Turning your experience into something
Where to go from here
My world has changed and so have I
I've learnt to choose and even learnt to say goodbye
The path ahead's so hard to see
It winds and bends, but where it ends depends on only me
But where do I go from here?
So many voices ringing in my ear
Which is the voice that I was meant to hear?
How will I know?
Where do I go from here?
How will I know?
Where do I go from here?
We've mentioned countless times during GPS sharing sessions how it's definitely very easy to feel motivated and inspired during and right after GPS, but that the key then lies in maintaining that feeling of motivation and in applying all the lessons learnt to life back home. I remember how when I came back, I really missed Sumatra and the people we worked with including working with our GPS team, because it's honestly a great team with a good spirit. During one of the facilitation sessions at Cabin 2, the question was posed to us, on how we would feel if the trip was extended for one more month or even longer at Cabin 2. A lot of us were quick to reply that we really wouldn't really mind at all, and I admit that that was my initial reaction as well. But when thinking about it, 16 days feels sufficient right now. As much as I love Sumatra and its people and forests, Singapore is my home - and though there were times after GPS when I really felt that I felt so alien in the city in Singapore, I still regard Singapore as my home, because quite honestly, growing up in Singapore has given me the opportunities to do what I do, like SOTA, and has given me opportunities for participating in international exchange programmes and service learning projects like GPS.
Going to Sumatra for GPS has made me really realise the little things that we often take for granted in Singapore (safe, accessible, clean-or cleaned, depending on how you look at it), and it has also made me realise that there are many things that Singapore needs to learn from the Sumatrans that we met. So back to the question on whether I would have stayed longer, I would say no, because now after 16 days in Sumatra, I want to go home to Singapore to bring all the knowledge and wisdom I have learnt back to Singapore, and to share my experiences here, to give back to Singapore.
GPS has changed me in so many different ways, and the best thing is that it has changed me in so many, small, ways. There were no sudden realisations or moments where lighting struck or when I suddenly saw the light. Changes crept in subtly, through the interactions with the locals, and activities like planting trees and weeding. What I like about GPS Sumatra in particular was that there was a lot of time to reflect and spend time to think by myself. It's really true that an experience, no matter how good or meaningful, does not go any further than being an experience, unless there is reflection involved.
To sum it up in a sort of list, GPS has impacted me in these ways:
~The mentality of Enough.
Taking only what you need, being a conscious consumer, and treasuring what you have, and treasuring the moments that I have. The course of nature is always unexpected and that reminds me to live in the moment and live every day like it is my first.
~Turning pescetarian
I've decided to give up eating meat, not so much because of the reason many animal-lovers have, but because I understand the importance of being a conscious consumer and I also don't seem to like red meat or chicken much anymore. Also, during our whole stay at Cabin 2, we were pescetarian (with the exception of rendang on one of the days:), and not eating red meat makes me feel more energised.
~My interest for the natural environment and sharing it with others
In term 1, Becky, Qing and I formed the CAS group, The Green Beans, though its been quite a dormant group for a while. After GPS, I've really been inspired by all the people we met to really make The Green Beans work, because my personal interest for our cause (to explore and document Singapore's local green spaces). My motivation to make this group work is also inspired by GEMUPABEL (Generasi Muda Pecinta Alam Besitang & Leuser) which is an environmental group for young people that Ari, Ramses and Agus are involved in in Sumatra. Knowing that there are other young people who are interested in immersing themselves in nature, makes me motivated to encourage young people in Singapore to do the same, and connect with nature and the environment, through exploring and preserving the green spaces that we have in Singapore, before it's too late - not too late for the environment because I believe that the earth can take care of itself, but before it's too late by the time us human beings realise how much we need to be in nature.
GPS has impacted me in so many ways, most of them which I'm probably not even conscious of. It's opened my eyes to new perspectives of the world, I've acquired new knowledge and skills and learnt more about myself and my life back in Singapore, and most important of all, I really enjoyed my GPS experience, with the good company. I would definitely go back to do more reforestation work, reunite with the people we met during GPS, and also explore new places and meet new people. We may be far away from all our friends there, but I believe that they, and everything that each of them has taught us, will always stay in my heart(:
Click on this link to hear our song:
Goodbye (Cancelled) - Original
Goodbye (cancelled)
GPS has changed me in so many different ways, and the best thing is that it has changed me in so many, small, ways. There were no sudden realisations or moments where lighting struck or when I suddenly saw the light. Changes crept in subtly, through the interactions with the locals, and activities like planting trees and weeding. What I like about GPS Sumatra in particular was that there was a lot of time to reflect and spend time to think by myself. It's really true that an experience, no matter how good or meaningful, does not go any further than being an experience, unless there is reflection involved.
To sum it up in a sort of list, GPS has impacted me in these ways:
~The mentality of Enough.
Taking only what you need, being a conscious consumer, and treasuring what you have, and treasuring the moments that I have. The course of nature is always unexpected and that reminds me to live in the moment and live every day like it is my first.
~Turning pescetarian
I've decided to give up eating meat, not so much because of the reason many animal-lovers have, but because I understand the importance of being a conscious consumer and I also don't seem to like red meat or chicken much anymore. Also, during our whole stay at Cabin 2, we were pescetarian (with the exception of rendang on one of the days:), and not eating red meat makes me feel more energised.
~My interest for the natural environment and sharing it with others
In term 1, Becky, Qing and I formed the CAS group, The Green Beans, though its been quite a dormant group for a while. After GPS, I've really been inspired by all the people we met to really make The Green Beans work, because my personal interest for our cause (to explore and document Singapore's local green spaces). My motivation to make this group work is also inspired by GEMUPABEL (Generasi Muda Pecinta Alam Besitang & Leuser) which is an environmental group for young people that Ari, Ramses and Agus are involved in in Sumatra. Knowing that there are other young people who are interested in immersing themselves in nature, makes me motivated to encourage young people in Singapore to do the same, and connect with nature and the environment, through exploring and preserving the green spaces that we have in Singapore, before it's too late - not too late for the environment because I believe that the earth can take care of itself, but before it's too late by the time us human beings realise how much we need to be in nature.
GPS has impacted me in so many ways, most of them which I'm probably not even conscious of. It's opened my eyes to new perspectives of the world, I've acquired new knowledge and skills and learnt more about myself and my life back in Singapore, and most important of all, I really enjoyed my GPS experience, with the good company. I would definitely go back to do more reforestation work, reunite with the people we met during GPS, and also explore new places and meet new people. We may be far away from all our friends there, but I believe that they, and everything that each of them has taught us, will always stay in my heart(:
Click on this link to hear our song:
Goodbye (Cancelled) - Original
Original song by Becky and Me
Inspired by GPS
So the Macaranga says bye to the Medang Kapur
Like us, we say our goodbyes
Nature takes its course but this won't be for long
Cuz we'll be back again.
A-ooooooo o-oooo
Sungkai don't cry we'll see you again
So please don't take this too hard
Cuz we'll be together forever in our hearts
So save your goodbyes,
Till next time, we'll meet again
A-ooooooo o-ooooo
Pulai I'll miss you this isn't just a phase
You give me peace in my craze
The world is one big crazy maze
But don't worry we'll see you again
This isn't the end of our days
A-oooooooo o-ooooo
To remember this experience by, I've also compiled a sound montage of the progression of our 16 days, with songs, laughter, conversation and sounds.
Check it out at this link:
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