As of April 2008, we are raising funds to help purchase teaching materials, books, and furniture needed for our project. A part of the funds raised will also go to the filming of a documentary in Laos, and help our participants cover a part of their costs. Please support us by making a purchase at our online boutique Walk-In Felicity. For any queries, please contact us at laoyep08@gmail.com.
Hey all!!!
This peom is written by a team member from my previous Laos YEP team. I am profoundly moved and I was awash with waves of nostalgia and wonderful memories. I found that this peom is a real work of art and really capture those food of thought that you all can ponder upon right now. How do you feel about your personal expectation and perception of Laos, a developing country before embarking on the adventure. Take a moment to think hard about it and I hope that everyone can gain some insights from this poem as we inch towards 16th May where our voyage towards more self growth and discovery will begin!
Of Knowledge
I know your country is poor.
I do not know the shade of your skin colour.
I have packed sanitary wipes.
I guess poor means dirty.
I slept on the plane,
I must recharge to bring cheer to you.
I guess poor means sad.
This is how you look like,
there are so many of you.
In long skirts, long pants and long sleeves,
Are you hot?
t is blazing in your country.
Yet, you bring out your rope of rubber bands,
jump and laugh,
you have examinations tomorrow.
We taught you past, present and future tense.
You giggled and looked curiously at us,
strange formations at our lips,
unfamiliar sounds and
alien faces.
You taught me about the present when I looked less obscure.
I have a digital camera,
we took a photograph together.
The present is now,
The future is later.
In the same clothes you wear everyday,
you carry a beautiful smile.
I have a big wardrobe at home,
I hate that my shoes are not colour coordinated.
I smile when needed, what is it like to smile
unconsciously,
the way you do.
We held hands and
laughed a lot
when words become sounds that mean nothing.
We like weaving thread around pencils,
running in pools that form after the rain,
I am surprised I am having fun
without my laptop and wireless network.
I look at the candid shot of us in laughter.
My friends and I from our developed country
are to help you and your friends in your less developed country.
I guess you are poor,
I am right.
But all my other guesses were wild and wrong.
In your little hut with no furniture,
you have everything we long for
and need.
Running in circles,
chasing the start point,
not knowing where it is,
or how to get there.
You knew all that already
because the present triumphs the future.
You understood that.
-Rubber Dust Singapore
With love,
Eric
Labels: Others
Alright since i (sirliang) got home the earliest, for obvious reasons, nicely showered and all, i shall post some photos from today's newspaper chase!!!!
The stash...
And more stash...
Wen Hao bullying Yet Feng
Going from house to house
Jackie with a fan
One of the uncles who helped us
Eating at the void deck when my home's just 5 minutes walk away
"these would make great Chinese new year clothes"said Hui min as she toyed with the idea of "kopping" some clothes for her cupboard....
Wenhao, insisted on walking on uneven terrain to test out the 4 wheel drive capabilities of his trolley.
the loot....
Kudos to everyone "for your limitless fund raising efforts =)"
- (zhihan, 05/04/08, 06:44pm)
More photos please!
- P&P Team
Labels: Local CIP
The Thai Music and Dance performance: "From Classical to Folk Music of the 4 Regions in Thailand" was held today at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music Orchestra Hall at 5pm. As our thai dancer and musician Sir Liang was part of the act, 6 of us (Aravin, Mehraj, Gibson, Fengyi, Victor and Wenhao) overcame numerous trials and tribulations and made it to the event on time.
Needless to say, our star performer put up a fantastic show with his fellow SE 3221 classmates. Beautiful hand and leg coordination plus a bamboo pole dance! It was Saturday Night Fever on a Friday afternoon/evening. I am sure many of us present wished they could be up there performing. (vicsky did!)
Pics stolen from the man himself.
Angklungs!! woot
Our superstar (far right) with his line of avid fans
We were also treated to various performances by Chulalongkorn University. With a wide variety of instruments (from the salo to pii to ponglong to angklung and more) and dances, it was certainly a visual and audio feast. I am sure everyone who went will agree that words simply wont do the event justice, for you had to be there to experience it yourself.
-Wenhao
Labels: Others