shanghai shi4 ji4 xi1 wang4 xiao3 xue2

The students made their way to the all-too-familiar restaurant for the same breakfast for the 6th consecutive day. As they lamented the lack of variety, they knew it was eating to live for the time being. With the 2030hr lights-out timing, many were energetic, enthusiatic and looking forward to helping out at another school. The principal met us at the hotel lobby and the exchanges took place before boarding the bus.

This is a much smaller school - half the size of Jin Shan Xiang. The kids welcomed us with the usual "huan ying" cheer and we were quickly ushered to the flag pole for the flag raising ceremony.

Coloured chalks were distributed to our students and they were invited to draw on the outdoor chalkboard. Immediately, favourite SGP food, flag, esplanade, merlion and flyer appeared under the deft and not-so-deft hands. At the sound of the bell, the children rushed out like bats leaving their caves at night and surrounded the chalkboards.

The children's attention can only be kept that long and soon, they were playing catching, "eagle catching chicks" and hantam beanbag. Soon, the skilled labour that we hired arrived with cement, bricks and their tools and the foundation for the ping pong table went underway with the students lending their hands. The students would have a hand in discovering/nurturing the next Yao Ming and Zhang Yining, hopefully.

The rest of the day was spent building the table and serialising the donated books. We were hosted to lunch by the 2 principals and as usual, there was the "wo3 jing4 ni3 yi4 pei1". The only difference is that it is not beer, but hard liquor. After a few shots, i turned tomato and had to resort to mixing it with coke and voila, burbon coke.

At the debrief, I reminded the students that it will our last day to do something for them. I want you to leave Lijian feeling ambivalent. Look at your response to "What I could have done at Jin Shan" and do not let history repeat itself.

Yulong Snow Mountains and its vicinity

The sun has finally returned to LiJiang! It was abt 5 degrees in the morning and the kids were having much "smoking" while visiting the Dong Ba Cultural Village. After squeezing with the throngs of like-minded people, we made our way to the much-anticipated Snowy Mountains via cable car...


the yet-to-be-conquered Snow Mountain tho at 5000+ metres above sea level

used the exit that is second from the right to leave the village... and with relative ease.

Lijiang like Suzhou is a very beautiful place and a picture can speak volumes...


at the stairway, waiting for the cable car


with dirty laundry




phallic structure

am quite tired, hence the lack of words... will be visiting another primary school to help with building some simple facilities. hopefully, there will be more words tmr.

btw, told the kids to recall what they wished they had done at the first school and make that happen tmr when they visit the 2nd school.

last day at jin shan xiang xiao xue

With a ball in hand, a little boy throws it with all his might towards the hoop. While finding its way into the awaiting red ring, the ball left its mark on the collage of mud patches on the board. The school bell resonated through the school compound and echoed off the heavily-canopied mountain slopes. Like a herd of raging bulls, the children scampered back to their spartan classrooms for their passport to a better life. The inevitable parting took place right after the clementeens delivered their final lessons to the children. Falling in according to their levels, the mood turned sombre as the teachers and and students came forward to give speeches of thanks. Using a variety of antonyms, Lee Pin masterfully and skilfully delivered a speech of thanks for their warm hospitality. With his hands firmly planted in his pockets, Bi Li shuffled forward and shifted his weight uncomfortably while conveying his thoughts and feelings. Soon, a confident girl emerged from amongst the children and strut forwards with a notebook in hand...







Then chaos reigned. Daniel and a few others were swarmed as the dancing began. More pictures were taken as the end was approaching and people were making for lost time.










Tears were shed as the last hugs were exchanged. A teary-eyed WT and a few others bade farewell and made promises that they were unlikely to keep given the circumstances. As we left the school and children behind, what cannot be taken away are the memories that were deeply etched in our minds...