Power-packed weekend!

Another weekend has pass.... as we look forward to the last orientation weekend this coming weekend, here are some photos to give a glimpse of a very exciting and happening weekend.... =)

Basically, the weekend started off with some very powerful and creative cheering exercise by a special guest..... presenting Apple!

He was truly one awesome cheerleader, and even tried stealing Charmaine's Heart..... =p

Next we had committee updates and discussions, and after a nice full dinner, it was our first glimpse of the cultural PDC. Though it was our first shot, i must say it was pretty well done, though we still have quite a bit of polishing up to do.... =)

the night ended with a world cafe's style sharing with the leaders and NL himself... quite a fulfilling session as the contingent shared thier views and inputs moving forward.

The next day we had our morning activity as usual, and this time round, we played a fun game of Captain's Ball using fruits instead... quite a mess we made as fruits went flying through the air and splattering as it hit the ground!

The remainder of the day was mostly cultural practises, and also polishing up the multi-cultural dance and fun dance! It was great to see everyone doing thier best and getting the steps in order! Good job everyone!

NL Message - 1 TEAM, 1 SINGAPORE, 1 SSEAYP, 1 SPIRIT

COLONEL TAY TIONG BENG

"Almost thirty years has passed since my SSEAYP experience began.

And as I watched this year’s Singapore Contingent prepares itself for their departure, the memories of my own preparation are brought to mind. Though it was simpler then, no formal photoshots, not so many attires, no 8 weeks orientation programme plus countless weekdays sessions, it was not so much difference.

The focus of bringing together 35 individuals during my time, staying-in at NACLI, endless of songs and cultural practices making them into a team, a contingent representing Singapore, making sure that we will be able to carry our flag high and keeping up with what the previous batches have done are the same. The big difference for me is that I am now doing this as a National Leader(NL) and not as a Participating Youth.

Though it seems like a long time, thought the ship that I have sailed on has become bigger and will be changing again, SSEAYP spirit has not changed, and the unbelievable experience where I had the chance to meet and develop friendships with many young people has not changed though there are now more countries and more diversities.

It is indeed a once-in-a-lifetime chance. I remember how we felt that the program would be such a stretch at 52 days. And yet, when it was all over, we wished it could go on forever. It was definitely sad and painful when we had to part after having stayed together for such a long time, that it seemed almost cruel.

No more were the sounds of the morning call chime with the waves rolling pass my cabin window and over were the movie nights, meeting on the upper decks after…(in the past, it was trying to avoid the NL!!!) and country performances in Dolphin Hall.

You will probably not have a clue when ex-PYs keep mentioning about the SSEAYP spirit. You will probably appreciated it more immediately when the SSEAYP 08’s closing ceremony curtains is drawn. This spirit will then exist in the long distance calls, emails, pictures and stories that your SSEAYP participants keep sending to each other.

Only when you go on to express our concern for the well being and safety of our fellow PYs irregardless of whether they were affected by events, disasters or unrest, only when we start visiting their countries and dropped in on them, only if we start to appreciate the countries above the tourist spots, only if we try all means to get to the Re-unions and the get-togethers, then can we said that we truly understand and experience the SSEAYP spirits. And here I am not just referring to fellow PYs from other countries but also your very own.

SSEAYP actually goes beyond the solidarity groups, discussion programs, homestays, country programs and illicit kitchen tours. It not only contributes to our perspective of ASEAN or brings us closer to a world free of political, language, immigration or religious barriers but ultimately, how we see ourselves for who we are and what we want in life.

Keep up the preparations and be really for the flow of SSEAYP Spirits."

YL Message

MUHAMMAD REZAL

" The 35^th Singapore Contingent has taken the brave step forward, the plot unfolding as the days pass. Every year the team is different and this year I am proud to lead such a dynamic team eager to soar and excel in every single thing they do. We came together rather inept, lacking skills and knowledge of some aspects required for the programme.

However, time and again, as a team we have proven that perseverance yields success and we have managed to overcome every obstacle that comes in our way. The road is long. But the journey is fulfilling thus far.

