Back Home for 3 Wks Of SHIP Work

In a way, it's good to be back, even though I am mostly back 'cos it's compulsory as I am involved in this year's SHIP, which stands for Singapore Holiday Immersion Programme. Well, it could stand for Singapore Holiday Immersion Trip, but I suppose, the acronym isn't too nice a word to be printed in the list of my current school's programme.

This year, there are 44 pupils (from Primary 1 to 6) whose parents have signed them up for SHIP. In short, the pupils will have a week's worth of outings to see the sights and get to know the culture. After that, they will be attached to various schools of their choice for 2 weeks. As for us teachers (5 of us together with the bosses, i.e. Principal & her assistant), we will be with them from for at least 8 hrs each day during the 1st week of outings and excursions (mind-zapping). During the next 2 weeks of school attachment, we will visit the pupils in their various schools to see how they are doing, talk to the teachers to find out if our pupils are adapting well etc.

I wish I am on some island, like Fiji or something, diving and zoning out on the white sandy beach.... sigh.

Together with 2 other colleagues, we did a lil' recce on Sunday, making sure the route from Suntec to Esplanade to the new National Library building is ok for my pupils tomorrow, and found it to be quite a refreshing walk. It's funny how being away from S'pore for awhile makes me miss S'pore and that everywhere seems to be so new and different, as if I am seeing the buildings and streets for the first time.

The basement in Raffles City has changed, many new shops and the former Jason's supermarket has reduced in size, and I am so happy to see a Gloria Jean's Coffee outlet there... yeah, that's going to be my new haunt.

We went up to the Roof Terrace at the Esplanade (it's my 1st time) and found the view to be quite nice. We stayed there for a very short while, and had to seek refuge in the cool aircon comfort of the Esplanade building.

The new National Library at Bras Brasah is very impressive, about 14 storeys in all, and we kept riding up the escalators looking for the Children's section. We were on the 8th floor when we found out that the borrowing section for adults and children is at Basement 1 (the other floors are the various reference sections and one for the Drama Centre). I came across this Possibility Room and found out later that there is an Imagination Room somewhere too... gee, kind of an oxymoron, cos possibilities and imagination are going to be quite tough to be kept within the boundaries of walls.

Anyway, keeping my fingers crossed that the pupils will enjoy themselves, especially the 2 bosses.

D is still in HK and will not join me in S'pore till the 28th Jul. It's going to be a long 2 weeks without him, but duty calls.