Here are the pictures from Day 2!
A while later once we've finished setting up our tents, the boys went down to the river to get some clean water while the girls make dinner. We were given cooking equipments and some canned food as well as instant foods so it won't be hard for us to eat. And we all decided to make Indo Mee, and Mee kari with Cornbeef for that night. The mood got a lot better once we've all eaten, and I was starting to feel calm again. There were lots of smiles and laughters while we were enjoying our meals so I was thankful of that. Washing up was a problem as we didn't have any bathroom, obviously we were in a jungle and if we wanted to clean ourselves, we would have to go down to the river. Again, there was a small muddy hill and we had to go down the step to the river. Knowing how scared I was, everyone helped me get down and get up. I was so touched with all their help. They're simply the best!
Later that night the coach wanted to see us before we go to bed to discuss about the jungle trekking and the activity the next day. So he asked us to give our thoughts on the jungle trekking, what can we learn from it and etc. Most of us said we made it out because everyone helped each other, everyone trusted each other. And some also said that in real world, the heavy bag that we had to carry symbolized our burden, if we continued the journey alone, with that heavy burden, we wouldn't have made it but since everyone helped one another, the weight of the burden wasn't an issue and we know that as long as we have each other, we will be sure to conquer any obstacles and hardships that life will throw at us in the future.
When it was my time to speak, I couldn't stop saying sorry because I told them I felt guilty and all that and I almost cried, again. I was being so emotional because it came sincerely from my heart but everyone was so supportive towards me. Though everyone accepted my apology, Khai mentioned that those apologies were not necessary as all the times he helped us, it was all sincere and we didn't need to feel sorry for that. Everyone agreed to that statement and even I did. Because if I helped someone with something they aren't comfortable with, I wouldn't want them to apologize because we understand how they feel about that particular thing and we accept them for who we are. I'm sure Khai meant it that way. But I was still sorry towards everyone anyway. hehe.
When it was my time to speak, I couldn't stop saying sorry because I told them I felt guilty and all that and I almost cried, again. I was being so emotional because it came sincerely from my heart but everyone was so supportive towards me. Though everyone accepted my apology, Khai mentioned that those apologies were not necessary as all the times he helped us, it was all sincere and we didn't need to feel sorry for that. Everyone agreed to that statement and even I did. Because if I helped someone with something they aren't comfortable with, I wouldn't want them to apologize because we understand how they feel about that particular thing and we accept them for who we are. I'm sure Khai meant it that way. But I was still sorry towards everyone anyway. hehe.
It got a bit emotional towards the end and we also had tons of laughters because let me tell you, you will never get bored when you're with all these people. They're amazing. So after our long (it was kinda long) discussion, we head to bed and I thought it was going to be hard to sleep considering I'd be sleeping on the not-so-flat ground but guess who was the first one to fall asleep. Meeeeeee. The rest was still talking to one another.
We had three tents, one for the boys, and two for the girls; Bazilah, Ziqah and I slept in the middle. The guys, Khai, Rawi and Zimul slept in the tent on our left and the other girls, Muni, Angie and Zati slept on our right. We decided to divide ourselves like that because the three of us, in the middle are the #TeamSleep. We fall asleep faster than the rest so thats the reason why. Both the tents next to us were still talking to each other but obviously I didn't know what they were talking about as I was the first one to fall asleep.
We had three tents, one for the boys, and two for the girls; Bazilah, Ziqah and I slept in the middle. The guys, Khai, Rawi and Zimul slept in the tent on our left and the other girls, Muni, Angie and Zati slept on our right. We decided to divide ourselves like that because the three of us, in the middle are the #TeamSleep. We fall asleep faster than the rest so thats the reason why. Both the tents next to us were still talking to each other but obviously I didn't know what they were talking about as I was the first one to fall asleep.
That's it for the second day! Next post will be pictures from Rawi and Cikgu Ali.
Later that morning after we finished cleaning up, we head over to the other side to eat our breakfast and prepared ourselves for doom. The reason I said that was because the next activity was jungle trekking and camping in the jungle. Yep, the two things I hate the most. After our breakfast, we were told to take the gears needed for the jungle trekking and camping. We were given bags, bottles, sticks, tents and food to be used for jungle trekking and camping. Once our gears were completed, we had to pack them inside our bags, along with all the food they provided, as well as the tents. Our bags were ALL sincerely heavy!! I got really, really worried because I can NOT go jungle trekking with all these things on my back, I just can't. Though I thought my bag was the heaviest, but Rawi, again, his name is mentioned, haha, I think he had the heaviest bag of all because he had to carry the water filter and I'm not exaggerating when I say this, I couldn't lift the water filter with only one hand. Maybe I could if I use more power but it was THAT heavy.
