We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time.

- T.S. Eliot, The Dry Salvages

2

.

First Things First 6 preface 7 motivation 10 the right attitude Project Scope 11 a mindmap 13 project types 15 a continuum 17 service learning 21 duration of stay 23 when to go 25 itinerary Host Partner 27 making contact

29 recce tips

31 child considerations

33 money issues

35 other considerations

37 risk management

4 3

Content Page

Facilitation 88 the basics

89 human tangle

90 life journey

91 social tree

92 glass bottle

Documentation &

Media 93 general

The Return 95 closing

96 rest & relaxation

97 giving back

Acknowledgments 98 thanks

Administration 39 official papers 41 communications 43 finance Your Team 45 team size 47 team selection 49 team building 51 team bonding 53 coordination tips 55 language barriers 59 delegation Transportation 61 budget airlines 62 travel agents 63 in-country

Accommodation 65 setting up camp

67 home stays

69 food

73 water

75 alcohol

76 smoking

77 sanitation

Logistics 79 the airport

81 other gear

Medical 83 general

85 first aid

First Things First – Preface

God grant me the serenity to accept the

things I cannot change, the courage to

change the things I can, and the wisdom

to know the difference.

Choose a project. Choose your team. Choose a mode of

transportation. Choose what you should eat when you’re there.

Choose to take a leap into the unknown.

There are about a thousand different decisions, big and small,

that await the potential expedition leader. Some are easy no-

brainers. Most will require some degree of agonising over. And

a few you will have no control over.

Which is where, hopefully, this guide comes in. The Guerilla

Guide to Youth Expeditions represents the collective knowledge

of some of those who have led or facilitated youth expeditions,

some successful and others less successful.

If you’re looking for a document that will plan your entire trip for

you, this isn’t it. But it can help you to make informed decisions

about the choices that await you. We’ll let you figure the rest

out. =)

5 6

Let’s get it out of the way – why indeed are you doing an

expedition?

It might seem a simple enough question, but perhaps you

haven’t really put it down to paper. So go on, take a minute.

And be honest with yourself – after all, no one’s looking here.

Check one of the boxes on the next page.

If you already know the reason in your heart, then good for

you. Understanding this will keep you focused along the way,

especially when things aren’t going as planned. You’re going

to need it.

The same goes for your participants as well. Some might give

you reasons like “My friends are doing this, so I want to come

along.” And “I’m free during my holidays, so I want to do

something useful.” But their reasons at the start aren’t as

important – it’s how these reasons change in the course of

the expedition that counts.

Activity: discuss this with your teammates

First Things First – Motivation I want to do an expedition because:

“I’m a teacher, and my principal told me to do

this.”

“I’ve always wanted to travel to (insert name of

country)”

”My friends are doing this, so I thought it would

be a good idea if I joined in.”

“I have an entire holiday to spare, so I might as

well do something useful with it.”

“I want to make a difference in the lives of other

people.”

“I’ve been reading about this issue, and I want to

do something about it.”

This is my reason:

8 7

First Things First – The right attitude

Going overseas and sacrificing your time and energy to do

community work might seem like a wonderful idea to begin with.

Yet, the very idea of stepping into another culture and doing

some work which you believe is ‘good’ for ‘poor people’ can

prove counter-productive if not approached with the right attitude.

It’s easy to be blind to our own ethnocentrism. Like it or not,

Singaporeans are commonly associated with certain values –

‘efficiency’ for one, and ‘integrity’, for another. And to us, these

might seem like perfectly normal values to have. And they would

be – if we were still in Singapore.

However, to people from another culture, these behaviours might

instead come across as ‘impatience’ and ‘inflexibility’. The more

polite of your hosts will not share this with you, of course.

The truth is, if you’re looking to work with impoverished peoples

or people from another culture, you don’t have to look too far.

Singapore has plenty of lower income families, as well as migrant

worker communities. So why go overseas? What is it that people

in another country can’t do for their countrymen that you can?

Activity: use this as a topic for facilitation among your

group. 9 10

Go to the people, live among them. Learn

from them. Love them. Start with what they

know; build on what they have. But (for) the

best leaders, when their task is accomplished,

their work is done, the people will remark, "We

have done it ourselves." Ancient Chinese

philosopher Lao Shi

110

12

Project Scope - a mindmap

14 13

Project scoping can make or break the entire expedition. An ill-

conceived project could leave your team unable to do anything

without being handheld by your host, thus becoming an additional

burden on a NGO’s already strained manpower.

One team in Vietnam learnt this the hard way – their host partner

didn’t think their youth could build a decent house. The team ended

up plucking weeds for 5 days, and eventually decided to change their

project scope to teaching English.

Fully-Specialised Projects Project types like Marine Conservation and Documentation require a

team of members who are at least moderately competent. Capacity

Building projects require a small team of experts.

Semi-Specialised Projects Infrastructure & Construction, Water & Sanitation and Arts-based

project types can still operate with a team of inexperienced

members, as long as the team leader/resource person is fully

competent, and is able to transfer these skills.

Generic Projects IT Education, English and Maths, and Refurbishment of rooms

project types are more generic and can be carried out by first-time

groups. But doing it well still requires experience.

Project Scope – Project types

There is work that is work and

there is play that is play; there is

play that is work and work that is

play. And only in one of these lies

happiness. – Frank Gelett Burgess

Project Scope – a continuum ‘Hard’ vs. ‘Soft’ Projects

If youth development is high on your agenda, infrastructure

projects are less preferable - teams tend to run into existential

dilemmas when they find out how much easier (and cheaper) it is

to contract some local workers to build anything.

Having a worn out team at the end of the day doesn’t help

facilitation either. Building projects also usually sustain higher

levels of injuries. But of course, it’s the process that matters, and

what kind of learning points you’re able to bring out of the

experience.

That said, some volunteers do need to see concrete results for

their work, as opposed to doing soft skills projects, like interacting

with school kids, which are largely intangible. So do consider

having an element of ‘hard’ projects, such as refurbishment or

painting.

Issue-based Consider doing projects that are based on a particular issue.

Geography students, in particular, will appreciate this. So it’s not

just about building toilets because they’re needed – but also

about understanding the state of sanitation in the host country,

understanding how sustainability can be achieved, and tying that

back to the situation in Singapore.

16 15

One generation plants the

trees; another gets the

shade. – Chinese proverb

A service-learning framework adds immeasurably to the

experience that your team takes home at the end of the day.

Timothy Stanton said it best with his Principles of Reciprocity: “I

serve you in order that I may learn from you.” and “You accept

my service in order that you may teach me.”

It’s about being able to see a situation from the perspective of

the community that you are serving, and even to question your

own fundamental beliefs.

Case study

A team did a theatre expedition, in collaboration with a local

partner, on the issue of early marriage. After 2 weeks of intense

discussion and workshops with youth from the host country,

some members of the group arrived at the conclusion that

given the circumstances, that early marriage was the best

possible option.

It wasn’t that the group approved of early marriages in general,

nor was it something that they would have wished for

themselves, but when they put themselves in the shoes of their

host community, they were able to understand and empathise

how cultural and physical factors had come together to produce

a less than desirable option for the young women in that

particular community.

Project Scope – service learning

Service, combined with learning

adds value to each and

transforms both. - Honnet and

Poulsen

17 18

Big L

Small L

Big S Small S

Activity: where do you think your project stands in this graph of service (S) against learning (L)? Mark an ‘x’ ! Why is it so?

