Reflection from Nursyazana Izzati :D

I decided to joined OSL in the first place because I want to explore other places, learn new things and learn a new culture. When I first joined OSL, I thought we will work and then have fun.

I know that i’m going to serve in China, but the problem is, I do not speak chinese language because I am a malay student. I wonder how am I suppose to communicate with the people there. So, during the OSL meetings here I took the initiative to seek help from my buddy, Anna, to help me out in speaking some basics chinese although it is hard for me to pronounce or even memorised it, I tried my best but that wasn’t really the problem after all. The important thing was the objective and goals.

The objective of this trip is to serve others with passion and make their life a difference. Although we are just helping out abit but to them it is a big difference and they do appreciate us. It is not the matter of how well you can speak chinese but is the matter of what we are doing for the people there.

The preparation of this OSL was not that much. During the Preparation Camp, we were slacking. We slept late every night because we had to do reflections on what we have been doing throughout the day itself. We were preparing how the reflections will be like when we get to China. I remembered one night during the camp, Mr Azhari & Ms Tham were testing us how fast we can respond as a team. At first, they told us to stay in the Lecture Theatre and no one was allowed to leave the room. So, the instruction was given and we have to follow it. As time passes, students were sent out. And at last, everyone that is left in the room has to leave the room and when we went out, all of them were just outside the Lecture Theatre. Some of us actually were trembling because that night was a Halloween night so we thought that the teachers wanted to scare us but actually they were testing us. From that test, I can see that all of us interacted amongst each other and not stick to one group.

I had to leave my family and being on this trip alone. I felt worried and scared because something might happen there and I could not even see my family anymore. But I calmed myself and think positively. I know i’ll go there and come back home safely. I felt that I have to be responsible for myself and cannot depends on others anymore. But I could not be selfish for taking care of myself only but to take good care of my other members too especially my bestfriend because I promised her mum that I will take good care of her. I know that I will definitely miss home, but I know I have a mission when I get to China so I have to bare with it for that 12 days.

During the journey in the plane, I began to wonder am I preapred to face the problems and task that I will be given later on? But whatever it is, I must give my best and have that satisfaction.The moment I arrived in China, my mission began and I know I really have to focus. But when I reach China for the first day, I had a slight frosbite and it hurts alot. Although it hurts, I force myself to do things because I know I cannot be standing one side and looking at the rest of the members doing work but not me.

The atmosphere there was way different and most of the people there were arrogant and rude. Why did I say some of them were rude? Because during the stay in Kang Ding Hotel, there were two local guys teasing how I look like. But as a tourist, I accept it and just ignored. When I start to compare China and Singapore, I started to appreciate Singapore because people here are more courteous although there are still some teasings of me.

I felt excited to meet the children when i’m in the bus journey to Qima Xiang. I didn’t expect the ride would be soo long. The journey was long because we stopped for our lunch and toilet breaks and along the journey there was a truck broke down so everyone had to get down of the bus. At that point, I could not stand the cold as the temperature was low. We left Chengdu around 12 noon and reached Qima Xiang at 9 at night. We we get down the bus when we reached QIma Xiang, I felt so touched when the whole school when down just to welcome us. They were so happy to us. As days past, I met some adorable children. Their age was about 3 to 10 years old. I felt pity for them because they do not go home every single day because the distance between their homes and thier school will take about 2 to 3 hours walking journey so they only stay in the hostel. They only get to see their parents during the weekends because they were allowed to go home only on Friday night or Saturday morning and there were night lessons on Sunday night. I felt fortunate and lucky to be a Singaporean child because I get to see my parents every single day and not only weekends but we do not have the time together as family often. Futhermore, the distance between our homes and our school is not that far with all the transportations. But to them, they have to walk long distance and if they are lucky, kind people with transportations will offer to drive them home if not they have to walk not as fortunate as us. The lifestyle here and there is very different because the children there appreciate what they have and not fussy over things but children here are so fortunate that when they ask something from parents they get that thing easily and not aprreciate it well. I felt lucky and fortunate to be a Singaporean child because we have lots of perfect things such as a television, a proper table to study, a proper toilet, a computer to surf on, a comfortable sofa to sit on and etc.

