Snow City Outing!

Friends at St Hilda’s outing to Snow City as told by Afiqah.

Of all the children-related S-LC activities we’ve done so far, this took the cake. And the pie. And the soufflé!
The two of us made the long and early journey to the Friends of St Hilda’s Di Tanjong Katong Rhu branch in a state that was less than bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. The people in-charge were nice, and we took the attendance of the 45 children, which was an awkward affair not to mention confusing! We were expecting worse to come. Especially when we walked through the entrance of Snow City and apparently, the staff thought it was a good idea to spray the place with a mint scent. =.=

Then all manner of confusion ensued when it was time to fit everyone into rented jackets. The jacket-rental place was PRISTINE when we entered and by the time we vacated, it was like we were a swarm of locusts- disorder and destruction trailed behind.

Did you know that Snow City is -8 degrees Celsius?
Neither did we. Or the kids for that matter. Hence the pink, runny noses and wide-eyed shivering. :D

I was in the snow part of Snow City for maybe 5 minutes and then I was out to tend to all the poor, cold kids. They got SO distressed from the immense cold! We were smothering them with sweet words and smiles and all we could think of to make them feel better! I thought I could go back in after the group I tended to went back in, but then another group came out and when they went in, another group came out! So I had to continuously tend to the too-cold-for-snow group. I didn’t mind though. I’m a creature of warmth.

Aliya was going in and out and in and out and that kind of change of external environment has GOT to be bad for you somehow. But I had so much fun outside! The kids were so nice and polite and tiny and the sort you just wanted to erase all the discomfort of. It was also CHAOS. A good kind of chaos. I was zipping about in a smiley, high-pitched blur “Oh honeey”-ing at every kid that came out, switching the kids’ rented jackets for bigger ones (several kids at the same time), buttoning them up , wiping a kid’s runny nose , dishing out tissue to all the kids , consoling the cold little ones so they didn’t feel bummed , wiping the nose of the same kid when he came back from his second round inside, warming a stressed girl’s frozen hands, talking to a pair of brothers so they didn’t get bored waiting outside, following the kids to the bathroom and all the time feeling like the mother-iest teacher-like thing in the whole world!

I didn’t even go back in again!

Then came the ice-cream making session, which wasn’t much to report, but by which time, some of the kids were already attached to us! Dear Vicki offered me and Aliya one of her tiny rice cake things and we both got a Hacks from Syakira.

On the bus ride back, I sat next to Vicki and we TALKED and talked ALL the entire journey! I had so much fun with the brothers, Asyraf and Arsyad, who were so cute.

The Outing as told by Aliya

Okay I’m not going to type a lot for obvious reasons :D
I must say that from the start it seemed like everything was going to go smoothly but as we ALL know, nothing like that ever happens with kids :D

It all started with attendance which I must say was kinda hard for me to do considering the fact we just got to know the kids. Then came the distributing of yummy snacks on the bus (which I had to do as the bus was moving, no bumps or bruises! ).

After much hustle and bustling , what with bringing one darling to the toilet and trying to convince 2 others not to wander about, we finally reached the lesson room.

After collecting $1.60 from 37 kids (who were very doubtful of my math capabilities) we brought them down to the jacket area. It got crazy from them with all the sweethearts bounding up to me and asking us to help pick out jackets.

Finally finally we shipped them all off to the cooling chamber and finally the snowy area itself. I only managed to stay in for 20 minutes in total. Out of which I played a quick game of tag, pulled hoodies over kids heads, replaced gloves and scouted around for one kid and another.

I bonded with a couple of lovely girls who were so generous with their affections. (I got copius amounts of hugs from Syakira and loadsa smiles from her sister)

Beyond touching!

By the time the ice cream making lesson came around I was beginning to get attached to the darlings. But this was probably the most tense I was for the day, ensuring that the kids didn't accidentally put their hands into the liquid nitrogen and lose all their fingers! With kids, even turning your back could spell trouble.

After the whole session came the typical " I want to sit next to you on the bus!"

Then came the compromising and bargaining and sulking ( when negotiations didn't work :s)

All in a days work!

To summarise!

Snow city + 45 adorable kids + runny noses + oversized jackets + loadsa hugs and smiles = A WONDERFUL DAY 

I’m pretty sure this is the reason we’re all in Service Learning, for all the love you give, you get in return, now that…is PRICELESS 