The morning aerobics was kind of simple and uninteresting. Really! Serious! I was thinking that time that the aerobics was meant to waste time and waste time and still waste time. The music most popularly played was the Jamelia Superstar. I just didn't understand, what was so good about this piece of music. The problem with me was that that song was excessively played in the camp. I got so tired and sick of the song.
Was it so mesmerizing that it could be looped a couple of times during the aerobics? Was it that there wasn't much of a collection in the CD? I would think the latter was the reason....
Not only that, the jurulatihs would like to embarrass us by asking us to do some AH-SIS Down (push-up) and Jaga Harimau (Tiger jump). At no costs and no reasons, we would have to abide the order that was given. So disgusted.
By the time the aerobic (an hour or so) was over, it's already 7 plus am in the morning. After which, all of us would be waiting patiently to be dismissed and be ready to go for our morning breakfast. If you think the suffering is over, you are totally wrong. As the new war of terror started to launch in the canteen...
Monday, January 28, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Selamat Pagi, MACAM Pagi leh!!!
5.30am...the mark of another new day started. Well, waking up at this time wasn't a big problem or hoohaa for me since i used to wake up around this time earlier, waiting for the Bas Sekolah aka the Kuning(yellow) Bus according to some of my Singaporean friends who do not even have the opportunity to sit in a yellow bus.
The morning experience in an oil palm plantation is amazing. The room temperature is kind of low, probably in the 20s degree celsius. For some of us, who are usually half-naked in the morning (excluding me, i sompah), have their blanket covered over the head - the full resemblance of the Wolf with the hood on pretending to be like an old granny in the Little Red Riding Hood - reluctantly sleep-walking(i guess) to the toilet. Some of them were like drunkards, who could not even walk properly in a straight-line, like suffering from heavy hangover.
Then, around 5.25am or so, we started to trudge down the steep path (almost 20-30 degress inclination) to our Flag-Raising area. Damn it, the path was wet (due to the morning due) and slippery. We had to walk with caution as any slight error could have caused anyone to roll down from the top to the bottom, crashing against one of the oil palm trees!PS: sorry for the dramatic description.
At the morning assembly area, all of us, in our usual PT kit, would "fall-in" to our respective platoons - Alpha(Red), Bravo(Blue), Charlie(Yellow) & Delta(Green). Being a Deltan was remarkably proud. We took pride in our harmonious mix of the Chinese and the Malays and our Platoon Commanders would painstakingly instill the togetherness and the team spirit in each and everyone of us, definitely arousing the jealousy and envy of the other people.
In the pitched darkness, we would form into our usual 3 rows and almost everyone of us would look gloomy and sleepy. Definitely not enough sleep, on the average about 4-5 hours or even less during some occasions. Some of us would look unkempt and some of us would be yawning away until the commencement of the Flag Raising ceremony. Well, my first flag raising ceremony session was kind of uncomfortable with me. There's nothing wrong with the Malay commands as i had them in my school or even during my uniform group footdrill practices. It's just that the national anthem had transitioned from Majulah Singapura to Negaru Ku. Kind of funny for me at first since i had never attended a real and solemn Flag Raising ceremony in Malaysia before. My last vivid encounter with this ceremony in Malaysia was like in Kindergarten (4-6 years old), it's like 13 years ago.
Very embarrassed, i only knew how to sing the first 2 words in Negara Ku. The entire anthem i didn't even know how to sing...Haha...shame on this Malaysia who doesn't know the national anthem at all since the upbringing has been in Singapore for the last 13 years.
After the Flag Raising ceremony would be followed by the pledge for all the PKN wiras and wirawatis. Followed by the short Islamic prayers. Well, i could still remember the morning prayers caused a big hoo-haa in the newspapers among the non Muslims. Shan't mentioned much as it is related to just some insensitivity issue.
I observed the prayers with due respect as i personally felt that no matter how different you are from another race, the religion is something that everyone should revere.
By the time everything was done, it would be followed by some light physical fitness and the most favourite aerobics....
