Saturday, June 28, 2008

LLTC- Part 2

As I said, Day 2 for us began at 5:45am. To do what? You might be thinking.

WE GOT UP TO RUN!

I wasn't really expecting that. A 3.2km run at MacRitchie Reservoir. I couldn't imagine that I could do it. After all, I felt like a living zombie when I got up and put on my trusty NewBalance 787 (2 years old!). It was a tough run because the other teams were blocking the way and there was a lack of communication between the group members, resulting in lags in certain points of the run. I had to push Jason Tay to keep running as he's not really a very fit guy, although for someone his size he is a really good runner already. There was a lack of teamwork, and that was something we had to work on.

After the run was showers. I didn't realize that a cold shower in the morning felt so relaxing. After showers was laundry time. In LLTC, my definition of laundry means:

1. Spam Deodorant on Shirt
2. Put Shirt on Chair
3. Put chair under fan
4. Hang towel.

I didn't have enough sets of P.E attire to last me for five days. I rewore them. Alot. Following Laundry was lecture time. We had to learn the 7 Habits mentioned by Covey. Day 2's lecture is about changing yourself and your mindset. I don't wanna drone on about the lecture as it would be really long. Basically, the first 3 habits were:

1. Be Proactive
2. Seek First To Understand, Then to be Understood
3. Put First Things First

From reading the habits, I guess most of you can probably infer what each habit mean. I must say that Covey is a really great man to have written something that is timeless, something which can be practised even a hundred years from now. The change starts within first. If you cannot even change yourself, how can you influence others to follow your ideas? The first step is always difficult, but the first step is always crucial. Though the lecture was long and tiring, probably because of the run, I tried to focus even though my environment was coaxing me to sleep.

The fun part was after the lectures. We got the opportunity to go Dragon Boating in Kallang! The weather was perfect. I was fully charged and energized because I slept like a pig in the bus. I was freaking exhausted. The watersports centre reminded me of the Sec 2 Inter-House Dragon Boat, where Lawrence received a thrashing. Fears of Dragonboating came in. I remembered my muscles crying out for pain and rest last yearl. I wasn't too optimistic about our LLTC house winning due to the events last year. However, we had a very good instructor who planned a good strategy for us and even corrected our strokes individually. However, I think it was due to a mix-up in communication, we came in second place.

I remember rowing like I've never rowed before. I was pushing my arm to the limits. I remember going beserk and shouting "CHIONG AHHHHH!!!!" When we were close to the finish line. I believe that it was the first time I ever lost my sanity in sports. It feels... great to abandon your usual self. There was the usual reflection of what we learnt after the activity, and then came the shower time at Kallang.

I realized that I did not bring an extra pair of P.E shorts. I had to wear my wet one over my clean underwear. So my underwear got wet in the process and I couldn't change them because I did not bring enough underwear too. I am so underprepared for this camp. Sigh... I had to wear them for the whole day. It's a really bad experience.

After the Dragon Boat we had loads of time to do our group project, which involves us drawing what we learnt during LLTC and to do our personal reflections as we wait for the other groups who went to Sarimbun for Ropes Course for dinner. It was really chaos in our dorm. There were loads of sick jokes being shouted across in our dorms, and we were laughing our heads off making fun of Jason's body odour. Not a nice thing to do but occasional teasing can strengthen friendship bonds. The Sarimbun batch came at 7:30pm and we had the usual dinner. LLTC food is really killing us as most of us are like, hungry-ghosts reincarnated after such exercise. And we had only 3 plates of food to share. I mean, I'm ok with the physical training but what I can't stand is that they give us sooo little food. I felt that it was like... a refugee camp instead of a leadership one.

After dinner was a heritage play about the life of our Founder by our facilitators. It's like a musical. They really did a great job and I learnt alot from that play, and I was clearer on the purpose and life of De La Salle, and what I should do as a participant of LLTC. Following that was the usual rush to complete our group reflections and personal reflections.

Day 3:

There isn't much that happened on Day 3 as we went for our morning run again. Axel accompanied us and this time, things were a little more interesting as we were running in first place when Jason couldn't take it anymore. I was pushing him from behind and literally trying to encourage him by shouting "THE FINISH LINE IS JUST THERE! DONT WASTE YOUR PAST EFFORT BY GIVING UP!" or something like that. I must tell you that the smell that emits from Jason's body stays on your hand even after you washed it with soap. Imagine the pain I had to go through pushing him. However, all this is worth the effort as we manage to stick as a team and finish first. This means that we have an early and longer bath! Muahahaha...

After that was lectures again, and this time it teaches us the correct learning attitude and how to improve relations with others and within your teammates so that all of you can cooperate well and be more productive. To sum it up, here are the habits for "Public Victory":

4. Think Win-Win
5. Seek First To Understand, Then To be Understood
6. Synergize

We didn't do much during the afternoon as it rained at Sarimbun. I didn't manage to do the Challenge Pole and only walked along a log at about 5 storeys high I think. It was really scary when you look down and you tend to grab the rope and walk. Grabbing the rope gives you a sense of security, but we're not supposed to do that. Halfway I heard the belayer shout "BOY DON'T HOLD THE ROPE!". I stopped. And thought "If I don't let go, how can I challenge my paradigms this way? I won't even have the chance to change myself. This is a behaviour of cowards. Don't be afraid." And I let go and started to walk. It was scary looking downwards. I have to look forward to feel less afraid. I completed it and I learnt something about this

There are times where you might think that the road before you is filled with danger and disasters. There are times where you feel afraid. Stop looking down and look forward. It is only then you can see the finishing line and it is only then you know that you are so close to success. It is only then your mind pushes your body to move forward.

When it rained, we played some games to kill time. I want to mention in particular the game where you pass a message in a row from the 1st person to the last person. A really funny thing happened. The original message was:

That's the way I like it, Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh,
That's the way I like it, uh huh, uh huh
That's the way I like it, uh huh.

It became this:

That's the way uh huh (x3)
That's the way uh huh (x2)
That's the way uh huh (x1)

Vrain (not sure about spelling), somebody's twisting his balls.

There were loads of transformation along the way.

It started with Vrain fell down and twisted his nipple,
to Vrain fell down and twisted his slipper,
and finally twisting balls.

I laughed like some madman when I heard this. How can the change be so drastic?

After games was lecture again... I shall end here and continue to Day 4.





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