knew that we have to play with children who are 5 yrs old and below, I was worried. Because I totally don't know how to interact with them, with the language barrier. However, after a while playing around with the kids and carrying them around. They were approachable and cute! The two day interaction with the children there was short but the memory of them were strong. I miss my kid!
Afterwhich were mostly sight seeing, shopping & bargain time(: And one more thing i want to mention is that the food there isnt as bad as i thought initially! We were very well fed and well taken cared of.
In conclusion, i think all of us have great fun over in vietnam as we were enjoying ourselves most of the time. Even when it comes to some tough chores, we make sure we are having fun at the same time. If given a chance again, i will definitely get back to vietnam for ocip(:

Fion

apparently, i'm one of the last few to pen down my reflections.
or maybe, the last... since it's already 11.42pm right now. =/
this is going to be a ultra long post... or so i think.

vietnam was AWESOME!
i never thought that i would miss being overseas as much as what i'm feeling now.
despite the hard work during our trip, it was very much enjoyable.

cementing under the hot sun was downright exhausting.
especially with all that clearing of the portholes and creating a drainage system...
these were definitely things that we were never exposed to here in singapore.
i've always known that we were a bunch of extremely fortunate kids.
being born and bred in singapore for most of us, we never actually knew how tough life could be.
the experience in vietnam was hard evidence to show how blessed we are.
having seen the state the school was in, it seemed almost impossible to study there.
or so i thought.... yet, kids were sitting in the classrooms, attentive to what is being taught.
this, has taught me to be thankful of what our government has provided us with.
though we may not have the best facilities back in ijc, it was a far better cry than this.
the painting of the mural and the whitewashing was pure pleasure.
though the whitewash was pretty frustrating, i think we all had tremendous fun doing it. =D
the guys were singing and all of us were laughing as we did our jobs.

the orphanage, in my opinion, was the most satisfying part of the trip.
since i love playing and taking care of kids, this was literally heaven to me.
took care of a toddler named tien for the first day.
she was ultra quiet and hardly anything i did made her smile.
though, when she smiled, it was the most heartwarming smile ever!
as i carried her, i could sense her insecurity.
her legs were always tightly wrapped around me, as were her hands.
the grip was firm, as though she was afraid that i would drop her.
this insecurity made me wonder what exactly was the cause that made her this way.
found her with qianhui the second day.
she seemed to have forgotten me... but after awhile, she warmed up to me again.
i'm totally missing her right now.
seeing these kids, my heart goes out to them.
not only were they abandoned, they seemed to be mistreated.
the bruises on them was a heartwrenching sight to behold.

the visit to hong bang university was pretty interesting.
even though they were university students, and you would expect their mastery of the english language to be better, i was proven wrong.
the language barrier was very much present for me.
and the supposed interaction was nothing more than a round-a-bout talk that consisted of me asking a question and my vietnamese friend not understanding the question at all.
it was pretty frustrating... guess i shouldn't have expected too much.
the interesting part was the performances that they put up.
through it, i could see how much importance was given to the preparation of this visitation.
and the last minute dance performance that we put up for them.
apparently, they seemed to love it.
i'm guessing it was due to the fact that the song we danced to was high school musical.

of course, this whole trip wasn't just all work and no play.
we found time to have fun and enjoy ourselves during this trip.
totally missing the time we spent in the nights at can gio.
going to other members' rooms to watch late night movies from an ipod.
and the other cliques playing games in their rooms.
the rainbow hotel was the worst experience one could get.
especially when raini and i were locked out of our room.
i have no idea why... but yea. in the end, thanks to dickson's generosity, we camped on his bed.
however, i did enjoy all the bitching sessions in rainbow hotel.
what with all the lists and what not. =P
hotel pearl was the best ever yet.
both nights, we had people camping in our room.
which was pretty fun except that the 2nd last night i was having a fever and couldn't really join in.
the last night was totally awesome and we all had a tremendous lot of fun.
all in all, i totally enjoyed myself.

through this trip, i learnt a lot more about volunteerism and giving back to the society.
i'm extremely glad to have been given this opportunity to have gone through this whole journey.
from the start till now, i have learnt so much.
ocip has allowed me to grow and mature.
now, being back in singapore, i feel a sense of emptiness.
and i know quite a few members feel the same way too.
guess we are extremely used waking up and having something for us to do.
a sense of purpose in life, i presume...

lastly, i really hope that our ocip team would stay bonded.
chalet at the end of dec or first week of jan?? =D
its 12.28am.... guess i'm being ultra long winded here. =/

genevieve. I LOVE OCIP! I LOVE VIETNAM! I LOVE TIEN!

Yo! It has been a week since we are back. On the way back to Singapore I am already missing Vietnam! Oh man… although OCIP is meant to help people, I think that it also has helped ourselves a lot too, by character developing and of course, having fun and be happy! It has been fun working as a team with the OCIP members and teamwork rocks! You can’t do things alone by yourself, but a team to complete the project.

The boys did a great job during the CIP and not forgetting the girls too.^^ From the CIP at the school, everyone learns from their mistake and gain experience to improve their existing methods. Everyone think of new ways to get things better as we lacked of equipments. Everyone also helped out willingly to get things done for the misfortunate (hmmm, maybe not as fortunate as us) and took good care of each other. It is really heart-warming to see everyone taking care of each other, asking how are they, providing warmth and care for one another because everyone is having the same aim and in a different country. It always feel good when what you did will benefit the others/misfortunate in a way.

The kids in the orphanage are so cute. Plastering smiles on their faces are our greatest mission for the 2 days. It also makes us happy to see them smile. Who says children are devils in disguise. Ok la, for a minority… lol. Our group (grp 2) is also more bonded by then and we also painted a mural on the wall together! Haha, which other groups don’t have a chance to leave a marking there! The children there are also disciplined. They are not like Singaporean kids who always call for their mum to do this and that for them but they did most of their things themselves, hmmm changing of pants ^^. On the last day, when we sit around while they are sleeping like angels, it is really sad to think that they are being abandoned by their parents and I felt more for the older ones because they are the ones who have come to realize they are being abandoned and we also have been concentrating on the younger ones since day 1, therefore a little bit neglecting the older ones there.

Although a little misfortune happened to me on the 7th/8th day, I felt better with the encouragement by my friends (Simin,Renee,Qianhui,Fion) who helped me a lot too, and the concern of some the OCIP members and all the teachers, especially Mr Wong, who kept standing outside my room, looking worried and offered help. Haha. As mentioned by Renee, he is really good at singing ^^ and my image of him really have a 180 degree turnover during the trip. We have a good time chatting and suanning each other. He really is a good friend. The other 2 teachers are equally childi… hmmm young at heart man…. They don’t look like they are all above 27… but it is their entertainment that make the trip more fun and memorable! I can still remember Miss Lin got warned by a staff of a shop to be quiet while playing finger wrestling. Lol.