After we finished packing, the coach gave us a briefing about the activities, he told us that we needed to find ways to go around ourselves, and to arrive at the destination before sun down. The extra items given were a compass and two maps, and the maps were complicated for me. I threw away geography a long time ago so I forgot how it works but thank god some of my friends knew. I was completely useless in that section. Well, completely useless during jungle trekking too but let's not go there yet. Once the briefing is done, everything's packed, we head back to the other side to start our jungle trekking. Before we went in, we had a group photo and read our prayers, which is a must in anything. Bazilah sadly couldn't join us because of medical reasons but we were going to meet her at the camping site later on, so all of us, except Bazilah went for the jungle trekking.
In normal days, I am one to avoid anything to do with hiking, jungle trekking and all that is similar. It's not that I don't like the outdoors, it's just I don't like... doing all that stuff. Though due to unavoidable circumstances, I had no choice but to do so as it is part of the course. I was medically fit, so I had no reason to be left out. So, we began our journey and after a few minutes in, we requested to rest as it was hard to walk around while carrying a heavy bag. As we continued, we requested for more rest because everything was so unfamiliar and we were all already tire but I think I was the most tired because as I said, I don't like jungle trekking. Though we had no choice but to we continue if we wanna get to our destination before sun down and oh boy, I did not expect the journey would be a tough one. I knew it was going to be difficult, but I didn't know I would end up in tears. The path we took was definitely challenging as we moved deeper into the jungle; there were paths that were muddy and my friend behind me fell a few times.
Seeing that my friend kept falling, everyone growing tired, my back felt like it was going to break, it really triggered my mind and I couldn't help thinking about all the bad things. A while after that, I took a wrong move and fell, and since then, I thought my heart was going to explode because it started to beat so fast but I told myself everything was going to be okay. Soon after, I fell again, but I shook it off and the cycle repeated until I couldn't think of anything except the thought of falling down. There was this path where we had to climb up a small hill because there was no other way and sadly, the hill was very muddy. Khai lead the way since the beginning and at the hill, he was the only who helped everyone climb up, as we all know it was really slippery and muddy. But when it was my turn, even with Khai's help, I fell and I got really frustrated at myself so I snapped and told them to help me remove my bag because I genuinely feel that it was the reason that made everything difficult. Once I removed my bag, I attempted to climb up again, and with the help of everyone (I don't remember who helped me because I was so scared to even be aware of my surroundings) I managed to climb up. Though the hardship did not end there.
As we move forward, we kept going up the hill and of course, when you go up the hill, there will be a point where you have to go down and going down the hill is the part I fear the most. When I saw how muddy the paths were, I got even more scared. I asked my friend, Muni who was behind me at all times to go in front of me and help me. I followed her footsteps and if she placed her foot there, I would too but at some points Muni fell which made me super duper scared. I was probably the slowest one there and I felt bad for the people behind me because they had to wait for me to go down and then they can make their move. I fell down a few times and I tripped a few times but there was this part where I slid down because it was slippery and that moment, I completely lost it. Even Khai who was behind me was telling me to keep calm, and to not stand up immediately. He calmly told me to breathe and stand up when I'm ready but I was being stubborn, I knew I slowed the team down, so I just stood back up after that, of course it took me a few seconds but I didn't have the time to let myself calm down. I was already crying that time though I wasn't sobbing like a kid but I definitely had tears rolling down my face. Oh and I forgot to mention when we were going down the hill, the weather pitied us so it cried. Sigh. Yes it rained.
Once we were done with going down the hill, it was back to a straight pathway, and a lot of things went through my mind, "Why did I join this course?" "Why am I even an MPP?" "Why am I so slow!!" and all the negative things. I felt really bad for everyone who helped me, I kept feeling guilty, I was not smiling at all. 5 hours later, we arrived at our destination and I wasn't feeling any better. Relieved that I made it out but I still felt so bad, so guilty towards everyone because I know I was really troublesome during the jungle trekking. When we arrived at the camping site, Bazilah also arrived and I complained a lot to her. Since we were behind schedule, we had to set up our tents immediately after we arrived so everyone helped each other and I was honestly trying to be useful and tried to do more work than everyone else because I was still very guilty. Muni saw how stunned I was and she comforted me. I can't be more thankful for that.
Now, after countless attempts to continue with my part 2, I've finally gotten the chance to sit in front of my laptop and do so. Oh and just to let you know that I've divided my posts to three parts, and each part represents one day. So in this post, I'll be talking about the things that happened on the second day.
Second day of the leadership course in Temburong has got to be the most toughest of all, I'm not even kidding. The night before, we were told that there will be a flag raising ceremony at 6am sharp and we were asked to sing the national anthem as well, as we're the only Bruneians there. During that time, 4 group of Singaporeans were also there taking up all sorts of challenges which were different from ours. Theirs looked tougher, I don't think I can handle it.