To be continued.
The morning experience in an oil palm plantation is amazing. The room temperature is kind of low, probably in the 20s degree celsius. For some of us, who are usually half-naked in the morning (excluding me, i sompah), have their blanket covered over the head - the full resemblance of the Wolf with the hood on pretending to be like an old granny in the Little Red Riding Hood - reluctantly sleep-walking(i guess) to the toilet. Some of them were like drunkards, who could not even walk properly in a straight-line, like suffering from heavy hangover.
Then, around 5.25am or so, we started to trudge down the steep path (almost 20-30 degress inclination) to our Flag-Raising area. Damn it, the path was wet (due to the morning due) and slippery. We had to walk with caution as any slight error could have caused anyone to roll down from the top to the bottom, crashing against one of the oil palm trees!PS: sorry for the dramatic description.
At the morning assembly area, all of us, in our usual PT kit, would "fall-in" to our respective platoons - Alpha(Red), Bravo(Blue), Charlie(Yellow) & Delta(Green). Being a Deltan was remarkably proud. We took pride in our harmonious mix of the Chinese and the Malays and our Platoon Commanders would painstakingly instill the togetherness and the team spirit in each and everyone of us, definitely arousing the jealousy and envy of the other people.
In the pitched darkness, we would form into our usual 3 rows and almost everyone of us would look gloomy and sleepy. Definitely not enough sleep, on the average about 4-5 hours or even less during some occasions. Some of us would look unkempt and some of us would be yawning away until the commencement of the Flag Raising ceremony. Well, my first flag raising ceremony session was kind of uncomfortable with me. There's nothing wrong with the Malay commands as i had them in my school or even during my uniform group footdrill practices. It's just that the national anthem had transitioned from Majulah Singapura to Negaru Ku. Kind of funny for me at first since i had never attended a real and solemn Flag Raising ceremony in Malaysia before. My last vivid encounter with this ceremony in Malaysia was like in Kindergarten (4-6 years old), it's like 13 years ago.
Very embarrassed, i only knew how to sing the first 2 words in Negara Ku. The entire anthem i didn't even know how to sing...Haha...shame on this Malaysia who doesn't know the national anthem at all since the upbringing has been in Singapore for the last 13 years.
After the Flag Raising ceremony would be followed by the pledge for all the PKN wiras and wirawatis. Followed by the short Islamic prayers. Well, i could still remember the morning prayers caused a big hoo-haa in the newspapers among the non Muslims. Shan't mentioned much as it is related to just some insensitivity issue.
I observed the prayers with due respect as i personally felt that no matter how different you are from another race, the religion is something that everyone should revere.
By the time everything was done, it would be followed by some light physical fitness and the most favourite aerobics....
To be continued.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Bilik 6 Wira Cina - the haven domitory
Bilik 6 Wira Cina? Apa ini? Well, simply the direct English translation is Room of 6 of Heroes of China. Muddle-headed?The exact explanation is the Chinese Heroes in Room 6.
Why is it so special amongst these Chinese Heroes? Are they as strong and powerful as the heroes in the Water Margin? Or are they possessed with extra-ordinary and supernatural powers? As i elicit further, you will realise the solidarity of a genuine MCA (Malayan Chinese Association).
This was the first room which i was posted to in the camp. The design of this dormitory room is very simple. It looks similar to a well-to-do kampong zinc-roofed house which surprisingly housed around 40 odds Chinese individuals, coming from various schooling background and various places of Johor. The interior is ordinary and plain (still homesick about my bedroom i guess). Greeting me was 2 neat columns of beds with still a reasonable spacious central walking aisle - long enough for us to do catwalking - and the hanging ceiling fans and the fluorescent lamps. One look can tell that the dormitory rooms were not ready. It seeming looked like a make-shift room which is made an emergency to house an influx of Tsunami victims.