Resources

The National Youth Council produces a booklet called

“Beginner’s Guide to Service Learning”. You can also

visit the website http://www.nyc.gov.sg/sl/index.htm for

more.

The Raffles Centre for Experiential Learning also runs

YEP Leader Training Courses. You can find out more at

http://www.rcel.edu.sg/course_yep.htm

Three S-L elements you can’t leave

home without:

1) A well-trained facilitator with a plan in mind

2) Journals – people need time and space to

constantly reflect on their experience.

3) A project scope that allows for a good balance

between meeting the needs of the community as

well as those of your team’s.

19 20

Project Scope - duration of stay In between

The length of a project can vary, from 5 days to 3 weeks. What’s

important is that you have enough breathing space to feel at home and

build solid friendships. Some organisations recommend a minimum of 21

days in order for change to be internalised in a person’s character, and

to be ingrained as a habit.

The constraint is usually on those with work commitments, so do

exercise flexibility in accommodating them. Tip: consider asking them to

pay the full price, with the option of flying back earlier if necessary.

An alternative is to have 2 overlapping teams, so that the length of

engagement is longer, and halving the team size means that the local

infrastructure is not overburdened. The first team will also be able to give

the next team a head start by letting them know how to prepare better.

Departure Although you may have an advance party, do try to have your entire

team depart the project at the same time, to avoid a sense of lingering

on (which may cause the project to lose momentum), and so that

farewell sessions have more of an emotional closure.

Keep it in perspective However long you choose to stay, keep in mind that even 1 month is

considered short-term by professional overseas volunteering

organisations. For them, a good volunteering range is in the range of 6

months to 2 years.

Arrival (Day 0) If you arrive on a weekend, your host partner/school may have

closed office for the day, leaving your team to wander around for

the first day. Of more concern is arriving late at night, which may

compromise your team’s safety.

Also, a lot of participants expect to go to work straight away on Day

1. Help them to realise that they may need a couple of days to

prepare for the work and get used to the conditions.

Your host partner might even want to perform some ceremonies or

show you the local sights to make your team feel welcome, so do

factor that in.

210

22

Project Scope – when to go

Clashing projects Understand the project cycles of your host partners. While they

may have regular projects which run on a maintenance basis

throughout the year, they may have planned certain high profile

events during the period of your expedition, which might leave

you high and dry, while their staff are running all over the city

trying to get things together.

Climate Weather is a big factor, as it can cause lots of health problems.

Summer seasons can be hotter though less humid than

Singapore’s. And monsoons can be a great dampener on your

activities, even if you’re building rainwater harvesting systems.

Typically, most expeditions are left to the end of the year to

coincide with the school holidays, which would be a good thing,

except that it clashes with the regular tourist season. That said,

having an expedition in the off-peak period isn’t such a bad

idea after all, if you can find the volunteers.

Festive moods National holidays can wreck your plans, so check with your

hosts if there are any special occasions during your project

period. Some cities like Kolkata close down for an entire week

during Durga Puja.

And some cities have regional holidays on top of national ones,

which your host partner may have omitted in your discussions.

So do plan contingencies into your schedule to give yourself

some flexibility.

23 24

Tip: You can also choose to have a

large format schedule (see above)

pasted at a convenient location near

your work site, so that participants will

be able to easily to refer to any

changes in programming.

Project Scope - Itinerary Keep it to an outline However well you may have planned your expedition, the reality is

that things will change on the ground, and you’ll have to manage

your team’s expectations. So don’t promise too much with a detailed

itinerary. Remember, you’re not a tour guide, so keep it to an outline

for the next day’s programme, to keep them mentally prepared for

any changes. Oh, and do keep parents in the loop as well.

Plan Bs Always remember Murphy’s Law. Your best defence to anything that

happens is really to just adapt and compromise where necessary.

Your role as a leader is to make the best out of any given situation.

This sometimes means making decisions with less than adequate

time or information.

What’s important is that your teammates understand that you have

their best interests at heart, and are therefore willing to follow your

directions, even if the decision turns out to be incorrect later out.

Exercise your influence wisely.

Cultural immersion Visiting local museums and places of interest such as the Killing

Fields in Phnom Penh can be a good way of helping your team to

understand a country’s past. This can be done on the weekends,

when the NGO staff aren’t working.

25 26

Negotiate a river by following its

bends; enter a country by

following its customs. –

Cambodian proverb

Host Partner- making contact Liaison person A lot of projects go awry because of miscommunication with the host

partner. This is especially so for NGOs with several levels in their

hierarchy, or a central HQ which manages satellite projects. Your

contact person could have been chosen of his/her fluency in English,

but may not be involved in the frontline work, and therefore not in the

best position to evaluate the feasibility of your proposal.

So by all means talk to the decision makers, but when your

conversations with the field staff don’t match, check back with the

coordinator.. Where possible, have them agree to a written

document, so that expectations are clearly aligned. It’s crucial to find

a reliable host partner, in whom you can trust your team’s safety with.

Multiple stakeholders Beware of having to cooperate with too many groups who have

different expectations of your work, especially if there are political

considerations. Multiple interests have a way of quickly strangling the

scope of your project – you’ll need to prioritise who you listen to.

Resources

1) Expedition SG (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ExpeditionSG/)

2) The Choice Initiative (www.thechoiceinitiative.org/sending.htm)

3) Youth Expedition Project (http://www.yep.sg/)

27 28

Host Partner - recce tips

1. Managing expectations Beware of making promises prematurely – especially monetary ones.

One group in Laos was threatened with guns during their recce trip

when they moved from one village to another, when the first village

were worried that the volunteers would not be helping them.

2. Don’t get flashy One corporate expedition on their Cambodian recce quickly became

known as “17 millionaires” in the local newspapers. Needless to say,

they had to change countries. Oh, and avoid creating a wishlist

mentality in the minds of your hosts, artificially creating needs for the

sake of spending money. Take the time to get to know them.

3. Plan Bs

It’s cliché but oh so true. You never know when a Catch-22

situation is going to hit you, so do keep an eye out for other

projects with potential, and keep up some kind of friendly

communication, so that if you need to switch project sites, it’s

not so awkward.

4. Monitor the situation Your recce doesn’t end when you return to Singapore. Keep

yourself updated by reading online newspapers. You might not

be able to spot disasters before they happen, but if there’s an

ongoing conflict, the newspapers will carry it.

5. Advance party In addition to the feasibility trip, it’s a good idea to have a small

advance party that arrives a few days before the main group

proper. This is to ensure that all arrangements are finalised,

and to allow you to personally supervise the buying of

materials. It also allows the advance party to prepare the main

expedition party back in Singapore.

6. Key processes There’s a really good checklist for your key processes that you

can find on the YEP website, at

http://www.yep.sg/toolbox/starterkit.html

29 30

31 32

Child protection policy Some NGOs will have this in place, while others may not need it. In

either case, as the team leader, there are fundamental precautions

you should take in order to ensure the safety of the children you may

come into contact with as part of the project. These are as simple as

having all interactions take place in a public area (volunteers should

not take children to a private corner without staff supervision), or

depending on the profile of the child (ie. children of prostitutes), not

publishing their photo in any mass media.

Beggars Disabled children pose a moral dilemma for many. While you might

soothe your conscience by giving a street urchin a few coins, you

might be doing more harm than good. It’s likely that he/she is part of

a begging syndicate – and the continuous source of income from

foreigners makes it hard for such children to move away from the

streets into rehabilitation programmes run by NGOs. You’re better off

buying some food for them to consume on the spot.