This trip is great and I have never regretted to join it! This is the first time I missed a camp more than my home. Haha. Ok. I will end here!

YuHui(500++ words)

I'm going to exceed the word count! hahaa. ok. Fun, fun and more fun! Thats the word to describe the trip to vietnam. The 9 days that we spent over there were indeed meaningful and memorable. The moment we reached the airport, we were welcomed by a group of vietnamese. Amiacable,polite,sweet and cute, that's how i will describe the vietnamese.They always have a smile on their faces.Their country has serious problem of air pollution, judging by the number of motorcycles that passed us. Furthermore I was amazes by those wires that hung messily over our heads on the streets. Their traffic was awesome.It was so thrilling everytime we cross the road. We had to hold on to each other and 1..2..3.. DASHH.
Erm.. cnt say much about the 1st & 2nd day because its rather relaxing for us. On the 3rd day, we visited the school and were ready to do some serious construction work!! Though it was the 1st/2nd day of our construction work, i already felt a sense of achievement about our hardwork. The holes in the ground were covered up (with the help of the experienced worker, of course) and the algae and all the dirty yucky things were cleared thanks to the guys. I really have to comment on that, they were so chivalrous to volunteer to scrub those yucky stuff away and at the same time still having lotsa fun. They were really good. *claps*
Its great and heartwarming to see everyone contributing. Nobody was free-lancing, everyone tried to help out in some way or another even if they dont know what to do. All of us were pro-active. I'm also glad to see myself trying to come up with new ideas on how to carry out the chores more efficiently and effectively. Throughout the labour in the school, i really enjoyed myself painting with my friends with lotsa fun in the hot sun.=) Digging the water out of the holes in the ground definitely isn't some easy task as it may sound especially we were using the wrong equipment to do so. However, we didn't gave up , we scooped and scooped and repeat the same action again and again but it was useless. =.= We tried our best though.I loved the painting part the most!! Together with yuhui, we went on to the scaffolds and wanted to be perfect in painting the red wordings. We tried to be as careful as we can, we trembled alot alot and tried to cover all the area of the wordings meticulously. Both of us put in our 100% effort and were very proud and sastified with the overall results.
Through OCIP, i have witnessed how fun and cute the 3 teachers can be, esp Mr Wong! whose singing talent has yet to be discovered by public. HAHA. He is really good at it, seriously and he is certainly young in the heart. For once, he don't look like the DM.
I was rather shocked yet happy when i first stepped into the orphanage as i thought we were going to a temple instead. The environment was much cleaner and comfortable than i had expected. I felt curious and wierd about their unique histyle which made me still cannot figure out their gender. Those kids there were really cute and playful. They were very proactive but some can be rather shy and quiet. Some of them which i have came across were rather mature that thay helped with the chores. I really appreciated that they were willing to accept us and had so much fun with us.I missed the kids sooo much.I still have so much to say but i will have to end. To round it up, the people and the food there were nice. The best thing that i take away with me from this trip is that i have made manymany new friends who are nice and fun! I enjoyed the times when we walked out of our comfort zones and learnt how to cooperate with others better and build on the team spirit. I'm proud of the girls as they did not allow their sizes or their heights to give them the excuse to reject some tough chores. We tried to help as much as we can just like the guys!! *hurrays* I have definitely become a better person after the trip. I have learnt to be contented with what i have now and to always share and show concern for people around us.I have learnt to adapt to the surroundings fast and make do and make use of whatever resources we had. All the OCIP peeps have left me wonderful and fond memories that i will never failed to forget. Its my pleasure to work with u guys!! *yeahhness*. Great job guys!! *cheers* I really want another OCIP trip next year!!!
Renee=D (809)

How I Miss Thee, Vietnam!


I miss Vietnam; not just like I wish I could visit Saigon centre or Ben Thanh again or that I’d really like to buy some souvenirs or eat some great duck from a street vendor in the markets, etc. I miss the people over there. I’s hard not to pick up on, even if you’ve never been there before. I miss the bustle of the cities, the throngs of scooters, the street vendors, the smells and sounds. Ok, did i just say the smells and sounds? oo, whatever. Anyhow, Ho Chi Minh is much more beautiful than i thought it would be.

Our designated task; Cementing and painting started on the 2nd day. We had fun. I miss playing with the cement and I even miss Vietnamese worker laughing at us about how noob we are, can't even lay the cement properly, etc.
More serious construction work going on for another 3days.
.
.
I swear all of us are frigging tired after all those.

At the Orphanage. The kids there were superly uber cute but when i saw them, I feel as though my feelings and emotions are about to be raped. I just have this feeling that they are being badly abused. I need a shield around my heart and mind, seriously.
To the OCIP people, this few days has been a challenge. I have never see them getting so seriously before. Especially for those who have not even carry a kid before. I was so shocked when i saw nathaniel carrying a kid. Com'on he's a primary3 kid. If he can do it so well, why not us?

This trip was not at all about us, but about OUR "adopted" children. What we can learn from them and the world we live in together; how we can be inspired by their courage to love, hug, learn, create, and interact with us: big, weird, goofy, awkward strangers that bombarded their worlds; how we can see them and then remember the significance of the simple things, recognizing little beautiful moments, grasping simplified living, and being softened by relationship we all crave.


This is the most memorable experience I ever had. I learn a lot of things in this trip and had a wonderful time with this group of people. A lot of unexpected things happened during this trip, but the bonding between the team makes the team even stronger when going through hard time. Through this trip I learn a lot about myself, everyone in this team, the people of Vietnam and a lot more things from our three lovely teachers. I am really grateful for what i have in my life.

Anyway, like I said, I miss Vietnam, I’m already ready to go back.




Jingyi ♥

i've probably learnt gazillion things without even realizing it, if thats possible.

MISS-es

i miss the lifestyle & the atmosphere in Vietnam.

i miss having Gen waking me up, breakfast prepared, and a new aim but same mission in mind everyday. it sort of enhance/improve the day or something. ok i dont know what it is but it really gives a nice feeling :)
i miss coming back after a long tiring day to a clean & ready-made bed
(exception to Rainbow hotel since gen & i was locked out of our room on the 2nd night. THANKS to dickson for giving up his chance to use the queen size bed and having us let it while cramping with 3 other guys in another room)
i miss bumpy rides too! absolutely thrilling and let's just say, i got used to sleeping during bumpy rides. the company was SUPERB/AWESOME/GREAT!


who would have thought CIP is enjoyable and miss-able?
painting, cementing, scooping shit (not that i did it), discovering creepy-crawlies and entertaining kids. I shall now be thankful to MOE & the Bangladeshi workers for working hand in hand to provide me with a great learning environment.LOL.



i think the results from the Jr. High (cementing & mural) provided us with great satisfaction.
hours of sweat, soil and toil really paid off :D
the mural is beautiful (minus drunk Vietnamese teacher writing)
the cementing was well done (Vietnamese Cement God!)

ok even shopping is second to the experience i had at the orphanage.
the kids were uber cute with their trademark hairstyle.