I am proud to present you SPY 2008. "

AYL Message

WINNIE TAN

"Nippon Maru, sailing the blue blue ocean…"

The 26 voices from the Singapore Contingent has been rehearsing these lines, looking forward to singing them with our international counterparts on board Nippon Maru. We have also been trying to pick up common greeting phrases in Japanese and other ASEAN languages, with the hope of bringing us closer to you, our friends-to-be!

The Singapore contingent has came a long way from a group of individuals from various backgrounds, to become a strongly-bonded team through our weeks of trainings, games and dance rehearsals. We are looking forward to doing the same with the rest of the PYs, as we sail the blue blue ocean onboard Nippon Maru!

DYL Message

VENETIA NG

" When I was told to write something for this blog, I asked myself “What in the world am I going to write about”? Even at this point of time, my thoughts are incoherent and my fingers hover above my keyboard, not knowing where to begin...

To you, who have somehow stumbled on our humble blog while surfing the internet, I would like to say WELCOME! I hope through these pages, you find out more on what we do in preparation for the 35^th SSEAYP 2008 and possibly get inspired to take part in future years.

I must say, our contingent has come a long way from the awkward moments of initial introductions, to the intimate sharing of our individual milestones. Many of us struggled initially to the sacrifices that we had to make to ensure that we do not miss our weekday and weekend orientation trainings. However, as time went by, friendships were forged and being the dedicated, committed individuals we are, orientation training became habitual and no longer a sacrifice.

The Singapore Contingent came together and started off with a blank canvas, not knowing what colours to splash on or what designs to add on to make it worthy for showcasing. As the weeks passed, things began to take shape - the contingent logo was conceptualized, the uniforms were selected, the story-board for the cultural performance was fine tuned, cheers were getting louder with gusto and songs were sung with more confidence and conviction!

Today, each of us has added some colour and design to the canvas through our various contributions be it a skill, a knowledge or just pure commitment. It has now become a large montage of artwork, which will be showcased to fellow PYs from Japan and ASEAN. Just two more months of hard work, dedication and refining, we will surely be all set and ready to put our best foot forward for the programme.

Before I end off, some final notes to all SPYs 2008. Hang in there, look out for each other, be there for each other, stay positive and most importantly of all have loads of fun!"

Snap Snap Snap Snap Snap Snap

Hahahahhaha.... what can i say about the weekend that we've spent together but that it was so full of smiles laughter posers and snap snap snap snap snap snap? Yes, it was an amazing weekend when we took the photos for our contingent booklet. We started with the indoor shoot at NTU. Our dear PRM got professionals to come in and do our make up and hair. Think this is the first time in my life I ever got professional make-up.... and I look.... so totally not me.... hahaha.... ok, enough about me, below's some pics of the day:

Here are some random shots taken at the "make up room":

While waiting for our turn, we decided to take so posing shots!

The studio shots... look out for the family shots and the couple shots~

The fun contingent shot!

This is the serious one...

And ofcourse, how can a day be complete without FOOD!!!!!

hahaha.... so you see, we had loads of fun during our weekends together:) and I'm sure we'll have more fun time together! hee... lookout for more photos of sunday... once i get my hands on them :)

Sports Comm:)

Touched by An Angel!

Re-Charged!

The pretty, intelligent, dainty and demure girls of SPY08!!!

Practising our Malay dance.

After a deserving weekend break, we are all back re-charged and energised to move forward with greater poise to take the contingent to greater heights!!! It has certainly been an enjoyable National Day with my team mates. Those crazy moments, hearing each other's life stories and the ongoing laughters are what bond us closer. Thanks all for such a wonderful time! Let's continue to make new waves and strengthen our friendships!

Cheers, Pauline

crazy moments, wonderful time and memories..

What is it like staying up till 3am at changi airport?? 

Just b4 deciding goin to Changi airport.. we were all getting a little "high" already..

And the craziness lasted all the way to changi..

checking in bags? Rezal.. where do you think you are going??