So anyway as what I was saying, since the ceremony was at 6am, we thought that we needed to wake up extra early because of the obvious reason, we needed to be ready before that time. Second was because, at the place that we stayed, there was only one building where all the toilets and showers were located. Actually two, one for the ladies and the other one for gents. So taking into account that we weren't the only ones there, it was definite that we needed to wake up extra early so we won't have to fight to use the bathroom. Thankfully we all woke up early and managed to get ready before the Singaporeans woke up and we were also in time for the flag raising ceremony.
So anyway as what I was saying, since the ceremony was at 6am, we thought that we needed to wake up extra early because of the obvious reason, we needed to be ready before that time. Second was because, at the place that we stayed, there was only one building where all the toilets and showers were located. Actually two, one for the ladies and the other one for gents. So taking into account that we weren't the only ones there, it was definite that we needed to wake up extra early so we won't have to fight to use the bathroom. Thankfully we all woke up early and managed to get ready before the Singaporeans woke up and we were also in time for the flag raising ceremony.
After we sang our national anthem and finished with our dua's, we were told to share our motto that we created the night before, and seeing how it was too early for everyone, we almost forgot our motto! Though, again, Rawi came to the rescue and stepped up to share our motto! Next we had a light workout session that consisted of jumping jacks, lunges, pushups, crunches and also some light jogs. Afterwards the coach told us to get changed because we were going to do the "dip and float" practice again. I got really excited to go to the river again but the route we took to go down the river was a bit different than the day before. It was more complicated and it was a bit slippery as well. I had to hold the person in front of me at all times because I tend to get scared over those things.
The water was again really cold but indeed so refreshing! Though this time we had to practice floating by ourselves and to just go with the flow, literally, and towards the end the coach instructed us to swim diagonally. I had no trouble with it because I can swim but a friend, Ziqah was contemplating whether to do it or not because she couldn't swim and before that day, she couldn't even float. So to make her less nervous I volunteered to do it next to her but once we were asked to swim diagonally she didn't manage to turn her body and swim, instead she floated further from us so I panicked! but the coach and the other person (who was in charge of the temuai, which was this long boat) told us not to do anything and let her do it herself. Though, as she got a lot further from us and we all started to worry. We all kept telling her to turn her body and swim diagonally! She tried but she still couldn't do it and she went further away from us. We unconsciously moved towards her but she was still far from reach. The person in charge of the temuai was on standby and went near Ziqah but in the end she managed to swim to the side herself and stood up when she felt the water wasn't as deep. We all were so happy and proud to see her did that by herself. To see someone who is scared of the water, who also didn't have any knowledge in swimming, did that all by herself was definitely inspiring. This shows that even when life gets hard, always remember not to give up! You'll surprise yourself and I'm sure thats how Ziqah felt. And Ziqah, that is what you call an achievement!
I believe this is my very first book review on this blog? (WHY? I have no idea)
For about a month, this book sat on my bed-side table, the bookmark clearly indicating the painfully slow reading process. And believe me, it killed me just looking at it. Things have gotten so hectic that the moment I hit the sack, my limbs, brain and everything else just goes into snooze mode. However, yesterday (when I was supposed to be writing my speech btw), I put my foot down (from the sofa) and decided no more slow reading! I finished more than half of this book in one seating.
Everyone was made differently. Both you and I. Melody is different too. Only, her difference proved to bear more weight on not just her daily life, but the people around her too.
You and I, we are lucky. What we think, we can express. What we know, we can show. What we feel, we can say. Melody can't. Her mind is filled with endless words she is aching to say, and a never-ending flow of emotions she wants to express, but she can't. How would you feel if you can't show what you are capable of doing?
Melody cannot speak. She cannot walk. She cannot talk. She cannot move without help. She feels trapped. Melody is not an average eleven year old girl. However, she is special. Special to the hearts of the ones who love her. Why should she be treated differently just because she doesn't seem to appear the same like everybody else?
You and I, we are all different. So is Melody.
Follow her story. You'll appreciate what you have and how different we are all made to be.
Liyana
A week ago I attended a leadership course for UBD's new batch of Student Council, and apparently it was a 5 days course; the first two days were in UBD and the rest were in Temburong. I initially didn't like the idea of the leadership course because I thought it would be boring but I thought wrong. All the activities were really interesting and on top of that, the people, the new student council, were amazing. I never would have thought that I would be working with these people. Honestly after the 5 days course were over, I am beyond excited to be working with each of them.