I MISS KHANH!!!
(for his height & age, he is totally heavy!)

I saw how they appreciated the littlest things. even piggyback rides could bring them joy. (plus, they make me exercise like crap) Polaroids were like the best inventions to them. I'm really glad, even for two days, i could bring joy to these kids.
there was alot of people who i didnt expect to be so good with kids.
anyways, leaving was harder than expected.i really didnt anticipate the reaction i had when i was leaving the orphanage. i saw khanh crying and it upsets and hurts me like &%$#%#

i guess we were all reluctant to leave & were emotionally-attached to our charges,
surprisingly, since it was just a mere two days visit. i really want to go back to the Orphanage!!




Looking at Hong Bang University, i was sort of stunned (?)
so the environment was bad & small too. like really bad in comparison to our JC.
but i had the chance to meet new people and the experience was quite fun.
well, ok, the MOE did a great job.


i'd like to also thank the Teachers (+ eileen and mark and chin/shin) & peeps, who were there to take care of me. well, we all took care of each other. i apologize too that im such a sucker picky-eater when it comes to food. The teachers were super fun :) in contrast to their super strict character, the teacher also had times where they let loose and be kiddy-ish like us.


LETS ALL JOIN THE ALUMNI!!

Now was OCIP Vietnam the most happening, most coolest, most... I MISS MIRANDA!

The first day that we arrived, i had no idea what to expect. Looking at the city itself with the amount of motorbikes and cars, i taught the city life was going to be tough. The motorbikes came in swarms and crossing the road was like being on fear factor. First agenda was to buy groceries to stock up for the nine days and we really did. Total of 55 thousand from each person form a 4 man group. Soon after we checked in a RESORT for the following 3 nights which i taught was a really cool place.

We got down to business and started working at the school. My group did cementing and we learned a lot from the construction workers there. Initially we used our two hands to carry the cement pail from the mixer to far far far away places like the so called renovated toilets. After carrying the cement with both hands, our backs and legs started to ache until one of the construction workers taught us how to do it. We were suppose to carry it on our shoulders. Dirty yes, but nonetheless was a great help and a ease on our backs. I taught bringing the cement to the holes was hard, evening the cement using a long metal strip and cement tools was even harder. Looking at the workers doing it looked easy, so i tried and tried and tried for 10 to 15 minutes and it could not be done! So the worker dude came to and told me to stand back and watch like i was a noob. Bang, Boom in 2 minutes one nice even surface and all i did was just to bring the cement to him to fill the holes great...
The cementing work and my futile efforts to master the art of leveling went on for 3 days. After we were done we went on the help out with the mural. However, before painting the mural on, dirt and fungus had to be scrubbed off so that fresh paint could be laid on. 5 courageous guys stepped up dressed like terrorist and started scrubbing. While scrubbing they started singing, hmm... new age pop terrorist. Painting the mural was fun cause we could splash paint all we want, but the fun part came after that were we played SOCCER WITH THE VIETNAMESE SCHOOL TEACHERS! They were good.
The following day we mingled with the students and played with them for a while before heading to the orphanage back in the city.

I adopted a daughter while in the orphanage, her name is MIRANDA. activities that we planned for the kids just went out the window as many of us just wanted to play with the kids there cause they were so cute and cuddly. At least the library, mural and Polaroids where done before leaving the orphanage to leave our mark. I believe that many true personalities and character came out of our group members while taking care of the kids. All of us saw a different side each other and started clicking with one another. The kids there were such good and loving kids. Many of us established a bond with their kid(s) that leaving them on the second day was so difficult.

Last agenda was tourism and shopping for the group. Stuff there were cheap and hopefully good quality. Many of us bought Adidas merchandise and Vietnam handy crafts.

All in all this was one heck of an awesome trip. The group was wonderful, suppourtive, encouraging, and showed great team work and determination in whatever we did, including bargaining for cheaper prices. The teachers were awesome as well, thanks for being so cool with us. Lets do this AGAIN PLEASE!

P.S I MISS MIRANDA!!!!

Joshua
(642 words)

Hi. Post trip reflection..
From the vietnam trip, and from Mark and from everyone, i have learnt alot of things.

I think the planning and everything was perfect. the food was perfect. the bus was perfect. there seem to be no flaw in the whole procedure of the day , for the 8 days, and ofcourse, i enjoyed my 8 days in vietnam.

yes, i learnt alot of things. i discovered more about myself. i learnt things like, the importance of caring for other, the teamwork, to have fun even if we are hard at labour as this will certainly bring the up the morales of the team. i also realised that i am not so much of a picky eater afterall.lol.

and i learnt much more abt the situation in vietnam, their economy, the population, the bikes, the ratio of population of vietnam to the number of bikes in vietnam is 1:2. i think vietnam is growing too fast and there is more the goverment should do to cope with the growing economy, i mean maybe they can build some bikes infrastructure. to make everything smooth. vietnam isnt that poor as i expected, they have grown quite alot, for a communist country.

and also, i learnt more abt the history of vietnam, which i was so interested abt, the agent orange, the america war. we also have a very good tour guide, Chin, he knows abt the history of vietnam and the situation in vietnam very well and it was a great help to the trip.

abt the orphanage, i think it touches most of our hearts, to see the cute kids having so little to wear, the living condition of the place and the food and how some of them were treated. the kids at the orphange were really excited when we arrived and they were all sad in tears when we were leaving. and i am glad that ocip voice 2008 has managed to gather alot of stuff to give to the orphange. i am really proude of the people in the ocip. even though we didnt mangage to do all the things that we planned, we still managed to donate all the stuff we collected and meet the people there.

also the people in ocip are great, they dnt complain much if sth happen, adapt quickly to vietnam.

overall, i think the ocip trip to vietnam was a huge sucess. i really enjoy my time there.
thank you.

dannie

okay, vietnam was seriously awesome. i really feel that the trip has impacted me a lot, in the sense that i now wake up everyday without an aim. every day spent in vietnam was waking up to a sleepy breakfast and marching off to complete an assigned task that you know the outcome would benefit so many others. now back in singapore, everything seems so pointless. i wake up to breakfast and a live telecast of an NBA game, which ultimately seems so selfish.

i really miss the company as well, the 9 days or so spent there doing community work with you guys were the best. i really enjoyed myself painting the school, dancing on the scaffolding, singing Westlife songs. i miss the bumpy bus rides to wherever we went, i miss the staying up late at night to watch movies off Josh's iPod. everything. the orphanage was often as well, it was heart-wrenching for some when we had to leave the orphans, we even started naming them haha. well, it felt good just knowing that we did everything we could to plant a smile on their face so that they could remember us in time to come. if possible i want to go back there again, definitely. both the experiences at the school as well as at the orphanage made me think about life back here. how we are unappreciative of what we have. how we keep complaining about everything, while the kids there are so contented in the little things in life.

that aside, ben thanh market was really good, all the bargaining and the $7 adidas shirts. we really got to look at a lighter side of the teachers at well, declaring thumb wars with Ms Lin ( how the heck did she get so good at it ), hearing Mr Yip complain about the cement work. those were good times.

im too lazy to count the words, should be enough. vietnam kicked ass, let's go for round 2 next year after our 'A's.

