heyhey!

updating this blog to record down what happened in my life. i guess it can be useful sometimes, just like a few weeks back when i was given the task to compile the list of activities and attendance for the Y1 Ventures thruout the whole year. hah! anw this post is gonna kinda brief, with a few pictures sandwiched between lines of text.

13Nov - 24Nov:
School... Studying... Finishing up the syllabus... & a little bit of revision
At the same time... i was busy with NPC (National Patrol Camp) training for the Scouts

19Nov - 22 Nov:
planned to have NPC Mock Camp, but eventually it turned out to be NPC Training Camp. In any case, the 4D3N were used to tie up all the loose ends. Didn't attend the camp thruout thou, coz i still had school during that period of time. But i was present for more than half of the time.

25Nov:
Final checks for NPC, but the attendance was terrible. didn't manage to do much tt day, unfortunately.

26Nov:
Oversaw the moving in of logistics into Sarimbun campsite. Everything went pretty well. We managed to move in all the equipment quickly, despite a huge muddy patch. As compared to the previous NPC, the whole process seemed a lot faster and more organised. hmm... i wonder why.

27Nov-1Dec:
NPC 2008!
bad news came on the night of 28th. the team was running short of lashing! actually, the info came in early evening, but i had salsa training. and aft my trg, i rushed down to VJC for AHS Harmony Concert. hence, it was only during the intermission tt i found out abt the situation. anw at tt moment, shawn and i were so caught up with the anxiety that we acted rashly. we contacted friends and other relevant people to borrow lashings, and the very next day, we cabbed down to Sarimbun. when we got there (with a cab fare of $20++), we had to go thru a lot of trouble b4 we finally managed to fulfil our desired plan.
the following day, 30Nov, the scouts unit + teachers + Shawn & I went down to Sarimbun for the Open House. it was a really spectacular sight, with every unit displaying their skills, creativity and style of pioneering. some of the campsites were really interesting, while others were simple and consisted of the bare minimum. As for the pioneering structures, it was a true eye-opener. this year's theme was "fun", a rather new concept for NPC. hence, we were able to witness the creativity of the different units. i did take a few pictures (of structures i found really interesting/well done).
Catholic High's "Ship". basically it's just like a playground, but without a slide. they even have the tic-tac-toe thing in the "ship"!

Holy Innocent's Pirate Ship. This can be considered my favourite pioneering structure out of the bunch. V good packaging.

Anglican High's Challenge Course. basically it's a one-way travelling from ground level, up to the 1st platform, then to the 2nd, and finally the highest one. from the highest platform, make your way down to the shortest tower, then exit.

can't rmb what sch. =X abseiling wall. interesting...

can't rmb what unit either. but i'm trying to show the slide, which many unit integrated into their structure.

also can't rmb which unit this belongs to. =XX from the picture it might not b v clear, but this is an improvised merry-go-round/circle swing. it's quite fun imo.

had campfire that night,

together with the announcement of the results. we got Silver. kinda expected it. somewhat glad actually. thr's so much that we'll learn out of this. Catholic High bagged the "best patrol award", being top in nearly all sections.
Results are as follow:
CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION
Jurong Screaming Eagles Scout Group
Choa Chu Kang Condor Sea Scout
Group Bedok South Kijang Scout Group
Queenstown Secondary School
Bukit Panjang Eagle Scout Group
Chung Cheng High Peregrine Scout Group

BRONZE AWARDS
Hong Kah Gryphon Scout Troop
Greenview Cuon Scout Troop
Dunman Dove Scout Group
Manjusri Red Fox Scout Group
Clementi Woods Rusa Scout Group
Yuan Ching Cougar Scout Group
Bishan Park Lightning Scout Group
Changkat Changi Eagles Scout Group
Fuhua Tsunami Scout Group
Montfort Knights Scout Group
Unity Unicorn Scout Group
Peirce Triace Scout Group Team A
Chai Chee Tiger Scout Group
Ahmad Ibrahim St Patrick’s Pajiwad Scout Troop Team B
River Valley High Eagle Scout Group
Beatty Beaver Scout Group
Serangoon Eagle Scout Group
Mayflower Secondary School
Dunearn Unicorn
Siglap White Stag Scout Troop
St Patrick’s Pajiwad Scout Troop Team A
Punggol Phoenix Scout Group
Tanjong Katong Seladang Scout Group
Clementi Town Griffin Scout Group