The first two days were just normal leadership courses; a short team building activity, getting to know one another and so on but the real challenge was, the 3 days course in Temburong. Upon going to Temburong, I asked around the people who have been there about the situation so I know what to expect and oh boy, whatever they told me were all very terrifying. Some said we needed to go through flying fox, jungle trekking, solo camping in the jungle and etc. I got really intimidated as I have a fear of heights, I have a fear of falling down, and I am a real sissy; I can not sleep alone, especially in the jungle. So I prepared myself, I bought all sorts of "survival" supplies, a.k.a. insect repellent, food, flashlights, food, sunscreen, more food and many more stuff that I needed to equip myself for the wilderness.
Finally, D-Day; woke up early to check that I had everything I needed, and I can't tell you how heavy my bag was! The bag was honestly half my size! It's crazy. We were told that we were going to Temburong by bus so everyone had to meet up in Uni, and by the time I got there, the sky was dark and I knew it was going to rain so a lot of things went through my mind and I immediately asked Allah for protection, not only for me but for all of us. It was a long trip going to Temburong and I had no idea we had to pass by Limbang because I've never traveled to Temburong by car and I don't remember the last time I went to Limbang. It was nice to see Limbang though as I don't have any memory of it and some of my friends told me about the shops, what they have there and etc.
And then we arrived to Temburong. On the way to our destination which was OBBD in Batang Duri, I got extremely nervous. I don't know what to expect even if I've been asking around about it, but I was still pretty nervous. As we arrived, we were greeted by the instructors (if I'm not mistaken), they told us a bit about the course and before we get started, they told us to help ourselves with the food they provided. (YAS FOOOD). Though, I wasn't really into the food but more to the scenery! It was beautiful, I was completely surrounded by nature and the sound of the waves from the river was very calming. Took a deep breath and prepared myself for whats to come.
After that we had to see the medical officer to re-check if we're fit for all the activities that were set for us, and Alhamdulillah we are all fit! (Well except Bazilah, she can't join us for Jungle Trekking.) That time we were given sleeping bags too, and I figured we weren't going to be provided with comfy beds. Sigh. They gave us all the supplies we needed as well like life jackets, helmets and so on. Not to mention that they confiscated our phones! AND GUESS WHAT? They took my food tooooo!! but that's ok because we were going to be given food anyway.
Before our first activity, our Coach, Nain, gave us a briefing on the Do's and Don'ts. Once we've finished with that, it was time for our first activity and that was, the trust fall. My eyes grew wider as I saw the coach holding a piece of cloth because I remembered, my friend told me that they had to do the trust fall with the cloth too and when I saw the coach holding that I immediately knew we were going to do it. The first level of trust fall was a simple one, we were just asked to fall forward and backwards while two of our friends, one in front and one at the back, pushed us so we don't fall to the ground; that part was easy. Level two required absolute trust in team mates catching you. One person was asked to step up while the rest were on the ground holding the cloth. The coach first demonstrated us on how to do it and the fact that he did not hesitate falling down surprised me. I thought to myself, I shouldn't hesitate, I know that they'll catch me no matter what. A lot of people went before me and when it was my turn, I went pale but I trusted my team mates and I didn't hesitate to fall. I was happy that they caught me but I was also sorry for that because of obvious reason, I am not light. Hehe.
We were given the time to rest and pray after the trust fall and all of us were curious on the next activity so we asked the coach. The moment I heard "flying fox" came out of his mouth I was completely frozen. I am afraid of heights but deep down, waaaaaay deep down inside of me I feel the need to try. I always feel that way; I'm very weird. I always feel like doing extreme things but I'm afraid of them plus I have this goal each year to do something that I'm afraid of and flying fox was definitely one of them. After our rest, it's time to climb up to the hill to go to the flying fox. Climbing up the hill with the stairs provided was harder than I thought, maybe because I kept thinking about the flying fox, whether I'd be able to do it or not. When we arrived to the top, I was so shocked to see how high we were. The path for the flying fox started from the forest crossing the river to the other side. I kept thinking, what if I lose my grip and fall to the river... but then I erased that thought because I told myself I was going to be ok but I was still shaking.
And again, a lot of people went before me and I was the second last person to go. My legs were shaking as the coach prepared the equipment for me to go on the flying fox and when it's time to go, I closed my eyes and screamed! I told myself to open my eyes to see the view and to be honest, that was one of the best decision ever made. The view was spectacular and I wasn't as scared as I thought I would be. I didn't feel scared even if I was high up, and I felt that the time was short. I wished it was longer but I don't think I can do it again! That's enough for this year!
Once everyone went through the flying fox, the coach told us to describe it in three words without having the word fun in it. Mine was probably the most boring as I said "My first experience" though it was true. That was my first experience and if it weren't for the course, I wouldn't have tried flying fox and I'm so proud that I did. I loved it every second of it! Next, we went to the river to learn how to float, in case anything happens. The moment I dipped my feet in the water, I shirked because the water was EXTREMELY COLD however, it was also really refreshing especially after a long day under the heat. I actually love the water but recently I got a bit scared since I haven't been swimming so my confidence was low. Though as we practiced, I got the hang of it and I wished we stayed longer in the water.
