♬♪♫♩ There's a Welcome here for you.... ♬♪♫♩

Hello Everyone! Welcome to our Katong Convent Girl Guides Blog for World Thinking Day 2014!

Together with the help of our Company, we, a group of four KCGG Guides, will be managing this Blog. We will be posting a lot of information to capture the theme - “Girls Worldwide say, “Education opens doors forall girls” and to promote the theme of international friendship. There will be many pictures and videos alongside our personal thoughts and reflections. We hope we will have a useful sharing with you. Please do continue to read our upcoming Blog posts! Happy reading! See you soon!

The Saga Seed Saga

Saga Seeds symbolise “mutual love” in Chinese and the seeds can also be used as a form of apology or a gift to our loved ones as a way to express our longing for them.

Saga Seeds are small and bright red in colour.  This signifies love and deep passion for someone. The seeds can be used to make jewellery or rosaries.  Owing to their slightly heart-shaped shape, they are commonly used for decorating cards or given as  presents.

Nowadays, Saga Seeds are hardly seen or played by the “strawberry generation”.  In today’s materialistic world, technology is very developed.  So children prefer playing with their mechanical devices. Even though the games in these hand held devices are much more animated and fun, traditional games are also fun.

The Guides in our Convent are learning to play this game and it is now popular with our Guides.  This game can be played individually or in Patrols.

During our June 2012 International Camp, we had an Inter-Patrol Saga Seed Competition. First, we competed in the collection of the seeds. The Patrol which picked the most saga seeds would win this round.  Some enterprising Guides even tricked Venture Scouts into expanding their own collection.

The whole Company was then taught by our Captain how to play the traditional Saga Seed games.  We first competed within the Patrol at an individual level.  Then Patrols fought Patrols.  The game got pretty noisy and saga seeds flew from steps to drain and from floor to sky …

Camp Christine and Sarimbun Scouts Camp

A year ago, we visited Camp Christine at Lim Chu Kang and attended a local International Camp. Camp Christine is the one and only Girl Guides campsite located in Singapore. Owing to space constraints, only a few Guides got a chance to camp there along with Guides from several countries like Thais, Americans, Malaysians, Bruneians, Hong Kongers … Therefore it is a great privilege to camp there.  

Today has definitely brought back fond memories of our camping days. Not only did we visit Camp Christine today, we also visited the Sarimbun Scouts Camp just next door. Following that, we went on an enriching journey to the nearby Bollywood Veggies.

In a nutshell, today was well spent as we gained invaluable knowledge about our general environment and the history of Camp Christine. 

The entrance of Camp Christine!

The Olave Hall named after Olave Baden-Powell.

Canvas tents pitched by other schools.

Our company is walking towards the Assembly Hall.

Walking around the camp site

A-huts (small, simple cottages that could each fit 4 students for in-camp stays)

The one & only, Oh Siew May

During our trip to Bollywood Veggies, we were greeted by the cheerful smiles of Ms. Oh Siew May.

Siew May was born with Cerebral Palsy, which is a disorder that affects muscular control and body movements.

Ms. Oh Siew May

Photo source: http://weare.sg/ivy-singh-lim/


She took the time to share with us her life story and how she conquered the many obstacles in her life. She spoke of how she was often teased by the people around her, and called an “alien”. Whenever she hunted for jobs, the employers would immediately reject her simply because of her disability.Finally, after her book was published, Ms. Ivy Singh-Lim, the owner of Bollywood Veggies and our old KC girl, opened the door of opportunities for her.

She was offered a job at the farm. Her experiences are truly something we can learn from.She is an exceptional woman who is strong-willed. She is a rare gem in our society.

The following are some of the quotations from her which we would like to share with you :

“One will never be happy when the heart is full of hatred.”  “Love can bring light to darkness and create a miracle.”  “It all starts with a dream.”

                                                                                                          Ms Oh Siew May

TAKEAWAYS FROM TODAY:

We cannot change our necessary tasks and challenges, but we can definitely change our mindset. Every person in this world deserves to be treated equally, no matter what our differences may be.

Who Do You Think You Are

'Who Do You Think You are'  is a song that was taught to KCGG , during our annual camp this year.
It is a meaningful song as the lyrics of the song depicts the the amount of courage to overcome any hardships even though they may not be able to do so or others look down on them.This song can be seen as a way to encourage one when they feel they can't do anything or when they think it is impossible to do so. Even if this song is sung in a different language that others can't understand, they will still be able to have a feeling of what the song means.

The video above has a combination of photos, some from the International Camp that some of the Girl Guides in our company that participated in.

The Burning Flames of Friendship..... EVERYWHERE!

During our annual year-end training camp, we learnt a new song titled: The Flame of Friendship. This song is sang by many guides around the world as this flame of friendship is indeed WORLDWIDE. No matter the size, height, race or colour difference, we are all the same in one way: we are all HUMANS.

This video montage is a collaboration of pictures from a few of our other friends who have participated in an International Camp.

Who is my manito??

Hello!  Thank you for reading our blog.^^

Today, we'll be sharing with you the Manito Game.  KCGG plays this Game in every Camp.  The name of this game is Italian and it means Secret Friend or a Guardian Angel.   Our Company Leaders will write the name of every Guide and Guider on small pieces of paper, roll or crush each piece and place all in a container.  The Guides are then sit in their Patrols, sing the Manito Song and everyone has to draw lots – each will pick one name (except their own).

Basically, participants pick a name of someone else in the Company by drawing lots. The name that is on the piece of paper we pick up is our Manito, and throughout Camp, each day, we are supposed to do a good deed for her and to bless her in any way we can.  However, we cannot  reveal who our Manito is until the end of Camp.

This means that while we are “manito-ing” someone daily and in secret, another person is “manito-ing” us.  We are kinda forced to seriously befriend and think of that someone God has chosen for us throughout our Camp. 

At the end of Camp, we gather in a large circle and sing the Manito Song c-o-n-t-i-n-u-o-s-l-y.  A Guide would start the “revelation” by claiming her Manito to whom she has been looking after.  She holds her
Manito's hand and  this Manito then walks to another Manito this Manito has “manitoed”.  The cycle continues and right through we sing the Manito Song. It's kinda like my secret pal!

Both our Companies only finished the game 30 minutes later! That meant  that we had to keep singing for a long time.

Gee, no wonder I had a sore throat the next day.

Manito song

Love my Manito, yes I do, (x3)

Love my Manito, but I won't tell who.

I've got this feeling warm and gay,

As she casts her eyes my way,

I will reveal her name someday,

But who she is, I will not say,

Love my Manito, yes I do (x3)

Love my Manito but I won't tell who

Manito, Manito, Manito mine (x2)

I wonder who you are

It's time to say goodbye

Manito, Manito mine.

This game was absolute fun!!  It's definitely one of the reasons why we look forward to camp :)

A simple note of 'Thanks' or even a 'Hello' can really brighten up someone's day :)  It's the small things in life that matter.

Through this game we learnt to love one another, especially a fellow sister Guide  we are not close to,  regardless of race and looks. We have learnt to look at the good of others, and be grateful for each and every person in our lives. Often, we are too caught up in our work to even remember to thank the people in our lives.

 Perhaps, this is why we have the Guide law number  4: A Guide is friendly and a sister to all Guides. 

 (even the Guides of other countries - internationally.)