Saying goodbye

Some children, when they are aware of your impending departure,

might start crying, even as early as halfway through your expedition.

Its times like these that will make you question whether you should

have come at all, since they were so sad to see us go. But remember

that sadness will go away, but friendship will stay. Keep in touch with

them – they’ll treasure it.

Host Partner – child considerations

If you think you are too small to

make a difference, you’ve

never been in bed with a

mosquito. - Bette Reese

Host Partner – money issues “Bribes” or “Social Customs”?

You may have experienced it before – being requested to buy a

Johnnie Walker to appease the local town council, or to slip a customs

officer some dollar notes to get your computer out of the airport. Either

way, you’re going to have to weigh the consequences (a run-in at the

police station or possibly more exorbitant costs later on) against what

you believe in. There are no easy solutions - but having your host

partner around to negotiate on your behalf certainly helps.

Commission Some locals assigned to you may make extra cash for themselves by

going grocery shopping and getting commission from certain

shopkeepers. You can try sidestep such tactics by saying that “we’d

like to try doing things by ourselves, it would be fun learning how to”.

Gifts When giving gifts of any size, think twice about the implications. While

it might seem like an act of goodwill, repercussions can often extend

beyond our knowledge. For example, a simple gift from a volunteer

might be interpreted as a sign of liking and cause jealousy among the

girls in a shelter home, or might cause rifts between staff who sense

unequal treatment.

33

The love of money is

the root of all evil.

34

Host Partner – other considerations Singaporean time vs. “Rubber time” Singaporeans are used to working at a breakneck pace, as

well as arriving punctually. But take this as a situation in

which both sides can learn how there are different ways of

doing things.

Conflict of interest – “guan xi” In some situation, having the right connections may mean

the difference between a successful project and having it

canned at the last moment by some strange twist of

bureaucratic logic. The web of relations is often too

complicated and invisible for an expedition team to unravel

during their time there, which means that you’ll have to rely

heavily on your hosts to help guide you through the murky

waters.

Task vs. People Orientation You might find that the villagers become more interested in

interacting with your team than in your contribution to the

construction work, surprising you with ad-hoc invitations or

“wayang ceremonies” that eat into your work schedule. But

side trips might also turn out to be valuable learning

experiences. Decide on the kind of balance you need

between being hospitable and getting the job done.

Commitment of host partners The level of commitment from your host partner is important –

at the very least, at least 1 staff should be assigned as your

point of contact. The provision of resources such as

facilitation of transport or food is also a good indication.

Beware of partners who have to simultaneously host different

expedition teams.

35 36

4 ways to deal with risks

Host Partner – risk management Political risks Election period violence and negative sentiment against Singapore

can threaten to derail the project. Parents will pull their children out,

and you may be torn between postponing the trip, else going in with

a half-strength team. What you need to ascertain for yourself is

whether the risk is a localised or national one. Political risks usually

have their epicentre in a country’s capital, which may cast the entire

country in a cloak of doubt. But people in the outskirts may not be

affected at all.

Cultural risks This can range everything from the wandering village drunk to the

headman who decides that your group is the cause of their recent

stroke of ‘bad luck’. There might be cultural norms that are specific to

that district, which your Lonely Planet won’t tell you about. The best

way to figure out what these are is really to spend time in your

chosen location, so that you can understand the daily rhythms of the

society in which your team is going to insert itself.

Physical risks Bird flu, a recent spate of earthquakes, and attacks by insurgents

seeking independence are all very tangible dangers which you can

deal with (see box on left).

Resources Sign up for a course at http://www.yep.sg/toolbox/training.html

37 38

Treat

Transfer

Terminate

Tolerate

stop the project & re-evaluate

allow another party like your host partner to take the lead

manage the risk by altering conditions

carry on with the project

Nobody’s last words on the death

bed were ever ‘I wished I had

spent more time in the office’. –

Mark Twain

Administration - Official Papers Letters of Support Get signed letters of support from your host NGO, sending

organisation and Singapore embassy, especially if you’re bringing

over brand-new electronic equipment. Also, do try to make contact

with local/provincial government, to make sure you’re not stepping on

their turf. And have photocopies of your passports, just in case.

Registration Remember to e-register all your participants with MFA

(www.mfa.gov.sg) before leaving, as well as Mindef, for your male

participants. Also, contact the Singapore embassy in your host

country upon arrival – they can get you out of a tight spot in

emergencies, especially those which are politically related.

Insurance Generally speaking, if price is a factor then NTUC Income is a good

choice. However, AIG Travel Assist is more suited to the expedition

format (http://www.aig.com.sg/personal/personal_aigassist.html), as

it provides International SOS coverage as well. Bear in mind that you

should have handy their emergency hotline numbers, in case of

evacuation.

Also, if your plane or luggage is rerouted or delayed, remember to

get a letter from the airport, to make it easier to assess your claim. In

some cases, you might even get the cost of your flight back! Lastly,

take note that waiver of liability or indemnity clauses cannot exclude

liability for death or injury if caused by negligence or wilful means,

under the Unfair Contract Terms Act. 39 40

Nature gave us one tongue and two

ears so we could hear twice as

much as we speak. – Epictectus

Greek Stoic Philosopher

Administration - Communications SIM Cards Buy local top-up SIM cards where possible – handphone bills upwards

of $1000 are not unheard of, especially with hour-long conversations

with loved ones back home. Ask your host partner to apply for a line on

your behalf if necessary. A much easier alternative is to use local call

booths, and which will usually cost much less than a handphone call

back home.

Satellite phones Though necessary in mountainous regions, satellite phones don’t

always get good reception, especially if an area isn’t well covered by

satellites.

Mini Contact lists This should contain the current roaming and new local numbers of

teammates, the host partner, as well as embassy and hospital.

Call waiting While we take e-mails for granted as the fastest form of

communication, overseas NGO staff may be ‘out-stationed’ for

extended periods, and dial-up modems might crawl along at a snail’s

pace. Your host partner might only have access at the cybercafé and

not the office. One expedition leader in particular was known to have

waited 2 months for a reply to an e-mail! So never hesitate to simply

pick up the phone. 41 42

Grants & subsidies The best source of expedition funding remains the Youth Expedition

Project grant, currently administered by the National Youth Council.

Visit their website at www.yep.sg for more. Some schools will also

subsidise their students, as part of their youth development budget.

Fundraising It’s easier to raise money from friends and family for project cost items,

rather than for participant cost. Instead of asking for cash, try asking

them to match the monetary equivalent of specific items, such as a

computer, giving reasons for this need (take note on your recce).

And declare your accounts and how the money was spent post-

expedition to all your donors, thanking them for their contribution.

Donors who made it all possible are sometimes forgotten in the post-

expedition euphoria. This can be done with a simple card, perhaps

written by one of your beneficiaries, or a photo of the refurbished room.

Remittance policies It might be easy to wire money to your host partner, so that they can

finish the foundation for a house by the time you arrive, but this is

unadvisable unless you trust their integrity. The short story is to be

there when they spend it.

Changing money Good places to change your money include People’s Park Complex

and Mustafa’s Foreign Exchange, especially when you need large

sums for your project. However, in recent times, rates at other major

moneychangers have become more competitive, so do compare for

yourself.

Whichever vendor you choose, do remember to get a certain portion of

your notes in smaller denomination – very helpful when you need to tip

people at the airport, and so forth. And watch out for Cambodian Riels

– they’re the same colour as US Dollars.

Carry money When bringing large sums of cash through customs, it’s advisable to

divide them into separate envelopes between a few people, as some

countries have limits on how much currency can be brought in.