After we're all cleaned up, dinner was served and our next activity commenced! We were asked to write down our personal goals of coming to OBBD and our goal as a team. I had a lot of ideas but I settled to only one. As for the team, we were asked to draw our own logo, write down our motto, our goals as well as create a chant to motivate ourselves for the rest of the activities. We came up with our goals first, then our motto, our logo came next and then the chant.
Our goals were:
"Berbasah dilalui, Berpanas dihadapi, Cabaran di harungi"
Which means that in any kind of conditions, whether its raining or if its extremely hot, all obstacles can be and will be faced. - That's in my opinion. Kudos to Rawi for this motto! We all loved it!
As for our logo, we drew a lifebuoy which had MPP 15/16 written on it and hearts to fill up the empty spaces. I forgot the reason why we drew it like that, I think half of the reason why was because we kept seeing them all around the place but the other half, I'm not completely sure and last but not least was the chant. I came up with a cliche chant, the rest were busy coming up with all the motto, logo and stuff and I also wanted to contribute so I was in charge of coming up with the chant.
So I came up with:
"MPP!"
"YES!"
"ARE YOU TIRED?"
"NO!"
"ARE YOU A QUITTER?"
"NO!"
"THEN WHAT ARE YOU?"
"INVINCIBLE!"
.......................... *Crickets*
Yes, sorry, that was kind of lame, I take full responsibility. We'll work on that, I swear it sounded better when everyone said it.
So once everything was done, the coach came back to see the final product and as we were talking about our personal goals, there was a drill; in case of flooding. So we grabbed our life vest and went to the place they told us earlier and once we're there, an instructor told us that it was only a drill and should there be flooding, that was the place to go to. Just as we were going back to our original place, I looked up and saw the sky was full of stars and I got really excited! I mentioned in one of the activities in UBD that I love looking at the stars and I can't believe my eyes! The sky was glittering and I'm not even exaggerating.
We went back to telling our personal goals and our goal as a team and mine was to face my fears before I turn 20! As mentioned that, every year I tell myself to do the things I'm afraid to do and flying fox was one of them. The activity ended with the coach telling us that we were going to go jungle trekking the next day and again, nervousness came as I am very bad with jungle trekking but that story is for another day. The place we're sleeping in was on the other side of the river, and in order to get there, we need to cross the bridge. It was pretty scary at first because it kept moving but as we were going to the other side, I looked up to see the stars again and there they were, glittering in the sky, I wish I took pictures of it so I can show everyone! The stars were really clear and visible! Sigh. It was magical! Well, only for me I think because I am in love with the stars.
The place we were sleeping in had nothing except thin carpets, lights and two fans, literally. So we had to sleep on the floor with our sleeping bags. The girls slept in one place and the guys slept in another; all of us girls, slept next to each other facing the fan, and of course I needed to be in the middle because I can't really sleep if I have space next to me, in either side. I thought it was going to be hard for me to sleep but nope, the tiredness came to me and I fell asleep almost instantly. I used Izzati's sleeping bag as my pillow because she brought her own so I was pretty comfortable. And that was the end of Day 1.
Here are some of the photos from Day 1 taken from... everyone! Credits to you guys!
The first two days were just normal leadership courses; a short team building activity, getting to know one another and so on but the real challenge was, the 3 days course in Temburong. Upon going to Temburong, I asked around the people who have been there about the situation so I know what to expect and oh boy, whatever they told me were all very terrifying. Some said we needed to go through flying fox, jungle trekking, solo camping in the jungle and etc. I got really intimidated as I have a fear of heights, I have a fear of falling down, and I am a real sissy; I can not sleep alone, especially in the jungle. So I prepared myself, I bought all sorts of "survival" supplies, a.k.a. insect repellent, food, flashlights, food, sunscreen, more food and many more stuff that I needed to equip myself for the wilderness.
And then we arrived to Temburong. On the way to our destination which was OBBD in Batang Duri, I got extremely nervous. I don't know what to expect even if I've been asking around about it, but I was still pretty nervous. As we arrived, we were greeted by the instructors (if I'm not mistaken), they told us a bit about the course and before we get started, they told us to help ourselves with the food they provided. (YAS FOOOD). Though, I wasn't really into the food but more to the scenery! It was beautiful, I was completely surrounded by nature and the sound of the waves from the river was very calming. Took a deep breath and prepared myself for whats to come.
