Soon after Prom Night, i got myself busy with another activity. i volunteered my services to Metropolitan YMCA. Seriously, who in the right mind would go do volunteer work at this time of the year? Everyone my age would be looking for a job after the A-Levels to earn some cash. This is what is happening to my friends whom i know, especially the girls, as well as the guys who would be enlisted in March and April. But too bad for me, my enlistment date is on January 6th. i do not have enough time to do any temp job. Anyway, i'm digressing already. Back to the question, why am i doing volunteer work now when i am not in need of community service hours? My reason is simple. For what i have to do, it is worth my time.

It was an Ice Skating Camp, no stay-over. The kids whom i had to take care of were aged between 7 to 12. The kids undergo ice skating lessons over at Fuji Ice Palace in JEC(Jurong Entertainment Centre) right next to Jurong East MRT Station. Couple that with other activities such as a visit to Hay Dairy Farm, an excursion to Science Centre, a movie, learning how to decorate cookies with sugar icing, and a trip to Wild Wild Wet on the final day. The incentive and benefit for my volunteer service is mainly because i get to do these activities for free! Whatever the kids' parents paid for their children to do, we get to do them as well. In return, all we have to do, as leaders, is to look after them. A little like babysitting, but better. This easily translates into a free visit to the Hay Dairy Farm and look at mountain goats, a free trip to Science Centre as well as free entrance to Wild Wild Wet, free movie(Chicken Little), and the not-so-expensive cookies.

But something else other than these gratifications made me feel over the moon. It was the kids.

They are all so adorable, especially the kids in my group whom i was entrusted to. i have uploaded the pictures which i had taken of the camp here. i found one kid in my group who was especially cute and adorable. Her name is Ni Ling. Before i continue, i hope you havent think of me as a paedophile already. I AM NOT! And i didnt give her any special preferential treatment or whatsoever. i treat every kid in the camp with the same kind of attitude. Okay, maybe the kids in my group had a greater attention and care from me, but i still give equal treatment to all the children in my group. No special treatment for any individual. i shall continue then. i simply and innocently think that Ni Ling is very cute and adorable. She has a pretty and spakling pair of eyes. i feel that she'll grow up to be a real beauty someday. Another kid caught my attention. A kid named Grace looked like someone called Huitze in NJC. For a while, i was suspecting Huitze is her sister. Alas, on the third day of the camp, i couldnt hold back the urge and asked her if she has a sister. To my disappointment, she is the only child. i checked again to see if Huitze could be her cousin. Nope, i was nowhere near what i had expected. Oh well, this is not my first such encounter where people who are totally unrelated looking alike.

Anyway, it has been more than just fun taking care of these kids. i have learn more than just the responsibility of looking after them. i have also realised that my interactions with them clearly reflect how i will treat my children in future. Am i going too soft on kids? Or am i too harsh on them? For now, i'm still a little soft. From what i can remember, the first camp i did for MYMCA was called Adventure@Heart. Back then, i was really going easy on the kids that i allowed them to crawl all over me, of course not literally. They continuously pushed my limits and boundaries and each time, i let things pass me by without a fight. From then on, i have learned the need to be firm and steady and not giving the kids an inch to push my limits. Thankfully, for this camp, i practised what i preach, or rather, i practised what i learn.

i am missing my kids terribly now. i have allowed myself to grown so attached to them. But i cant do anything about this because there is a need to interact with them to let them know me well. The kids have been an interesting and a fun bunch of people. Each time i think of the 5 days i have spent with them, the pool of feelings in me are stirred. i feel sad because i would most probably not be seeing them anymore. This is especially so when my next volunteer service would be 2 years later after my National Service. By then, the kids would have forgotten me. Again, there is totally nothing i can do about this. i will just have to make do with all the memories.