People always ask about hobbies. To be honest, I do not have any, but I do some community service during free slots. Now, I would like to share my experiences at Kampung Sorak, Serian. It was my very first time in the land of Borneo, and I had a very good time.
There, we were placed to stay with a Bidayuh family. As a guest, we have to be open minded to accept what they offer, since they have no responsibilities in offering us a 5-star hotel services. The host felt sorry for the limited resources, but to me it was good enough which I could not ask for more. A million thanks to those who provided us shelter, not just a space but also a warm family to be with.
The family has 4 generations staying together, peacefully. 8 of us stayed at the house with no wifi, no television, and the signal was not good; but all these led us to have more connection with each other. There were no 5-star hotel facilities, but definitely a "5-star in connectivity and communication".
I miss the yummy food and the people there. The food was simply good and I had the first experience eating tempoyak. At first, I really can't comprehend the taste; but after it was cooked together with anchovies, my taste buds changed. It was the last dinner we had with them. I never had such great experience having dinner with so many of them together by just sitting on the floor. It was also the only photo that the 8 of us took together with the host. Indeed we became a one big family, and they treated us like their own.
About the Camp
We organised a 3-day camp at the community hall in order to educate the children, and also spending more more quality time with them. Initially, we were expecting only 80 students, but because the residents were so supportive and we find it hard to decline them; we agreed to have more students. In the end, 90 students participated the camp. The age range was between 6-17 years old and the camp turned out to be so happening. The camp also emphasized leadership skills among the participants regardless of their age. I find the participants enjoyed themselves throughout the days and they actively participated in all the activities conducted. Seeing them enjoying themselves us the best reward for us.
Samar the Brave
I had the privileged to take care of 17 kids during the camp and we named our group, "Samar the Brave". "Samar" means tiger in their language. On one of the days, all groups are required to perform a dance. I wasn't really involved in their performance. They chose their own song, and choreographed the dance steps. They even allocated their own time for practicing. Some of them told me that they were feeling nervous but they did very well eventually. I recorded their performance and watch the video whenever I miss them.
Cultural Night
It was my first time joining their cultural night and we were asked to dress up in our traditional costume. I was so lucky to be given a chance to wear their traditional costume, and one of the family members borrowed me a set of dress. So I decided to lend her my Cheong Sam instead. We were treated like VIPs when entering the hall, and each of us were presented with a handmade necklace. We had the greatest night or our lives filled with traditional beats and music. We let our feet feel the rhythm and danced all night with the local people.
One thing I love about joining camps is that I manage to meet a lot of inspiring people from all over Malaysia, with different background but holds the same mission. As a volunteer, you need to be a friend to the community; a friend who can build up their confidence regardless where they came from. If you are a volunteer like myself, always remember to have good intentions in your heart and also the passion to put a smile on someone's face.
Prepared by,
Lee Siew Mun
Media Team
Vision College
