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I'm BACK! It's late though... so I'll just be posting the stuff I typed on the plane and then catch up with some rest. Work looms ahead... shall not think about it for now!

Here goes:

I'm currently on board SQ15 from Seoul, about five hours from touching down to Singapore once again.

Well, it's been a good trip on the whole, just that I didn't really get to have much personal time to rest - the schedule's practically packed from day one till the very last day - the only times I had was in the nights when I would take quick strolls and hang round the nearby supermarkets... Haha. I remembered how I enthusiastically wrote long journal entries for my '98 trip to Los Angeles... don't think I'm game to jot down everything in detail this time round... just some bits and pieces and the things that stood out.

The plane touched down at San Francisco International Airport Saturday afternoon... then we're ferried to the Parc 55 Hotel near Union Square where we checked in and immediately went out for a bus city tour. A very chilly experience crossing the golden gate bridge on the exposed second deck of the bus I must say! Haha... but I'm thankful... can still remember the thoughts I had the year before, that it would be great if I could make a visit someday either through ThinkQuest or a personal holiday... and here I am now. :) We had dinner (another thing to be thankful for, for the team and chaperones to be travelling and touring together) at the basement of Macy's, where I had a taste of Boudin, the apparently famous bakery chain. Took a little stroll around the area and enjoyed a bit of the cool and dry air that I last enjoyed ten years ago. Haha... yup, that pretty much summed up the first day.

ThinkQuest Live! officially started on Sunday morning - headed down to the Parc Ballroom where the event's held. There was this staff at the registration counter who recognised my name - she mentioned that she had been with ThinkQuest even before Oracle Education Foundation took over its running... Haha was quite surprised that I'm remembered! Met Hui, the Oracle Foundation staff from Singapore, who's mending one of the registration tables. Chatted a while before heading into the ball room for breakfast.

They have this area where they set up a network of computers connected to the internet for our usage - it was previously known (pre-Oracle days) as the Generator - now it's called the Think Tank. Took the opportunity to check mail first... haha. Ice-breakers came next... then the coaches had a separate "seminar" luncheon in one of the rooms that basically talked about facilitation and role of coaches in general.

The boys had their website showcase in the afternoon - they took turns to present their website while the rest went round the other booths to listen to the other teams. It's heartening to see the way they presented and explained their project to those who surrounded their booth - sure did bring back some memories of me doing the same thing ten years ago! Haha... Had a good chat with Hui exploring the ways we could extend the competition to more students and schools in Singapore in the midst of the showcase - there's this tugging of the heart to know that I could be more involved in the future... but for now, I know the station where I am to keep to, and as far as He has led, I'll just continue to trust in His leading and provision. Haha... yeah I know this sounds cryptic. :P

Welcome dinner was held at a yatch club near to the golden gate bridge... we were treated to some great sunset views of the area (check out the photos! (: ) before returning back to the hotel.

Monday marked the start of the workshop. The entire team opted together to attend the "Sustainable Design" workshop - we visited Argone, a kindergarten with 'green' architechture and also a private "showcase" apartment built entirely on 'green' concepts - very posh looking! The most amazing part is that it has a huge wind turbine that generates about two-thirds of the house's electricity needs.

We're tasked on the second day to think of sustainable house designs - each group was given a different area of the house to think about: energy, water, public stuff (living room, kitchen) and private stuff (toilet, bathroom). The groups were taught brainstorming rules and engaged in a time of disccussion before each team came up with their ideas. Ruijin and Fanghui were in the private stuff group... they invented this all-in-one self sustained toilet seating furniture that doubles up as toilet bowl, work space, shower... you get the idea. They later termed it as iPoot in their presentation to everyone on the third day... which brought much laughter in the hall. Most of them understood it as iPoop, as Poot isn't exactly a term that most would know. Haha... cheecky boys.

We went to the Alcatraz and the Exploratorium for our excursions... The audio tour in Alcatraz was interesting - it was an intersting sight too to see the throngs of tourists walking around the place in unison but in different paces, each listening to the audio device given to us. It's interesting too to note how money is being made now off a defunct prision facility... Haha. Exploratorium was cool though!! We were given two hours or so to explore the place... I didn't have time to finish all the science exhibits. Spent a little time in the shop before we were supposed to meet up again to return to hotel... was contemplating hard whether to make some purchases... there's this air pump gun that shoots out a strong puff of air which caught my attention... but I had to leave before I had enough time to clearly make a decision. Sigh! Now it feels like there's unfinished business... I want to get back there! Haha...

Met up with Jason!!! Haha... he's an American friend whom I've met face to face in 1998 - ever since then we've been in contact - had the privilege to have an extended stay at his place in San Diego back then... twice! Haha... Worked subsequently with his mom on a couple more winning projects in 1999 and 2000. He saw my Facebook status and knew about my location, popped a message to say that he's just forty plus minutes from my hotel... and so we arranged to meet on the only free afternoon I had - Wednesday afternoon, before the Awards ceremony in the evening. He came to the hotel... we took a walk round the area. He called Mrs. A (his mom) on his cellphone and we had a chat for about twenty minutes while walking... eight years since I've last heard her voice!! :D We bought Ben & Jerry's and headed towards Union Square to sit and chat... had a good time hearing from him about his work at Microsoft and his dances. Really appreciated him making his way down just to catch up! :)

Then the highlight of the week's events began - the Awards Dinner and Ceremony. It was held in some theatre - we had red carpet treatment complete with paparazzi-like photo taking... hats off to the people at Oracle Foundation. Haha...

I'm sure this has been quite an experience for the five of them, as well as for all the other privileged students. One of the students from India noted something on the last day during farewell dinner... which I resonated with very much in my heart, that ThinkQuest really has given much to those who've participated in it in its true form - the chance to taste international collaboration, and especially for the lesser privileged, the chance to travel and have their experience of a lifetime.

Which is why I really hope that this year the boys will learn to go beyond their personal comforts and their focus simply to win the contest, but be challenged enough to meet new friends from over the world and work on meaningful projects. Exciting days ahead...! :)