Travellers’ cheques are another option, useful in Laos where there are

no ATMS (trust us).

Accounting Appoint a treasurer within the team, preferably someone with previous

experience with money. Physically separate money meant for project

cost and general living expenses. Also, do have a float account, for

unexpected emergencies.

Keep a running ledger of all expenses, and make sure receipts are

asked for, and translated where possible. And watch out for thermal

43 44

Administration - finance

Your team - Team size

Let’s go big! There are 2 schools of thought on this: some believe in bigger

teams, which enable you to carry out projects with a more

ambitious scope (such as infrastructure projects), and which

give greater diversity in terms of what can be contributed.

However, sending teams of anything bigger than 10 may mean

a strain on the resources of your host, and that extra work will

have to be done in order to accommodate you. This can range

from building new toilets to hiring cooks to prepare your meals,

so do understand how your presence affects them.

A more pressing issue is inter-personal communication. Bigger groups

tend to experience more conflict between members, especially when

cliques are formed or some members are perceived to be slacking off.

Behaviour can get juvenile without an experienced facilitator to keep

everyone in line.

Small is beautiful… Others believe that sending small, regular teams of 4-8 people is more

sustainable and effective, since they can integrate better into the daily

lives of the locals. Workload is also maximised, since everyone will

have to pull their own weight in a small group. And conflict among

team members is easier to resolve. Skills training can also be

customised.

Another plus point is travel. 8 people can fit nicely into 1 dinner table, 2

taxis or 4 hotel rooms. After all, have you tried flagging down 4 taxis at

the same time?

Sub-groups A good compromise between large and small teams is simply to break

up a big group into sub-groups, giving them independence to run on

their own during the day (each with its own co-leader) and reuniting at

night. Such an approach has some impact on team unity and identity,

but may also present opportunities to look at an issue from a different

perspective.

46 45

Your team - Team selection Cast your net wide Do as much pre-trip publicity as you can in order to get critical

mass for your screening/interview stage, otherwise you’ll fall into

the trap of having to make up numbers and compromising on the

quality of the team. However, selecting only the most experienced

should not be your sole criteria – look out for those who may need

the opportunity more.

Dropping a team member You should have no qualms dropping a participant pre-trip if you

strongly feel that their inclusion would be detrimental to the morale

of the entire team. It’s a difficult decision to make, but sometimes

you have to put your foot down. Red flag such participants early

on: if the person is a hassle to attend to pre-trip, be prepared to

expect a lot more during the trip. Counsel them if necessary, and

see if things improve. Be firm yet diplomatic.

Diversity rocks School groups with same-age youth tend to be homogenous. But

having a heterogeneous group means that people bring different

perspectives and life experiences to the mix. Having a gender-

balanced group allows you to look after both boys and girls among

your beneficiaries. And a racial balance allows you to showcase

the multi-racial aspect of Singapore in cultural performances.

It takes a great deal of courage to

stand up to your enemies, but a

great deal more to stand up to our

friends. – Professor Dumbledore to

Harry Potter

47 48

When spider webs unite,

they can tie up a lion. –

an African proverb

Time frame A proper expedition takes about 6 months to prepare. But

in reality, the typical expedition team has about 3 months

to get everything together. But it is possible - if you work

as a team.

Ice-breaking Identity Switch and the Blanket Game are all great for

breaking the ice and learning new names. 2 Truths & 1

Lie is useful for both people who don’t know each other,

as well as for people who know each other very well.

Managing expectations Get these out in the open at the first meeting. Ask the team to set

their own ground rules, personal and group objectives. Then

along the way, remind them of it. It helps to have a rough idea of

what’s going to happen, but it’s better to help them to understand

that change is the only constant. Always hope for the best and

prepare for the worst!

Romantic relationships Budding relationships (even cross-country ones) do occur. If

you’re a teacher leading a school team, your options are quite

limited. But for open groups where the participants are more

mature, you may choose to exercise a light touch, as long as it

doesn’t affect team morale or the project objectives.

Of equal concern is the image you might be projecting of

Singaporeans in general - some rural communities do not look

kindly even on seeing men and women chatting at night, let alone

a romantic attraction. Tread wisely.

49 50

Your team - Team building

Your team – Team bonding

51 52

There are about a hundred different ways to conduct team

bonding sessions. They can be conducted as part of official team

meetings, just before a heavy logistics discussion. Or they can be

organised for their own sake. We suggest just 6 ways here.

However you choose to do it, one thing remains in common – do

it before you leave. Participants have to be comfortable

interacting and working with each other, so that they’ll hit the

ground running where you get there, allowing you to focus on the

project at hand.

#1. Overnight camps Organising it may turn out to be like another expedition,

but the rewards are immense.

#2. Games like Human Knots

Remember, the objective is not about undoing the knot.

But rather, this is an excellent opportunity to observe how

the team behaves under pressure. Facilitation is key here.

#3. Hike to Bukit Timah Easy and quick to implement. Again, it’s not about

reaching the top, but how you get there as a group.

#4. Fundraising flea market Good excuse for everyone to stay in one place and get to

know each other. And of course, raise funds!

#5. Food! What better way to get used to the cuisine of the country

you’re going to, then to sample it together in Singapore?

#6. Pre-trip community service project An excellent opportunity to focus the team’s energies.

Those who fail to

plan, plan to fail. –

Anonumous

Your team - Coordination tips Regular scheduled programming Schedule your meetings for an entire month in advance, say

every Tuesday, so that people will keep that day just for the

project. Knowing in advance when you’re going to meet would

also circumvent distractions like project deadlines and tests by

giving people enough time to prepare.

Soft and hard tactics Use a tried-and-tested combination of 1) cajoling, 2) persuasion

and finally 3) coercion to gather your team for meetings and

activities. Combine business-like team meetings with a movie

afterwards, so that the team can get to know each other on a

personal basis as well.

Plan, plan, plan Have a time table planned out so that you can see which are the

critical tasks that need to be take care of each month, and in the

different phases of pre-expedition, expedition phase and post-

expedition. Simple to do, but it’ll save you countless headaches

down the line.

53 54

Your team - Language barriers This is the difference maker in expeditions. You may have the

best plans laid out, but if your team is not willing to pick up the

local language and stubbornly sticks to using English, then you’re

just tourists looking for a different holiday.

Knowing even a few words of the local language will immediately

open doors of understanding into the lives of your beneficiaries,

and is the strongest signifier of your sincere interest in their lives

and culture.

Do make it a point to know at least 20 words and phrases of the

local language before you leave – and don’t wait till you get there

to start learning. Find someone in Singapore who will teach you.

And if you don’t manage to get any practise in by the time you

leave, an airplane packed with locals is a great place to bring

them up to speed. Give them an assignment to learn 20 words by

the time they touchdown!

But if you’re really sincere about wanting to be able to

understand the complexities of the country that you’re going to,

the best way is still to do a language course. NUS Extension

(http://www.nus.edu.sg/nex/list_lllan.htm) has a great range of

classes for Southeast Asian languages available. Tutors there

have at least a relevant Masters degree, and will give you a

strong foundation over 8-10 weeks.

55 56

Language is the blood of the

soul into which thoughts run

and out of which they grow.

~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Greetings It seems common sense enough, but simple courtesies such

as greeting people in the local way are appreciated. Do note

the variations involved – for example, Thais have 5 slightly

different ways of greeting, depending on whether it’s a god,

elder, peer or child.

