::Today was a roller coaster ride of a day. Many things happened. First of all, today was supposed to be the first holiday session for the children, a happy session where the children get to know our project and us. Then it started to go wrong. Two out of the five members could not make it and informed me only the day before. So we settled for a meeting the next day, where we will have our weekly team meeting.
Dragging myself to school the next morning was a cruel task, but I made it to school all the same. For two hours I waited, and for two hours no one appeared. Every time we seem to get ourselves together, the team just seems to wane again. After one crack is filled, another crack just appears. We had scheduled to arrive in Stamford Primary School at 2pm with the course starting at 2.30pm. It was 1.40pm and I still waited in vain. I had to face the possibility of me conducting a session with 10 TAF club children by myself. The frustration and disappointment I had were unprecedented.
Out of the blue, the twins appeared and at the nick of the time too. I was almost about to take my bags and walk to the bus stop. We ended up walking to the bus stop together. The twins skipped their lunch to get to the session on time, and appreciated that gesture very much, at least some sacrifice on their part. Sometimes I really wonder if I am the only one who wants this project to succeed.
When we arrived there, only one boy had reported at the school. We were relieved as that meant we still had time to prepare. We were wrong. The boy turned out to be the only one who turned out that day. The scenarios we were taught to guard against when organizing our events then proceeded to play its course. As I rang the participants one by one, quotes like “I thought it was some other day?” “I forgot! The child went outside to play, he can’t go today” turned up and my only option was to tell them we understand and then tell them about our following sessions and encourage them to come for the subsequent sessions. One is better than none at all.
The boy is called Iskander, and he was a jolly boy too. In the two hours of programme, we took turns in teaching him first soccer and then basketball. He opened up gradually and was quite comfortable around us in the end. Seeing the twins taking responsibility to take care of him was another relief for me. The ‘class’ was duly dismissed at 4.30pm.
Then another thunderbolt hit. The proposed date for our first official session was taken up by BSP research paper publishing ceremony. Worse still, the twins would be the emcee, which leaves three of us. Yet the proposed excursion for that session is still up in the air, with no confirmation. Should the excursion proceed, consent forms will need to be given out. That I would imagine would be my responsibility again. To proceed, or cancel, that is the question.
Today I faced many setbacks. Some slight, some major, but all turned out okay in the end. We still have time to right what is wrong. The point is whether we have the drive to do it.::

.:firestarter blogged on 12:20 AM:.
...