'when the night has come, and the land is dark.
and the moon, is the only, light we'll see.'

DICKSON

Finally adjusted back to Singapore daily schedule, Vietnam was just so fun and every moment we spent there will be remembered for the rest of my life.

First thing I noticed over in Vietnam is cleanliness for sure. Singapore is simply clean; Vietnam’s streets are covered with all sorts of rubbish. Secondly, the traffic congestion in Vietnam is caused by MOTORCYCLES and SCOOTERS, and seriously patience is needed because all we can do is to trust our drivers. Actually, I feel that Vietnamese food is all right, just that there are too many seafood dishes so more meat will be better (:

CIP at the school allowed to realize that the education environment we have in IJC and our respective primary school and secondary school is way better then what the Vietnamese students have. Imagine that you need to study in dust and spider webs filled classroom, with no computers for you to do research and a field for the students to play right outside the classrooms, distracting you. I certainly would not be able to study under these kinds of conditions. I am also glad that we cooperated well with one another and we managed to complete our tasks in the school on time. Although it was “WORK”, I believe every one of us have fun. Singing and soccer was the most memorable events that happened during the CIP in the school. However, being able to see our efforts play off during our last visit to the school is heart-warming. The school looks cleaner with the teachers and students looking appreciative, everyone was glad and none of us will regret helping them.

Orphanage was next. The kids were absolutely gorgeous. They look so innocent and cute. They are friendly too and seriously they lack playing partners. Their faces was filled with joy when we piggy-back them, carry them around and give them sweets. Such simple actions managed to bring a smile onto their innocent face. Their life is so simple and they do not request much. Furthermore, the kids know what appreciation is. Taking care of them is not a chore for us but a blessing. Any projects to return to orphanage to take care of the kids, I will be most willing. Everyone did a great job in taking care of the kids. None of us push the kids away or what so ever, we were on the other hand, snatching each other kids, so that shows how happy and enthusiastic we were.

Hong Bang University was an unexpected experience for me. I did not expect a university to be so small? Or I should say the standard is quite far from the image of a university in my mind. However, the students were friendly and they tried their best to communicate with us. Each of us certainly made new Vietnamese friends in the university although the trip was quite short.

Lastly is the trip to Chu Chu Tunnels. The pain the soldiers suffered during the war can be observed during this trip. The tunnels are like so small and narrow, with the need to bend down every moment. The weapons and bobby traps were the MAIN ATTRACTION I should say. Mans are “creative” to come up with such cruel way of killing people. After the trip to the tunnels, I have a wish “WORLD PEACE”.

I absolutely miss the kids in the orphanage. I will go back if I have the money and time in the future. OCIP really caused me to mature and appreciate everything I have.

Kah Kiat (593 Words)

I've come up with a list of things that I've learnt in Vietnam.

1. Have no fear when you cross the road, otherwise the motorcyclists will think you're wimpy and won't let you pass. But then again, safety first. Eyes peeled with hearts of steel, and you'll make it across to the other side.

2. Miss Lin is very good at thumb wrestling. Some might say just a tad bit exuberant. Like the Vietnamese barista in Highlands Coffee.

3. Cementing potholes, huge ones at that, is no easy task. Kudos to all hard labourers for their ability to, er, tahan such backbreaking tasks and be awesome at them. I now appreciate the kind of cushy, comfortable lifestyle we have even more.

4. Social skills! We had gobs of chances to do that and it was great. With the high school and orphanage kids, the Hong Bang uni people, the night market vendors, and practically everyone we met. And of course with each other. I got to know so many people better on this trip. Which is great.

5. The art of sleeping in a cramped bus seat on roads that are: bumpy as hell, or congested with motorbikes. Driving on the latter road simply means you get more time to sleep. And of course, patience. Eagerness to get from Point A to Point B is kinda futile during peak hour on Vietnamese roads. So, patience is essential, young grasshoppers!

6. The skill of finding unlikely photo opportunities anywhere, anytime. Like when I took like 200 plus photos on the first bus ride alone. (of people sleeping etc. all the super tak glam moments, I have them, muahaha.)

7. A new appreciation for the life I have here - I mean, seriously, though everyone was saying they wanted to stay in Vietnam forever, I dont think we really meant it that way. I'm not saying that people who said it were lying or hypocritical. I said it too. But what I'm thinking is that what we really wanted was the kind of experiences that we had there, the memories that we made. Its the company and the context in which we stayed there, and not really the living conditions. Because the standard life for an average Vietnamese ain't that pretty. We recieved awesome treatment there. And it made me appreciate the life I have among the green green trees of Singapore all the more. But okay, if you think I'm totally off my rocker and that you reeeeally want to live there in future... well, good luck with that!

8. Learning to open your eyes and your heart can take no time at all in a foreign country. We did that in a heartbeat at the orphanage. And that was really great. Some people's true colours really shone there - and it was the fischizzle! For example. Dickson, Ravin and Joshua were really awesome with their adopted charges. Not saying the rest of you weren't great, I'm just saying that I never knew they had it in them. I mean, who knew? Just goes to show, never judge a book by its cover. I think I learnt this like a hundred times over during the trip.

9. Opening your heart and stomach to local food can be a double-edged sword. The first few days, I was thinking, Awesome, we get to try genuine local cuisine! After the first few heady days of eating clams in a variety of ways. And a straight seafood diet. I have never appreciated Singaporean food more. Rice and dishes again? Bring it on, baby. I've never really had homesickness in all my trips before this. This was the first time I was struck with Home(food)-sickness.

10. I think the skin on our legs now must be like rhino hide man. Compared to the mosquitos of Vietnam, the mosquito bites of Singapore are nothing more than butterfly kisses.

11. At the risk of sounding cliched. I think I also learnt the deadly importance of teamwork and cooperation. See, we made it back in one piece! And we completed all those tasks that looked so daunting. Cementing, painting, manual labour in general. And the hot hot sun of sunny Saigon. I know others before me have said this before. But seriously. It was really great that we all put aside our differences (more or less, let's not get too picky now) and worked together for everything that we had to do. Be it carrying luggage, shovelling / painting, shopping with scary vendors, or having a good time. So cheers to everyone for that!

12. Our teachers can become our friends. This trip really changed my opinion about the three lovely teachers that went with us on this cool trip. Especially Mr Wong. I mean, he looks really fierce and forbidding in school. (especially when it comes to uniforms and haircuts) But he was really great in Vietnam, laughing, slogging in the dirt, and even playing cards with us by the end of the trip. I think we all saw a different side of all three teachers on this trip. And now I respect them even more. Kudos to you guys, OCIP teachers, for being such awesome facilitators, and for becoming our friends, and for making sure we all got back in one piece!

