Day 2 - Circle of Life

Today is a great day.

I told myself.. So, this day has come, huh? I remember all the feelings and thoughts I had during last year's installation. I was still rather lost and trying to figure my way out while immersing in the Rafflesian life. I was sad, because installation meant that I would be parting ways with my favorite senior, the vice president of Raffles Interact Club..

I recall the days of how I joined interact, by a lot of coincidence. I first arrived to my present school 15 months ago, and as part of the requirement by MOE, I need to belong to a CCA. Didn't have much choice, considering that I am not built to compete or perform in front of an audience. Putting 'Interact Club' under my CCA was a pure coincidence; I could have put down 'Community Advocates', which actually gave me a better idea what the club was about.

What I understood was the fact that Interact Club was somehow related to doing CIP, and I thought, hey why not give a chance? So I went to the interview, knowing almost zero about the organization I am about to join and belong in for the two years. Neither I knew the fact that Interact Club has a very high rejection rate, with only 80 people accepted out of 300 or more people applying. And I got in by smoking through. :P

Anyway, as I write in my RD essays, Interact really defines my two years of JC life. As I sat down at LT 2 for my batch's installation today, I told myself: It has finally come to a full circle. To be honest, I am very sad that it has ended, as I made a lot of good friends, amazing moments, and lots of laughter. However, as my president was saying: "Don't cry because it is over. Be thankful that it happened."

Indeed, my Interact journey is a blessing. I am ever grateful for all the good things that happened to me, I'm now a different person altogether after alighting from the Interact ship. Of course, there were things that could have been better, stuff that should not have happened. Nevertheless, I figured out that I did my best, and I deserve the happy ending I worked so hard for. It is the simple but powerful realization that you have touched so many people's lives, and that you know there's a group of friend out there who love you and take care of you as a part of their family.

And a particular girl too. Or two. Or three. Hmm...

To end off, let me dollop with a statement that highlights the importance of Interact to me. Interactors do not win competitions. We do not bring back gold medals like the athletes, neither do we bring back the SYF gold like the performing arts groups, nor do we win international olympiads like the academics CCA. What we bring back to the school is, what we take pride in, what we serve for is --- the fact that we win the hearts of other people. And to me, that is more golden than any gold.

Thank you, Interact. As a circle does not have an end, I pray that the service journey shall be free from the boundaries and constraints of time..

-The Indonesia's Finest