thoughts since i came back nz

Time really flies. From the time I count down to going back Singapore, I have gone back home and came back to NZ for 2 weeks already.

A very refreshing time back home and it’s great meeting up with family, friends and even some of my OAC kids. Timing for meeting up colleagues was not too good though as some of the closer ones were traveling in some parts of the world with our CHRians while I was in Singapore. Not a good excuse, but I think it’s just great knowing everyone was “surviving” and doing well.

I spent my 3^rd week in Singapore doing work attachment in OBS. OBS has been very kind to accommodate my request to be an observer to their 5 days adventure program despite of the short notice given to them. I did my observation in OPC when I came back NZ and got a really good chance to compare the 2 adventure programs which cater to students of similar age group. Each center has their unique features in the adventure program and they are definitely our role models in current outdoor education programs. There are many takeaways for me in both centers and it’s great picking up finer details that I foresee can help me in my future running of outdoor program in Christ Church.

Still haven’t crystalise my thoughts yet but definitely, we are still a long way to making a good outdoor program where our kids’ potential can be realized.

Term started on 21 May. It’s going to be a “quiet” 2 weeks as my instructor is on the standby for the arrival of his baby. He needs to be within the range of the cell phone. Thanks to his coming baby, we will not have to camp out in the “miserable” cold. There are also many things I can thank God since I came back. I am more adaptable to the cold now. Surprisingly, I was adequately warm. I finally shifted to my new house [ my 2^nd host shifted to her new house] and we were comfortably settling down. It’s a nice cosy 2 bedroom, but I just love this couple. They have very positive thinking and it’s just great living with them. Bev, my second host, is also the operation manager of OPC and I am privileged to be able to borrow some of the gear that she has. I was full of admiration for this couple. They actually did a great job cleaning up, vacuuming the old house, plastering every hole in the house so that the new owner can move in comfortably. This was on top of their busy schedules juggling work, studies and shifting to new house. It really shows they are people of kind heart.

Praise the Lord ! I also got a car to drive too ! My church mate offered me his car for free! And I just need to pay for my petrol. This was something I didn’t expect. Now I am free to move around.

I am also feeling the whole team of course mates gelling well together. We are beginning to do things together and it’s just so great. Things can only get better.

Got to know two Philipino friends whose husbands happen to be an Aussie and a Kiwi. It’s just so great knowing we have support for each other because we are all Asians.

Back to my course, I just completed the communication and RAM module this week. Nothing new, the usual learning style that each of us has and the risk assessment that we need to take note of when we conduct the activities. The only difference is our instructors are the diploma students who were being assessed on their instructional skills. At one time, they really confused us when they tried to define “real risk” and “residual risk”. But we really appreciate their effort and their preparation.

Next week, we will be doing environmental module and doing our presentation, visiting a maori tribe and stay 1 night there. We’ll be immersed with the Maori culture, eating Hangi feast, dancing the Haka and Hongi greeting. Will take a lot of pictures then.

My camera “drowned” in P Ubin during the OBS sea expedition so quite a lot of my precious photos in OBS were lost. But photos taken in OPC adventure programs were put in my blog : http://puahmk.blogspot.com. Do access the site if you are free. There are nice photos where we have waterfall abseiling and the big swing. Did not upload the video though, big memories.

This week, OPC hosted the Hilary Challenge for the school category. A Singaporean travel agent was here to observe the program. There’s going to be the Hilary Challenge [Singapore] this coming July, jointly hosted by OPC and CCAB. Going to be fun but I’ll not be there to witness it.

28-30 May

This week has been a very quiet week for me. I did a 3 days environment module, and it opens my mind as to how I can bring the environmental issues and awareness across to the students, through interactive games and presentations. We did a 1 day voluntary service at DOC [Dept of Conservation]. It’s very cool.

Beginning to feel the onset of the winter especially when I have to struggle to get up from my warm cosy bed every morning. Learnt an interesting way of “defrosting” my car every morning. Bryan taught me to get a jar of lukewarm water and splash across the windscreen, and with the wiper wiping the water away, it did the trick. Since this takes up at least another 10 minutes everyday, I decided to wake up at least 15 minutes earlier to get myself ready.

Having a car is such a convenience! I can get to OPC myself very early in the morning and do some work. Initially, I relaxed at the homeroom where I do my computer stuff. But now, I decided to do a 20 minutes traverse climb to “pump” my finger.

Bev has been very inspirational to me. She lets me realize I did not improve because I set the limitation upon myself. We are just too comfortable to go into our stretch zone. We should enjoy what we are doing, not going for higher grounds. Just loving the sports and doing it, will get us to higher grounds anyway.

I decided it’s time to set some short term goal too. Me and Bev have decided to sign up for the winter half marathon event in Lake Taupo. Though this may look a very small achievement to some kiwis, but to a singaporean like me, it’s another big step forward. I have never run in winter before. It gave me a goal to work towards and I got so excited that I got my church mates to join me as well. It’s 9 weeks away now.

There were some unfortunate events that happened recently :

My good friend, Awhi, got her finger tendon torn and currently on the 8 weeks MC. So she will be missing out on the Marae visit tomorrow.

My friend, Ashleigh got into an accident, and had her car rolled over 3 xs. Luckily she was not injured.

My friends’ house got burgled into 4 weeks back and Jess’ car was broken into 3 weeks ago as well.

There were also accident reports on teenagers’ drink driving and it is scary to drive at night. So far, Taupo was infamous for accidents derived from drive driving.

Hilary Challenge [school division] has just ended last week and New Plymouth school came in first. It’s heartening to see that Opunake School came in 2^nd when they were positioned 10^th last year. Met Jacob, a Singaporean travel agent from Travelations who came in as an observer for the Hilary Challenge. He will be the liaison officer between OPC and CCAB [UG] when MOE organize the first Hilary Challenge coming July. Also met a group of Hwa Chong students taking part in the 7 days adventure program in OPC. Good to see Singaporeans coming in NZ. Felt so close to home.

Oh yes, I bought myself a pair of gumboots. The “Phua Chu Kang” type, except it’s not the obiang yellow. It does wonders when I have to cross the rivers. Great!

what a great team!

A great team from Upper Hut High School! Of course, our cool instructor Ali.

Term started on 21 May

It's going to be quiet for these 2 weeks. Communication and environmental week. Will be staying one night at a marae next thursday, sure want to know more about maori culture. looking forward to it. :)

Banana Dance

Banana Dance composed by Ali, our instructor. :)

Caving Experience

Caving experience for the kids. Mind you, they have to work their way out of the cave later.

Brave!

Abseiling in action

Abseiling in action !

Abseiling beside Taranaki Waterfall

We did the abseiling besides the Taranaki waterfall. It's a wicked [cool] experience.

Some of them did not even abseil before, pretty courageous of them to try the abseil.

OPC AC 14-18 May 2007

This is the bunch of highly motivated and fun kids from Upper Hut High School. They have just completed the 5 days Adventure Challenge week. Of course, we can't miss out our beautiful and cool instructor, Ali. :)

Work observation at OPC

A great learning experience doing work attachment in OPC. I was attached to an instructor taking a group of 10 15 years old students on the Adventure Course Program. Very impressed by the way the instructor facilitates the team learning and building up of the team. Alot of choices given to them, they have to make alot of decision as a group and give them chance to make mistakes. Some of their limits were stretched and requires their team members to push them on. Just complete the waterfall abseiling today. Will be doing overnight tommorrow. Looking forward to it.