By: Billah H and Tiqah R
Acknowledgement to the following people for contributing the pictures:
Yuan Pin
Jepthe Sompud
Syaz Cls
Stanislav Spaniel
Lin Ji
Faryna
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Day 0 (December 28, 2009 till January 1, 2010)
It was in this week that the twenty of us met each other for the second time and we had a pre-ASEM team-building talk. Thank you Bazilah for the very inspiring and motivating presentation. It's all about proactive and response-ability from now onwards!
In addition, we also helped the organiser with the adminstration side in terms of printing out names of invitees for the Welcoming and Farewell dinners. We were quite enthusiastic to know that the guests of honour will be HRH The Crown Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah and HRH Princess Sarah.
So far we have updated the participants arrival schedule, packed the goodie bags and name tags, now waiting for the real day to come and get down to business. Ganbatte!
Day 1 (January 2, 2010)
We checked-in into our rooms at Rizqun International Hotel at around 4pm and liased with the hotel management in regards with the procedure of checking in of participants and speakers that will be arriving. Communication skills proven to be advantageous for Billah, Nora and Bazilah for they have done quite a good job handling some unforseen matters.
The volunteers were given two room; the boys were in room 409 while the girls were in room 407. We managed to had some rest after the hectic preparation before the clock stoke 11.30pm where the Airport Volunteers had to go to the airport to welcome the arriving participants. Meanwhile the Hotel Volunteers prepared themselves (and on standby mode) to usher the participants to the frontdesk and a short briefing on housekeeping.
We finally went to bed at around 3.30am and the boys had a mini ghost story-telling before we all dozed off to sleep.
Day 2 (January 3, 2010)
Another busy day. We brought foreign participants from Brunei International Airport to the Rizqun International Hotel. The volunteers have already bonded with the participants and some of the hotel staff.
Meanwhile, the participants tagged the volunteers along to the night market or locally known as Pasar Malam to have their dinner. The weather was just beautiful for us to stroll the Pasar Malam and explained the available local delicacies to the foreign participants.
Day 3 (January 4, 2010)
Hadri, Sahlan, Husrin, Agee, Naj and Syaz worked pretty well with the arrival of participants today, dealing with their visas and immigration procedures. Although there was a bit of unexpected "warm welcome" drama by one of the custom officers, the Airport Volunteers have proven themselves that they can now attend to any official matters professionally!
Day 4 (January 5, 2010)
The most hectic day so far! All participants and speakers registered their names for the mentioned workshop at our counter prior to their arrival at the Chancellor Hall from the hotel. Kudos to the Airport Volunteers for setting up the booth, fetching all and arranging all the gooding bags to-and-fro KBFSC office and everything!
Meanwhile the Hotel Volunteers made it in time after making sure that all participants and speakers have been transferred to the Chancellor Hall, they also helped in terms of ICT, photocopying presentation slides and ushing participants in between coffee breaks.
Nevertheless, as a reward the Welcoming Dinner was fantabulous! The caterer was the Polo Club since there were several familar faces of waiter and waitresses from the previous UBD Gala Night 2009. Just the right time for the volunteers and participants to break the ice. And one more thing; the desserts were so "ohlala~".
Day 5 (January 6, 2010)
The workload for the volunteers began to decrease bit by bit. Those who were stationed at the Chancellor Hall were still busy with the photocopying and taking pictures of the participants. At the same time, some of the Airport Volunteers were still welcoming one or two speakers from the airport and the Hotel Volunteers lending a hand with the ushing at the hotel and checking in part.
Highlight of the day: The foreign participants (and some of the volunteers too!) were very excited that they made the front cover of today's newspapers! Pretty exhilarated too to be able to see their group photo with HRH The Crown Prince before the Welcoming Dinner starts.
Day 6 (January 7, 2010)
CITY TOUR!!! Had a good time on the water taxi, a cup of tea and traditional delicacies at one of the houses in Kampong Ayer, spent time with the participants at the Royal Regalia and saw a magnificent view of Istana Nurul Iman.
In the evenings some of the volunteers brought the participants to the Pasar Malam again upon their request to taste some local fruits and delicacies.
Day 7 (January 8, 2010)
The Airport volunteers finally had their chance to have some rest after going to-and-fro the airport to welcome the participants and speakers. Meanwhile things were pretty the same at the Chancellor Hall for the rest of the volunteers, but with a plus point: we had a chance to listen to the talks presented by the invited speakers during the workshop. A worthwhile volunteering experience indeed!
