Doesn't this place look really scenic? But we were not there for any sight-seeing, we were there to do our Staff Community Involvement Programme (CIP). Haha, you did not read wrongly. I was equally surprised when I learnt that teachers were required to do CIP. Many teachers were surprised when it was announced during Contact Time. When we led students to do their CIP activities, weren't teachers already involved in CIP in one way or another? Hence, why the need for a Staff CIP? And it's all the way to Pulau Ubin for CIP and we went there for beach cleaning and tree planting! So the picture that u have seen above was taken at Pulau Ubin during the CIP on a Saturday morning.

We took this picture while waiting for the ferry at Changi Jetty. A 'royal family' reunion with our new member, Marhaini. Haha.

When we arrived at Pulau Ubin, we spent the time taking pictures while waiting for the rest of the teachers to arrive. Each ferry can only take 12 passengers and they charged us $2 for the 5-min ride.

Jiamin was so happy that she can finally be taller than Siraj and Marhaini. haha, even though it was only for a few seconds.

Enough of the pictures for the time being. haha. Time for some educational talk to save the environment. That is the main purpose of the CIP instead of a photo-taking session.

For the first part of the programme, we spent the time clearing the beach. We cleared quite a substantial amount of rubbish and we probably filled up more than 50 trash bags and the guide estimated that to be 100 tonnes of rubbish. Wow!

According to the guide, the most harmful rubbish is styrofoam and plastic containers. It will take the longest time to decompose and they will need a million years to decompose. By the time we disappear from the Earth, all these rubbish will still be around.

Gosh, if it wasn't for this CIP programme, I wouldn't know about this fact and I would still be happily using, wasting and throwing away all those plastic containers and styrofoam boxes. Hence, we should really try to reduce the usage of styrofoam boxes and plastic containers to save the poor Earth that we are living on.

After a tiring beach cleaning, we went on a guided nature trail led by the trainer. Along the way, the guide shared with us many valuable information how the various plant, insects and animal co-exist in that natural habitat.

During the nature walk, we saw a 'cave'. We were so amazed by it and our dear Subair decided to re-enact a 'perspective shot' that we have taken in Yunnan.

The picture above was taken in Pulau Ubin and the picture below was taken in Yunnan. See the difference. The cave in Yunnan is more impressive ya? Haha. Anyway, according to Subair, the person in a perspective shot mustn't look at the camera when the picture is taken, he should look away from a camera.

No more perspective shot, and another royal family photo to add to the album.

We saw this "Secret Garden" during the nature trail. Look at how Esther and Marhaini have aptly demonstrated the 'mystery' of the Secret Garden and that left Siraj, Maziyan and Subair in bewilderment. Haha.

Back to some serious stuff again. haha. The second part of the CIP programme was supposed to be a tree-planting segment. But due to some 'unforeseen circumstances', we planted cucumber seeds instead. It's not really unforeseen circumstances, the guide did explain to us why the tree-planting session was forsaken. It's for the benefit of the trees actually, but to cut a story short, 'unforeseen circumstances' was conveniently used. Haha.

Back to the planting of the cucumber seeds. We needed to loosen the soil, level the ground, dig out holes to grow the seeds, cover the holes when the seeds were placed in the holes and finally, water the seeds with a large amount of water, to such an extent where the seeds were drowned in the soil.

There was a well where we could get the water to water the plants. Amazing right? How often do we get to see a well that still has water in it? Being ELDDs teachers-in-charge, their acting talent and the urge to act were activated when they saw the well. According to the impromptu story plot that they had come up with, Subair was supposed to kill himself by jumping into the well. Maziyan, being the kind Grandmama, had to stop his dear grandson from committing suicide by pulling his legs. I doubt the pulling act would be useful. Haha. But it did look convincing right? At least, you would bother to take a second look at what they were doing.

After the cucumber-seed-planting task was completed, the guys posed with their tools for the camera as proof that they had really sweated it out at Pulau Ubin.

