Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Hi, this is Aloysius - I just wanted to write a short message on the eve of handover. It has been slightly more than a year since the graduating exco took over; we have done loads of stuff, and I'm proud of them.I have never imagined myself in Greenlink. Though I knew the existence of green clubs, which was one of the more prominent clubs in my sec school, I have never thought of joining one until I came to NJC. I'm sure many of us here have this same feeling. My initial plan was to take up a commission in NPCC, but unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you see), I missed the submission deadline. Much later I realised you could submit the form though the deadline was over, as long as you have teacher endorsement. But the world has turned green then...
Looking back, I have learnt and done loads. Nature guiding is extremely fun and enjoyable, so is gardening. I've always had an interest in nature through trekking and hiking, but never before I was so serious in it. Memorising plant names was easier once I had touched, smelt or seen it. I remembered every nature guiding experience. My first was guiding NTU Earthlink students (with Yili), second was for MINDS (Pei Yee), third was for breast cancer survivors (Mei Kwan), fourth was for children's orphanage, fifth for my Fellowship friends, and sixth for a software company. Of course there were still countless trips to Ubin to man the Greenhouse, my memory has failed me in this aspect.
Greenlink isn't just about hugging trees or getting stung by bees. There are some projects which require real organisational skills. I'm glad that I had this opportunity to exercise my skills and unleash my potential. Not many young men or women have such a chance. I can say 100percent now that Greenlink, besides sustaining my interest in nature, has further developed my skills in organising. The Energy Audit Project will always be memorable...the number of hours spent to paint a simple toy model! And my favourite Snakes & Ladders, which will be used for generations. Nice...
I had the honour of meeting my seniors, who gave me great comfort and ease when I first entered the club. They were extremely humourous, friendly and joyful, yet also serious when it comes to work. They helped me settle in the club easily. Of course, my fellow J2s too. It was a bit weird at first because there were only 2 guys, including me. But I got to know the rest pretty well later on, I could tell who's who and differentiate between them well. The exco worked quite good, held on by our passion. I apologise for any mistakes I have made and for any neglection of duty. There might be some conflicts, crying or debates here and there, but as a whole we are a capable team. I hope we remember our party times and learn from our lessons.
I wish the J1s best of luck. It will be the best of times and it will be the worst of times. But still have fun! Remember, always lead a balanced life of work and fun. I belong to one of my teachers' minimalists' school of thought - if there's nothing good to say, then don't say. But for you I break this rule. Bring Greenlink to greater heights, and build on the foundations which our seniors and us have laid carefully, painstakingly.
Goodnight, and good luck!
9:51 PM