The volunteers to KBFSC have packed their bags and ready for more volunteering in Kuala Belalong Field Studies centre, in Ulu Temburong. In the afternoon, we reached Ulu Belalong. A wonderful and relaxing ride on the Temuao took us to KBFSC where there is no network or internet at all! But not to worry, the volunteering work will keep us all busy! As we reached Ulu, some volunteers have to stay at Ulu Ulu Resort (what a bliss!) while some stayed at the KBFSC.
Day 8 (January 9, 2010)
Today, participants are going to the field to study dendrochronology and about forest studies. While we the volunteers helped in the kitchen. Its busy time. We have to help the people in the kitchen to ready their breakfast, lunch and dinner, not forgetting their refreshments! Moreover, after every meal, some are assigned to washing the dishes. It doesn’t matter, we get to eat with the participants and share stories with them. Qeelz is getting very well with Yudho from Indonesia while Nabeelah and the Europeans are mingling very well. The volunteers also had a dip in the river while the participant are sweating it out in the forest. What a treat!
Day 9 (January 10, 2010)
The same routine and jobs. The participants, today are divided into two, some went to the higher parts of the forest while some are running around with butterfly nets along the river. Volunteers and participants have become more and more closer by the day. Agee, for example, has become Dan Sluckin’s forest buddy. Both went for night watch in the forest and he always has interesting stories (not to mention spooky ones) to tell.
Today some of the volunteers sat with the participants at the dining table in the afternoon and shared ghost stories. Not to worry, its only 5pm. OR should we worry? Nevertheless, we never expected Mr Ranbeer from India to have such an interesting spooky story from his childhood.
Day 10 (January 11, 2010)
It started raining heavily. When yesterday we could see the participants dipping, now no one could swim because we were warned not to, by the KBFSC people. The food cooked by our cook was amazingly delicious. It doesn’t feel like we’re in the forest at all. Of course, that would not happen if we the volunteers didn’t help out with peeling onions and cutting vegetables. We also have fruits to cut. Now even the research assistants have to help out with kitchen chores.
At night it rained heavily also. Some of the participants are scheduled to go to the site where a road has been built causing erosions and other environmental impact. Note that this is at night, hence, only those with good headlight or torch are able to go. In the end, due to the heavy rainfall, the boat cannot travel between Ulu resort and KBFSC hence, some of the volunteers who stayed at the Ulu resort has to stay at KBFSC and those who are already at Ulu-Ulu resort lent clothes to the stranded participants. Another interesting night.
Day 11 (January 12, 2010)
Today is the most rewarding of all days in KBFSC for the volunteers. We had the chance to go to Canopy walk and waterfall. The group was divided into two to the Canopy walk, some went earlier at 6am but most volunteers went with the other participants at 8am. The trail was muddy and the climb to the canopy was very scary, but in the end, the view was very rewarding. Plus, there was mobile network on top!
In the afternoon, we had a nice walk to the waterfall. There was a place where there are little fishes nibbling on your toes. A natural spa.
Day 12 (January 13, 2010)
It’s the last day in Temburong. We were brought from KBFSC to Batang Duri with our luggages. Just as the first time we went to KBFSC, we had to tie our bags inside a plastic bag so it won’t be wet. Participants and volunteers alike formed a long chain to carry the bags onto the buses. The buses brought us to Long house where the house owners showed us how to cook traditional kuehs.
Just when we thought that was the cultural show in the itinerary, the participants and volunteers were brought to the Temburong district office, where the officers greeted us. Not just the officers, but also people wearing traditional costumes as well, lined up till we reached a place where our lunch was served. Traditional dances from Iban, Murut and Malay groups were performed and we had a chance to have fun on the stage with the very supporting participants.
Its time for more work for the hotel volunteers as participants headed back to Rizqun hotel. Today is the highlight of the workshop- closing dinner at BRIDEX with HRH Princess Sarah as the guest of honour.It was also exciting for the participants as they get to take a group photo with HRH and were presented with the certificate by HRH. It was an honor indeed for the volunteers when the VC, Dr Zulkarnain mentioned “thanks to the student volunteers” in his speech. The hectic and tiring job is almost ending.
Day 13 (January 14, 2010)
Most of the participants are going home today. The earliest to go home would be Aloysius from Singapore. His flight is at 7am and airport volunteers had to sent him way earlier than that. It was a sad moment as we sent them, but bonds can never be broken even when we’re miles apart right? We just have to keep in contact.
To all the volunteers - a job well done!
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