After that we had to see the medical officer to re-check if we're fit for all the activities that were set for us, and Alhamdulillah we are all fit! (Well except Bazilah, she can't join us for Jungle Trekking.) That time we were given sleeping bags too, and I figured we weren't going to be provided with comfy beds. Sigh. They gave us all the supplies we needed as well like life jackets, helmets and so on. Not to mention that they confiscated our phones! AND GUESS WHAT? They took my food tooooo!! but that's ok because we were going to be given food anyway.
Before our first activity, our Coach, Nain, gave us a briefing on the Do's and Don'ts. Once we've finished with that, it was time for our first activity and that was, the trust fall. My eyes grew wider as I saw the coach holding a piece of cloth because I remembered, my friend told me that they had to do the trust fall with the cloth too and when I saw the coach holding that I immediately knew we were going to do it. The first level of trust fall was a simple one, we were just asked to fall forward and backwards while two of our friends, one in front and one at the back, pushed us so we don't fall to the ground; that part was easy. Level two required absolute trust in team mates catching you. One person was asked to step up while the rest were on the ground holding the cloth. The coach first demonstrated us on how to do it and the fact that he did not hesitate falling down surprised me. I thought to myself, I shouldn't hesitate, I know that they'll catch me no matter what. A lot of people went before me and when it was my turn, I went pale but I trusted my team mates and I didn't hesitate to fall. I was happy that they caught me but I was also sorry for that because of obvious reason, I am not light. Hehe.
We were given the time to rest and pray after the trust fall and all of us were curious on the next activity so we asked the coach. The moment I heard "flying fox" came out of his mouth I was completely frozen. I am afraid of heights but deep down, waaaaaay deep down inside of me I feel the need to try. I always feel that way; I'm very weird. I always feel like doing extreme things but I'm afraid of them plus I have this goal each year to do something that I'm afraid of and flying fox was definitely one of them. After our rest, it's time to climb up to the hill to go to the flying fox. Climbing up the hill with the stairs provided was harder than I thought, maybe because I kept thinking about the flying fox, whether I'd be able to do it or not. When we arrived to the top, I was so shocked to see how high we were. The path for the flying fox started from the forest crossing the river to the other side. I kept thinking, what if I lose my grip and fall to the river... but then I erased that thought because I told myself I was going to be ok but I was still shaking.
And again, a lot of people went before me and I was the second last person to go. My legs were shaking as the coach prepared the equipment for me to go on the flying fox and when it's time to go, I closed my eyes and screamed! I told myself to open my eyes to see the view and to be honest, that was one of the best decision ever made. The view was spectacular and I wasn't as scared as I thought I would be. I didn't feel scared even if I was high up, and I felt that the time was short. I wished it was longer but I don't think I can do it again! That's enough for this year!
Once everyone went through the flying fox, the coach told us to describe it in three words without having the word fun in it. Mine was probably the most boring as I said "My first experience" though it was true. That was my first experience and if it weren't for the course, I wouldn't have tried flying fox and I'm so proud that I did. I loved it every second of it! Next, we went to the river to learn how to float, in case anything happens. The moment I dipped my feet in the water, I shirked because the water was EXTREMELY COLD however, it was also really refreshing especially after a long day under the heat. I actually love the water but recently I got a bit scared since I haven't been swimming so my confidence was low. Though as we practiced, I got the hang of it and I wished we stayed longer in the water.
After we're all cleaned up, dinner was served and our next activity commenced! We were asked to write down our personal goals of coming to OBBD and our goal as a team. I had a lot of ideas but I settled to only one. As for the team, we were asked to draw our own logo, write down our motto, our goals as well as create a chant to motivate ourselves for the rest of the activities. We came up with our goals first, then our motto, our logo came next and then the chant.
Our goals were:
- Be a better team
- Understand one another
- Experience hardship together
"Berbasah dilalui, Berpanas dihadapi, Cabaran di harungi"
Which means that in any kind of conditions, whether its raining or if its extremely hot, all obstacles can be and will be faced. - That's in my opinion. Kudos to Rawi for this motto! We all loved it!
As for our logo, we drew a lifebuoy which had MPP 15/16 written on it and hearts to fill up the empty spaces. I forgot the reason why we drew it like that, I think half of the reason why was because we kept seeing them all around the place but the other half, I'm not completely sure and last but not least was the chant. I came up with a cliche chant, the rest were busy coming up with all the motto, logo and stuff and I also wanted to contribute so I was in charge of coming up with the chant.
So I came up with:
"MPP!"
"YES!"
"ARE YOU TIRED?"
"NO!"
"ARE YOU A QUITTER?"
"NO!"
"THEN WHAT ARE YOU?"
"INVINCIBLE!"
.......................... *Crickets*
Yes, sorry, that was kind of lame, I take full responsibility. We'll work on that, I swear it sounded better when everyone said it.