Translators Central to inter-cultural communication is the need to

precisely comprehend nuances in language. You might end

up with someone who summarises a 5-minute conversation

with just one sentence, or run into a couple of university

students who want the opportunity to practise their English.

But in any case, don’t forget to take care of them – they can

become your best friends.

Variations Also do take note of the differences between national

languages and regional dialects, city vs. village variants. For

example, people in northernmost Thailand don’t speak Thai

at all. In any case, stick to what your host community uses, or

get a phrase book. And as a last resort, be creative and use

sign language and drawings to get your message across.

And bring calculators if you’re bargaining at the markets!

Your team - Language barriers

Body language Your copy of Lonely Planet will probably do a better job of

explaining this, but do be aware the language isn’t just conveyed

by what you speak. For example, in Thailand, pointing with your

feet when you sit down and patting a person on the head are

rude, as is pointing at something with your index finger in some

Muslim cultures. And crossing your arms is almost universally a

sign of defensiveness – or just being cold.

57 58

Your team - DelegationShould I delegate? You should always avoid carrying the weight of the world on your

shoulders. It’s heavy. Even if you’re a school teacher who’s been

assigned specifically to do this task, it doesn’t mean that your

students can sit back and watch you organise everything. In a

service-learning framework, the delegation of duties among the

team members provides an excellent opportunity to challenge

themselves.

How do I delegate? Ideally, everyone volunteers themselves to fill up the various

roles. But as is often the case, you’ll have to delegate. It’s good

for each team member to have at 1 pre-expedition and 1

expedition role to play. Do create sub-committees that each

person can sign up for.

Job descriptions Facilitator – just as important as the leader

Assistant leader – to look after the team in your absence

Programmes – responsible for a specific component, say reading

Logistics – making sure everything makes its way there

Fundraising – bringing in the project cost

Finance – looking after the purse strings

Documentation – doing photography and videography

Language – the experts who can do some translation

Medical – provide first aid, but let’s hope you never use them

Teamwork is no

accident. It is the by-

product of good

leadership. – John Adair

59 60

Transportation - budget airlines

Expedition teams need a block booking, so do get on the

mailing lists of budget airlines like Jetstar Asia and Tiger

Airways to hear about the latest offers. Get participants to pay

upfront for their air tickets, as a confirmation of their interest in

the project. It’s also less sticky if someone has to pull out at the

eleventh hour – the responsibility of getting a refund (if at all)

lies with them. Watch your luggage limit too.

Oh, and do carbon offset your flights if possible.

http://www.climatecare.org/

Transportation - travel agents

If you’re not going for a budget destination, it’s important to

have a good travel agent. It might seem more convenient to

go for the big guns like Chan Brothers, but mega travel

agents are usually more interested in selling travel packages

then worrying about every single part of your itinerary.

And when it comes to making last-minute changes to your

flight ticket, group discounts, and making open jaw bookings,

small agencies are much more accommodating. Here are

some travel agents who have treated us well. Do compare

them with other travel agents for the best deals.

Misa Travel Blk 531A Upper Cross Street, #03-106. E-mail Ida at

ida@misatravel.com, or call 6538 0318.

Choice Travels & Tours

The Adelphi, 1 Coleman Street, #03-46. Ask for Jina Joseph

at therightchoice@choicetravels.com.sg, or call 67206878.

Palm Travel 15 Queens Street, #04-03, Tan Chong Tower. Contact

Georgin Loo at georginloo@pacific.net.sg, or 63349233.

61 62

Transportation – in-country

Is the vehicle you’re planning to travel in safe? It’s a

commonly asked question, but one which you might have

no answers to. Here are some precautions you can take to

lower your risk profile.

Planes Some domestic carriers may come across as cheap, but

check that against their reputation and propensity for

delayed flights. Also, some airport conveyor belts have a

funny habit of spitting out your bags with the flimsy lock you

used wrenched open – this can be avoided by simply using

a much more intimidating lock.

Trains If you’re taking an overnight sleeper train, invest in a padlock and

chain, to ensure that your whole backpack doesn’t go missing the

next morning. Keep your valuables close to you.

Buses Avoid the rush hour/last buses as far as possible. If it’s not

possible, look out for gender segregated seats – some countries

have female-only seats in buses, for instance. And make sure

that your female participants don’t commute alone – such

confined spaces may invite opportunistic sexual harassment.

Jeeps If you’re going to be traversing the mountain side, find a jeep and

driver you can trust. Car pooling for jeeps is quite common. Oh,

and keep your limbs within the vehicle.

Tuk tuks / autos / songthaews Likely to do detours and take you on the scenic route in Bangkok,

or be unlicensed and run into police trouble in Laos – in addition

to introducing you to the best of street level pollution. Make sure

you at bargain hard before you start, if there’s no meter.

Vehicle capacity Understand first that there is no such thing. But here are some

numbers that have been eye-witnessed: family of 5 for a bike, 6

for a tuk-tuk (one on each side of the driver), 14 for a jeep. So far.

63 64

Accommodation - Setting up camp Clean up

Once they reach base, the tendency for most teams is to simply

unpack all they have and start setting up their own little villages. Stop.

Instead, mobilise the team, while the sleeping area is still unused, to

do a thorough clean up of your living quarters. Decide where your wet

clothes are going to hang, and whose feet are going to be in whose

face at night. You’ll thanks yourselves when hygiene standards start

dropping.

Theft Your host partner might be clean as a whistle, but there’s no guarantee

that his neighbours will behave likewise. Padlock all bags when leaving

the room (especially if it’s an open concept hostel). It’s not just about

protecting yourself – but it’s also about protecting your hosts from

suspicion.

Blackouts/brownouts Can be quite common in the rural areas in developing countries, and

might happen at a fixed hour every day, which may affect your

schedule. Check in advance with your hosts. As an alternative, hook

up a couple of car batteries – they can last 2 weeks!

Maps Have maps back to your base camp from the nearest landmark,

annotated with the address in the local language. At if you’re putting up

at a hotel for the night, remember to get their name cards.

66 65

When one door of happiness

closes, another opens; but

often we look so long at the

closed door that we do not

see the one which has been

opened for us. – Helen Keller

Accommodation – home stays Home stays Home stays might be the way to go if your host partner is unable to

find suitable accommodation. This may be good as some local

families might want to extend their hospitality to your team, and it’s

a good learning experience. On the other hand, it’s a leap of faith if

you don’t know how the host families were chosen, and might

expose your team to unknown risks.

Bedbugs Regardless of where you stay, do look out for bed bugs, which can

devour your skin at night. A good bath can get rid of them, but the

best solution is still to use your own sleeping bags.

Noise levels You can usually tell if a Singaporean group is nearby by the

amount of noise generated. This noise is amplified in housing with

thin walls, so do be a good guest and refrain from making a racket,

especially when other guests are sleeping.

Bathing Sometimes, facilities might simply not exist. The girls in the team

may want to follow the local women, who may use sarongs to

cover their modesty, but this isn’t advisable as foreigners still

attract more attention. Beware of toilet stalls with gaping holes.

67 68

I went to the woods because I

wished to live deliberately…

and not, when I came to die,

discover that I had not lived. –

H.D. Thoreau, Walden

Accommodation - food Marketing As an outsider with little concept of how much goods actually cost

at the wet market, you’re liable to get hoodwinked if you go

bargaining on your own. Where convenient, entrust your money to

one of your host partners, or even tag along to see how the

haggling is done – and then do it yourself!

