Sec 2 Learning Service to Bintan, Indonesia

“This trip is going to change your life. Remember, you are not going on a holiday! You are there to serve others,” our teachers said. Whether it was during our weekly Service Learning trainings or at Bintan, the intention to serve was reinforced. Many of us did not really take that into consideration while preparing for the trip. Little did we realise that this trip would indeed be one that would be etched in our hearts for a very long time.

On 11th March, 34 Secondary 2 Crescentians, together with four teachers, embarked on a journey across the choppy waters from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal in Bintan. Bintan was indeed a beautiful place, with a rich history and an amalgamation of unique cultures - from the Chinese in Senggarang Village to the Malays at the Bugis Village.

Our journey to Bintan was not entirely smooth sailing. At the primary school and Al Khoir orphanage, we faced a language barrier in our communication with the children. Surprisingly, they did not laugh at us and still gave us their full attention and respect. When it was time to say goodbye, they enveloped us with hugs. A few of them cried as they did not want us to leave. Little did we realise the two days we spent with them had impacted both them and us greatly.

We are fortunate to be able to live in Singapore, with access to many luxuries. We tend to forget to appreciate the little things in life and this service learning experience taught us a little about being appreciative. I am proud to say that this five-day trip has taught many of us to cherish and appreciate what we have and our relationship with our loved ones.

To Crescent, thank you for giving all of us this opportunity to serve others. To Ms. Zaidah, Ms. Chan, Ms. Tan, Ms. Saifa and of course Bintan, thank you for giving us this memorable experience!

Written by: Preesha Magandharan (2C2)