NYAA Silver Outdoor Appreciation Report

Name: Ethan Chor Kai Jit

This year, as a facilitator, I participated in a 3D2N camp at the Sarimbun Scouts Camp
from 8 to 10 March, as part of the Secondary One Adventure Camp (SOAC) 2023. Through
this event, I have discovered more of myself, interacted, and became more at ease with
the nature around me.

This report will be broken down into 4 main sections:

1. What I thought about the camp beforehand
2. What I experienced at the camp
3. My interactions with the nature around me
4. What I feel about the camp now that it has ended
1. What I thought about the camp beforehand

Before the camp, we had to attend two days of facilitator training, from 6 to 7 March. This
training was to brief us on what we had to do during the camp, as well as to familiarise
ourselves with the action plan and the details of the activities. We also went down to the
Sarimbun Scouts Camp on 7 March where we were briefed by their in-house facilitators on
the layout of the camp and were given a brief tour of the compound.

Before the camp, I had mixed feelings about going to the camp. On one hand, I was excited
as I could spend some time away from home together with my friends. However, I was also
worried about having to sleep with many people whom I may not be comfortable with and
also the bedbugs that may live on the mattresses there. However, I was generally happy
that I signed up for the camp as I could experience the camp which I had missed in
secondary one due to the pandemic constraints. I also thought it would be good to spend
some time away from the hustle and bustle of the city and to relax and unwind after a
hectic school term. As I also had a preference for staying indoors rather than outdoors, I
found it a good opportunity to interact more with the nature around me and hopefully
become more at ease with it.

2. What I experienced at the camp

What I experienced at the camp was worse than I thought it would be. Right into the start of
the camp, the journey on the bus to the Sarimbun Scouts Camp, I dreaded the fact that I
had to go to a remote area in Singapore. I suddenly missed home and the comfort I had
there in my safe zone. There was a pinch of regret and I kept on questioning myself why I
had signed up for this camp as a facilitator voluntarily. However, I reassured myself that
there was nothing to feel homesick about as I had gone on longer overseas vacations and
also a 3D2N camp in primary five when I possessed none of these feelings. Additionally, I
also had my mobile phone and earbuds with me which were internet-connected so I could
still browse the internet, listen to music on Spotify, and chat with family and friends on
WhatsApp.

When we arrived at the camp, I followed the class I was attached to and the other four
facilitators allocated to the same class to the main dining hall where the Organising
Secretary and Chief Teacher gave their opening addresses. Though I still felt the longing for
home, I knew that there was a myriad of activities planned ahead for my juniors and me to
enjoy, so I pulled my act together.
3. My interactions with the nature around me

Image Description

This is the main campsite, where we had

our campfire, together with performances
and songs, on the last night of the camp. As
everyone congregated here, it was a
large-scale activity and we had an
enjoyable time singing along to the songs,
cheering our friends on, and many more.
Despite the fireflies and the darkness, I still
had an enjoyable time with my other
facilitators and juniors.

This is the main field, where most of the

activities happen, such as soccer, and
frisbee, and is also the place where we do
our daily morning warm-ups. This is
probably the place that has the most
meaning to me, as it is where I interact with
my juniors, where I tripped and fell, and
where I stepped onto a large field of grass
in my shoes. As time went by, I was more
comfortable doing activities in the grass
patch, as compared to the first day when I
was rather hesitant to get my shoes dirty.
This is the main dining hall, where everyone
has their breakfast, lunch, dinner, and
supper. We have to queue up to get our
food, and it has a very lively atmosphere.
Occasionally, there will be some snails, and
centipedes crawling around on the benches
and tables. Although I was uncomfortable
at first, as time went by, I got used to it and
learned to live peacefully in their presence.

In the main field, we spotted a monkey

moving around. We were told by the
in-house facilitators not to go near it in case
we antagonise it and cause it to feel
threatened and attack. Apparently, besides
small organisms like snails and centipedes,
there is also a monkey that lives at the
campsite.