Singapore food Bring ingredients from Singapore, not just because you miss

home-cooked food, but also because it’s a great opportunity to

share your local cuisine with your hosts. Easy-to-prepare comfort

foods are useful for when someone is down is stomach flu.

Halal food Some countries have this in short order (Laos comes to mind), so

do check with your team members on where their tolerance level

is. Remember, no pork no lard is not the same as halal, and some

Muslim restaurants may not even have the halal certificate. An

alternative would be to stock up in the city – Bangkok’s 7-11 stores

stock halal food, for example.

Disparity One group in Indonesia encountered a situation where all the

children on the host side ate Indo Mee everyday, whereas the

Singapore team got meat to eat, as part of the host’s hospitality.

No easy answers here.

Dietary requirements

You will have team members with dietary restrictions.

Some may be Jews who take only kosher food, or lacto-

vegetarians (ie. not even eggs and milk), others may

simply be petulant and eat only white rice for 15 straight

days (true story here). Whatever the case, ask in advance

what their situation is.

70 69

Accommodation - food Vegetarian food If you’re going to India, vegetarian food can be found in every

other restaurant. And remember, just because it’s vegetarian

food, it doesn’t mean that it’s halal too.

Fruits As a rule of thumb, if they’ve been left lying in the open, forget

it. Especially if it’s cut watermelon, which has a tendency to

absorb bacteria. So eat only those which have been washed

before hand and freshly cut (or peeled by your hand), and even

then in small amounts. Supplement with multivitamins.

Kitchen help Helping out in the kitchen might not be on your list of your

team’s things to accomplish, but it’s a great way to integrate

yourself into the daily living of your hosts, by understanding first

hand how much trouble it takes to cook the extra side dishes

for your team’s lunch.

Cultural acclimatisation No roadside food, however tempting it looks, unless you

actually see the entire process of cooking in front of you. And

eat where the locals eat – that’s usually a safe bet. And

accepting food from friendly villagers? Now, that’s another story

altogether.

Case Study

A team to Kolkata happened to have a chef on their

team who wanted to cook spaghetti for the girls in a

shelter home. The home superintendent said that the

girls wouldn’t like it, but the team was persistent. The

spaghetti turned out great, but the girls politely took a

bite and then declined to finish it. It was a lesson in

trusting your host, especially when it comes to matters

of food.

71 72

Accommodation -Water #2 Purifying Tablets You can also dissolve those purifying tablets each time you drink,

but take note – Puritabs needs minimum amount of water, and at

least ½ an hour to dissolve. But even with the best of all

precautions, you can still fall ill due to travellers’ diarrhoea –

when you start drinking water which though clean, has a different

composition.

#3 Adapt Drinking less than clean water is unavoidable, and if you want to

avoid it at all costs, it's possible (though troublesome), but in the

long run, it pays to build up your resistance to such germs. A

practical recommendation is simply to adapt. Start off with regular

mineral water. Then go for restaurant-served water. Try taking

small sips to see if your stomach likes it. If it doesn't agree, cut it

out altogether. Otherwise, take increasingly larger amounts of

water until comfortable.

Sharing water Oh, and if you’re sharing water, don’t touch your lips to the mouth

of the bottle – it’s a quick way for germs to transmit between

people. A group in Bangalore once contracted stomach flu in this

way.

Yes, there are urban legends such as the team which sent a

few cartons of mineral water by Fed Ex. Or the girl who fainted

from dehydration because the toilet was too far away and so

she didn’t drink water so that she wouldn’t need to go. So pay

attention.

#1 Mineral Water

You can be extra fastidious about it – buying only bottled water

that comes in a carton and not singly packed in order to avoid

repackaged water, double boiling your water, and even

brushing your teeth with this water instead of the tap. But you’ll

also waste a tremendous amount of plastic in the process.

However, in Cambodia and Laos you have the option of getting

20 gallon containers which are reusable.

73 74

Accommodation – Alcohol

Leaders may be asked to drink alcohol as part of hospitality.

Do balance the risk of offending your host against the

possible negative impression of Singaporeans that may

result. In some village communities, alcohol has destroyed

entire families, and so if you reveal that you’re a drinker

(however casual or social), you may be viewed with suspicion

in the eyes of villagers. Avoid drinking in front of children.

Stay sober on the plane, so that you’ll look fresh for the

customs officials. Oh, and there are some legitimate reasons

to reject a drink: 1) I’m under-aged, 2) I’m allergic, 3) It’s

against my religion

Accommodation – Smoking

75 76

The issue of girls smoking is a tricky one. While commonly

accepted in Singapore, in some rural communities, this can be

interpreted as a certain sort of “looseness”, and at the very

least invites some unkind comments.

The safer route then is for all smokers, guys and girls, to simply

practice smoking tactically. This may involve traveling a bit off-

site in order to indulge in a puff, or designating a ‘smokers’

room.

And at all times, smokers should be mindful of the health of

non-smokers in the group, who do suffer due to second-hand

smoke.

What is true success in life?

It means winning in your

battle with yourself. –

Daisaku Ikeda

Accommodation -Sanitation

Out of sight, out of mind. This is the typical Singaporean

attitude towards our faeces, which is fine when you have a

state-of-the-art waste treatment system. But in a rural

environment, it can end up polluting the surrounding

groundwater (and wells) or open water systems such as

rivers.

In some cases, waste disposal and sewage systems may

not be in place (such as in Sabah), and your team may be

required to construct them from scratch. As much as is

possible, do try to adapt to local systems. In any case, do

be sensitive to situations where the size of the team

impacts on the local infrastructure.

Toilet paper Be scrupulous with the amount you use, and avoid plush 3-

ply varieties. You’re very likely to choke sewage systems

which have been working well for years, and cause the septic

tank to overflow. Nasty business, that. One way to avoid this

is to have a waste paper basket just next to the bowl, which

you can tie up and dispose of separately.

Ecological sanitation Fortunately, there is a solution. Together, faeces and urine

mixed can be a lethal combination, full of bacteria-carrying

pathogens. But separate them from the start, and not only do

you eliminate the odours, but after a while, you also end up

with 2 different sets of fertilisers! The process is a little more

complicated than this space allows, so read more at

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_sanitation

Food waste disposal Separating your biodegradable rubbish from the rest is a

good solution. As is separating your wet waste (ie. leftovers)

from your dry waste. Even better if you know how to do

composting!

Sanitary pads Some cultures have strict guidelines on how these should be

disposed (such as burning it instead of binning it), so do

check beforehand. 77 78

Logistics – the airport

You’re just emerged from a cramped plane after 4 hours,

looking forward to seeing your host partner, and eager to get

out of the airport as fast as possible. But then you get stuck

at customs. The airport is the first major milestone that the

team crosses together. And doing it well means that you’re

starting off on the right foot. So here are some tips to help

you get through it.

Singapore flag Having this stitched on your shoulder makes things a little

more proper, but make sure you comply with regulations.

(http://www.sg/explore/symbols_flag_guideline.htm)

Count Your Bags It seems simple enough. But overlooking it could mean disaster. To

make it even easier, tag your bags with a brightly coloured ribbons,

so that you can spot them from a mile away on the baggage

carousel.

Survival Luggage Go through customs hoping for the best, but also fully expecting that

your backpack may go missing. Make sure that you’ll be able to

survive for a day with what’s in your carry-on.

Carry the right bag Cardboard boxes set off alarm bells in the minds of customs officials

looking to charge taxes, and usually get inspected. To get your box

of teddy bears or exercise books across, use those semi-circular

travel bags given out for package tours. And spread out your

donations between different bags.