Okay, I think my work here is done. To sum up my reflections:

The time we spent there was as sweet as sugar,
The things we've seen we'll never forget.
The food, perhaps a little jialat?
Vietnam, you haven't seen the last of us yet!

PS: Seriously. I'm going to be one of the first to join OCIP alumni.

The thing that struck me about the trip was the entire group's sincerity and willingness in putting in effort to make the trip meaningful not only for us but for the people we are helping.

At the high school, not only was work done efficiently, it was an enjoyable moment despite the painstaking manual labour. Everyone pitched in and i saw countless beads of sweat drop into the cement mixture as we lay it out onto the ground. However, the factor that made me pull through was the effortless attempt at keeping the morale up. And it wasn't forced like somebody shouting 'we can do it people' just for the sake of doing it. The jokes, the singing, laughter and smiles amidst the hard work was perfectly natural. Even the teachers were contributing to the lighter moments with their one-liners.

At the orphanage, once again our collective good nature was a highlight. Although we've only had one and a half days to interact with the kids, that was one the most meaningful days i've had in my life. Thinking back, i was rather apprehensive about the visit to the orphanage before the trip because i was unsure if we can even communicate with the children. This is because I was thinking that interacting with children is already a challenge, and here we are planning interactive activities with children without a common language. Am I glad my doubts were unfounded. There were the students running about giving piggy rides and then there were the students sitting down playing quietly with their 'charge'. We were so protective of the kids we chose. I think that the phrase of the day was 'Hey, thats my kid!'. There was definitely a connection between us and the children. I was surprised at how bright some of the children actually are. However, i do not think that we've fulfilled our objective of leaving smiles when we part. Instead, there were plenty wet and grim faces. It was heartbreaking and I've felt a teeny bit of how it is like to be a parent. The joys and the grief. I WANT TO GO BACK.

Lastly, I was really impressed with the friendliness and the unity of the Vietnamese people. We saw their strong spirit during the visit to the war memorial museum and the Chu Chi Tunnels. Experiencing the simple pleasures of their life amidst the complications in today's world was bliss. There are many more things I would like to say but the following words will pretty much sum it up. I miss the trip. I miss my kids. I miss you OCIP guys. I miss doing something meaningful. I miss the country. I feel lost back in Singapore.

Othman

Its about a week since we are back from vietnam. It is definitely a fun and memorable trip for each and everyone of us. It started at the airport playing murderer, and ended back at the airport.(:

The first 4 days at the school was great. Tiring, but meaningful. We white-washed the walls, painted them, and painted a mural on it. Cemented the floor, cleared their drains. It was disgusting, but our guys feared nothing. I really learnt alot on this trip. Eileen was explaining to us about why the drainage in Vietnam was so bad. We are very lucky to be living in Singapore, where we have transparent leaders.

We spent the next 2 days back at Saigon (Ho Chi Minh), at an orphanage. The kids there were very cute. Slightly better than those at Batam, these kids were easier to get along with.(: We spent the 2 days playing with them, renovated their library and built a toy corner for them, we also painted a mural in one of their classrooms. I really enjoyed my 2 days here alot. I also realised, how fortunate most Singaporeans are. Firstly, from the food those orphans ate. Their lunch was just bread with diluted curry sauce, while we get KFC delivery. i really wanted to share the food with them,let them try KFC for once. But there was definitely not enough for everyone. Secondly, all the orphans, and even the ladies taking care of the orphans, were all very fascinated and excited when we gave them a photo taken with a Polaroid camera. Some of the adults asked me to help them take a few more pictures so they could keep. But since i did not own the camera,i rejected them, leaving them in great disappointment. I felt really bad at that time, i really felt that i did not do enough for them, i want to do more for them. Unlike us, who practically carry a camera with us wherever we go(our handphones), and camwhoring almost everywhere, these people are not as fortunate as us.

I really think we could be have been more prepared for this trip. But since this trip is already over, we can only prepare for a better trip next time. I believe we as seniors of OCIP should have a dialogue session with the next OCIP bach before their trip. Share our experiences with them, give a short briefing on the type of donation items they should concentrate on bringing(e.g. more Polaroid Camera Films). And enable them to be more prepared on what to expect on their trip, as no matter which country the next bach will be visiting, the needs of these unfortunate would some what be similar.

Overall, the trip was great!The laughter and joy we all shared. Even the 3 kids, Nathan,Gladys and Justin who were not part of our OCIP family but joined us on this trip were great. They really put in alot of effort and sweat, giving their all helping those unfortunates. Great work guys(:

Lastly, may the spirit of OCIP VOICE live on forever!(:

Cheers,
Ian

Of couse I'm really missing everything that has happened in Vietnam.

It kinda started when most of us gathered at the airport like 6 -7 hours before the flight. One whole group of us sitting down to play murderer, true or dare. I guess that started the ball rolling.

The times where we got to get ourselves dirty with all the scrubbing, painting, cementing. Played a soccer match with the teachers there, and they are real good. Well the field wasn't in its optimal condition to have hold a game, but nevertheless, I enjoyed kicking the ball around with the locals there. Lost 4-3, but we had fun anyway!

The orphanage was probably the one stop where we really ask ourselves how much do we treasure everything that we have back in Singapore. Looking at the kids, all so lively, so cheerful, it's a pity that these kids are living in such an environment, where they do not have any parental care, where living conditions aren't at its best to nurture their physical mental and emotional growth. We were given 2 days to interact with them, mingle with the children, create origami, photo frames from the simplest of materials - cardboard. Before we set of for the orphanage, the OCIP group discussed about our objective of our visitation to the orphanage, and a tangible indication on how successful is our trip there, and one of them was to see that the children were all smiling at the end of the day. I guess we really have surpassed our expeciations. THE KIDS LOVE US MAN. My group had to excuse ourselves on the second day to paint the mural in one of the classrooms, hence unable to mingle around as much with the children. But I wanna thank my group for being so cooperative, so unselfish, and for being so successful with the completion of the mural. To Lynette, Renee, Yuhui, Kah Kiat, Shining, Athirah and William, cheers!

Our cultural exchange programme with Hong Bang University. I guess both sides really enjoyed each other's company, and the games that we played. It kinda change my mindset about Vietnamese being very traditional Vietnamese. It was kinda cool to be able to hear them speak and communicate in English. The dance was kinda screwed up, but who cares? Lots of Vietnamese beauties HAHA, another fun-filled day.

Of course there were the nights especially, where one whole group of us would be gathering in either Josh or my room. We would be doing stuff that we probably never be able to do in our next few years. Just sitting down together to talk about the things that we like, about the activities that happened during the day, the gossips, our TOP 5 etc. Playing cards in the room, the coffee that everyone loves, and laughing our asses of like nobody cares, I guess I'll never get to do any of these unless we have another trip like this.
I heard one of the teachers mentioning about an alumni next year. If there ever is going to be one, I'll be first in queue!

