Last year, I wrote a similar essay as this, taking up the same topic. And today, I wrote this essay to recount the same event our school had last year and a few weeks ago, but in a different point of view. Last year, I departed from Jakarta on 15th October 2015 heading towards Pasir Muncang Village, Purwakarta. All of the 10th graders wore the same red T-shirts with name tags we made ourselves with much difficulty and effort on our neck, and painted bamboo sticks in our hands, as participators. Went and lived in Pasir Muncang Village for 5 days with my 7 other group-mates and 2 of the student council as our group's preceptors. Went through all the fun and exciting activities to do there as participants; cooking meal for our group members & preceptors, doing an observation for the huge presentation competition, exploring the woods, and still many more, I can't write all of them here.
A few weeks ago, on 13th October 2016, again, I departed from Jakarta heading towards Pasir Muncang Village, Purwakarta. But this time, I didn't wear the participators' shirt with a name tag on my neck and a painted bamboo stick in my hand, instead, I wore the white and gray uniform; with the student council jacket/suit wrapped around me, and, I went to Pasir Muncang Village once again, but this time as one of the preceptors for one of the participator's group. I was the preceptor for Group 26 and I was partnered with Bella, a fellow student council member.
But before we went to Pasir Muncang to actually do the Observation Trip for the 10th graders, our school held a pre-event of the Observation Trip for the participators (10th graders). The pre-event was held for 3 full days, and 2 days of preparation before. On the first day of the pre-event, each group would be divided into 2 smaller groups. I shared-out jobs with my preceptor partner, Bella, for me to accompany the group that would paint the bamboo sticks, and Bella to accompany the group that would make the name tags for each member. We were given approximately 5 hours to finish painting the bamboo sticks for each member. I started out by teaching the group that I tutored how to make the patterns on the bamboo, they all payed attention and started to work as instructed. In the student council structure, I am one out of seven who works in the art division, so it's our division's job to make and try out the pattern of the participators' bamboo sticks and name tags. When we first tried out to paint the bamboo sticks, we did a pretty good and quick job finishing it. But when I actually did it on d-day, helping my tutor-kids painting the bamboo sticks, it was pretty stressful, because the 5 of us had to pattern and paint 8 big bamboo sticks in just 5 hours. But we did it anyway and although we went through a lot of difficulties, we had so much fun. On the second day, the preceptors were assigned to help their tutor-kids make a display for the first few chapters of the observation they were supposed to make in Purwakarta and to help them cook lunch for the group; to prepare them to cook meals all by theirselves for five days living in Purwakarta. My group's observation topic was about the cultivation of paddy in Pasir Muncang Village, and they were assigned to cook fried chicken and vegetable soup for their lunch. The second day was indeed a fun day as well. The last day, this was the big day for the 10th graders as that day they were officially marked as one whole class-year, and it was also the day they found out who their 3 class-year leaders are. We had 2 games for the participators that day, both are games for character building. Before the afternoon (second) game was held, the student council prepared the field for them game. While other student council members prepared the game, the members of the art division and the publication & documentation division shared a bonding time with the participators. We had a lot of fun with the participators, we sang songs together, played impersonating games, et cetera. For me personally, it was one of the best moments I had right there throughout all the pre-event activity. After the bonding time was finished, the class-year leaders of my year announced the 10th graders' leaders, and they announced the name of their class-year. After the announcement, I accompanied the 10th grade leaders to teach the participators their class-year chants. And then, when they finished, the vice-president of the student council instructed the participators to get to the field to play the afternoon game. After the game, there was a closing ceremony of the pre-event. The 3 days of the pre-event was fun, but so does the actual Observation Trip.
We arrived in Purwakarta at 12 pm, and we were greeted warmly by the villagers there. When I found out this year's host parents of mine, I was really happy and excited because it turns out I'm gonna be living with my previous host parents, when I went here last year as a participator. The first day was filled with my tutor-kids doing surveys and interviews to collect data for their observation, and with most of them giving their "love letters" to the student council member they each admire. On the first day, I didn't receive any which is a bit sad (I wasn't that sad), but throughout the second to the fourth day I received four (should've been 6 but 2 didn't show up), still, I was thankful and very happy! Throughout the days and the activities, I got a chance to be the host of the cross-culture, talent show, and best love letter giving session alongside my art division partners and my publication & documentation division partners. And because I loved talking so much, I was really happy and I enjoyed doing the job! One of the most memorable activities on the trip was also the nature exploration, where each division in the student council structure were there in a few stops throughout the whole tracking route, giving each participators groups "games" to play in each section (stop). In the art division section, the participators are ordered to sing out their class-year chants, and we (art division members) get to do what we do best, decorating the participators' faces with face paints. It was really fun. It was a tiring day of long-term work in a day and a tiring day of walking through the tracking route, but it was really fun and full of joy because I spent it with the individuals that I really love and admire, my art division partners :). The last day was really sad, we had to say good bye to our host parents, the village, and of course, the whole tutor group. Approximately 10 days I've spent with them was priceless, I was very proud of my tutor-kids for getting through all the hard hurdles and obstacles they had faced throughout the whole event, and I'm grateful that I had them for 10 days to fill my days with glee and happiness. Those 10 days a few weeks ago, and the 10 days last year I've spent in the Pasir Muncang Village, Purwakarta was certainly one of the best days I've had in my life. And to be honest, if I had the chance to do it all over again, I would.
No comments:
Post a Comment