Hihi ppl, just camp back from camp ^^ i want to write this entry while i am still in the mood. This is my account of the TC camp 2004, it's going to be a long entry so... hope you enjoy reading =D
Friday 3rd Sept
Angel and I got dropped off by mum at around 10:50am just before the meeting time of 11. As we entered, we were given a set of uniforms, shoe bag, name tag and various of other things, but wait, no one told us anythign about uniforms??? we have to wear uniforms??? and note, they are not the most nicely designed clothes, a grey shirt (which is huge for all the girls) and white pants (which if you didn't bring your own, u'll be given one of those high waist ones... the ones that no one have seen since 1990s). At the entrance was also the first time i met my team leader Kathy, I'll say more about her later on.
So we went to our dorm room (which is a large-ish room with 2 walls of windows and 2 walls of mirrors) and we all got changed into our uniform. (honestly... i did not like the uniforms AT ALL!!!! makes me feel like i am a prisoner... oh well~) We then settled down into the study room, oh~ and i just describe about the location which we stay in. It's TC's main building in Auckland, which is brand brand new. infact they just finished furnishing it the day before we arrive. It's really clean and nice... and to think all the ppl volunteeringly cleaned, painted etc to make the place look absolutely perfect just for us... it's really something huh~ We set there while ppl one by one arrives, we introduced each other while we waited. There were 19 of us as members and 12 committees and a lot of very devoted adults (regretably blog is incompatible with chinese, so i can't mention them by their proper title)
Lunch was first up, and of course everything is vegetarian food, very nice vegetarian food i might add, those adults are really good at cooking. yum yum~~ (forget about my diet... start tonite... eeek) After the meal, we had a serious of lessons, about the foundation of Tzu Chi, and the foundation of Tzu Chi youth (this is the really simplified version of the name), and some of the manner that we shoudl follow according to TC (which is a Buddhist organisation) but they were very tolerant in the way that they taught us what to do when we entry the 'temple room'(the room with a statue of a Buddha) but they also said that if it conflict with your belief or religion,you dont' have to do that. TC is a charity organisation, not a religious one. That's one of the thing i really like about TC, it doesn't matter who you are, what are your beliefs etc, as long as you have a heart to help others, they'll welcome you with open arms.
Ok... there's so much to write, and i've written a lot of rubbish already so i am going to simplify a lot. We learnt about sign language, had dinner, start organising our performance for Saturday night and slept... Btw, we all slept on the floor with nice big blanket which was apparently donated by Brisco :P
Saturday 4th Sept
We woke up at around 6:30am by MY alarm clock :P hehehe, because i had to work(i actually felt a bit bad not taking a leave, but i really didn't want to, coz at the end of the year i have to take 5 weeks off, and i feel guilty about that already) I got change into my own clothes... yeah~~ no uniform ^^ and waited for my mum and went to work... the details of work i wont' mention, except to say i had to shout really loud to keep the kids quiet, almost lost my voice =S
When i went back, they were just finishing making nice pretty flowers(one thing that i really wished i hadn't missed) After that we had a few games that tested our puzzle solving skills, and i am proud to say our group was the only group that solved one of the puzzles all thanks to our intelligent Aaron ^^ . That night we had a performance night sort of, every group performed their item. Ours was the re-scripted "little red ridding hood", oh yea... we had to perform a skit on based on our group name, which is "peaceful" (note it's translated so doesn't sound as flash) so i was the angry mum who throw little red ridding hood out of the house, so she ran to grandma's house, saw the grandma's friend a vegatarian wolf, and with a help of the hunter who we made into this ghostly charater, little red ridding hood made up with her mum, and yeah~~ happy ending. (btw... i screwed up my lines pretty bad during the night :P trust lucy to get stage fright =P). One thing i must add, the adults had WAY more fun than we did, they were soo HIGH :P hahaha, very suprising, i didn't actually expect you know... ppl like our parents to dance around and stuff.. lol
Afterwards we had a secret meeting, just us, the teenagers... ok only a few in late teens, most in their 20s. And we talked about random things... hahaha in another word i forgot. OOops... moving on.... we stayed up till really late (or early) to make a nice flower thing with little messages from all of the members for the committees for working so hard on this camp.