Gonna leave us behind?!

what's behind is...

what's infront.... :P

auntie cecilia and auntie hanzhi.. getting tired......... -_-"

Well.. this was what kept us all awake..

squeezing "9 pple" in the passport photo booth!

Perhaps.. this was the most exciting national day i've spent.. nv to think that spending a night in changi airport could have so much fun and laughter.. though there were no fireworks, there were each other's company and smiles that lit up all our hearts.. love ya guys!!

cheers,

han

Just A little Snapshot of our 4th Weekend @ Ping Yi

Life stories and angels

It was the first day of hungry ghost month and there we were at the eerie and dimly lit Ping Yi Secondary School...

We had the most interesting sharing sessions, where we talked about the 5 milestones of our lives...diamonds, SAP schools and life stories! I never knew there were so many scholarship recipients in the contingent :)

And of cos when it came to the angel n mortal game, our poor PR & Marketing committee didn't get their angels' gifts. What's all happening? The ever-disappointed Cecilia was cursing her non-existant angel who refused to write her even a short note despite her grumbling and public display of anger (PDA).
*PS: Can her angel please do something to simmer it before she burns the pink box?! *Glares*

Youth Venturer Award

Alvin Lim Shan-Jia

Hey All,

We are very glad and proud to have our very own SPY, who clinch an award which recognises and encourages youth who has shown outstanding perseverance and courage in venturing out to pursue their dreams, lifting themselves out of everyday well-trodden paths of endeavour and fufillment.

The award attempts to celebrate alternative success stories of youth. Nominees should have a “Dare to Dream spirit and should inspire others to take a bold step in taking up ventures to realise their dreams."

I hope that we can learn and benefit something from his life story. =)

“I CAN and I WILL” is my personal mantra and it has certainly worked wonders! Nothing is impossible once I have made up my mind to pursue it. Three years ago, when I joined Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP), I was awestruck by the many success stories that the school shared with students. I told myself that “if they could do it, so could I”. I wanted to soar above what I could ever dream of.

Now, my dreams have come true and over the years, I have touched the lives of hundreds through community projects, and even representing Singapore at international competitions, conferences and youth summits.

As a child at Tao Nan Primary School, I was a ‘terror’; getting punished for not doing my homework, skipping school for half a year and playing truant in class. Although I passed my PSLE, the problems did not disappear. I continued to skip classes, played pranks and was disruptive in class. My parents were so desperate that they sent me for counseling but that did not work.

When I failed my exams in Secondary 2 and was transferred to the Normal (Academic) stream, I was horrified and depressed. I looked squarely in the mirror and decided that “enough was enough”. I ‘pulled up my socks’ and did well enough to secure a place in NP. Entering the polytechnic was like a new beginning for me.

I saw it as a chance to start with a ‘clean slate’ and was determined to do well from Day One. Through sheer hard work and determination, I did well academically, held various leadership positions and made community contributions by way of projects under “Students In Free Enterprise” (SIFE).

My team-mates and I developed a board game titled “Money Sense” to teach financial literacy skills to students, organised a national competition aimed to promote the spirit of enterprise called the “National Youth Enterprise Challenge” (NYEC), worked with Muhammadiyah Welfare Home to impart communication skills to delinquent teenagers, started an initiative to promote creativity and entrepreneurship amongst young and talented women, collaborated with Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) and the University of Malta in compiling five business booklets aimed at youngsters and even wrote and implemented a 10-chapter English curriculum for children in a Chinese rehabilitation school in Suzhou, China.

Since then, with the Money Sense board game, I have gone on to win first prize at the Global Entrepolis @ Singapore’s Big IdEA Invention Slam and represented Singapore to present the Money Sense Financial Literacy project to a global audience at SIFE World Cup 2005 (Toronto, Canada) and to share best practices in running a SIFE programme in Singapore at SIFE World Cup 2006 (Paris, France).

In the course of my endeavors, many people were skeptical about my ‘audacious’ dreams/goals and there were times when I wanted to ‘throw in the towel’.
I was fortunate to have the encouragement of Mrs Choo Jin-Yi, my academic manager and lecturer. She would sit me down and sort out my priorities when I was overwhelmed by school work and co-curricular activities. Her trust and belief in me gave me confidence to press on.