SILVER AWARDS
Bukit Merah 23 Eagle Scout Group
Peirce Triace Scout Group Team B
Swiss Cottage Falcons Scout Group Team B
East Spring Secondary School
NUS High School
Swiss Cottage Falcons Scout Group Team A
Raffles Institution 01 Scout Group
St Andrew’s Star Scout Group
St. Gabriel’s Southern Cross Scout Unit
Hougang Rangers Scout Group
Fajar Fox Scout Group
Zhonghua Secondary School
Greenridge Fox Scout Group
Anglican High Falcons Scout Group
Ngee Ann Wichita Scout Group
New Town Secondary School
Hwa Chong Institution
Zhenghua Fox Scout Group

GOLD AWARDS
Raffles Institution 02 Scout Group
Gan Eng Seng Dragon Scout Group
Maris Stella High School
Catholic High School
St Joseph’s Institution Pelandok Scout Group
Chung Cheng High Panther Scout Group Main
Victoria Arrow Scout Group
ACS (Independent)
Dunman High Crane Scout Group
Holy Innocents’ High Hornet Scout Troop
ACS Barker Road

BEST NEWCOMER PATROL AWARD
NUS High School

BEST PATROL AWARD
Catholic High School


1-4Dec:
End-of-Semester exams. what can i say. i was so busy helping out for NPC till i didn't have much time to study for the exams. results are out alr, & i am so thankful i got the grades i got. did really bad for UGC111, but it was expected. oh whatever. *rolls eyes*

9Dec:
Salsa training. Basically for the rest of the holidays i have like 3 trainings per week. it's for an upcoming performance at some event known as Bailamos. Seems pretty cool, but it's making me feel stressed. i'm such a slow learner!

10-13Dec:
Y Camp Challenge. It was supposed to be till 14Dec, but because of some bedbugs/ticks/mites infestation, the camp had to end early. unfortunately for me, my bunk was the main bunk that was affected. everything was so dramatic. it started out with 1 guy having rash-like marks on his arms, which soon covered his whole body. the next day, when we were going to bed, ppl in my bunk started complaining about being itchy. by then, there were alr a few other cases of ppl having similar rash-like symptoms. so the night was a big disaster. my bunk was moved out and settled in the dining/gathering area. aft some time, ppl slping thr started reporting the symptoms, and so it started a sleeping bag inspection. at the same time every1 was moved out and the dining/gathering area was cleaned. it was only after the inspecting and cleaning that we finally got to rest. was i affected by the infestation. oh definitely. look!
left arm

right arm

left leg

even till today, the bites (or allergy reaction) have not completely subsided. in fact, there seems to be a secondary reaction. the itch and swelling is coming back! oh no! ahh!!!

15Dec:
went to the hospital, but it didn't help. made my way down to clementi for yet another salsa training.

17Dec:
AHS Ventures Handover/Promotion. it was held together with the APL Promotion + Giving out of proficiency badges. my uniform is not so plain now! hahaha! but we still haven't gotten our NYAA badges! dang.
skipped salsa trg because of the terrible itch and redness of the spots all over my arms and legs.

19Dec:
Was part of the First Class SS Test organised mainly for the Sec3 scouts. Took the PT session and the beginning of the Footdrill test.
had to rush off for salsa training halfway.
was super tired at the end of the day. sheesh.

21-23Dec:
went for 2E'05 chalet @ Coasta Sands Downtown East. met Catherine on 21st afternoon, and Huiling joined us. made our way to the chalet tgt. Catherine felt really sick and left late at night. heard that she had food poisoning. goodness gracious.
shot while i was at Mac trying to finish off my NYAA Physical Recreation Report.
anw the chalet was overall BORING. i'm so glad went for my salsa training on the 2nd day, 22Dec. there was supposed to be another salsa training session on the 23rd, but it was cancelled due to the poor expected attendance.

26Dec:
Salsa training. my partner was absent as she was in M'sia. Actually, i don't even know when she'll come back. =X only knew abt it from the seniors.