Sunday 5th September
Ok.... today is the day that is really really.... i don't know... made a mark in my memory i think.... we woke up at 7 ish.... breakfast at 8. Then the committees performed a very very touching story about a mother and his rebellious, and by the time he realized how much he has hurt his mother (through a letter) his mum passed away..... OMG~~~ it was so touching, almost cried.... by the time the story end, all the girls had like tissue boxes and stuff... lol, yup i am still the most cold-blooded girl around. ANyway, beside the point, the story really made a point about the endless devotion parents gives us, and that we shoudl appreciate what we have, and love ppl, show them that we care now. It reminds me the countless morning when i have to get on the 6:30 bus in the morning, even tho i thought mum that she can sleep in, she always wakes up at 6 to make lunch for me. And to think all this time that if someone grab me to lunch, i'll just guiltlessly chuck mum's lunch into the bin, completely unappreciated of her work.... =S mum i love you~~
After the play, we sit in a circle, and shared our thoughts on the play, one of the adults there, a mum, she cried so hard while talking. She has a son who is also rebelious, and to this day have not returned to her. To her, she feels like it's her fault for not teaching her child right, but she always remembers what the founder of TC says, that if your children are good to you, and listen to you, they are here to return a favour from your past life (remember Buddhism and reincarnation) but if your children are rebellious, you are here to return them a favour etc. I don't know... personally i think i have a great relationship with my mother, we love each other, and we both know that... so in a sense i can't really related to that mother's pain... but to hear someone say such thing from the bottom of her heart, it's really touching. Ok... i know for the readers i am just blahing~ so i am just going to say.... embrace what you have, we are luckier than many, appreciate the ppl around us, love them for whom them. To be honest, recently i have issues with certain beliefs that i have for a long time, that you know... if you are good person, nothing else really matters etc.... for a while i really think i was just being naive and stuff, but this trip reassured my belief. ok i will stop here, dont' want to get too personal. ^^
Ok... i won't comment on the rest of the camp, becoz after that we concluded the camp, tidied up had lunch and left. But I will say however this camp turned out so much better than i ever expected, it touched my heart in many different ways, and i think that's y i wanted to be part of TC again after so many years, because it's just a pleasure to be around ppl who give so endlessly, who love each other, and give so much to the needed and the community.
Eek i think i am sounding so cliche now, so i'll stop...soon, just a final note, i really want to thank my group leader Kathy, i know she probabily wont' read this. But She is ALWAYS so cheerful and happy. She made me realize something, that we shoudl try to be happy, give ppl a smile, you may just make the day for others while having fun yourself...
Last note: HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY TO MY WONDERFUL DAD, AND HOPE YOU HAVE AN ENJOYABLE FATHER'S DAY. I LOVE YOU DAD!
Friday 3rd Sept
Angel and I got dropped off by mum at around 10:50am just before the meeting time of 11. As we entered, we were given a set of uniforms, shoe bag, name tag and various of other things, but wait, no one told us anythign about uniforms??? we have to wear uniforms??? and note, they are not the most nicely designed clothes, a grey shirt (which is huge for all the girls) and white pants (which if you didn't bring your own, u'll be given one of those high waist ones... the ones that no one have seen since 1990s). At the entrance was also the first time i met my team leader Kathy, I'll say more about her later on.
So we went to our dorm room (which is a large-ish room with 2 walls of windows and 2 walls of mirrors) and we all got changed into our uniform. (honestly... i did not like the uniforms AT ALL!!!! makes me feel like i am a prisoner... oh well~) We then settled down into the study room, oh~ and i just describe about the location which we stay in. It's TC's main building in Auckland, which is brand brand new. infact they just finished furnishing it the day before we arrive. It's really clean and nice... and to think all the ppl volunteeringly cleaned, painted etc to make the place look absolutely perfect just for us... it's really something huh~ We set there while ppl one by one arrives, we introduced each other while we waited. There were 19 of us as members and 12 committees and a lot of very devoted adults (regretably blog is incompatible with chinese, so i can't mention them by their proper title)
Lunch was first up, and of course everything is vegetarian food, very nice vegetarian food i might add, those adults are really good at cooking. yum yum~~ (forget about my diet... start tonite... eeek) After the meal, we had a serious of lessons, about the foundation of Tzu Chi, and the foundation of Tzu Chi youth (this is the really simplified version of the name), and some of the manner that we shoudl follow according to TC (which is a Buddhist organisation) but they were very tolerant in the way that they taught us what to do when we entry the 'temple room'(the room with a statue of a Buddha) but they also said that if it conflict with your belief or religion,you dont' have to do that. TC is a charity organisation, not a religious one. That's one of the thing i really like about TC, it doesn't matter who you are, what are your beliefs etc, as long as you have a heart to help others, they'll welcome you with open arms.