In 2006, when national television programme “Generation Next 3” profiled me as a national top achiever, I was convinced that I could be a role model despite my history as a problem child. I applied and succeeded in being the only Singapore representative at the International Youth Leadership Conference 2006 (Prague, Czech Republic), and more recently at the United Nations World Youth Assembly for Road Safety (Geneva, Switzerland) in April 2007.

I am currently serving my National Service while waiting to enter the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School, where I have been awarded the prestigious NUS Global Merit Scholarship.

This is the story of how a ‘problematic’ child strives for excellence to become a success story. I hope that others like me who may be ‘late bloomers’, or parents/teachers who may think that their child is hopeless, will now view each individual in a better light to believe in the motto: Potest Qui Vult (If there is will, there is a way).

I have learnt that life is not just about studying, getting good grades, building a strong resume or chasing money. I believe that life is about being different, where each of us can reach for our dreams boldly and with a strong sense of conviction that nothing will stop us.
It is this desire for excellence and a passion to succeed that makes life interesting and worth living for.

A New Week, A New Look... (Or almost)

Alright, fellows SPYs... Finally, the new look is almost up and we can start blogging! It's almost ready, will tweak the html to change a couple of things and remove the "sample" photo above to make space for our more inclusive contingent photo. Pardon that, couldn't get gmail to download the group photos.

The start of August brought us a weekend (2-3 Aug) of loads of physical activities. Unlike previous residential weekends, 2-3 Aug was packed with line-dancing, tchuckball (hahah... don't know how to spell this), more dancing, more games, dragon-boating and just 1 presentation!

This was also the first week, our newly elected YL, AYL and DYL took charge and of course, we'll just have to introduce them... later with the photos!!

We started the day with a game of "Have you ever...?" while waiting for our dance practice to hilarious!!! Now, we know the some of the "deepest" secret like ______ on the MRT platform or _____ in the cupboard. At 2.30pm, we had session of line dancing with Helen and Allen, and boy, how our AYL, Winnie breezed throught THAT- the Cha-cha with 4-walls turns... And we thought the steps for the second was easy! Front, Point, Point, Back, Point, Point, Side, Point, Kick... Till we heard the song (Mickey by Toni Basil). Then we changed our minds, but all of us a great time dancing our feets away... Plus our YL, Rezal, received quite a number of attentions with his moves. Wonder they've caught it on video and put it up on Youtube...

After the dances, we learned thuckball (Erm, still don't know how to spell it, with a little permutation, I might get it right... Hahah). It's confusingly simple game and it took us awhile to get the hang of getting the ball bouncing the "spring board" out of the circle. Fun, that is!!

Dinner was a simple chicken rice with loads of laughter... Of course, we need to brush up all our dining ettiquette with our very own J. Lee (SIS Board Member, ah). Another dance session was next with some cool but simple moves... Throw it with the music, we all forgot our dance steps. My sister, Fitri, came and blew us away and we pointed out Winnie and Qiao Er to remember the dance and recap with us.

One the highlight of the day was our very own sharing session of 5 milestones each of us felt are important. It definitely brought the contingent closer and helped us understand each other better. We oooo-ed, aaaa-ed and almost teared ... heartfelt stories about each other. It ironic how we are having presentations and discussion to know ASEAN and Japan yet, we didn't had time to really bond and know the PY sitting next us. It showed that we are in this ship together for a long run (minimum 3 years, guys!!) and not just for fast and furious impact. This would pave away for a more meaningful friendship.

So guys... we've got a few weeks more together... and let's get the spirit up till Dec!! 2nd part coming soon... after I've gotten the photos up... You don't think I would blog without any photos right? In meantime... enjoy the snippets that PR&M Peeps will share!!

Akan Datang...

Where's the next post? Fear not, fear not...

Page under construction, PR&M is bringing you the new template which will include contingent photos, logos and necessary stuff... like all of us in actions... All those scandalous photo... he, he, he... rubbing those hand evilly... Hahah... where's the angels for PR&M?