No choice, bear with it...not as that bad as it might seem to be since i have been through school camps and the conditions though slightly better, were comparable with this room. This was the mental thought which was psyching me to put up a brave front; else i would become a laughing stock of a city mouse which a little bit of hardship also could not undertake. Successfully, i managed to convince myself about this plight i was in. Instead of being my mental burden, i put this thought behind and soon, i started to initiate friendship with the surrounding neighbours. The first few people i befriended in the room were Ah1 Gui4 and 2 Zhi4 Jian4 s (one from Kluang and the other from JB).
I also befriended a couple more of Chinese in the room and astonishingly, i realised that the majority occupants were of Chinese descent and only about less than 10, probably 6 were the Bumiputras. The Chinese domineering effect in the room soon caused the pathetic non-Chinese to vacate Room 6 within a week.
Every Chinese in this Room 6 was friendly and amicable. Most of them were of my age...meaning they are like me - serving the honourable (NS) National Sentence (not qualified enough to be National Service) - after a year of deferment. Initially i was still wondering if i were going to be the oldest trainee in the camp. Heng...all the silly thoughts were redundant.
Definitely, we as Johoreans are also different. We belong to various districts and areas and it seemed like we belong to various clan-like community; nevertheless, we are united and gung-ho in helping one another Chinese. Because of them, i was able to understand what the main lingua franca is about. Conversational vocabulary still boleh, tapi tak guat! When the topic became formalised, the serious tone and the "chim-mer" level of Malay was beyond my grasp. I still remembered one of the Jurulatihs, nicknamed the country mouse, favorite line - " Ini lah, sikap anda, SIKAP!" So chim, i don't understand myself since the body of his speech i was unable to pay attention to at all. Cikgu, anda chakap apa, saya tak faham leh! What can i do? I only sat down there and pretend to be listening. Smog my way through...
About 2 weeks of fun and laughter in the room soon came to an end. The management realised that Room 6 was purely populated by the Ah Tiongs descendents and the sight was unbearable and unjustifiable of the mission of multi-racial harmonious living. Soon, as we were from 4 different platoons, we soon have to be re-assigned to new rooms.
Though we had shifted out to various room, our camaraderie and friendship still existed as we still had time together during meal times, free times, and other occasions and opportunites. Banyat sia! No worries at all. We have alot of free time in the camp to campur, campur and campur...Haha...
Why is it so special amongst these Chinese Heroes? Are they as strong and powerful as the heroes in the Water Margin? Or are they possessed with extra-ordinary and supernatural powers? As i elicit further, you will realise the solidarity of a genuine MCA (Malayan Chinese Association).
This was the first room which i was posted to in the camp. The design of this dormitory room is very simple. It looks similar to a well-to-do kampong zinc-roofed house which surprisingly housed around 40 odds Chinese individuals, coming from various schooling background and various places of Johor. The interior is ordinary and plain (still homesick about my bedroom i guess). Greeting me was 2 neat columns of beds with still a reasonable spacious central walking aisle - long enough for us to do catwalking - and the hanging ceiling fans and the fluorescent lamps. One look can tell that the dormitory rooms were not ready. It seeming looked like a make-shift room which is made an emergency to house an influx of Tsunami victims.
No choice, bear with it...not as that bad as it might seem to be since i have been through school camps and the conditions though slightly better, were comparable with this room. This was the mental thought which was psyching me to put up a brave front; else i would become a laughing stock of a city mouse which a little bit of hardship also could not undertake. Successfully, i managed to convince myself about this plight i was in. Instead of being my mental burden, i put this thought behind and soon, i started to initiate friendship with the surrounding neighbours. The first few people i befriended in the room were Ah1 Gui4 and 2 Zhi4 Jian4 s (one from Kluang and the other from JB).
I also befriended a couple more of Chinese in the room and astonishingly, i realised that the majority occupants were of Chinese descent and only about less than 10, probably 6 were the Bumiputras. The Chinese domineering effect in the room soon caused the pathetic non-Chinese to vacate Room 6 within a week.
