Sunlight bounced off the weather-worn white hull of the little boat. It leapt off the rim of the boat as it shuddered to a halt beside a solid concrete staircase. The golden light swung about for a little, like the pendulum of a clock, before swooping in upon a straggly line of gritty-eyed, sticky, overloaded and certainly considerably darker than they had been when they departed on the first day. Clad in black t-shirts, the black tide ambled on slowly, until it finally disappeared into a shelter and retreated.

I have just returned from a three-day trip to Pulau Ubin with the prefects.

We had many activities there. Some of which required physical exertion, mental exertion, or both. In between, we also had thick slices of Seminar. Rather like a sandwich, actually. Many Seminar sessions lasted until the late night, and it was interesting to see the number of people who were listening stay constant throughout, and what was equally surprising was that everyone managed to get themselves out of bed on time for all three days. This Seminar is different from the rest in the sense that it is at an island resort, whereas before, it had always been in the comfort of a hotel that was actually within reach of civilisation. This Seminar, being on an island, with new challenges and new obstacles, provided the Board with more chances to bond, as it was not just limited to platters of words by the various heads and vice-heads, but also included activities that allowed us to support each other and encourage each other. Also, as there was no curfew, we had more time to bond and talk to each other, as well as get to know one another. It was also a chance to take walks around the resort, as much of it was wonderfully designed, and there was plenty of greenery around.

It is certainly an extremely beautiful place. It reminds me of a self-contained society, each necessity or snack can be bought from the convenience stall or the restaurant.

Small wooden houses line neatly paved streets, with a little plot of grass outside each one, very much like an old-fashioned country cottage. There are streetlamps every three to five steps, bringing to mind a picture of old, smoky 16th century England, with detectives like Sherlock Holmes and lovely cobbled streets and friendly lamps. At night, the view is simply breath-taking. A friend and I took a stroll around the grounds on the second night to kill time, and we were stopped by the strong silence of the lagoon as we passed it. It just lay there, still, unbroken, and silent; presenting to us a very different picture from the lagoon of the day, with its laughing children and swimming races. The lagoon gleamed blackly against the lighter black of the night sky, and was altogether so beautiful and yet seeming so menacing that we were struck speechless for a few moments. We continued our walk and ended up standing on a bank and looking out to the sea, which was equally arresting and eye-catching. Reminding me very much of a sensual lady dressed for a ball, the tide moved in, ever so slowly, little ripples caressing the surface. Above the sea, the sky was stark black, with faint wisps of cloud floating here and there. And in between the two, like a golden bracelet, lay the city, with its bright, firefly lights and buildings seemingly the size of our thumbs. We would have stayed for longer, sharing that view with a tabby cat, except for the fact that the sand flies and mosquitoes insisted we move. A few quiet, hushed words were exchanged, as if we were in the presence of some great god, and we left to find other equally stunning places on the resort.

I also spent many hours talking to fellow prefects staying in the same chalet as me, and by the end of the trip, I felt as if I had naturally been staying with them for most of my life!

It’s amazing, really, how an environment like the one on Ubin is able to bring out either the best in people or the worst. And how it’s able to get us all to bond and open up to one another so easily. It’s quite heartwarming and inspiring, really, when one sees how encouraging everyone can be, and how supportive everyone is of everyone else. A trip like that also brings out the more sensitive and caring side of a person, as they have to learn to adapt and work together with many different people, and after the trip, watching everyone mix around freely with the others, one knows that it’s been worth the effort and the three days of sweat, work and fun.

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