I guess, in the name of overseas community work, in the name of volunteerism, in the name of Innova JC, we, OCIP VOICE, certainly deserve a huge pat on our back, period!

Cheers guys, we've done a magnificant job.

Jonnnnnnnnny

I SHALL GET THE BALL ROLLING!!!

Okay, where should I start.

This trip was the best one I ever had. It was meaningful and awesome, and to top it off, I was accompanied by a fantastic group of people.
This is not my first overseas trip with a school, but this topped it all. As travelling becomes a hassle due to our luggage and what not stuff, it was good to see that everyone did all that they can to make travelling easy and helping with all the luggage. There was hardly any ‘eye-power’ which really touched my heart.

Next is the community work we did. First was construction in the junior high school, which included cementing of the school’s court yard and white-washing a part of the school. The 3 days spent was unforgettable. Initially, we all thought that cementing would be fun. Never did we realize how tough it was. Cement isn’t exactly the lightest thing on earth and we needed a lot of it just to fill a small hole. And if just carrying the cement from one place to another was not enough, we had to level the cement which was even harder! Thank goodness for professional help we had! Now I really appreciate the fact that our government is nice enough to hire help to do such work for us and we can enjoy studying in a comfortable compound without having to lift a finger. 3 cheers for those workers from Bangladesh!!!

Our stay at the orphanage was the ultimate. The children there were so adorable, I have no idea why their parents would actually abandon them. I really enjoyed my stay there. The children there were so easily satisfied that simple things like origami and piggyback rides would make them smile, as if we just gave them a million dollars. Even though we just spent a short 1 and a half day there, I really felt attached to the children there. This is one time, I was so unwilling to leave a place. Just seeing them smile, really melted my heart.

I’m glad that I was given this chance to embark on a trip like this. It really changed my attitude towards life. Many times, we get to watch videos or television showing sights like these, but nothing beats seeing it for myself. This trip made me thankful for many things. It made me think twice before I complain about having a sucky school compound cause there are people out there who don’t even have a proper classroom to study in or that I hate my parents for what not reasons cause there are orphans who have never had a taste of parental love.
Lastly, I will like to thank all the people who have accompanied me on this trip. Without you guys, the trip will not be complete. All the fun, laughter and moral support we give to each other was what really kept me/us going. During the trip, I am happy to say that I was able to foster new and strong friendships with people whom I have never actually spoken to before the trip itself. As for those I have already known, I was able to get to know them even better.
All the memories I have will never ever be forgotten, and I believe, it is enchanted in everyone’s mind. More overseas community service trips, HERE I COME!!!

(562 words)

ROCK ON OCIP VOICE!!!

much loves,
[. janelle .]

Yeppee. The latest one here. I can fell the air of excitement. All the OCIP member are getting ready to their last preparation for the Vietnam trip tomorrow. After a long road since the early month of the year, what we have been waiting for, finally just around the corner. Honestly, this is the first time for me doing the overseas community project. I never thought that reaching our hand in helping people can go a long way. Also, the project was filled with exciting programmes and activity that's impossible goes unoticed. All this while, all the community activities that we have been through stayed in my mind and marked wonderful experieces for me. Consequently, all the OCIP mates have thought me to have fun together while helping people along the way especially during the vouluteerism activity. I'm sure that we were jovial assisting the proceeding while enjoying the event at the same time. Through out the project, my OCIP friends have also encouraged me to persevere in everything we do. Even though, there are times of down, each of us believe that if we are determined enough to do something with the intention to help others, we can do it. Team work is definately important because many impossible achievements can be done when we are together. In addition, the aim of OCIP has allowed me to express my compassion to those who are less unfortunate and therefore develop the sense of solicitude in me. I will be looking foward for the vietnam trip tmororrow. For the final activity in vietnam, let us do our best and create the unforgettable experiece together :D
-William (260words)

Finally the day has come- the trip to vietnam=) I have been anticipating the trip because i proud to bebelieve that this ocip trip will be 1 of the most fruitful learning experiences in my life. Its my FIRST time doing community work overseas furthermore its with a bunch of monkeys! Though i know that we will be engaging in some tedious work, but i believe that working hand in hand with all the nice, fun and crazy people, all the perspiration and hardwork is worthwhile. Its always the process that we should treasure and focus on rather than the end results. So lets enjoy ourselves and have lotsa fun ppl!
Other than having fun amongst ourselves, what i really hope and wish is to bring happiness, hope and fun to the orphans and children there. They may not be as fortunate as us, so here i am! very enthusiastic to spread my love and care for them.
I am so looking forward to the trip right now!! although i will be missing my comfy bed for 1 week=( It will definitely be a great and new experiences for me. I hope that through this trip i will be able to learn more on how to work with people, my leadership qualities, going out of the comfort zones and breaking the invisible barriers that i used to have.
All the members of OCIP, Lets all work as one and bring happiness to the kids in vietnam!!I am certain that we will be able to do a tremendous job and lets give it our best.We shall leave no regrets behind and bring back sweet moments and memories with us for the rest of our lives.
Y.E.A.H
Renee=D

I can still remember my first OCIP meeting, which isn't too long ago anyway. However, I've grown to be at ease and comfortable working with this bunch. This is because the people are sociable and i have no doubts that the Vietnam children will receive lots of love from us. Managing a big team is always tough and therefore i think the leaders deserve recognition for their hard work and efforts in trying to achieve the desired outcomes during the preparation and also the trip. *round of applause*

I am definitely looking forward to the trip as firstly, it would give me an opportunity to break out of the scene (I've only been to Malaysia and Indonesia). I like to try new things and i figure that i will also be exposed to the experience of being in an unfamiliar surrounding in Vietnam as Malaysia and Indonesia are generally Malay speaking and I understand bits of Indonesia. I am looking forward to this exposure as well as exposure to the living conditions of the poor in Asia. It will be an eye opener and makes me think that living conditions Singapore isn't just too bad, it can be considered rather luxurious. I sure am thankful for that.

"If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am not for others, what am I? And if not now, when?"