This here is my juniors participating in a

team building game while I took care of
their water bottles from a distance. As you
can see, most of the campsite requires you
to walk on the grass, but I have already
become comfortable with doing so.
This shows an ecosystem made up of logs
and leaves growing on them. Seeing how all
the di erent elements worked together to
make this an ecosystem, I find it interesting
and makes me feel more connected to
nature. I also understand that nature is not
only about flora and fauna, but it can also
include interactions of di erent organisms
with each other.

This shows a bush shaped like a fox. I find it

interesting how my imagination works with
nature to make me see a fox shaped out by
the bush. It also puzzles me how the bush
grows so upward from the ground without
any support from stems or other
organisms.
This is the hut where my juniors slept in.
There are two double-decker wooden
skeleton which sleeps from 8 to 12 people.
Although there is air-conditioning inside,
they are not allowed to switch it on. Instead,
they open these small latches which allow
air from outside to enter and circulate the
hut.

This is another side of the campsite, where

there are huts painted light blue. There is
also a small shelter in the middle with a
pyramidal roof where briefings and
debriefs take place in the morning before
the activities begin and at night before
showers and sleep respectively.
I enjoy taking pictures of flowers, so when I
chanced upon this I took out my mobile
phone to take a picture. I really enjoy taking
pictures of flowers as I find them pretty and
also enjoy observing the colour, shape, and
structure of the flowers. There was also a
bee on the flower but I was too slow to
capture it in action.

This is a big chunk of grass along the drain.

I am always curious how di erent species
of grass can live alongside one another.
Also, you can see plants growing on the
bark of the bigger trees. This makes me
recall what I learned in Science that plants
find big trees as support so they can
capture more sunlight for photosynthesis.
This is me and my fellow facilitators
carrying out an activity with my juniors. As
you can see, this activity is being carried
out outside the dormitories, and you can
see that our dormitories are very well
connected with stairs which lead directly to
the main field. There will also be insects
coming into our dormitories since we are
very near to the main field, but I got used to
their presence and am no longer much
a ected by them.

These are tall trees with very straight and

long barks. Based on what I can recall in
Geography, these trees are in the emergent
layer, and smaller plants under them in the
canopy or undergrowth layer might lack
sunlight and try to grow taller to capture
more sunlight for photosynthesis. The tall
trees might also be competing for sunlight
and may grow taller to do so.
This is a further view of the tall trees. As you
can see they are all very tall and have
multiple branches with more smaller
branches branching out of them.

The taller plants are probably weeds. They

are quite disturbing as you walk over them
as they might cause itch to your legs or
attach themselves to your socks, making it
di cult for you to remove them.
This is the front of the campsite. You can
see some yellow bumps which are also
used for another team-building game.
Behind the picture, you can see the
high-element activity, rock climbing.
However, we were unable to try it due to
some constraints.

This is the multi-purpose hall, where we had

our final debrief on the last morning due to
rain. We also waited for our bus here on the
last day to return back to school. Most
importantly, this is the main wet weather
venue with many wet weather activities
being carried out here.
This is mud which I am quite fearful about. It
makes me recall what I learned about the
formation of mud, simply when there is too
much rainwater in the sand causing it to
turn into a clay-like, milky-like sand. I was
quite worried that I might step into it and
fall down, but luckily I did not. However, my
main takeaway is that there will always be
plenty of mud everywhere in any camp,
especially after a heavy downpour, so I
must just be careful and not step into it.
This is another ecosystem I spotted right
outside the main dining hall. It consists of a
big slab of rock together with some plants
growing out of the rock here and there.