So once everything was done, the coach came back to see the final product and as we were talking about our personal goals, there was a drill; in case of flooding. So we grabbed our life vest and went to the place they told us earlier and once we're there, an instructor told us that it was only a drill and should there be flooding, that was the place to go to. Just as we were going back to our original place, I looked up and saw the sky was full of stars and I got really excited! I mentioned in one of the activities in UBD that I love looking at the stars and I can't believe my eyes! The sky was glittering and I'm not even exaggerating.
We went back to telling our personal goals and our goal as a team and mine was to face my fears before I turn 20! As mentioned that, every year I tell myself to do the things I'm afraid to do and flying fox was one of them. The activity ended with the coach telling us that we were going to go jungle trekking the next day and again, nervousness came as I am very bad with jungle trekking but that story is for another day. The place we're sleeping in was on the other side of the river, and in order to get there, we need to cross the bridge. It was pretty scary at first because it kept moving but as we were going to the other side, I looked up to see the stars again and there they were, glittering in the sky, I wish I took pictures of it so I can show everyone! The stars were really clear and visible! Sigh. It was magical! Well, only for me I think because I am in love with the stars.
The place we were sleeping in had nothing except thin carpets, lights and two fans, literally. So we had to sleep on the floor with our sleeping bags. The girls slept in one place and the guys slept in another; all of us girls, slept next to each other facing the fan, and of course I needed to be in the middle because I can't really sleep if I have space next to me, in either side. I thought it was going to be hard for me to sleep but nope, the tiredness came to me and I fell asleep almost instantly. I used Izzati's sleeping bag as my pillow because she brought her own so I was pretty comfortable. And that was the end of Day 1.
Here are some of the photos from Day 1 taken from... everyone! Credits to you guys!
I've never actually had skin problems when I was younger but when I was doing my A levels, my skin started to act up and it got me really worried. So I tried various ways to help improve my skin like buying all sorts of products, using home remedies, having my skin treated and all but my skin was still the same earlier this year; though, I've seen many improvements in my skin recently. I don't get acne as frequent as I did before, and that alone made me think that all these products I've been buying/using are worth it.
Disclaimer: All these products I'm about to share below might not suit your skin so you might need to find products that are suitable for yours! and 90% of them are from the same brand, and 98% of them are Korean products!
1. Cleanser
Before I use this cleanser, I actually got a different one from them which is this one here.
This cleanser is somehow like an exfoliator but it's not as hard compared to a normal exfoliator. This will gets smoother once you've massage it to your face. It doesn't really dry up my skin but I was just worried that it might cause more trouble to my skin as it acts like an exfoliator.
I used the cleanser until the end though mainly because it was expensive (haha) but before purchasing the pink one, I used Faceshop's Blemish Zero cleanser. I actually really like the cleanser to the point I used it all up. It's a foam type of cleanser and it makes my face feel really clean, if that makes sens but sometimes it'll make my face a bit dry but other than that, it's really good. I'd recommend it!
As for the pink one, I can say that it's one of the best, it's really smooth, it doesn't have a scent like the rest of my previous cleansers but it works well. It leaves my face feeling fresh and most importantly it doesn't make my face dry.
I use this in the morning and at night.
2. Toner
Again, before I purchase this green toner, I got a different one from them as well.
This is by far, the best toner I have ever had. I've used this before when I was 17 and it still works wonders. It doesn't make your face dry after applying it and it actually freshens up your face. I have countless times where I feel like my face is dull but once I use this, it'll automatically freshen it up. I love it!
I wanted to re-purchase it but the sales lady whom I've known for years, suggested that I'd try the green one. I actually didn't like it at first because the toner feels a bit.. thick than the one I mentioned above but as I continue to use it, I can see that it really helps relieve any "troubles" on my face as it says on the bottle.
I use the toner twice a day, in the morning and at night.
3. Moisturizer
You guys know that I've blabbed about this on my previous posts but I really, really like this moisturizer from Innisfree. I like everything, green tea, from the drink, to ice cream, to the skincare products. I think that green tea really helps with your skin, cause I've been using green tea products since for as long as I can remember. I go crazy when I see products that has green tea and I would automatically purchase them because I believe in green tea. I don't have to talk more about this product as I've mentioned it in my previous post but the only disadvantage about it is that, they don't sell it here and if I don't travel, it'll be hard for me to get them. This one, I actually had them shipped from Korea so it took a while for them to get here but I don't mind because I loveeee this product.
I only use this moisturizer in the morning.
4. Serum
I have been trying to find the perfect serum but I honestly can say that I haven't found it yet. I actually stumbled upon this product when I was buying my moisturizer online, and I read the description which says it's to sooth redness on the face and I immediately thought that I should try it because unfortunately, I have redness all over my face.
