Hi Aaron
Thank you so much for the invitation. Didn't expect anything this big from you. I didn't expect the dinner to be held at this posh place. I had to do my facial and then my hair. I was so nervous just thinking about going there that I forgot my ic. I had to walk all the way back from the train station. I was afraid to be late because you wanted us to be there by 645. And I took a cab and I got there on time. Before that, my little evening purse lost a screw and the handle also didn't work. I was the candidate for the composition entitled: THE DAY WHEN EVERYTHING CAN GO WRONG, WENT WRONG! But I made it there, ON TIME! :)
When I reached, you started to dig into the pocket to give me a card. Your card was most special. When you were about to give me, I was going to cry. So I didn't open it until I got home. I didn't cry. You made me feel so special. Thank you so much.
Yes, I remember asking if you were MAD to ask me to mentor you after having scolded you so badly in HMUN. Yup, I remember how you all braved the cold to go out and eat a lobster meal without my permission and had to lie to do that. But I also laughed so hard about how stupid you all were to pay so much for a meal when I paid half of what you got and I had more food. You all had SALAD. I had the whole lobster, clams and soups and bread....hahaha
I always thought it was very brave of you to want to work with a very difficult person. I not only made very difficult demands, like no CIP hours, I also made you all come down with me to study the area. I loved it when all of you were just dumbfounded by what you couldn't do. Because I want to be sure you know that serving the poor begins with the heart and nowhere else. And our battle to clear my name and give me the title of a mentor was really tiresome. Also the fight to win the projects day final and the kind of verbal abuse we had to take sitting down. Thank you for swallowing all that. We gritted our teeth and moved on.
We also battled some traditional chinese medicine along the way. Remember how Desmond was never angry but was so angry. Remember asking me to appeal. I appealed because I really know it was wrong not to get you into the finals. And it was the first time that a mentor could appeal against the results for a grand final standing. At the grand finals, as I listened to how the judges were questioning you and helping all of you, I knew we nailed it. That win was so good. It was a good fight. I will never ever forget that. I am not ashamed at all to win. Because we won deserving every bit of the work.We also set a higher standard for projects day.
I will always be grateful you took me on a great learning journey. You taught me how to plan and plan. You taught me there are things that can be done.You always say "NO Miss Cheong, cannot like this. We have to do like this or else we cannot do well.." "No Miss Cheong we have to do this or else we cannot do this. " Miss Cheong we have to show this and show that.." Then I would go " Orrh", "Is it?" "Why leh?" "Huh?" But thank you for also listening to our advice too.
At first, I set standards for you to achieve. They got higher and higher as days go by. Later you started to set them yourselves. That was so good to watch.
Remember how you would always be frustrated with our Artist! Hahaha. I had to ask you to be patient. I hope you continue to learn to give people time to work. I gave you time too. I never rush. Not that I don't care. I do have a deadline. A precious lesson I learn from Bonita is that people need time. She was very patient with me when I was not so good. Very patient.
What amazed me was how detail you can get with words. That means you very long winded la. I remember having to slash everything and to squeeze everything within 6 pages. That was tough training. But good for me. Now I can write better.
You also taught me how to be meticulous because I hate this kind of work. I see the big picture, you see to the final details. But you made me sit down and think with you. Very chum sometimes but you were good at persuading all of us to work on.
You are always funny. Your humour is great. Whoever thinks you are not funny is so very wrong. Your poker face jokes are really good. When I told your parents you were funny, they were so surprised. We told them, yes Slim and I, you are very funny, your parents said they never saw this side of you. ahhaha. We are very lucky to have seen it.
Your love for your family also touches me. I believe that whoever loves the family more than themselves will be great people. You are one of them. I met your brother tonight. He is so cute. I am going to take him out for lunch one fine day. Just me and him. I like your little brother. I think you are who you are today because of your love for your little brother. Aren't you glad he is in this world for you! You are so lucky.
You pick three teachers to join you tonight. Thank you for letting me meet Samuel again. We had a nice chat. We chatted about the times we worked together with all of you. He told me the best thing for him tonight was to be able to meet me. Slim actually spoke to one of the judges at your interview. The judge said that what distinguished you from the rest is the project. Thank you for talking about Project Pipit. The team is grateful you remember us. And tonight on the brochure was printed the project Pipit. What a great time we had learning and working together! I hope there will be more of such great team work again.
You broke the dry spell from the high school. Thank you for doing that. Yes, why you? But then again, it has to be you. Because you have a heart for the poor. I like that about you.
We met a scholar tonight that was rather distasteful. Well she spoke about how VJC attracted only sanguine and phlegmatic people while our school attracted choleric and melancholic people. She is directly implying she is from a cool school and we are the more chiong school. All your three teachers are not too pleased and although we smiled, we were not impressed with her unfounded observations. I was tempted to ask about the basis of her research. It saddens me to know she could not stop talking and most of all she spewed wrong information without any basis. ahahhaha. Please don't be like her!
Later in the shuttle bus, I asked your literature teacher what he thought of the generalisation made by the scholar...he told us that he didn't like it at all and wanted to tell her to shut up too...and we ended the night with this great laughter.
It was a great evening. I hope you are not too drunk tonight to read this. Did you enjoy your dinner? You sat with a very tall man...and your face was flushed. Could he drink as tall as he was? Hahaha.
Thank you for having me as your friend and thank you for standing by me too. When I am down you never fail to give me encouragement. You always tell me I can do it. But sometimes I just cannot. Then you still say, never mind, you can do it.
Well keep in touch. Stay level. Have fun with your first sail. Be safe. I hope to see you in Pennsylvania.