Ok... there's so much to write, and i've written a lot of rubbish already so i am going to simplify a lot. We learnt about sign language, had dinner, start organising our performance for Saturday night and slept... Btw, we all slept on the floor with nice big blanket which was apparently donated by Brisco :P
Saturday 4th Sept
We woke up at around 6:30am by MY alarm clock :P hehehe, because i had to work(i actually felt a bit bad not taking a leave, but i really didn't want to, coz at the end of the year i have to take 5 weeks off, and i feel guilty about that already) I got change into my own clothes... yeah~~ no uniform ^^ and waited for my mum and went to work... the details of work i wont' mention, except to say i had to shout really loud to keep the kids quiet, almost lost my voice =S
When i went back, they were just finishing making nice pretty flowers(one thing that i really wished i hadn't missed) After that we had a few games that tested our puzzle solving skills, and i am proud to say our group was the only group that solved one of the puzzles all thanks to our intelligent Aaron ^^ . That night we had a performance night sort of, every group performed their item. Ours was the re-scripted "little red ridding hood", oh yea... we had to perform a skit on based on our group name, which is "peaceful" (note it's translated so doesn't sound as flash) so i was the angry mum who throw little red ridding hood out of the house, so she ran to grandma's house, saw the grandma's friend a vegatarian wolf, and with a help of the hunter who we made into this ghostly charater, little red ridding hood made up with her mum, and yeah~~ happy ending. (btw... i screwed up my lines pretty bad during the night :P trust lucy to get stage fright =P). One thing i must add, the adults had WAY more fun than we did, they were soo HIGH :P hahaha, very suprising, i didn't actually expect you know... ppl like our parents to dance around and stuff.. lol
Afterwards we had a secret meeting, just us, the teenagers... ok only a few in late teens, most in their 20s. And we talked about random things... hahaha in another word i forgot. OOops... moving on.... we stayed up till really late (or early) to make a nice flower thing with little messages from all of the members for the committees for working so hard on this camp.
Sunday 5th September
Ok.... today is the day that is really really.... i don't know... made a mark in my memory i think.... we woke up at 7 ish.... breakfast at 8. Then the committees performed a very very touching story about a mother and his rebellious, and by the time he realized how much he has hurt his mother (through a letter) his mum passed away..... OMG~~~ it was so touching, almost cried.... by the time the story end, all the girls had like tissue boxes and stuff... lol, yup i am still the most cold-blooded girl around. ANyway, beside the point, the story really made a point about the endless devotion parents gives us, and that we shoudl appreciate what we have, and love ppl, show them that we care now. It reminds me the countless morning when i have to get on the 6:30 bus in the morning, even tho i thought mum that she can sleep in, she always wakes up at 6 to make lunch for me. And to think all this time that if someone grab me to lunch, i'll just guiltlessly chuck mum's lunch into the bin, completely unappreciated of her work.... =S mum i love you~~
After the play, we sit in a circle, and shared our thoughts on the play, one of the adults there, a mum, she cried so hard while talking. She has a son who is also rebelious, and to this day have not returned to her. To her, she feels like it's her fault for not teaching her child right, but she always remembers what the founder of TC says, that if your children are good to you, and listen to you, they are here to return a favour from your past life (remember Buddhism and reincarnation) but if your children are rebellious, you are here to return them a favour etc. I don't know... personally i think i have a great relationship with my mother, we love each other, and we both know that... so in a sense i can't really related to that mother's pain... but to hear someone say such thing from the bottom of her heart, it's really touching. Ok... i know for the readers i am just blahing~ so i am just going to say.... embrace what you have, we are luckier than many, appreciate the ppl around us, love them for whom them. To be honest, recently i have issues with certain beliefs that i have for a long time, that you know... if you are good person, nothing else really matters etc.... for a while i really think i was just being naive and stuff, but this trip reassured my belief. ok i will stop here, dont' want to get too personal. ^^
Ok... i won't comment on the rest of the camp, becoz after that we concluded the camp, tidied up had lunch and left. But I will say however this camp turned out so much better than i ever expected, it touched my heart in many different ways, and i think that's y i wanted to be part of TC again after so many years, because it's just a pleasure to be around ppl who give so endlessly, who love each other, and give so much to the needed and the community.
Eek i think i am sounding so cliche now, so i'll stop...soon, just a final note, i really want to thank my group leader Kathy, i know she probabily wont' read this. But She is ALWAYS so cheerful and happy. She made me realize something, that we shoudl try to be happy, give ppl a smile, you may just make the day for others while having fun yourself...
Last note: HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY TO MY WONDERFUL DAD, AND HOPE YOU HAVE AN ENJOYABLE FATHER'S DAY. I LOVE YOU DAD!
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