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By LATASHAH VALLIMANALAN
brats@thestar.com.my

When I first found out that I had been selected for BRATs, I didn’t think that I would have the time of my life.

From riding in the back of a truck to dipping my feet in the pristine Sungai Dalam and meeting baby elephants, I would say that being in BRATs is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I met lots of awesome people, bugs and a snake.

To my teammates from #TeamKenneth: Jade, Nathan, Ross, Diane, Dania, Lydia, Lizzy, Rachelle, Audrey, Hakimi and our senior brat Clarissa – you guys are the best! Crazy, fun and amazingly talented. Not forgetting our team leader, the one and only Kenneth Chaw.

I still remember that we christened a papaya ‘Popeye’ during the ride to Kampung Sungai Dalam, bugs and leaves were stuck in my hair and I lost an earring, not forgetting that I was pelted with ice water during a game of ‘Aiyo Ping Pong Piang’!

Not only that, some of my team members named a bug Sam (No offense, Sam) Oh yeah, I almost forgot about Ian’s cold stare when he saw me sitting on the ‘throne’ and he almost ripped my notebook apart (only Ian, Clarissa and I know about this).

Staying at the luxurious Casabrina Villa was incredible! So was the container hotel, though a Tarantula was sighted. Dipping my feet every morning in the Casabrina infinity pool with everyone else was a remarkable experience and we had a lot in common: we all loved Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Sherlock and many other things!

I felt really welcomed and a part of the BRATs. It was a fun experience and I wished it lasted longer. My favourite part of the camp was the barbecue, where we cooked our food over an open fire and sang songs. It was such a nice feeling and everyone was in a good mood.

I learnt a lot from this camp. It opened my eyes on journalism and I felt like I heard my calling, that is, to further my studies in journalism.

I learnt that being a journalist comes a lot of responsibilities and is not easy. Ian, May Lee, Kenneth and Sam taught us lot. From writing skills to photojournalism and interviewing skills, I never thought that four days could change a person.

I still can’t believe that in four days, all 34 of us became one big family: most of us are struggling with post-camp depression. I am usually the odd and quiet person in school and never in my wildest dreams would I have guessed that there would have been a place for me one day.

Well, I guess it really is true that once a BRAT, always a BRAT!!!

Click here to enjoy more amazing videos from our BRATs Raub camp.

For more info on BRATs, Malaysia’s awesomest, most successful young journalist programme since 1993, click here.

And if you wanna join the programme and attend one of our epic BRATs Camps, click here.

 

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