See you in Vietnam!
Othman

VOICE will start their mission in 36 hours...

alright... so i'm one of the last few tortoises .
finally have the time to think and type out my reflections.

firstly, just want to take this opportunity to apologise to everyone...
sorry for that sudden outburst just now at the dance studio.

moving on to the main topic here...
being in OCIP has been a tremendous experience for me.
i know everyone has been talking about how great it is to be in OCIP... so on and so forth.
i think, i'm really thankful to be in this team.
though many at times, there are bickers and disagreements..
there are also times where we were able to complement each other.
where in some areas we lack in, the others could easily make up for that.
i guess, this is really how teamwork should be like.

me being myself, have learnt a lot about teamwork through OCIP.
having been very individualistic and extremely demanding, a selective perfectionist, i tend to focus on reaching my targets through my own ways and means.
OCIP has allowed me to not only realise the importance of teamwork, it has also showed me the true value of friendships.
these friendships that have been created and strengthened through this course, are treasured.
especially, the close friendship with jon, raini, melvin and hongyu.
also the other new friendships with renee, ian, dickson, ravin and josh.
and definitely the continued friendships with my 2 secondary school bestfriends lelia and jings.
i'm indefinitely grateful to Ms Lin for accepting jings into this OCIP family.

as for my pre-trip feelings..
i can say that i'm both excited and indifferent.
what an oxymoron....
excited cause this is my first trip overseas to do cip...
which i totally love... especially when we are going to be interacting with the children in the orphanage. =D i love children.
not forgetting the fact that i'm going to be travelling with people whom i love. =))
but, i'm also indifferent at the same time.... in the sense that going overseas with the school is no longer something new, so i'm not exactly andrenalised.
wondering if any interesting things would happen there... i do hope so. =D
something funny that would provide us with laughter and joy.

okae... so, i think i've probably hit the 250 limit?? =D
i think it's more than enough.
ending off...
hope we have a great trip. =DD

genevieve. [39o words]

VIETNAM!!! I guess we are all probably excited about the trip, no parents means no rules!

On a more serious note, what i hope to get out of this trip is mostly experience and an exposure to different cultures. On the experience side would be seeing how poor the schools and families and are in Vietnam and actually being able to help them. Also, coming back and being able to feel how poverty feels like cause we are so comfortable in Singapore.

The way of life in Vietnam is a totally different life style. Going there would be a real experience to see how Vietnamese people lead a normal day life, seeing how the move around, cause i heard the streets are packed with motorcycles. What kind of food they eat, the environment, etc.

Seeing how this OCIP group is really lively and chirpy, going to Vietnam can only result in happy and enjoying moments. Everything we have done so far like the carnival, the meetings, the funfair, it was cool and fun, so i can only imagine what this trip is gonna be like...

I think that the organisation and planning up to this stage has been really sound. Kudos to the leaders and everyone for being really helpful and co-operative. Lets keep this up for Vietnam and do Innova and Singapore proud.

COME ON OCIP VOICE LETS SHOW THE VIETNAMESE KIDS HOW TO HAVE A GOOD TIME! Having said this i am officially out of ideas but by saying this i have reached 257 words.

(257 words)

Joshua

I can finally log in!! Sorry for the late post coz the last couple of days i just could not log in. Moving on to the reflection, I've realized that i am indeed lucky to be a part of this OCIP, not only am i getting an opportunity that many have yearned for and i've also made many new friends along the way, and i could not think of a better way to spend the holiday season then by giving my time to make a difference in someone's life. Not only that, i believe that such experiences are things that can never be bought and so we have to cherish whatever we learn be it good or bad during our stay in Vietnam, because it is only the experiences that will help us grow. Moving to less serious matter, my initial concern was the language barrier, however after a certain CIP at Batam i've realized that it is not as difficult as we think it is to get our thoughts across because people can some how understand our thoughts through our expressions and actions. My second concern is food, i know i will not be able to eat any of the food provided so i guess i will probably be surviving on muesli bars which i'd bring along. If not i'd have to learn to be like wen ling and try 2 survive on bugs. However, all these issues are so insignificant, when you compare it to the amount of fun we'll be having, and the things we're gonna see and do in Vietnam. On the whole, i feel that all the effort and time that has been put in has really paid off, and all the activites that we've been involved in up till now has truely allowed us to grow together as a family. PS: Can someone tell me y we're collecting the buttons for? [NiVeDa(: (279words)]

I am insanely grateful for the people I have in my life. Genevieve especially. She has been there for me when no one else would even want to be there. She even called & asked Miss Lin the moment I told her that I'm interested in joining the OCIP family and I'm seriously grateful for that. It is impossible for me to thank her enough for everything.

Likewise to Hongyu, I've just joined this Big(yes, big) OCIP family. I first started out not knowing much about you guys(other than my Bitching friends) but slowly, I learned how to navigate in a way that's beneficial to ourselves. You guys are just so passionate, everyone of you has a genial personality that makes me wanna get closer to all of you. The openness of the invitation from everyone to express myself freely and unconditionally.The spaciousness of our communication which continuously inspires me to just feel right at home, right off the bat and nurtured. The absolutely fantastic range of expressions and interests of you guys(especially Jon), just make me wanna laugh my ass off. Lastly, the unconditional support which is here in such abundance for every one to utilise in their own way for their own purposes.


Being with you guys anchors me. It gave me a reference point from which to gauge myself in the present moment, regardless of the quality of the company. I like the surprising places that you people can take me with your insights and perspectives. I like the inspiration that comes from spontaneous moments. I like the love that we can share with one another inside of shared experience. Example, SIA carnival.


Arguments? Well, I guess i have to see it for myself.Anyhows, I consider myself very fortunate to be a part of this awesome OCIP family.

Love,
Jingyi

Reflection time!

I am glad to be part of OCIP 08! Throughout the journey of OCIP, I have made a lot of friends, gained a lot experiences on voluntary work, eg the carnival. This is the first time I am flying with 28 fun ppls! I cant wait to go. Wondering how the days in Vietnam will be like.

Even though we come from different classes and cliques, all the previous activities had allowed us to bond together and know each other better. In OCIP, there are many types of people, FUNNY, INTERESTING, CREATIVE, HYPER etc. All these will not be possible without the capable leaders, supportive members and fun-loving teachers:) a great thank to all these people!
Originally, I was kind of afraid that our activities not work due to the time crashes. But the different groups had carried out dry runs to make sure that the programmes will be smooth sailing.

How will be the living like there??
I feel that this Vietnam trip will allow us to find out more about the life in Vietnam! We can also learn about the culture and people there. It will be a worth while experience.

Lets have lots of fun in the 9 days there. Now it is around 79 hours till the start of our Vietnam programme. How will it be like? I am looking forward to helping the Vietnam kids, teaching them stuff and etc. I am also excited to learn bits of the Vietnam language and to get to know everyone more:)

Qianhui
(254 words =D)

Hello People, I had trouble posting this blogpost cos i didnt know where to go!!!! Hate blogs man, makes me dizzy. Anyways. Im pretty elated about the upcoming trip to Vietnam. My first time going. Looking forward. I thank all the teachers who have made this possible and given us the opportunity to take part in this community service. This year was full of events which have taught me valuable lessons in terms of team cooperation and event organisation skills. To give us a headstart to how we can work with the kids in Vietnam, we were training with the children at Yishun Childcare and that experience was very useful. The sports day which we organised and rasied funds was all part of a valuable experience which i would carry on for a long time. I was appointed the role of Programmes leader and im very grateful for that. It has given me the opportunity to practise my leadership skills.

