P/S: Long written post ahead, if reading isn't for you, please come back in a week as I will be posting selected photos of my expedition. thanks!
Imagine being stranded in an unfamiliar place, together with 11 people you have literally just met, all striving to achieve a common goal that most of you have never done before.
Sounds like a recipe for disaster? It bloody is. But somehow, with a miraculous turn, it turned out to be one of the best episodes of my life.
Over the whole course of Raleigh, I helped to build the foundation of a kindergarten at Kampung Maliau Layung, completed the boardwalk for a bridge at the Sun Bear Conservation Center, obtained my PADI open water diving license and planted coral at Mamutik Island, and trekked for 11 days in the beautiful Long Pasia.
Up till this moment, it still feels surreal to me that I helped to provide an education opportunity for the young children and also contributed to the fundraising efforts to save the sun bears. Work was challenging at the construction site as I have never properly hammered a nail, dug so many 3 feet deep holes, or sawed wood while hanging on to a pole before! But when I think of the difference that I am making, all of the effort and sweat is definitely worth it 100 times over.
Of course, the expedition isn't just about what we built and where we went. More important are the lessons we learnt along the way, friendships bonded in the process and all the highs and lows we went through together.
I wasn't expecting to experience a culture shock in my own country. Kampung Maliau Layung, possibly one of the poorest places in Malaysia, showed me a whole new face to my homeland. Never in my life have I met people that smile so sincerely at strangers, so content with the things we take for granted, and so generous to share the little things that they have. It is through them, that I realised how blessed my life had been.
Living amongst the Brits also taught me some precious lessons. I am definitely more confident in expressing my opinions, more eloquent in doing so, and more comfortable with leading and decision making. Not to mention participating in the occasional banter and refuting sarcasms ;P
Although I study in London, most english people I met at university are just mere acquaintance. But after the expedition, I am proud to say that I have made several strong, perhaps even life-long friendships with my expedition mates.
Expedition also made me realised that my boundaries are limitless. I could never imagine that I would volunteer to take the radio on trek (also on the longest trek - nearly 7 hours walking), walk 13km in a day to transport our kit and food to the project site, not bath for 4 days in a row, and not scream at the sight of leeches. Geng Chian and I also managed the impossible ---> gaining weight on trek!
Alongside challenges, fun times are always happening during the past 10 weeks.
Best moments were:
James head dived into some dubious substance that smells and looks like poo during a mudfight.
Singing along to Disney songs while digging.
The look on Nils's face when he first tried cempedak.
Having a rave with the villagers to tradisional music.
Debs and Mica doing their signature dance across the boardwalk of the bridge we built at the Sun Bear Conservation Center.
Witnessed an orang utan stole our medkit and ran away with it (we got it back in the end, phew. Cheeky monkeys with a bag full of drugs isn't good news).
Doing the YMCA and macarena dance while diving (not to mention all the rude hand signals and *ahem* that happened underwater) ;p
Showering under the waterfall with all of us shivering under the freezing water and howling in pain when the water pelted on our backs.
Trying to outdo each other in the 'Best fall competition' and 'How many leeches have you got competition' during trek.
The time when GQ farted straight into my face. NIGHTMARE but admittedly pretty funny!
Cutting Pip's hair (It turned out pretty well, luckily :p)
Every moment together with the HCVs :)
Although the expedition is over, but the Raleigh spirit will continue to live on in all of us. What is the spirit you ask?? To me, it is the courage to challenge your limits, the will to make a difference, and the desire to live a life out of the ordinary. LIVE ON!
Comments would be much appreciated!
