Homecoming

It's been a rather strange week. It's like someone up there read my subconsciousness and resolved to give me stuff that is close to what I desire yet not quite as similar as what I really want.
Was chatting with yangqi on sun at liang court macs about the good old times in RJ, like how we missed the old campus especially. Then lo and behold, I receive a sms on mon morning, telling me that the venue for today's assignment was switched to mt sinai, where the school I was supposed to go for work has taken over the old RJ campus. Was very excited to be back there. There were many changes, although the main facade did not get altered much. All that was once green, like the doors or railings were not painted sky blue, LT1 no longer has the extra chairs on the sides, but it still has those rickety green chairs cum folding table, the field is very condemned, with bare patches everywhere, LT 2.5 was paved over, thus no more paint stains, the library (which I spent most of my time there as it was where I had my workshop) had its layout changed, the back rooms where we once took econs s papers in are now sealed off and converted to classrooms. They still retained the magazine shelves though, and I found a copy of Outlook amongst the Time and Newsweek magazines. Didn't get to stay too long though, as I had to rush off immediately when we ended, but will be back next week so will definately go and take a longer and harder look at how the place has changed.
Thursday brought me to Jalan Batera (sp?) adventure camp, site of the Singapore jamboree 6 years ago. I remember how it rained almost everyday and I felt extremely lousy throughout the camp. It was raining heavily on thurs as well, so my students did the indoor rock wall first. I then spied upon students wearing the iconic PE shirt of my former JC. Then I saw my old PE teacher, which strangely enough yangqi and I were discussing on sun. Talked to him for a while, found out those students were J1s going through a class adventure camp. Also saw one of my chem lecturers, but he wasn't my tutor so didn't talk to him. Those from my batch, you would rmb him as the guy who twitches his head frequently.
These incidents helped to make a busy week memorable. Went dragon boating, rock climbing and high elements with my students. Working with so many students, each of them having very unique problems, it always leads me to think, how did we end up the way we did? How did we learn to stiop being playful and study hard for exams? How did we realise that only by doing well for our exams will we have a better future? How did we realise that fighting is the wrong way to do things? How did we become well-adjusted and dare I say it, normal individuals? My job is to equip my students with lifeskills, but when I was in school I sure didn't have these workshops. So how did I, and most of my peers, become who we are?
I realise that myself and my colleagues, despite we teaching our students lifeskills, sometimes we ourselves are flawed indivuduals as well. Yet flawed as we are, we managed to be well adjusted enough to deal with life. I guess we just grew up to become flawed adults, but with the sense to hide these flaws from sight.
Still, I feel happy when the students I try to reach out talk to me and say that they want to work hard and be the best they can be. It sure does help to brighten my day. I believe in helping people the practical way, and I must say I enjoy my job. Sure there are times when I feel disappointed when I try my best but the student just won't listen, but I know I can't save everyone, as long as those who are willing to be helped help themselves, at least I'm safe in the knowledge that he or she will respond positively and live up to their potential.