Date:11th April 2009
Time:9:00am-3:00pm
Venue:LT3, Temasek Junior College

Zhilin's Reflection
After receiving all the jitters from the long, and tense interview, we were finally here together, having our first bonding session with the seniors, for our TOOP for both Yun Nan and Cambodia teams. We were grouped regardless of our country that we had selected, and i think this is a superb idea since we (both Yun Nan and Cambodia teams) will be working together for fund-raising events in a way or another. The seniors kick-started the half-day long orientation with their presentations. The slides are pretty exciting, seeing some candid photos of the villagers and our seniors having so much fun together, seeing the smiles of the children, the tears that they shed when our seniors were about to leave for Singapore, those pictures really created this strange feeling in my heart. I guess that's warmth. Seniors, being such caring seniors, thought us ways to fund-raise, what to do and what not to (since they have prior experiences and know that the ideas won't work). All in all, i think it was really an eye-opener for me!

Next up, we had chatting sessions before we headed out for our lunch. The seniors told us stories about their trips, telling us how cold Yun nan was and their limbs were literally numb from the trip all the way till they were back in Singapore. They told us we had no proper water system for us to bathe, so we could forget the thought of bathing. At that time, i thought to myself, wow, it WILL be a new experience for me, and i'm going to go for it!

The games started shortly after our lunch break, and we really had much fun. Evidence: all the smiles plastered on our faces when we went back to the lecture theatre. The games were not the usual bonding games which we play for the sake of playing. All the lessons learnt behind them were priceless. I learnt how to make decisions. I learnt how precious water is. I learnt to communicate. I learnt to appreciate the life i am having in Singapore now...

The "letter to myself" ended the whole session we had together. It was rather essential, i thought, since setting goals for ourselves is part of success, isn't it?

I was excited. Enticed. Thrilled. That I AM going to have an unforgettable journey with 26 other compassionate leaders in TJC.

Grace's Reflection
After the process of interviews and applying for an opportunity to be part of TOOP, the first agenda on the list was orientation!

Orientation was an introduction of the entire TOOP trip for us. The seniors who went to Yunnan the previous year had a presentation with gave everyone a rough idea of what the trip was going to be like for us. In addition, they spoke about the process of planning for the trip, from fundraising efforts to logistical concerns. It made me realize that this was going to be a long-term commitment, and that it was not just a trip that I signed up for. Also, the importance of teamwork was taught to us through the games we played where we had chances to take up the role as a leader. Through the games and introductory session, we managed to form new bonds with our teammates, which would be strengthened in time to come.

For me, there were two key points of the orientation that stuck with me. The first would be when the seniors talked about the importance of teamwork vis-a-vis the casualty that happened during the Cambodia trip last year. It made me realize that yes, the trip was really no holiday. It was for a much greater purpose. The second would be the point of the day where we had to write a letter to ourselves, that we would be getting back when we return from Yunnan. I wrote about my true intentions about going as well as what I hope to achieve. I do hope that when the trip is over, I will be able to fulfill my expectations stated in the letter.