AFTER CAMP EVO I'M A MORE POSITIVE PERSON. :D XD
"This is NOT an adventure camp. This is a personal leadership camp. We will not be rushing you from activity to activity, neither will there be instructors up front cheering, hyping up and entertaining you. For anything to happen in this camp, you or your team members must make it happen."
When this was said, what went through our minds were "oh shit. This camp is damn boring. I wanna go home"
However, what happened was that we did not wanna go home in the end.
This camp is totally special and different. REALLY DIFFERENT.
Couldnt emphasise the fact enough.
When were were all spilt up, as in in each team, there's only ONE member from each school, which also means you're all alone, we were all scared.
And we were rather shocked. at the behaviours of certain people.
And we had to work from there.
We did not know each other at first. at all. When the facilitator introduced us, alot of people were in their own world, were attitud-ing each other. the team held little or no interest in getting anything done. I thought we were doomed. then we had to have partners and a group name. And so were were team 1408 because we had 14 people and this is EVO'08. So we started activities. We did High Rope Elements. Rather FUN :D
Rock climbing did my fingers in though. they're swollen.
There was cheering and belaying on our part, as we cheered the people on the elements and supported them. We also had a lot of meaningful indoor activities.
It was a hardcore camp, where we had to KNOW what we were doing, and where everything depends on us alone. No decisions will be made by facils or instructors. If we wanted something, we have to get it on our own.
There was also an Angel vs Devil activity, where we battle our good and bad thoughts. It's kindaf brainwashing in a good way, and it's just..amazing.
3am that morning, it RAINED. Those sleeping in tents got WET. they could SWIM in their tents. Belongings were totally wet. People had to be transported to the hall to sleep. Shoes were wet. There was alot of shouting. Only those in the bunks were safe.
2nd day, we had alot of really fun indoor activities. We had this 'free-fall' thing, where a person has to stand on a high table, and naturally fall backwards into the arms of the fellow teamates. Really fun. Had a lot of activities in which teamates have to physically carry each other. We had to do a 'Web' activity. in which we have to go through a web course w/o touching any of the webs [which were rafia strings]. That got us really frustrated 'cos we kept touching the web. our pants kept touching the web. We wanted to give up, but persevered through. We even combined forces with another team to form a bridge and carry people over. We even had to deal with certain people who did not want to participate at all. This activity drained ALOT of our energy.
We had to fight for everything.
We even had to go through a set-back race before every meal.
On the 2nd night, we went out of the camp for dinner as a team. Ate, crapped and bonded.
We even got to go to the supermarket for essentials, but in the end everyone bought FOOD to party! 'cos its the last night. We went back. And after we were let off to rest, we partied.
Ate, told jokes and riddles to each other, sang together under the stars, all of us. And hey, this is not done in the order of teams! Everyone from diff grps just came together and had fun. We laughed, we get frustrated at the riddles, we enjoyed each other's company.
Beautiful night, and it didnt rain.
Next day, last day.
We had one last day to go all out.
Yes, we were tired. But yeah we still wanna go on.
Had 2hrs to complete 12 elements.
we were totally on our own.
Zul(who had AP at first, but changed alot for the better) became the leader. He led us through, cheered us on for every challenge, which was quite unexpected! :D
We co-operated, and still had fun.
Weather was hot so the instructor hosed us down once in awhile xD
After lunch, we had this thing called 'the WALL', in which everyone in the camp have to work together.
Great activity, got alot into tears of warmth.
Its this: we have 30mins to get 98 people over a 2 and a half storey high wall. no platform nothing. Just a plain wall with a small stand on top which can hold 4 people.
Time was running. And through 5mins the instructor stopped the watch running and said "Tell me, what have you been doing for the past 5mins. Some of you. you sit there and WAIT for things to happen. That's how you've been all your life, and will always be if you do not change."
So we started to be more eager. There's this leader at the front and he was telling us what to do, what the plan was to get the 98 people across the wall. Instructor stopped the time. He asked us to look at the hands of that guy and asked him to keep talking. Then he stopped that guy from talking again, and said. "LOOK AT HIS HAND. WHAT IS HIS HAND DOING."
Someone mumbled " Shivering."
Instructor: YES. HE IS SHIVERING. AT LEAST THIS GUY HAS THE BALLS TO STAND UP HERE TO FEEL SCARED, TO LEAD EVERYONE. WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF YOU. YOU SIT THERE AND LET OTHERS DECIDE FOR YOU. IS IT GOING TO BE LIKE THIS FOR YOU."
He scolded us severely. and what he said did make sense.
He started the watch running again.
And suddenly the power of everyone just emerged. Everyone just became damn hiong and just pulled everyone up. We were organised, of course. Shorted ones on one side, taller ones on the other. everyone was spotting and supporting and pulling and yelling and cheering. The atmposphere was loud and beautiful. Everyone just worked together. We never stopped. We did whatever we could, all of us, not matter who we were.
We did it in the end.
And we couldnt have done it without each other at all.
The scene was really touching.
98 people, who didnt know each other at all, from totally different backgrounds.
Come together, and make things happen.
it's better than all the magic in the world put together.
So amazing.
The day was ending. the time was passing. We had a talk by this person who has been in prison for 10 years and yet succeeded in craving a career for himself after he was released. Everyone was tired.
Then it was the farewell time.
we got a cert, shirt and some stuffs.
Coloured stones were given to us. And we had to give the stones to people we appreciated. I wanted to give them to so many people. But there wasnt enough. ><>
A lot of us wanted to cry just then, as the camp was coming to an end.
I loved it, I didnt wanna go home.
Even the people who hated the camp, the people who were having challenges in their lives, who was on the wrong path, admitted that they wanted to stay longer.
This camp was to put student leaders and people facing challenges together, and see what happens.
it's really crazily and beautifully amazing.
Muscles aching, mosquito bites, fingers swollen, basic conditions of campsite-life,
but we loved it.
New friendships are forged, memories and success are made, and even though it's over, and it wont be the same again, i hope the camp, and 1408, will stay in everyone's hearts.
i hate to come back to reality .
