Amazing transformation!

We were 5 minutes late to the BBQ nite, on the eve of the closing ceremony for CAC 69 (Children’s Adventure Camp No. 69) at Outward Bound School in Malaysia, a chartered member of Outward Bound International, in UK.

As we hurried to the hall we heard the following,

“When I came to OBS, I thought…….”  *we missed the introduction of her speech*

“Sounds like Erica, huh? Can’t be, she sounds so confident? But it looks like her…… just a little darker….”

David and I stood at the hall staring and admiring the very confident girl delivering her speech to a 300+ audience consisting of participants and parents. We were confused because she looks and sounds very much like our daughter, but logic told us she can’t be…..because Erica is an introvert and has lots of problems speaking up in public!

As she continued with her speech, we were trying to look at her cothes, listening out to her intonation and staring at her mannerism for confirmation that she is our daughter. It’s not that we are horrible parents who could not even recognise our girl, it’s just that her transformation after 10 days was beyond belief!

“Thank you, Ms Erica Yong for your very inspiring speech”, said Mr MC.

We were stunned and speechless………

its OVER…….

The past month had been pretty memorable for me, and the kids. I have never spent so much time with them before in the past. I had never been good with kids’ activites. I could handle a week, but six was a challenge. I am grateful that I survived it, and happy that it was much easier than expected. Normally we would spend the end-of-year, 6 weeks holidays having a vacation overseas. This time we stayed back in Kuala Lumpur. Being someone who needs to be on the go most of the time, I dreaded the added responsibility of having to prepare lunch on top of dinner, scratching my head to come up with daily activities for my girls, losing ALOT of me time, ecetera, ecetera. I was frustrated that I need to reduce my surfing time drastically, reduce my weekly gym and yoga sessions, and virtually had no time for my other hobbies. I especially miss scrapbooking. Instead I wasted (?) time with Madagascar 2, High School Musical, Bolt, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Wild Child, etc. I slept through most of them, but thoroughly enjoyed Beverly Hills Chihuahua. Baking was another activity that I did together with the girls. It was fun and the bonding time was great, but the additional mess that they created was not. Things got a little better when my elder girl left for a ten days adventure camp at Outward Bound School. I had to tend to my younger girl only, it was so much easier.

Finally its the last week before the new school term. I am relieved and pleased that I survived the holidays.