Let the guys Yes, this is an age of gender equality, but when you step into a

patriarchal society, it helps to have your tallest (and friendliest) guy

participant to do the negotiations, regardless of whether the

expedition leader is female.

79 80

Security o Money belt – never let your passport out of your sight, or at

least, away from your body. If your chosen hostel doesn’t

provide a safe, or if your work site is too unsafe, consider

leaving them with your local embassy.

o ATM card – as long as it has the Cirrus or Plus logo on the

back, you can draw money from most overseas ATMs. Do

note however, that there is a small service charge.

o Small travelling locks – to secure belongings in your

lodging, especially if you’re staying in a dorm with other

travellers. Number locks do not work well, and small locks

can be pried open. So do invest in a solid lock. For overnight

train travel, an additional chain is necessary to prevent

people from whisking the entire bag away.

Blend in o Local ethnic clothes – not just for your multi-racial Rasa

Sayang dances, wearing appropriate attire ensures that you

don’t attract the wrong sort of attention.

o Female clothing – girls should pay special care to the local

customs, which may frown upon the baring of knees or

shoulders. And don’t forget high-waisted pants, to avoid

inadvertent exposure when you bend down to do work.

Technology o Polaroid camera – so you can leave behind some

memories for your host!

o Universal electrical plug adaptor & multiplugs – look for

these at your local hardware store or at Mustafa’s. Take

note of voltage conversion if necessary.

o Laptop – only if you’re a diehard flashpacker, or need to

edit movies on the go. One per team is more than enough.

o Flashlight with batteries – rechargeable is good. Tea light

candles are also useful in blackouts.

Creature comforts o Sleeping bag – examine closely all mattresses that you

sleep on – they may be infested with bedbugs. A sleeping

bag is a good backup wherever you go.

o Family photos – because people love asking about where

you come from. Bring pictures of Singapore!

o Journals – it helps to be able to constantly reflect on your

experience.

o Lip gloss – don’t be macho about it. Cracked lips hurt.

81 82

Logistics – Other Gear

Medical - general

Check up Don’t rely solely on the doctors who sign the declaration form to

prove that your participant is fit for the expedition. One doctor in

particular refused to prescribe a girl an inhaler, seeing that her

childhood asthma had long passed. Because of the chilly

weather during her expedition, she relapsed and nearly lost her

life, if not for the intervention of her teammates. So do find out

about your team’s medical history - there might be information

that they didn’t think important enough to declare.

Health records On your team contact list, do list in addition each member’s

blood type, allergies and past medical conditions. The

usefulness of such information cannot be underestimated.

Immunisation Typical injections to get are those for typhoid, cholera, Hep A and

tetanus, but do check with the Traveller’s Clinic at Tan Tock Seng

Hospital. Campus clinics and polyclinics are also good options.

Malaria You have to start taking malaria pills 2 weeks in advance and

continue for 1 week after your expedition. They’re not foolproof

either, so do use your sprays and mosquito nets as well.

First aid training There are several service providers in Singapore, including the

Red Cross and St John’s, but one of the better ones has been

Emergencies First Aid & Rescue. Not only are the courses lively,

but they’re also facilitated by a former paramedic.

Emergency Evacuation Plan You should have your evacuation procedure planned out. There

are 2 parts to this: a route from your worksite to the nearest

hospital, plus a flowchart which details how information and action

will occur in the event of an emergency, along with important

numbers such as ISOS, MFA, your host partner and contacts in

Singapore. The condition of some rural hospitals can be atrocious.

You may save time getting to them, but you may not save lives.

Stick with ISOS-approved hospitals, and remember that for rural

locations you need latitude-longitude coordinates, as well as

information about airstrip or helicopter landing sites. 83 84

First Aid Kits Entire first aid kits, stocked with all the necessary items, can now be

bought at your neighbourhood pharmacy. But having all the equipment is

little use if you don’t have it around. So carry your first aid kit wherever

you go, because you never know when you might need it.

And if for some reason, the team needs to split up among different

worksites, then more kits are needed. Do make sure that the assigned

first aiders in the team are split up as well.

Kit Essentials

o Charcoal pills (activate carbon) are an essential item in here for

upset stomachs.

o Diarrhoea – oral rehydration salts are a quick solution. After all, they

save the lives of babies in sub-Saharan Africa. To whip up a quick

batch, mix 1 litre of water with 3 tablespoons of salt and 3

tablespoons of sugar.

o Panadol & bandages are also quickly used up, as is medicated

wound dressing.

o Larger-sized teams would do well to invest in a trauma kit, which

would include such things as a neck brace. Other useful items

include a mouth tube to assist in CPR.

o Cover litter – a portable stretcher is always handy. If necessary, a

stretcher can be improvised with 2 poles and 2 guys’ shirts.

o Axe Brand Oil – in case you meet some nasty leeches. Or motion

sickness.

Medical – first aid

85 86

Lost wealth may be replaced

by industry, lost knowledge by

study, lost health by

temperance or medicine, but

lost time is gone forever. –

Samuel Smiles

Facilitation – the basics Facilitation for youth However, the issue facing many who work with today’s youth

is that for some of them, facilitation can become a drag.

Mention the word facilitation, and they withdraw themselves

into their shells, as if waiting for a counselling session.

Having to dredge their inner emotions and trying to explain

their motivations for something they did earlier in the day is a

tedious process.

Invisible facilitation

What has helped is the use of ‘invisible facilitation’. Sure, you

can have your out-and-out facilitation sessions every 3 nights

like Life Journey, but everything else can be structured as a

game to reflect on.

And facilitation doesn’t have to happen when everyone sits

down at night. It can happen in the middle of work, with a

choice word to a volunteer who seems frustrated. Throw your

ideas about format and jargon out the window – facilitation at

its heart is really about having a series of meaningful

conversations that enable a person to learn about

themselves.

But the best kind of facilitation is when you don’t even have to

speak. =)

Facilitation is much too broad a topic to cover in this guide.

In fact, it’s well deserving of a book of its own. And purists

will argue that facilitation isn’t something that can be

captured and penned down – it’s more like a life skill that

has to be practised over and over again. Which is not to

say that it can’t be learnt – it can. Just not in one week.

So where does one practise facilitation, since opportunities

have to be manufactured in the field? Why, in your

everyday situations, for a start. It is a life skill, after all.

87 88

How: All the participants stand in a tight circle facing each other,

then reach their right hand over to the opposite side of the circle

and grasp another hand. Then you do the same with the left hand,

making sure that you don’t get the hand of the same person. Then

they try to undo the human knot, without letting go of their hands!

Points of note: if the group is composed of boys and girls, even if

they know each other, take caution as there is close proximity and

stepping under and over people. The easy solution would be to

simply create 2 circles.

Variation: if the group is made of people who have done this

before, or if the knot has few people, then the game can be made

more challenging by simply asking them to close their eyes.

Questions to ask in facilitation: If each one of you was a

problem in this issue we are facing, what would you be? How can

we get all the different actors in this situation to co-operate? Was

there a leader among you who emerged and directed the efforts?

Who would this be in real life? Who was the outsider here - was

he/she passively watching, or actively involved in untying the knot?

Does such a person have the best perspective on the situation?

Complications: there are occasions where the knot cannot be

untied, no matter how the participants twist and turn. This is a

Gordian knot, symbolising issues in life that cannot be solved.

