15.02.14 from princess to waitress

woke up quite early in the morning
after getting our breakfast provided by the temple
we'd got a new task- to sweep the fall leaves in the parking area
it didn't take long since everyone was cooperative
before lunch time we'd already done our job

resting

went back to dorm to get some sleep
for we're gonna be super busy that night
we're gonna become waiters and waitresses to serve 1000 people in the charity banquet i mentioned in the last post!

at around 3pm the volunteers and some students in the temple gathered to be briefed
changed into our uniforms and got our meal boxes

professional okayyy

all ready!

the venue was decorated so romanticallyyyyy

surrounded by balloons

 

 

 

lol hell kitchen

gonna make it success~

the balloons were tied with small pieces of papers 

the guests were asked to write their wishes for the new year and released the balloons

that moment when all the balloons were up in the air

was really indescribable

may all the wished come trueeeee

 
forgot the number of dishes served 
only remember that the vegetarian curry chicken was so good hah
few tables were empty so the servers clear the dishes lol~
only till then i understand the feeling of the servers in dinner
every tables asked when their turn is, why another table gets to have the dish first, if they can get more water.....
and they're merely following the order and have no control over the time interval between each dish
learnt to be more considerate... 

watched the performances from the side whenever we're free
even sang and danced along
i think we enjoyed the night more than the guests lololol

soon the banquet ended
and it's time to work again
cleared the rubbish, collected the plates and tableware, kept the tables, arranged the chairs
it seemed like an mission impossible at first but in a blink of an eye we made it
let out a sigh of relief at the sight of the empty venue which was full of tables and people for the last few hours
and we still had time to snap some photos before the festival ended
it's the last day alreadyyyy

that sense of achievement

well done to all!

and that's the end of this volunteering trip 
went back to kms by bus before lunch on the next day

thanks to all the 法師 and workers there who took good care of us
learnt a lot in these 3 days 
done many things we wouldn't have chance to if we didn't go to the temple
helped and got help from people
went to the temple few times before this but now the temple is filled with memories created in these 3 days
it's never gonna be the same when i visit the temple next time =)

14.02.14 not-so-ordinary Valentine's day

thanks to Weng Liang who organised this volunteering trip to Fo Guang Shan Dong Zen temple
we went on the last day of CNY
it's special this year as the western Valentine's day and Chap Goh Meh fell on the same day
to Ru Dei who bought chocolates for us girls, that's very sweet of you hah
we 28 people (if not mistaken hehehe) from kms rent a bus and went to Jenjarom after Friday class
one great advantage of studying matriculation in Selangor is the college is located really near to this temple

volunteers from kms and inti with 如音法師

volunteers are always needed and welcomed so people do consider going there to do some volunteer work other than just going there once a year to see the beautiful lantern and flowers during Chinese New Year
it's always more blessed to give than to receive =)

it's only until when we were on the way to the temple Weng Liang told us that we were appointed to participate in the costume parade
LOL never in my life i imagine myself walking in a parade, it's almost insane lol
since the parade started around 9.30pm, we were allowed to walk around the temple after we settled down our luggage in our dorm and had our dinner
the female volunteers were arranged to the top floor of the Cultivation Centre where the book fair was held
it's the best we could ask for, with air conditioning and hot shower hah

Japanese style Zen garden and tea house

 相由心生 they say

the inseparable heart-shaped balloons hah

posing everywhere~

3 little piglets? jkjk haha

the poserrrr

talking about the difference in height lol

善哉善哉

=)

class photos hahaha

love's in the air~

so cute hahaha

到此一遊～

under the sea~

^3^

shining bright like a diamond~

just for you :)

favourite sight of the temple

up up and away~

駿程萬里啊～

=目

the lighting is really nice

waaa ru dei

view from our dorm, magnificent isn't it?

okay now that we'd done looking around
it's time to start working!

briefing about the parade

and the preparation started after everyone got their job

transforming~

from china man to prince to 沙僧 to king and queen to 孫悟空 to princess~

all were excited hah

平身 hahahahaha

can't remember the parade lasted for how long

walked around the temple with beautifully decorated float

wishing everyone happy Chinese new year with a big smile on the face

was really glad that there wasn't anyone i know in the crowd though lololol

on our way~

group photos of the volunteers after the parade aiks why so blur

continued the photo session for a while before we were given another task

refused to change?

slowly getting abnormal

all the patterns lolll

since there'd be a charity banquet on the next day 

we're asked to arranged the vegetables that just arrived from Cameron Highland

imagine that few tons of vegetables waiting for us 

we're literally surrounded by vegetablessss

in the freeze room and posing with vege hahahahah

 and finally after the sweet date with vegetables, we went to sleep to get ourselves recharged for the second day!

to be continued...