After the CIP, we went to Secret Recipe for lunch. We met up with Charmane and Jiabao. She brought her cute baby with her and everyone of us was fussing over her baby.

While ordering the food and drinks, we ordered some green apple drink. We were quite surprised when the waiter told us that they had run out of green apples. Our dear Jiabao commented, "Giant is just nearby, you can buy the green apples from there." The waiter was dumbfounded by such a comment and the rest of us burst out laughing.

While waiting for the food, I was talking to Siraj about the Japan trip. Somehow, I wasn't really that keen and enthusiastic about this trip compared to the OSL Yunnan trip.

I guess the nature of both trips is very different. The Japan trip is a humanities field trip whereas the Yunnan trip was an overseas service-learning trip. For the previous trip, there were a lot of interaction, preparation and fund-raising involved prior to the trip. Moreover, we had greater ownership and involvement in the programme. We also had a say in the choice of the students we selected for the trip, compared to the Japan trip where I probably only know a quarter of the students who are going for the trip.

Sigh, perhaps the previous trip brought back too much fond memories. Even up till now, when our royal family talks about the trip, we will still laugh about those funny incidents and reminisce about those good old times.

Come to think of it, I was a bit apprehensive when I was approached a second time to go for this trip. Initially, when Tan Huong and Jiamin approached Subair and I to follow them for the trip, we were still quite excited about it. Everything was more or less confirmed after Tan Huong has seeked Mrs Tan's approval for us to go for the trip. Then, all of a sudden, Elizabeth told us that she disapproved of Subair and I to go for the trip, as there are three days of oral exams scheduled during the first week of the holidays. She can't afford to release three EL teachers to be exempted from the oral exams as she would be short of EL teachers to take the students for the oral exams. We were quite disappointed initially.

Then Tan Huong needed to approach Michael and Patsy for the trip. Everything was confirmed and then Patsy wasn't able to go for the trip due to family reason and work commitment. I was only informed of the trip barely a few days ago. Up to now, I haven't really packed my luggage yet.

One thing that was holding me back from going to the trip would be my brother. Initially, I thought I could spend more time with him during the holidays, while he is recuperating at home. Recently, I could sense the change in him. I wonder if it's due to the aftermath of the car accident. He has been very impatient and short-tempered. I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving him alone as my parents and siblings are working, and I feel that he needs family members to be around so that he would feel more at ease as we would be there to shower him with care and concern and to encourage him.

He still has not come to terms with the accident. Initially, I thought he would be okay with his friend, a friend who he has known for ten years and it's the same friend who has caused him to be in such a tragic state. Then, I realised that he actually hated the friend. We can't really blame the friend for that because no one has expected the accident to happen. But if only he did not drink and drive, perhaps this accident could be avoided.

That friend is actually serving his NS as a policeman. To be caught for drink-driving and causing grievous hurt to the passenger is a serious offence, what is worse is that he is a policeman who has not set a good example. He might be jailed or fined for that offence, hence his future will be affected and the friend's mum is blaming my brother for the accident, saying that if my brother has not gone drinking with his son, all these wouldn't have happened.

Excuse me auntie, it was your son who was moody and has asked my brother out for a drink, so don't say that my brother loves to drink so much and has caused trouble for your son. My brother has definitely gone through so much more than your son. He has a 40-cm operation scar from below the chest to the belly button. He has removed his spleen, a vital organ that prevents him from bacteria infection. He has gone through post-traumatic amnesia and the mental struggle that he has to cope with on top of the physical injuries. He still has to go for one more operation to remove the glass pieces from his eye lid. The crack in the hipbone will restrict my brother's movement in future. He will not be able to engage in any strenuous activities in future. What are all these compared to your son's future? He did not even sustain any injuries at all.

Damn it, the thought of it just makes my blood boils. Perhaps, this is what God has planned for my brother. All I pray for is for him to recover fully and he will be able to resolve any hatred in him. It's not easy. He needs time., but time wouldn't wait for him. Sigh...