Facilitation – Life Journey Facilitation – Human Tangle

Life Journey is a great opportunity to develop group trust, as well as to give individuals some insight on where their lives have taken them. You’ll need large pieces of mahjong paper, lots of markers and reflective music. Choose an area conducive for this activity, such as a rooftop. Begin the activity by sharing a personal story of your own, and share with them how you have found Life Journeys or expeditions beneficial. This is often the case - when a group of people have to live with each other 24 hours for a few weeks, they will naturally get to know a lot about each other - and even some things that their friends back in Singapore might not! Life Journeys can be drawn in several ways - some people use a linear approach, while others use a mindmap or even radial structures. It may be filled with words, or just a few basic symbols, which the person elaborates upon. It may touch on major turning points in a person’s life, or the people they have met. Recognise that each presentation is unique and reflective of that individual. It is important that the person sharing should not be interrupted until he/she has finished sharing.

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Facilitation – Social Tree

This activity will help participants to appreciate the differences in socio-cultural-political structures of the host country and Singapore. You’ll need flip chart paper and coloured markers for this. Begin by having the group name the main parts of a tree, ie. roots, trunk, branches, leaves and fruits. Explain that each part represents a system in the country they are in. For example, the roots are the infrastructure or economic aspects of a society, while the trunk is the meso-structure or political aspects, and the leaves are the superstructure or ideological aspects of a society. In essence, the tree acts as a metaphor for a country - they can elaborate on this in their drawing of a tree. Do birds nest in this tree? Is it infested with bugs? How does it cross pollinate? Some groups will take it a step further and use a different type of tree, such as a mangrove tree, banyan tree, or even a cactus! The possibilities really are endless here, as long as they can explain it.

Facilitation – Glass Bottle

This is essentially a trust game. A small group forms a tight circle around one of their members, who will have his/her eyes closed and arms crossed over their shoulders/by their side. This person then imagines that he/she is a glass bottle, with feet together and knees aren’t locked or bent, just loose. They can then ‘fall’ in any direction they wish. People in the circle then have to buffer the person’s fall by using both hands to bolster the shoulders, then slowly push them back to their original position, so that they can fall in another direction. For total strangers, this might require a circle of 6-8 people in order for the person in the middle to feel confident. Safety precautions: Each person in the circle must adopt the correct

stance, which is to have both feet grounded, one in front of the other,

and both arms stretched forward with palms open. Only when the circle

says ‘Ready’ and the person in the middle responds with ‘Ready’, does

the game begin. As an additional precaution, there can be 1 facilitator

per group, who walks around the circle or behind the weaker members,

as a second layer of protection.

Facilitation: After playing this game for a while, the person in the middle

might find the motion of being rocked back and forth enjoyable. But

there’s always the chance that someone might be let go because of

complacency. The physical hurt might not be significant, but the real

damage is to the relationship. The person in the middle might find that

he/she is no longer able to trust those around him/her, and lose

confidence altogether. How do you build back such a trust that has been

damaged? 91 92

There have been incidents where the presence of a Singapore

team working on an issue got reported on by the media, and

created rifts between embassies from both sides. If your team

gets into a nasty accident, that might get reported too.

To avoid such unpleasantness, steer clear of anything that has

political implications, and make sure that the message is clear

that you are working in conjunction with a local host partner, so

that it doesn’t seem like you’re pushing your own agenda.

And have the lines of communication crystal clear. All media

enquiries should be directed to a designated spokesperson,

who is usually the leader. Or even better, have a press release

that you can distribute upon request! 93 94

Documentation & Media Photography The tendency is for nearly all of your teammates to whip

out their digital cameras at the first sight of a photogenic

beggar on the street. But this practice labels the team as

cash cows, and can be a distraction at the project site.

Instead, assign one person to be the photographer for the

entire team, and save the paparazzi behaviour for R&R.

Videography The usual advice applies to video cameras as you would

if you were filming in Singapore, with the exception that

you should buy a separate microphone and a sturdy

tripod.

Journals This is different from the journals that are used for

reflections, but is necessary to record the day-to-day

happenings of the expeditions, to serve as an official

record of your itinerary.

Audio recordings All too often neglected, do collect spoken quotes, ambient

sound, and music recordings, which are all useful at the

editing stage for a video, or simply to reminisce.

The Return - Rest & Relaxation

The R&R period is when everyone gets a chance to let

their hair down – along with their guard. For all the

precautions you might have taken to ensure a safe

expedition period, there is a tendency for expedition

leaders to assume that their responsibilities are over.

But common sense still applies, especially since the

group may have splintered into smaller groups for their

individual journeys. Risk assessment may go out the

window. Short of following along, why not just give them

this guidebook?

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The Return - Closing

This is possibly the most important session you’ll have. Your team may have completed the expedition in one piece, but that last night in your accommodation is your best opportunity to have everyone in the same room for one last time, before everyone goes their separate ways. Here are some of the things you’ll need to do: 1) Settle all accounts and receipts.

2) Make sure that all documentation is consolidated, such as

photos and videos.

3) Reflection session - pen in their journals.

4) Debriefing - summarise what went well, what went not so well.

5) Mediation - resolve all outstanding personal conflicts between

team members, or forever hold their peace.

6) Reveal secrets, such as if you’ve been playing the Angel and

Mortal pen pal game.

7) Facilitation - conclude what each’s person’s learning points

were, and how they can work on them when they return to

Singapore.

8) R&R - plan for the upcoming extension trip, if any.

9) Plan - discuss how the team is going to continue to contribute

to either a local or overseas community upon their return.

10) Acknowledge - thank everyone for your participation in the

expedition, acknowledging their contributions individually if

possible.

The Return - Giving Back

In Raleigh Society, this is known as the 4th challenge - giving back to your community. It’s far too easy to give it your all for 3 weeks - then go ahead with the rest of your life as if nothing happened. If real life change has happened in the course of this trip, then

it’s important that you, as the leader, seize upon that

momentum and get your team members plugged into some

kind of community service when they return.

Preferably, this would be related to the project that you were

working on during the expedition, but interests can vary widely.

Check out www.thechoiceinitiative.org/issues.htm for some

useful links to local organisations.

Acknowledgments

This guidebook has been peer edited with members of Expedition SG, a community of Singaporeans with an interest in international volunteerism. It could not have been possible without the valuable input of the following individuals: Willy Ong Chan Ming Wei Oscar Ng Farheen Mukri Tham Chien Ping Cynthia Chang Jacqueline Tan Louis Ho Poh Chien Sheng Tan Hang Chong Tan Tee Tee Thanks also go out to Andrew Lee and Jeremy Ong, for

their kind permission for the use of their photos.

Although The Choice Initiative has taken all reasonable

care in preparing this guide, we make no warranty about

the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the

maximum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from

its use. 97 98

The world is empty if one thinks of

only mountains, rivers, and cities; but

to know someone here and there

who thinks and feel with us, and who,

though distant, is close to us in spirit;

this makes the earth for us an

inhabitable garden. - Johnann

Wolfgang von Goethe

The Guerilla Guide to Youth Expeditions is a project by The Choice Initiative (www.thechoiceinitiative.org), a not-for-profit youth society which was started in January 2004, when a group of young Singaporeans returned from a life-changing Youth Expedition Project to Bangalore, India. Their experience impacted them so much that we felt we had to do something to address the issues facing Singapore's youth.

Copyright & Contributions This document is protected under the Creative Commons

Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported Licence. Visit

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ for details.

In return, we only request that its users contribute their

relevant expedition experiences in order to make this

document even more comprehensive. For contributions, e-

mail theflyinguniversity@yahoo.com.sg

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