I could hardly believe that I really completed this 3 months national service at a lousy place to stay and lousy food to eat. I still remember the moment when I found out I was in the list of National Service for the first batch of 2008. When my friends told me the news, I thought they were just joking. So, I didn’t have much feeling with it but just wanted to have a double-checking. Yes, it’s true! My name was in the list. It was stated there. When I knew, I was looking forward to stay outside for months but also worrying whether how would it be for me to stay with those Malays. However, the most important for me to care was my SPM Examination. It’s really important for me if I want to further my studies. So, I didn’t really care about the National Service at all during my exam.
Months have passed! I finally finished sitting my SPM Examination on 5 December 2007 and left 24 days for me to prepare myself for the 3 months National Service at Lake Chini, Pahang. During these free days, I enjoyed myself and gathered with my friends. I went to Genting Highland, watched movies, etc. with my friends. However, these exciting days passed. Finally, I had to face it! My 3 months training!
That day, I woke up early in the morning and gathered at Bukit Jalil where the buses would depart and send the students to the camps. I went in to my bus and found a seat. Only 5 minutes I sat there and I knew three new friends who were from different high school. It’s fate which brought us together! They were friendly. During the hours in the bus, we chatted, played, joked and ate together. Four hours journey had finally ended! With the exciting feeling, we lined up to let the coach to check our names and things. After finishing the procedure, we were brought by them to our dorm.
First day staying there, I was not willing to eat the food. The vegetable and meat looked disgusting. I was not willing to bath until the minute before I was forced to sleep at 10.30pm. Some of my friends were also same as me. We felt ourselves dirty if we did not bath before going to bed. So, after the gathering, we quickly went to bath. And, we were warned not to do so again. We needed to follow the rules. It was quite difficult for me to change this habit which I had kept it for years. I couldn’t sleep well for the first week for not bathing before sleep.
During the days, many terrible things happened. For example, conflicts, quarrels, and also even gossips happened among teachers and students. I felt like having negative life. This made me to miss SF1! Also, during the days, I kept on creating jokes for people to laugh at. But, indeed, I found a better joker than me, she’s Carol (she simply named herself when the Malays couldn’t pronounced her Chinese name.). I felt lucky to meet such a special and funny friend. She taught me things although she sounded badly (I know, she purposely did so.).
Luckily I was chosen to be in the first batch! While experiencing such a different life, I also enjoyed it actually, especially the day we spent in jungle and also had a night staying there. I hadn’t experienced it before. The scene was so beautiful with the fireflies everywhere and the leaves and trees which were glowing green light! Really missed that! So exciting to be in the jungle!
Months had passed and the days in the training jus left 1 week. We practiced marching for our graduation day. The days were quite tiring but somehow we still enjoyed the left days of working together as a team very much!
Finally, it’s the last day for us! All were so excited, still taking pictures before the ceremony started when we needed to march in and stood there for hours for the speech. In surprise, it ended in 2.30 hours which we were told that it would take 4 hours. Yeah~ We had graduated! At night, we had our last party but indeed it was quite boring…
The next early morning, I woke up early at 5am to take my last bath at Kem Tasik Chini, Pahang. Then, I woke up my friends too to pack things and have our last breakfast. It was normal to find people crying and hugging their friends. And, we sang songs, of course all in Malay, while students were walking to their bus one by one, included Carol and me. We chose a nice seat but with spoilt air-cond. Swt..
And, I announced the end of my “soldier” life…