OCIP VOICE constitues of an excellent team who im sure can work and relate well with kids-or they would not be here ainnit- we are gonna have one hell of a great time in Vietnam, touchin hearts and spreadin love to the people. In the meantime, lets get our stuff ready and start packing! Remember to bring ur passports along!!. And most importantly, bring along the love. :D


PS: I would like to thank the teachers again for giving us the opportunity. Its a great experience to be part of. We all can bring back lots of valuable memories from this.

Cheers,
Rav

dickson's pre-trip reflection

Alright peeps, here's my pre-trip reflection. Up to now, OCIP has been really great and all, the meetings, the fun and laughter, the fooling around, the blood and tears. Well there really wasn't any shedding of blood and tears, just trying to fill up the words since everyone has a word count. But, hey, i really think that the entire group has managed to come together closer and closer after every event like the sports day thingy and that walk through the park with the kids. However it can't be denied that there is the existence of annoying people in the group, but that's what we aim to clear through this trip huh. So I really hope no shotguns will be pointed at each other through the course of the trip. Well i'm at 132 words, that's another 70+ more to hit the 200 average, and with that sentence i probably covered another 20 or so words. I like the time when we had meatballs at IKEA when we went shopping for OCIP stuff. That was kinda nice. Testing out the games we plan to carry out in Vietnam for the kids was fun too. OKAY vietnam's gonna be awesome since it's with a fun bunch of people, let's go there and...serve the community,oh yeeeeah.

It's my turn.

This is my first time participating in an overseas voluntary project, thus I am pretty excited about it. I can't wait to leave for Vietnam!
Like they say,‘it's not the destination but the journey that matters’. Through this project, I have learnt valuable life lessons and also not forgetting those lovable friends I have made.(sounds like pw?!)

For the past few months, we have been working with different charitable organizations and meeting people of all kinds (mainly kids from less fortunate families and those that are intellectually disabled). These have made me step out of my comfort zone and look at the world from a different perspective. Leaning a helping hand to them, create a miracle in their lives, make them feel loved and most important of all prevent that smile on their face from fading.

In addition, these activities have also strengthened our bonds as a team. VOICE is no longer estranged like before where people only mingle with their own clique of friends. At present, it is one big happy family (:

Now, we have reached the final lap:
Spread our love,
Touch their hearts and
Inspire the lives of the kids in Vietnam.
I am sure we will all do a terrific job over there because I have confidence in each and everyone of us. So people, let's not allow our efforts and preparation of the past few months go to waste. We shall unite our power to make this project a success and leave behind wonderful memories that will be etched in our hearts forever!

'R.E.A.D.Y, LET'S GO!'

Vanessa

[260 words]

Pre trip reflection.

OCIP have been fun and enriching since the beginning of it around April. I got to know more people who believe in one thing, which is to help the needy. Living in Singapore, we tend to forget that many people out there are in needs and we also did not have many opportunities to help them directly. With OCIP in place, i feel that this opportunity is given to us, to help the people who are in need.

Being a part of the family of OCIP, i learnt to be more responsible and to manage my time better. With academic studies, project work, CCA and with OCIP, time management is extremely important and i learnt to cope with this busy school life.

All of these have been beneficial to me. And further more, I would be able to help the needy directly and also learn more about Vietnam culture, the language, foood, the weather and more about the people there.

I have never taken part in this kind of large scale community service before and i feel that there are alot for me to learn from this enriching experience and at the same time i would be able to help the students there.

I am also looking forward to interacting with the vietnam students there despite the fact that most of them do not understand english very well. It is one area where i am looking forward to, to communicate effectively even though we may not speak the same language medium.

And overall, i am excited. Lol.

Dannie, 264 words.

Yo! It has been about one year since OCIP VOICE started. I can remember that I saw the Ex- OCIP members presenting the videos about their trip last year, earlier this year. That greatly attracts me as finally there is one thing that can go overseas AND help others at the same time, just as the Chinese saying goes, “2 birds in 1 go”! I was very glad that I made it through. =)

I have known quite a lot of friends from this OCIP, and although we have our own small cliques, we still work well together as one team. I believe that we will enforce the maximum level of teamwork and bonding in Vietnam as everyone would be then in a country we are not familiar with, which we will therefore need to rely and help each other through this 9 days.
We did quite a few of the voluntary work during this few months, and I have learnt a lot through these events. Teamwork, responsibility, commitment and etc. :]

I felt guilty as I did not take initiative to take up roles, but I make sure that I give good suggestions and would do my job well when I am given to and thus, be a good follower. I promised myself to give my full support and enthusiasm at Vietnam to enable the trip to be a memorable one, and to the students there, a useful and happy one. =P

Lastly, I must commend the hard work by the leaders and teachers, as they have done a lot during this few weeks to prepare for the trip. *Applause*
Let’s have great fun there while doing such meaningful stuffs. Jia1 You2! =D

Yu Hui (^^)

(wooo 281 words, yea!)

Right, me next, can't say how proud, grateful and glad i am to be in the OCIP 08 family. we may have started out shy, not knowing each other, but thru it all - the activities and the carnival, i think we pretty bonded together haha, I find that we are such a vibrant family, we have people with different skills, different personalities , we have such a diversity, but at the end of the day, all of us, are actually - ONE VOICE.

being on the OCIP family is awesome, i can sense a spirit of teamwork and the sheer feeling of helping others whenever we are out on doing CIP activities. I hope that that feeling and enthusiasm will continue to be burning alive when we are in Vietnam, I'm excited in going to Vietnam, this will be my first time travelling overseas with my friends and teachers, so I'm really looking forward to an exciting, memorable and meaningful journey.

I do worry about what the heck I'm going to eat there, or will i get jet lag, the kind of stuff but still, i think all of us can pretty much make i through, i know it (:

I'm excited about the different activities that we're gonna do there, the mural painting!

happy packing guys, and garner all your enthusiasm, and spirit for the trip!

Cheerios
xoxo, Athirah

reflectionreflection

We started not knowing one another, and got together eventually as all of us wanted to give help in people in need. In these few months in ocip, we went through a lot participating in many volunteering events, interacting with people and knowing more friends. ocip members had work very hard together to make it possible. One of it was the period where we started fund raising. There are many capable leaders who have really done a lot in getting ocip organised. (: Not forgetting the manymany creative and fun members! I treasured the time throughout the year being a member of ocip as the spirit is always so high even when we're having meetings!
Before going to vietnam, many mentioned about the language barrier... ...maybe i should search for a language book as a guide...

Ohya, not knowing the time schedule of the children there, we have to act accordingly when we're there. But this shdn't be a big problem as ocip is very systematic. haha:) For these few days before the trip, everyone is very on-task as I receive at least one message a day regarding the latest update of the happening in ocip. There has been dry runs to make sure the programs will be carried out smoothly in vietnam. Also, everyone preparing for the stuff to bring over to the children there .

And also! looking forward to...
help the kids in vietnam (:
get to know everyone more(:(:
first time travelling to vietnam hahaha