B30 Welcome Dinner | 2.9.2018
It has been 4 days ever since we stepped into Shanghai. Fresh-faced and with a glimmer in our eyes, our eyes were opened to a whole new world; where East meets West, and structure in chaos.
Entering the door for the first time at Oasis Central was filled with expectancy. After months of preparation, this was the moment we were all waiting for. Meeting our senior batch for the first time was exhilarating and exciting, which signalled the start of the thrilling 44 weeks ahead. The atmosphere was filled up with lighthearted banter, as conversations filled the room and bonds of friendships developed. We got together in small groups and had conversations over dinner about everything in Shanghai. It was a time to get to know the senior batch better and what they have been up to for the past few months.
We had a couple rounds of games as icebreakers after dinner. The first game helped us to find out more about each other; we dished out nuggets of facts which our batchmates did not know previously. From this game, we discovered interesting facts about everyone else in the room. This was followed by a game that required us to emulate after prominent paintings and come up with a backstory.
Each team came up with hilarious backstories to these paintings and it was amusing how we came up with our own interpretations to these paintings.
After a round of fun games, NOC SHEN President from B29, Benjamin Chia shared his insights on how life in Shanghai has been so far and encouraged us to step out of our comfort zone, to try new things and be open to opportunities that come our way. The seniors then introduced themselves and what they’ve done in Shanghai ever since they’ve been here. Amidst the multiple sharings, we began to be more excited while anticipating what is to come next in our coming 10 months. There will be challenges ahead in this journey, but it will be fulfilling and rewarding as we hustle in one of the world’s most advanced cities.
Finally, at the end of the welcome dinner, we got to celebrate our birthday babies for the month of September: Quek Xue, Wilbert and Leschane and our overseas manager — Miss Lee Tun Leng.
The welcome dinner was a nice way to ease into our life in Shanghai. Upon meeting the seniors that came before us, we knew that there is a community that we can be part of. There are bound to be many challenges and experiences that will come our way but ultimately, the NOC experience eventually boils down to the individual, to decide what we make out of it here while we’re here in Shanghai.
