The day they fly Home

Sitting in a car which was driven into the walls a while back by the same driver behind the wheels, we sped down the expressway at over 100km/hr. It was a daunting ride but is necessary if we were to say our goodbyes.

We saw them from a distance congregated in their usual cliques, some were already infected with red watery eyes. It was a 40mins of tears and laughter for both sides, together with quick snapping of pictures at every opportunity. It wasn’t an unfamiliar scene at the airport, yet every single time it felt different and unique like human thumbprints. They are on their way home.


Ai
Moe
Kai, Seki,Kyon, Takumi, Germaine
Eri, Haruna, Kai, Ai
Shintaro
Madoka(She reminds me of someone i haven meet in a long while)
The Teacher in charge who made all these possible(I cant remember his name!)

A Boy Named Joseph

Joseph: (Slurps down a cup of Ribena) BURPPPPPP!

Kai: Hey! Its rude to burp! Dont do that here!

Joseph: (Looks at me eye wide) But this is my home...

Joseph is a 7 year old boy who was kinda hanging around me the moment i first stepped into the place. For 3 years, he had spend most of his time in the home. He has a mother and a sister and that is all i know bout his family.

He likes pulling me along wherever he goes making sure i sit with him during lunch and free time where he would execute the "moves" he learnt from the anime BLEACH on me. Like most boys his age, he is mischievous and cheeky at times. And he regards the institution as his home, his real home.

A home where you have no siblings and many siblings at the same time, a home where you have no parents and many parents at the same time. On first thought, i didn't think that an institution would be considered a real home to any of them. I would have thought they resented living in a place like that and would like to move away as soon as possible. But with that 1 sentence from Joseph, he thrashed my belief smack into the ground like a canine biting off the head of a doll.

My previous belief about the difference between "normal" kids and the kids there was that they were 1 home short. But with my belief limped, its only then i realise that they are not any different from "normal" kids, they ARE normal. If i were to meet anyone of them somewhere else, i would not have come to known this side of them.

There is a story,albeit a sad one behind each and everyone of those eyes. But when i looked deeper, i see something more fascinating, something that would change their lives, something called HOPE.

On a lighter note, we did have loads of fun and what better way than to show it! A picture speaks a thousand words. Enjoy

Task for the day! ORIGAMI

Patience Patience!

The signature V

Completed!!

Happy!

Even the care takers joined in

Models of the day

A picture speaks a thousand words...


After lunch, it was time for the last program that the Japs had prepared for the kids. Enjoy!

In case you are wondering, yeah that is a guy

Cute but definitely not my type

That isnt me, that isnt me, that isnt me

The whole lot of us

Looking cute as ever(nope im not talking about you Germaine)

Our Emcees for the day

Last shot

日本のともだち

For a week in June, I had the opportunity to play host to a group of Japanese students from Yokohama International College of Social Welfare. Every year, the school will send a group of students to Singapore to visit local VWOs (Volunteer Welfare Organisations). Purpose of this is to allow students to have a greater exposure to this “industry” in other countries and also to encourage cultural exchange between the 2 countries. The local organisation that had helped make this happen for the past 20 years is National Council Of Social Service (http://www.ncss.gov.sg/).

Collage by Germaine

Due to work commitments, I was not present on the first day of the week long program. Fortunately for me, volunteers from both sides were not “warmed up” yet and I didn’t miss a lot of fun.

Skipping to the 2nd day, the first half of the day was spend in Chen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home (http://www.cslmch.org.sg/). Prior to this, my experience with VWOs were only limited to homes with elderly or people with disabilities. After speaking to a retired lady who had opted to work full time in the home, I found out that in CSLMCH, 90% of the children there attend mainstream education with some of them having autism and learning disabilities. The most common thing that brought them together to this place where everyone is their brothers and sisters is the fact that they all come from broken families of some sort, with many of them having Child Protection Order, sometimes even against their parents. The age of the children there ranges from 4-16 years old and those who exceed these age, they will have to be sent to another home.

Amidst all the fun and games, I gained a lot of insights from the children and teens of this place, thoughts that would haunt me but in a good and memorable way.

Chen Su Lan Methodist Children's Home

This is me!!

Because of communication problems, activities planned by Japanese students were more interactive and promotes hands-on task rather than communication. For the morning, it was sports and games for all with kids running around, kicking balls, shooting hoops, engaging slides and gathering round the piano where Germaine (my local counterpart) tries to hypnotise the older kids with her tunes.

Guess who are from yokohama and who from singapore.

Balloon!!

A bubbly 7 year old

Works better than a swinging pendulum pocket watch

Fortunately for me, I had several Japanese language lessons and could understand them a little (OK I guessed the meaning most of the time...) and I became a part time lousy translator for some of the kids. Luckily I could turn to their teacher Miss Tanaka for help, she speaks good English.
However, I think that the Japanese students would do well with or without a translator as their passion for kids could transcends all language boundaries. In the end, everybody had a ball of a time even when nobody understood each other.

Happiness is contagious

Japanese likes their 2 fingers a lot

Come nightfall, my job switch from part volunteer, part translator to friendly tour guide. Together, we head to Far East Plaza to let them do some long awaited shopping. We let them wander around on their own while we Singapore volunteers had a much desired breather cum planning for dinner which we decided on a chicken rice shop in the same building. Some of them had requested to try chicken rice the day before as they heard good reviews from their teachers. We had a very interesting meal, especially during paying but it is kind of complicated to explain here so if anyone really wants to know, feel free to ask me.

We didnt realise there was a lady in shades behind

Singaporean Girls and Japanese Guys

Japanese Girls and Singaporean Guy

Licking our plates clean, we head back to their hotel to meet the deadline given to them. With that, our long and exhausting day comes to an end and it is time to head home to recharge for the next day.

Scandalous

Of all pictures, this is my Favourite

For more pictures, visit my web album at http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Discerning.Jun.Kai