This is another place where we had our

team-building games, one of them using
the structure on the bottom-left of the
picture. It was quite hard to navigate to this
area as it was at the far end of the
campsite, and there was plenty of walking
on the grass patch. From here, you can also
see the tall trees which I previously
mentioned and many shorter trees.
These are the two plants that are outside the multi-purpose hall. I just find it amazing how
the barks are leaning to one side yet the trees do not collapse. It is probable that the roots
anchor the plants firmly to the ground so that the plants can stand upright to capture
sunlight for photosynthesis.
4. What I feel about the camp now that it has ended

When the camp ended initially, I was glad that it was over. However, now as I look back at
that experience, I have no regrets about attending the camp. It has not only achieved the
goal of making me more at ease with the nature around me, but it has also taught me
many valuable lessons that I have missed out on due to the lack of experiences and
opportunities during the pandemic.

Through the camp, the following values have been inculcated in me:

Firstly, I learned to be more grateful for the things that I have been given in life. Looking
back at all the things I have been given by my parents, I am proud to say that they have
gone the extra mile and have showered me with their tender loving care. I am grateful for
the pleasant home-cooked meals they cook for me, the vacations we go every year, the
time they spend with me, and many more. I realised that I have always taken advantage of
their kindness and have never placed myself in their shoes. Going to the camp and being in
an unfamiliar place, I learned not to take what they gave me for granted and to appreciate
the pleasant experiences we had together.

Secondly, I learned to step out of my comfort zone. As a person who enjoys staying
indoors, I have never been fond of going outdoors, such as parks. I enjoy the comfort I find
indoors, the air-conditioning, the cooling sensation, and a feeling of ease to carry out my
activities. However, I know that staying indoors for a prolonged period of time is unhealthy,
as we should go outdoors to look at the green plants and breathe in the fresh air in the
atmosphere. Through this camp, I learned that stepping out of my comfort zone does not
necessarily have a negative connotation. Instead, this experience has taught me that
change can be good and I find that it has been a blessing in disguise. I do not feel as at ease
outdoors as indoors and this camp has allowed me to be more at ease with the outdoors
along with the nature, flora and fauna it holds. Being outdoors can help me unwind as I
breathe in fresh air, look at the flora and fauna, and have a break from my devices. I am
now confident to say that I am significantly more at ease with the nature around me, and I
enjoy cycling along the Park Connectors near my house when I have nothing else to do or
want to take a break from studying, looking at devices, or playing the piano.

Thirdly, I learned the importance of flexibility, both in terms of change of plans and the
environment I am in. Since I was young, I have never been fond of the idea of a “change of
plans”. Instead, I enjoy creating a timetable and following it exactly and may get frustrated
when I cannot complete the stated activity by the time stated on the timetable. Being rigid,
or inflexible, has its pros and cons. Despite making me able to finish my work on time, I have
realised that in life, things change, people come and go, and we have to be able to adapt
and make the best possible outcome of the situation by choosing the best solution. If we
can’t adapt to change, life will be miserable we find ourselves working day and night,
shedding sweat and tears, just to stick to that timetable we created. The other way of
flexibility that has been inculcated in me is the change of environment. As a person who
finds comfort in his own room, I used to and may still find it di cult when I have to be, rest,
and sleep in a di erent environment, such as camps, hotels, and many more. This is
especially true in camps when is usually at a remote place far away from the places I know
and am comfortable with. That is why I say adaptation is pivotal as I grow up as I know that
there will be many more times I have to adapt to my environment far worse than this. As
someone who hopes to study in an overseas university, preferably in the United States or
the United Kingdom, there is no chance of me coming home at all. If not for this camp, I am
sure that my homesickness would kick in when I am in a di erent environment far away
from home. That is why now I say that I have no regrets about going to the camp, as it has
helped me reduce my homesickness by quite a large margin.

To sum up, through this camp, I have found out more about myself, my strengths and
weaknesses, and what I definitely have to work on to be successful in the long run with no
regrets. Looking back at the camp now during the year-end holidays, I have no regrets
about going to the camp, and I definitely look forward to any camps there may be in the
future. Most importantly, it has allowed me to interact more with the environment and
nature around me for the whole duration of the camp besides the sleep at night, and I am
confident to say that I am now more comfortable with the nature around me and enjoy
being outdoors more than last time.