EarthLink NTU “!s newly recruited Subcommittee members were welcomed to the club with an excursion to HortPark on Saturday, 29th September 2012. The trip was to familiarize the new members with members from other portfolios, as well as members of the Main Committee. But even by the lowest definition, everyone went home with more than just a few new friends.
Anyone walking past the Chinese Heritage Centre at 8 am on Saturday would have noticed a large group students sitting on the steps, as the Nature Guides attempted to make everyone rote-learn everyone else “!s names. After this brief memory exercise, the members were treated to cakes and bread, which rapidly disappeared down everyone “!s throats
At HortPark, the members, along with their assigned group were given a tour around the gardening hub, guided by an experienced researcher. They learnt in detail about the various plants that grew in the gardening hub, all explained humorously. From the unpleasant durian tree to the diabolical strangling fig to the Indian lizard that was somehow introduced into Singapore, the members felt their heads getting fuller with gardening related information every minute.Of course, the highlight of the park was the butterfly enclosure. Not only was it cooler, with the heavy leaf cover, but also it was an amusing sight to see butterflies landing on human heads all around.
The groups played an ingenious game before lunch, in which each player had to draw the image of an environmental issue, and the next one had to guess what it was. Though tiring to play under the scorching sun, it was hilarious to see what well-drawn images had deteriorated into when it reached the Sartist at the end of each line of players.
As all good things must end, the members were rounded up and sent back to their buses, after refilling their stomachs with a sumptuous meal. Just to highlight the member “!s eco-mindedness, the cardboard covers and the polystyrene food carriers were separated before they were thrown.
Just before boarding, the Club “!s president Alex suggested that a group photograph be taken. With no photographer in sight, the camera was balanced precariously on the edge of a staircase railing and self-timed, as EarthLink NTU “!s new and old members squeezed into the picture. After all, we are Sone big happy family.