Newspaper Collection for CIP

Anyway, it didn't turn out to be that bad after all...

It's quite a fun experience going around the block collecting newspapers and old stuff. There were many helpful and sociable residents in Ghim Moh Block 1. Many had gotten ready newspapers and old clothes to donate to us while a small portion rather sell their old clothes and newspapers to Karang Guni and earn some money for themselves. And guess what, one of the "bad guy" was a female Christian who actually had a framed sewn cloth hanging at the door which shows "Let the beauty of God live in me." - What a contrast! But she did give a little little bit of newspaper out of a stack of newspaper of about a metre high. At least there's still a little good in her.

Some other residents offered us canned drinks and bottle of mineral water. So in the end we had like 6 canned drinks and 2 bottles of mineral water. Although we were told not to accept anyting, we did (secretly). ;) But anyway, we didn't just like say " AUNTY I WANT I WANT!!!! PLEASE!!!" We would pretend like to be damn good students of HCI by saying, "Aunty we are not doing this for the sake of canned drinks you know, we are really passionate to help the Ulu Pandan community. But if you really really insist, we shall accept your generous offer." lol =P

But after awhile, it was like darn tiring. Imagine, 4 sec 2 students, one of which had the size of a p5 kid, two others were in the performing arts (including me) and only one is from NCC who appeared to have muscle aches because of the harsh training the day before. There should actually be like 10 ppl in one block, LAH. But at least all the four of us, Zai Wei (the small but reasonably fit dwarf), Wei Jun (a sopranoin the chor), Zhe Wei (the strong and muscular NCC hunk) and lastly me, a Chinese Orch member, worked hard together and completed the block!!!

There was once when I walked on the 7th floor when i saw one cat guarding the door of its owner's house. WHen i arrived, it's body was like pointed all the way up and its tail was raised. IT slowly walked to be with its eyes locked onto my face. I could really see its claws coming out. I back away when it came too close. It was when its owner came out and carried it away and handed my a stack of newspapers. Phew!

THere was one thing, however, that was frustrating. It was when the garbage truck came late and the whole of 2K was held up while the rest of the classes were dismissed. Everyone was starving. But at least, it was counted into the CIP hours. It was when the garbage truck came when we realised that our effort to pile the newspapers up is all washed down the drain as the newspapers were squased and squeezed into the garbage truck till it was over-loaded. There were so much newspapers that we needed two gigantic garbage trucks to carry everything to the recyling centre! For the first time, the garbage trunks wasn't smelly - it contained only newspapers!!!

Well, but b4 the 2nd truck came, we were dismissed 4 lunch. We officially did 6.5 hours of CIP from 8am to 2.30pm non-stop. YAY!

Maybe its a fun way to earn CIP. But you'll be beat dead after that! :)