After using this, I can see a slight improvement in my skin, it's not as red as how it is before so I'm really happy for that! I only use this at night after I use my toner because it mentions "highly intensive" on the bottle so I thought it was best to use it only at night.
5. Night Cream
I haven't read any reviews about this products as it's still new but I thought I might try it. The cream is quite thick so I'm glad it's a night cream because if I were to use a cream this thick in the morning, my face would get oily after a couple of hours. Though this cream smells really nice, it's gives a nice feeling on my skin after I use it too. Not sure if it brightened up my skin though but I'd just have to keep using it to see if it works and of course, I only use this at night.
So these are the main products that I use to improve my skin but I believe that they weren't the only reason. Exercise is probably one of them too. I used to not be bothered with exercising but since I do them regularly now, I think it helped improve my skin, somehow and drinking a lot of water helps too.
I also use face masks once in a while when I feel like I need to pamper myself after a stressful day and I believe it helps as well. I love face masks, I buy a lot of them every month. It's good for your skin and for yourself too because you need to pamper yourself once in a while.
If you have any questions about any of the products, feel free to ask me because I don't think I've explained enough. I'm really bad at describing all my favorite products!
Sabrina Yussof
Sabrina Yussof
Hi everybody!
It’s been soooo long, I’ve missed blogging so much. I thought I would have the time to blog last month but towards the end of the semester, the workload got a whole lot crazier, final assignments from every module required all my attention and I’m truly sorry I couldn’t squeeze the time to share some of the moments with you guys. To those who’ve missed reading our blog, a big thank you for always checking on the blog and supporting us, it means the world to us!
So I was thinking hard on what to blog about because I have all these ideas but then something popped into my mind as I’ve just finisahed my exams.
All of you may know (or not) that I just finished my exams, and if you follow any of my social medias you would know how much I’ve struggled this semester. Though I only showed you what I wanted to show, know that there is more than what you’ve read or seen. I’ve had countless times where I thought of giving up because everything was just so difficult that I couldn’t stand them but I’m the type to always think about the things I’m about to do first before doing them; there are times I would YOLO it though, (I like using the word YOLO, hehe) but most of the time, I always think of what’ll happen if I do certain things.
In this case, giving up.
I made time for myself to think about this; like what will happen if I just drop everything that I’m doing now and just, walk away.
First and foremost, I think of my parents. My parents have given me so much, more than I could repay them and for me to give up, just like that, would break their hearts. If I ask for something, they would give me, if I need help with anything; they’re always there for me. How can I give up, when all they want is to see me succeed in my studies, and generally, in life. I can’t bear to watch the disappointment on my parents’ face if I made the decision to give up.
Second, my siblings. I am the eldest of four and the pressure is unreal. I know we are all doing our own things but I know that they still look up to me, because I am their sister. If I give up, they’ll think to themselves that “Oh, maybe if she can give up, I can give up too.” NO. I do not want that kind of thinking from any of my siblings. I want them to always give their best, and always try; and giving up, is not an option. But then I ask myself, “You don’t want them to think that way but, why did you?”
Third, my other relatives. I have an amazing family, I kid you not; they are the world to me. Both families from both sides are gem. I would not trade them for anything. I have aunts, cousins, uncles, who always motivate me, support me in everything I do. They would be genuinely happy for me if I did something good, but they would also be sad if I did something bad. I remember the disappointment on my cousin’s face when I flunked almost all my papers when I was in secondary. I cried to myself that night because I told myself how could I have done that to her? To myself? And from that day, I always pushed myself to give the very best, even if I have little confidence in whatever I’m doing. I tell myself to always do my best because I just can’t bear any more disappointment coming from the people I love.
And lastly, myself. I already can’t bear to see the disappointment in everybody’s faces, how will I bear to face the disappointment in myself? I’ve been working hard since day 1, I’ve gone through a lot of things and to just give it all up? I must be out of my mind. I tell myself, I was not raised to be the type of person to give up easily. No matter how hard the situation might seem, I will always try to push myself and just do it. It gets hard, I might break down and cry but I tell myself, don’t give up. Cry as much as you want, but never, ever give up. Once you’ve given up, you’ll lose everything.
With the help of all these in my mind, I managed to survive yet another stressful semester. I have to accept the fact that this is just how it’s going to be. There’s always going to be bad days but there will also be good days. People might throw a huge amount of workload at you but you just gotta do it. Oh and one of the motivation was also probably because my cGpa is at risk so I have no choice but to give it my all but it was mainly because of all the points I’ve listed down. Just saying guys.
I hope all of you did well on your exams and none of you gave up. And if you did, take it as a lesson and try not to give up next time.
So, I’m going to end this blog with this;
Sorry for this long post, don’t worry, beauty posts are coming next!
Sabrina Yussof
Sabrina Yussof