Every Chinese in this Room 6 was friendly and amicable. Most of them were of my age...meaning they are like me - serving the honourable (NS) National Sentence (not qualified enough to be National Service) - after a year of deferment. Initially i was still wondering if i were going to be the oldest trainee in the camp. Heng...all the silly thoughts were redundant.
Definitely, we as Johoreans are also different. We belong to various districts and areas and it seemed like we belong to various clan-like community; nevertheless, we are united and gung-ho in helping one another Chinese. Because of them, i was able to understand what the main lingua franca is about. Conversational vocabulary still boleh, tapi tak guat! When the topic became formalised, the serious tone and the "chim-mer" level of Malay was beyond my grasp. I still remembered one of the Jurulatihs, nicknamed the country mouse, favorite line - " Ini lah, sikap anda, SIKAP!" So chim, i don't understand myself since the body of his speech i was unable to pay attention to at all. Cikgu, anda chakap apa, saya tak faham leh! What can i do? I only sat down there and pretend to be listening. Smog my way through...
About 2 weeks of fun and laughter in the room soon came to an end. The management realised that Room 6 was purely populated by the Ah Tiongs descendents and the sight was unbearable and unjustifiable of the mission of multi-racial harmonious living. Soon, as we were from 4 different platoons, we soon have to be re-assigned to new rooms.
Though we had shifted out to various room, our camaraderie and friendship still existed as we still had time together during meal times, free times, and other occasions and opportunites. Banyat sia! No worries at all. We have alot of free time in the camp to campur, campur and campur...Haha...
Thursday, January 17, 2008
1st Sunday - the day i entered the camp
Early on a particular Sunday morning, i woke up extremely early, getting myself prepared (last minute preparation) to step into the world of the unknown lying in front of me. The night before, i didn't sleep much. Busy preparing for my luggage and as well as preparing for my university application documents.
2-hr plus ride from home, i stepped into the camp that stood in front of me. A camp in the oil-palm plantation greeted me. Damn it....never ever i would be in such deep s**t. I never thought that the day would come as it was only a week ago when an idiot called me to get my ass into this camp.
I knew nothing about Malay. I only had some readings on some simple Malay vocabulary words at home because my Dad would want me to pick up a few words at the least. I thought i would survive in this environment by just a bit of broken conversational Malay. In fact, it's worse than broken, it should be considered as handicapped Malay.
The sight of disorganisation at the gate exasperated me. Probably i was brought up in an advanced society, that's why the sight of mismanagement or inefficiency inflamed my blood boiling away....On the verge of swearing - F**K.
Then, i made my way to the canteen. As the prior experience at the gateway was intolerable, never did i expect more grumpiness started to get the nerves out of my aching body. Inefficiency, miscommunication, incomprehensible alien language (Malay) etc... put me off. How i wish the sufferings would be done over soon.
PS: I am not racist and not against non-Chinese. I am just having this migraine of culture-shock. I was resisting for drastic changes in my life for a couple of months.
To be continued...
2-hr plus ride from home, i stepped into the camp that stood in front of me. A camp in the oil-palm plantation greeted me. Damn it....never ever i would be in such deep s**t. I never thought that the day would come as it was only a week ago when an idiot called me to get my ass into this camp.
I knew nothing about Malay. I only had some readings on some simple Malay vocabulary words at home because my Dad would want me to pick up a few words at the least. I thought i would survive in this environment by just a bit of broken conversational Malay. In fact, it's worse than broken, it should be considered as handicapped Malay.
The sight of disorganisation at the gate exasperated me. Probably i was brought up in an advanced society, that's why the sight of mismanagement or inefficiency inflamed my blood boiling away....On the verge of swearing - F**K.
Then, i made my way to the canteen. As the prior experience at the gateway was intolerable, never did i expect more grumpiness started to get the nerves out of my aching body. Inefficiency, miscommunication, incomprehensible alien language (Malay) etc... put me off. How i wish the sufferings would be done over soon.
PS: I am not racist and not against non-Chinese. I am just having this migraine of culture-shock. I was resisting for drastic changes in my life for a couple of months.
To be continued...
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