When I first see the toilet, I felt soo disgusted and felt like vomitting. The toilet there wsa worst than a Coffee Shop toilet in Singapore and at that time I was planning not to go toilet for the whole stay in the hostel but after awhile I started to adapt it. I’m glad that I have at least experience that kind of toilet. So, I thing I should stop complaining of not having a very nice or branded things and appreciate what I have.

About the housekeeping, it was a new experience for me because I don’t usually help out my mum in the kitchen but during the housekeeping I help my teachers and my teamates to cook. After cooking, we have to clear up. Washing dishes and stuffs. The day when i’m on duty after cooking, I was washing all the dirty stuffs on my own, and the teachers were asking me why am I alone? But I answered I do not know so I continued my work as it it my duty. I can do all that on my own without anyone’s help. I will make sure that whatever I wash is clean.

I managed to teach the children some simple english and I noticed that the children there when it comes to studies, they really concentrate during the lessons and when it comes to play time, they really play and have fun. That’s the good thing about the children there. But in Singpore, it is very different. When we like that lesson, we concentrate but when we dislike the lesson, we ignored the teacher and do our own stuffs. I just love teaching the children there but if I were to know how to speak chinese well, I think I will enjoy teaching the children there. But overall, I enjoyed teaching them simple english and I hope I have another chance to teach again.

The farewell was a memorable one. We prepared last minute but it turned out well but I felt that actually we can prepare a better one, probably a dance for the children if we prepare it since we had meetings in Singapore. Although it is just a song, the last part is the most sad moment when all of us sang the song Zhi Shao Hai You Ni. I could not hold my tears and break down while singing because I could not bare to leave the children behind. And I came running to them and hugged them. I said to them no to forget me. The moment after the farewell, I cried with all of them. I never cried like that in my whole life. But afterall, we enjoyed our last day. The fireworks was awesome. I took pictures and videos of the last day in Qima Xiang but I have lost it :’( I was very disappointed and sad. The last day was very touching :’) There were even firecrackers put up for us. I cried while I walk, I force myself not to look at them and get up on the bus. During the journey back to Chengu, I was still crying thinking of the children. But, we have to leave no matter what. I hope to see them again soon.

During the trip, I learnt to be more independent, have my own initiative to do things on my own, focus on the task given, to be on time so that we would not miss anything out, be atomatic, during hard times it is important to have teamwork, do not give up easily and nothing is impossible if I have the determintation. I learnt to appreciate things more and not be choosy. I would like to be in the OSL team again in the future because I want to help others again and learn from my mistake. I hope I can lead the team in future and be a good leader.

* I have a suggestion. I think during the stay in the hotel, each pair should have everyone’s hotel room number in case of emergency. One more thing, I think we should have a password/code during the stay so that when someone knocks at the door, we ask them for password/code. If they do not answer or gave a wrong answer, it means that person does not belong to our OSL family. This concerns me because during the stay in Kang Ding Hotel around 8am after we came back from breakfast, someone knocks on the door. So, I asked first before opening but that person did not answer. So, I looked through the small hole, but it was covered which means that I could not see the person. My buddy was in the toilet, I asked her whether should I opened or not but she said just opened it. But I am scared when I open it, anything could happen. So, I just pulled the door handle without unlatching the door. Suddenly that person pulled the door, so I scared when I unlatch the door that person might just come in and something might happen. Luckily, I didn’t unlatch the door and nothing happen. So I suggest you might consider my suggestions. Thank you.

This is what I wrote for OSL reflections :D My teacher told to do 2 pages, but I did 4 pages instead :DD

Labels: 2 pages, not 4 pages D: