Dinyahloreng

Updates!

2005-10-27T15:36:00.000+08:00

Chosen for NS?

Don't worry.

It's not as bad as you think.

Really.

We from the Dinyahloreng Team assure you that NS can actually be (gasp) fun, and want to make sure you're prepared to face the stripes.

Don't know what to bring? Not sure what to expect? Not exactly Mr. or Ms. Adventure? Don't worry about it. Tour our site and prepare yourselves.

Learn the local lingo.

Read about experiences from fellow survivo- erm, we mean former NS trainees.

And check out our top ten list (just updated!) while you're at it.

Dinyahloreng.

Uncut. Uncensored. Unstriped.

Any questions? comments? Email us at dinyahloreng@gmail.com. We'll be happy to hear from you.

New Top Ten List!

2005-09-27T21:59:00.000+08:00

Check out our new top ten list in our "Top Ten Quips of NS".

Top Ten Reasons to Shave Your Head in NS.

New entry submissions are welcome for our next

top ten... reasons to stay single in NS.

Send us your ideas and comments.

Announcements

2004-12-05T17:33:00.000+08:00

Say 'Yes2NS'

Many of us have that 'yes2ns' card. We in the Dinyahloreng Team can still remember lining up anxiously to get that coveted piece of identification, proving to the world that yes, we did go to NS, and no... we're not making all the audacious tales up.

Those small, plastic coated, rectangular badges (some with a horrid picture of ourselves in front) still lie comfortably in our wallets.

Right?

The only thing besides the scars on our backs and the certificates to prove that we are (ahem) superior to those mere mortals who did not get chosen...

But then again. Really. Were the discounts and 'privileges' all that great? Not much to shout about la.

This Dinyahloreng Team writer here has never even used it (sheepish grin).

Very... Pai Say* la. I'm too embarrassed to show the card to the cashier...

Anyone else feel that way?

Do you guys and gals feel that it really is a form of identity worth keeping in your wallet?

Or is MyKad enough?

* 'pai say' is roughly translated 'malu' or 'shy'

Welcome!

2004-11-12T23:31:00.000+08:00

Welcome to DinyahLoreng.com!

A site dedicated to all the "wira and wirawati" that went or are going for National Service (Program Khidmat Negara) in Malaysia.

First of all. Dinyah-what?

Dinyahloreng is a term we came up with to depict the unstriping of the National Service (NS) uniforms. 'Loreng' is short for 'Celoreng' (the term used to describe the NS striped military-like uniforms) and 'Dinyah' refers to the process of 'Undoing' or 'Removing' something (e.g. dinyahwarna - to remove the colour). It is a figurative way of saying that we would like to dig deeper and cut through the stripes of NS to unravel its true face. Uncut, uncensored and unstriped.

Many of us who are going for NS are not sure what to expect. Will it be tough? How are the toilets? Must I cut my hair? Why ME?

We at DinyahLoreng.com. know what it's like to be chosen for NS. Anxiously waiting, crying, throwing tantrums and bracing ourselves for the worst possible scenarios. We felt it too right from the moment we received the fateful "tahniah anda dipilih" line when we dialled the number with quivering hands. We want to put those fears to rest (or err, realise them) through the articles in this website.

The articles range from topics of what to do, what to bring, what to expect... along with other areas of interest such as the cheers performed during group events, and our very own 'Top Ten of NS".

Hopefully, you will be able to get a clear picture of what to expect, and be able to prepare yourselves adequately to face NS. What to bring, and what to discard, how to act and speak, methods of outdoor survival and what not.

For those of us veterans who have already gone, we have a few pages totally dedicated for you to put up your experiences... the horror, the gore... romance and passion. Stories like tales of miraculous survival and accounts of true love found, and your daily escapades.

As yet, the pages remain quite empty, but that will change as we fill it with all your narratives, accounts and insights of National Service in Malaysia. Although we realise that nearly all of the blog-site is in English, we hope that we will draw trainees who speak other languages as well. Don't worry about your grammar, this is not a boring lesson. Rojak, baku, whatever...it's all good. We encourage you to send in your stuff to make this site more effective and informative, as well as more fun.

So there you have it. DinyahLoreng.com.

Uncut, uncensored, unstriped.

We hope you'll enjoy your visit.

Important Contacts

2004-11-12T23:20:00.000+08:00

1. List of Hotline Numbers for Jabatan Lembaga Khidmat Negara is as follows:-

03-26815760 , 03-26812476,
03-26817298 , 03-26813771,
03-26819729 , 03-26811554,
03-26819070 , 03-26818543

2. 'Hotline' number to check whether you have been selected as for NS - 603-26813446 or use http://www.khidmatnegara.gov.my/ns/chkPartLocation.jsp - link to check using IC

3. Address:

The National Service Training Council Malaysian Ministry of Defence

Level 8, TH Selborn Tower

153 Jalan Tun Razak

50400 KUALA LUMPUR

(Source: Article by Deborah Johnson, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in AseanFocus.com)

Pros and Cons of Deferment

2004-11-02T01:03:00.000+08:00

The letter arrived. You don't want to go? Well, don't panic... check if you can be exempted before you go into hyperventilation.

Checklist Of Eligibility For Exemption

1 Individuals suffering from mental disorders under the Mental Disorders Ordinance, 1952 [ Ord. 31/1952 ], psychiatric patients under the Mental Health Ordinance (Sarawak), 1961 [ Ord. Sarawak 16/1961 ] or individuals suffering from insanity under the Insane Persons Ordinance (Sabah), 1951 [ Chapter 74 Sabah ].

2 Individuals certified by a Government Medical Officer to be suffering from a physical disability that renders him/her unable to undergo the national service training

3 Individuals serving a prison sentence.

4 Individuals being detained under any law then applicable in relation to preventive detention.

5 Individuals undergoing treatment and rehabilitation, or undergoing prolonged care under the Drug Dependents (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act, 1983 [ Act 283 ].

6 Individuals being detained under the Child Act, 2001 [ Act 612 ].

7 Individuals certified by a Government Medical Officer to be inflicted with a life-threatening disease.

8 Individuals certified by a Government Medical Officer to be inflicted with an infectious disease under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act, 1988 [ Act 342 ].

Okay, so maybe you don't qualify for exemption.
The next option: Deferment.

Checklist Of Eligibility For Deferment

The National Service Training Programme will commence on 16 February 2004. All selected participants have been notified through newspapers, registered letters, and the National Service Training Department's website. Selected participants who wish to apply for postponement may do so. The criteria for postponement are as follows:

a. The individual will be sitting for a major examination during the year in which he/she is required to undergo the National Service Training; or

b. The individual is furthering his/her studies during the period in which he/she is required to undergo the National Service Training; or

c. Any other circumstances that could possibly cause great difficulty upon the individual should he/she undergo the National Service Training.

Hm.. Maybe got chance then, you think... But wait, don’t press that dial just yet! Let’s weigh the pros and cons…

Pros

1. You waste less time, and complete your education faster.

- SAM only has one intake. Either you go in Jan 2005, or Jan 2006. Waste a year? Life is short. Going in for the first intake of A-Levels (or equivalent) can really help not waste 3 months of absolutely nothing to do. These months can be spent sleeping until you can’t sleep anymore, and watching tv until you wanna puke. Unless you have something really good to do during the months just before and after NS (before 2nd intake) you’ll be in for a BORE. Of course, you could always go for the first intake, then go for NS, then come back and take extra classes… but believe me, it’s terrible. You’ll come back to college, having missed 3 months of socializing with your friends, missing out on the inside jokes and stories… and before you know it, it’s trials!

2. Short term solution

- It’s a good short term solution. What about long term? Please refer to Cons.

3. There’s always the chance that NS will be aborted in the future.

- NS is such a bad idea that it definitely will be cancelled sooner or later right? Well, consider how much the government has invested into NS, and you just can’t be so sure. However, it can happen. Be optimistic. Arnold is governor of California. Then again, NS isn't such a bad idea is it?

Cons

1. It’s no fun being the only 25 year old amidst 18 year old kids.

- I need not elaborate on that one.

2. No peace of mind.

- Knowing you’ll be called back to complete your service sooner or later can leave you feeling very uneasy… and you never know when it’ll affect your plans. Imagine… at the altar. With quivering lips you utter the words, “I do…” only to receive an SMS calling you back for NS. But you’re in London! You’re going to the Bahamas for your honey moon! The poor husband/wife will have to tour the Bahamas alone.

3. Bersusah-susah dahulu…

- There’s an old poem: berakit-akit ke hulu, berenang-renang ke tepian. Bersusah-susah dahulu, bersenang-senang kemudian. There’s a lot of truth in that. You’ll probably have to go through it anyway… better now than later, right?

4. NS is probably here to stay

- Those lofty hopes that NS will be cancelled… well. We wouldn’t bet on it la. This is the pessimistic view. The optimistic view? See Pros.

Conclusion

We can think of only one really good reason to defer from your NS duties: you don’t lose so much time. Even then, missing a few months while waiting for college to start has more plus points than you might think. You could always do that Starbucks™ job you were eyeing… or finaaally finish ‘The Lord of The Rings’… you could even go on a hiking trip around the country, experiencing all the sights and experiences this country has to offer. You could write a book, or a computer program… learn French and/or Japanese… The possibilities are infinite.

Besides, the girl/guy of your dreams is probably in the 2nd intake anyway.

Bottom line? The cons outweigh the pros. Go for NS!

Any thoughts? Email us at dinyahloreng@gmail.com or simply type it out in the comments box below.

You’ve Won the Lottery!

2004-11-02T01:01:00.000+08:00

It’s interesting to note, how unlikely it actually is to get chosen for NS in the first place. Let’s take a look. This year:-
almost 473, 000 1987-ers...
the statistics:
18% chosen.
out of which...
49% girls.
28% chinese.
probability of female getting chosen: 0.02%
probability of male getting chosen: 0.03%

Aren’t you lucky? One of the select few chosen to represent your age group on National Service.

And you thought you weren’t special.

Be a Native Speaker

2004-11-01T23:43:00.000+08:00

When you're stuck with a bunch of people from different backgrounds in a strange environment for a period of 3 whole months, a sort of 'assimilation' takes place. New cultures are formed, traditions are born, and unique words that only NS people understand start to appear.

Here's a look at the some of the odd, but unique NS jargon:-

Cinta kontrak A mutual agreement between two interested parties whereby the relationship only lasts so long as their stripes remain. After returning home, the relationship is regarded null and void.
Skodeng (a very disturbing slang word used by male trainees with hormonal imbalance). Peeping. *on girls lah!*
Kasut spike One of the many names for the common boot, others including ‘Spike but’, ‘kasut but’ and interchangeable variations.
Kiwi Commonly mistaken for the flightless New Zealand bird and/or furry fruit, this is a sticky, black, sirim approved substance used to shine kasut spike/spike but/kasut but. Also used as a verb (e.g. ‘kau dah kiwi kasut?’)
Faci Abbreviation for ‘Facilitator’ which was the title given to the Kakaks and Abangs who were hired to watch over us in the university campuses
“Rapatkan Tumit!” A command given by drill sergeants when marching, especially when roasting in the blistering hot sun while practising for marching competitions
The classic Wira dan Wirawati Collective term used when referring to NS trainees, parallel to the term ‘Ladies and Gentlemen’. Direct translation would be ‘Heroes and Heroines’.
Dalam keadaan kuda-kuda One of the stances in TTS (Tendang Tak Sampai… no, just kidding… Tempur Tanpa Senjata which is a fancy name for Taekwando)
BeB! Word painfully overused by one of the characters (the bald macha…remember?) in the video tape that was part of the Character Building syllabus. Other memorabilia from the video include the Clap-Flap Dance (The Mat Rock dude would start the intro of the song with a Clap and a Flap, while his head would boppity bop to the music)

Know any more NS jargon? We would love to hear from you! Email us at dinyahloreng@gmail.com or simply type it out in the comments box.

Around The World In 80 Stripes

2004-10-31T18:09:00.000+08:00

Although military service is common around the world, there are many different types… the most obvious difference being whether you are forced to undergo it or if it is voluntary.
Malaysia however has a military service program AND a totally different national service program, where it isn’t exactly commando training and this is what you came to this website to find out about. Our National Service is similar to the National Service of Korea and Singapore, though again there are many differences. In order to show you how different Program Khidmat Negara is from military service around the world, here are a few examples of countries so that you can understand a little bit more about military service.

Military Service: Military service refers to a citizen’s commitment to defend his or her country by serving in the armed forces. The military is often made up of several different branches, such as the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force. Each branch specializes in a different type of defense. The Army fights battles on the ground, the Navy fights battles at sea, and the Air Force fights battles from the air.

United States: Although U.S. military service is voluntary, the government requires all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 26 to register for possible service. During national emergencies that require a rapid increase in military personnel, service becomes mandatory for the men who are chosen. Switzerland: Switzerland has no official armed forces. Instead, all male citizens between the ages of 20 and 50 are required to serve in the militia, or citizen army. Citizens go through 15 weeks of initial military training. They then attend a two to three week training camp every year after. If a citizen has physical conditions that prevent him from serving, he must pay a special tax.

Australia: In Australia, military service is entirely voluntary. Both men and women may enlist in the military. Although many other countries require citizens to be 18 years old, in Australia citizens as young as 16 are accepted into the armed forces.

Egypt: Egyptian men between the ages of 18 and 30 must serve their country for three years. Those with college degrees are only required to serve 18 months. Most Egyptian men serve in the armed forces, but some work as police officers or prison guards.

Chile: All Chilean men between the ages of 18 and 40 are eligible for military service, but only a fraction end up serving in the armed forces. The Chilean government also has a policy that at least 10 percent of those selected are illiterate citizens. These men are taught to read and write during their period of service.

Disclaimer: Information obtained from http://www.worldatlases.com/gi/cltr_MS.pdf (Ó NYSTROM Division of Herff Jones, Inc.)

Hey and closer to home, we have the Singaporean version of national service, Basic Military Training.

http://singaporearmystories.blogspot.com is the site for tales of singaporean national service, go check it out now and find out what it's like across the Causeway.

What To Bring

2004-10-31T17:15:00.001+08:00

Alright, this is what all you people who have just been enlisted for NS will be asking at some point or the other.
This is the list on the official NS website (www.khidmatnegara.gov.my) , compiled for your easy reference (Thank you, thank you very much..):-

Pakaian untuk kegunaan sendiri selepas kelas, waktu malam dan hujung minggu selama sebulan di kem dan dua bulan di IPT. Ini termasuklah pakaian dalam, pakaian mandi, pakaian tidur, kelengkapan untuk bersolat (Muslim) dan sebagainya.
Keperluan kelengkapan kemasan diri seperti sabun mandi, berus gigi, ubat gigi, sikat rambut dan sebagainya.
Keperluan mencuci pakaian sendiri seperti sabun/serbuk pencuci, berus, penyangkut baju dan sebagainya.
Sijil KelahiranKad PengenalanSijil-sijil yang berkaitan

This is all good and right and true, but here is a list of other things they DON’T tell you to bring. Trust us on this, okay:-
Slippers (These are so easily forgotten, but so intensely regretted later)
Sarong (This is for the girls, guys don’t really have a problem. Learn how to wear it if you don’t already know! Otherwise, get ready for a bonding session with your campmates when they teach to how )
Extra bathing pants for guys… as they somehow go missing the next day. Make that extra ugly, cheap bathing pants. Oh, by the way. Make sure they’re DARK colored, so there aren’t any see-thru moments.
Bring some nice clothes. Don’t make the mistake of thinking NS is all sweat and macho stuff, there will be *social gatherings*.
Unless JLKN says otherwise, DO BRING YOUR HANDPHONE! It’s your only form of communication with the outside world and here’s always a long line at the public phone booth.
Somehow, suntan lotion doesn’t really work (not even SPF 50) but if you REALLY want to, go ahead.. (*sings “You’re So Vain” hehe)
Aloe vera to soothe that sun burnt nose.
A thick book, in case you feel like entertaining yourself with some old-fashioned reading or just to ‘look smart’
Insect repellent, good for all the midnight hikes.
Food that can last long and doesn’t melt, crumble or spill. Sweets are good, but as a backup measure if you start craving for sugar.
Your bank book, even though you’re in National Service, money will seem to disappear (if they do let you go to a supermarket, a lot will be spent on groceries)
Deodorant (This is very important… get the spray type. It will prove to be your saviour if your camps water supply cuts and you are left for 3 days without any means of taking a proper bath)
Torchlight! Do! You will find this especially good when hiking all night because only the person at the front and end of the line will be given a torchlight. So, if you are in the middle, you will be tripping over bushes and roots a lot unless you have your own. Good for bathing in the middle of the night during blackouts too.

Oh but do remember that whatever you pack is your own load… don’t expect people to lug your stuff around for you. Best thing is to practise at home in advance to see if you can lift your things for more than 100 metres without collapsing.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

A big Thank You to the Duke of York who sent us in this majorly complete list of things to bring. Talk about covering all the bases, check this out before you begin stuffing your bags!

TO BRING OR NOT TO BRING…

There are many things you wanna bring, but unfortunately you can’t lift the bag or even drag it. Luckily the National Service Department did not impose a weight or size limit, otherwise all you can bring are your toiletries. However , there is a 1 bag limit in your letters. Ignore it. I suggest you carry 1 backpack and 1 luggage bag. Here is a list you can follow.

Swiss Army Knife or something equivalent. Ensure your main blade is not more than 2 inches long or not they will declare it a weapon and confiscate. Also don’t be a show off.
If you don’t have one, it’s alright.

Small umbrella. Better to bring than having to run all the way to your camp, wet.

Nice clothes. You will need it in case you do get out. Might come in handy if you don’t have the “classroom” uniform.

Slippers and shoes. Bring old ones. New pair of sneakers might just be gone in a few days. Old ones can be thrown after the camp.

Bathing / shower foam, shampoo and soap. I suggest one big “1 liter of Dettol foam” will last you 3 months. Bring shampoo unless you get bald at camp. Soap, best in powder form, is needed to wash your own clothes (not uniform) unless you are willing to pay a hefty sum for laundry.

Hangers and clothes pegs. A must to dry your clothes. Bring a few that is uniform in colour and shape. Bring those that are thin wire rods for hooking on funny places.

Pail. Very optional. I didn’t bring one. I used the dippers supplied. Small but ok. Heavy to bring. Buy it there if you want. (Note from us: If you plan on using the dippers and buckets they provide, be prepared to wake up very early and/or steal them from other ‘considerate’ people who figured the buckets needed adopting and made them theirs.)

Cash, bank book and ATM card. A must if you spend big. Bring RM 100 in notes of RM 10. hard to get change there. No credit card. Hassle if you lose it. Keep it safe. Place it in your backpack. Bundle it somewhere in the middle not in some small compartment around it.

Stationery. Do bring at least a pen. You’ll need it for projects. A sharp-tip black marker is useful to mark your name on the new uniforms

Food and water. Up to you. Any food that can last in extreme temperatures. Better to put it in your backpack on the bus. This goes for water too. One 1.5 liter and a 500 ml is enough. Reuse the bottle.

Parents or guardian ID number. Important when filling up forms like insurance and etc.

Thin towel. Use it before your NS towel comes in. A thick one takes up space. Bring one that you might throw after NS to make room for some space.

Sun block or lotion. For those who have sensitive skin, sun block. Prevention is better than cure??

Medicine. Take note. They have a medic there, but for the first 2 weeks or so, not much medicine can be found. Bring Vitamin C or multivitamin, Po Chai Yin = anti-diarrhea,
Strepsils, Uphamol or Panadol ( a few will do ). Others they should have. Worse case scenario? Hospital……

Socks. Don’t trust the NS socks. The white 1 is tooo thin and the grey 1 for boots is tooo tight. Use thin ones for wet sports as it will dry faster although stink faster too.

Tissue. For toilet or anything else. Bring 1 roll minimum of those toilet type. Remove the centre brown roll so it does not take up so much space.

Book or comic. Your best friend for 3 months. The book / comic will make you forget about NS for a while and take you to uncharted or fictional territories. An adequate size one will do. Not Harry Potter and the Golden Phoenix. Don’t bring those you treasure so much. People will borrow or nature will ruin it.

Photostatted IC. Your own one of course. In case of emergency. If you are applying for any colleges, make sure you deal with the registration or else headache for your parents.

Sewing kit. Before bringing this, learn how to sew at least a button. A needle and a little thread will do. Put it in a small container for easy storage.

Hand phone charger. Unless you use a Nokia, you don’t have to worry. (Note from us: EVERYBODY uses Nokia, no problem in borrowing a couple of hours to charge)

FM radio. If your hand phone got it, forget it. This is just to keep you entertained. Not necessary if you gonna get a girlfriend there.

Top-up card. Bring 1 along. Optional.

Clothes. Don’t bring expensive ones and original jerseys. Bring a Bermuda or shorts for sleeping or hanging out. Make sure you mark all clothes with your initials and keep track of it. If you send it to the laundry, 90 % chance they will write with marker the codes on your clothes no matter what color, type or what you say. Be careful.

By : Duke Of York

What You Will Learn (if you don’t already know)

2004-10-30T16:16:00.000+08:00

How to Apply Sunblock Correctly (goodbye Fair and Lovely)

OkaY… bet you didn’t know this. If you wear sunblock wrongly, it will actually bake you and make you even darker! This right way to do it is to apply just a little bit (like a 20 sen coin) 15 minutes before you go out into the sun. Otherwise, you sweat before it dries ….and the suntan lotion loses its power….or something.

How to Shine Boots

You want your boots to shine like leather? So much like leather that you can almost hear it moo? Hehe… here’s how... All you need is a brush, a sock and your faithful Kiwi.
Brush the boot with the (duH) brush to get rid of dust
Wipe the boot with the sock
Kiwi up your brush and start shining your boot
Let the kiwi dry for a bit, the shine the boot with your sock
And Ta-dA!

If all else fails, bring a can of black paint along.

How to Fold a Kelambu

They will teach you how to fold your kelambu, theres a special way to do it. Unfortunately, we can’t remember how!

How to Keep Meltable Objects Unmelted

Alright, this is for girls who cannot live without chocolate… try to find a cool spot in your tent to keep it in. Even though your tent will be like an OVEN in the afternoon (not kidding), your chocolate can be spared from a gooey end. Keep it in your drawer under your clothes, or you can put your choc between two big bottles of mineral water, or …eR… buy m&m’s? It has been noted, that some of the drawers… by some mysterious force actually act as a fridge, keeping your cola cans cool and fresh. Keep your fingers crossed!

How to Wash Clothes (no washing machine laH!)

Hehe… if you’ve known the washing machine all your life, then get ready to scruB!! Washing clothes is fun, it builds muscles! (really! Haha… okay maybe not) There are two main ways of washing,
Scrub clothes. Get a dipper. Wash clothes separately by pouring water from dipper on the baju. Keep simbah-ing your baju until you can get most of the soap out (er, if its still soapy after simbah-ing 5 times… then never mind lah, just dry it. Just pray it doesn’t rain while you are wearing that baju, or you will sweat soap water, haha)
Scrub clothes. Get bucket. Soak baju in bucketful of water to get the soap out. (same thing about not getting the soap out. If cannot then don’t be fussy lah)
Don’t. I repeat don’t use too much soap. The soap is CONCENTRATED. That means, a small dose is all you need. Don’t be like some of us, scrubbing away for an hour PER SHIRT trying in vain to get that soapy feeling outta the cloth.

How to Survive the Evil Jungle Forces

Your trainers will teach you this, but it’s interesting enough to tell you in advance. When in the jungle at night, you SHOULD NOT call people by their name. Aiyah, you want to know why, go and ask your trainer yourself :P. Anyway, so you are lined up in single file and given numbers … like the person at the front, usually the leader is called D1 for example and the last person is D22. At points, you will stop and have a roll call to check if everyone is there, from D1 to D22. Just don’t be smart and call out an extra D23... You don’t want to cause panic in the middle of the jungle at night, trust me hysterical people are NOT a pretty sight.

How to Remove a Leech

Also remember to beware of your favorite friends in the jungles, the leeches! Don’t scream lah, you can fix this. Just masukkan the end of your celoreng pants into your TIGHT grey socks before you wear your boots. Also, if you are really scared, bring some salt from home.

Here’s how to remove a leech, courtesy of worstcasescenarios.com:-

How to Wear a Beret

This is easy, just wear your beret like a normal hat with the logo in the centre of your forehead. Then, pull it to the left, so that the logo is above your left eye. Pull the right side of the beret down, so that its senget… that’s all.. But make sure you get a big enough size, if not…very funny to see…

How to Avoid Breaking Your Wrists

Never be smart and try to wash your celoreng, use the dobi! Otherwise you will BREAK your hands twisting the water out of the celoreng… serious!! Can die wan!!

How to Battle Homesickness

Okay, this is some sort of strategy. Don’t wear all your clothes from home one shot, because when/if you get homesick, its really, really nice to wear a baju that smells like Softlan for a change.

What To Expect

2004-10-30T14:40:00.000+08:00

So, you’ve heard stories… well, don’t freak, NS isn’t that bad. Most people who went had to be dragged back home because they didn’t want to leave. The best thing about NS is the people you meet who come from all over the country and you will make good friends after 3 months of living with the best and worst of each other. For people who haven’t stayed in a boarding school, be prepared to be pleasantly surprised. Living with friends can make your 3 months one of the most unforgettable times of your life. But, of course, there is a good and bad side to everything. The main idea is to go with an open mind that is ready to accept whatever happens.

Anyway, this is our little list to help you know what to expect. All we are going to do is describe the situation, and the opinion will be up to you.

First is the camp site itself. We sincerely doubt that any trees would have grown in the past year, so it is safe to say that most camp sites are quite barren (think Sahara). Camp surroundings differ, but they are usually close to natural resources, like forests, rivers, mountains, etc. There is a tarred ‘padang kawad’ where you will get quite a tan (to put it mildly) from marching, especially when you practice for Kawad Competitions. Tents are made from canvas with a cemented floor, each fits 10 canvas beds. Be warned, tents may not be too steady and may sway (or simply collapse) during storms. Each tent has 2 lights and 2 fans and though they may very well rosak, pray hard that they ALL don’t bust together. Each trainee gets a drawer that can be locked but keep the key carefully. Even if you do a Frodo and keep it tied around your neck, you may lose it when you go rafting or kayaking. Bear in mind, that the drawers are not really safe. Don’t keep anything really valuable in it… as they can forced open fairly easily. OH, and you will BAKE in the afternoons… that is how hot the tents can get…

OkaY, this may suck but be ready for people fainting. Even though the program isn’t for military training, it is harder than a lot of people would be used to. You have obstacle courses, all night hikes with limited torchlights, push ups, kayaking, rafting (hard work but a lot of fun!), a lot of standing in the sun when marching (people drop like flies), flying fox-ing, abseiling (depends though, some camps don’t have) and a lot of other stuff. Un-physical people, get ready to get healthy!

One of the most important parts… the Food.. They will feed you 6 times a day, and we have heard of people gaining weight from NS instead of losing it. The quality of the food totally depends on the camps, but expect them to serve stuff like cow lungs (seriously). Don’t worry, you won’t die… (IF you do, there’s a RM 20,000 insurance claim you can make) and they cover it with thick kuah so what you don’t know doesn’t kill you… oh, and they serve fish a lot as in the WHOLE fish. If your okay with that, then fine, but if you don’t like your dinner looking at you, then you may have to go vegetarian. Hindus, don’t worry… they will provide alternatives for beef and vegetarians will also have special dishes. Just ask the mak cik kantin. You also have to wash your own plates in camp, so get used to that idea. What you may not be ready for is if there isn’t any water to wash your plates with… which brings us to…

Water shortages. Again, this depends on camps, but it very well may happen, so be prepared! You may have to go without bathing for a day or two (just hope it isn’t a week) but don’t worry about stinking, cos everyone else will stink with you. This is where the deodorant comes in lah.

For the guys. Expect to get botak. That is, hair 1cm in length. Caps are advisable for the look-conscious metrosexual. Cowboy hats are not recommended. Bring gel too. as the months pass, your hair will inevitably grow… and with a bit of skill, your hair can become stylish again with a few blobs of gel pasted on your hair. Think spiky.

Is there anything else you want to know about? Drop us a line at dinyahloreng@gmail.com for answers to more questions. We will gladly help!