Initially it was simply called YCF - youth cultural festival. The last YCF we had was a good 15 years ago, or so I was told. My own very first YCF was in 1985; I took part as a 10-year-old Kotekitai girl at the Gay World Stadium. I recalled vividly Mummy was a performer as well!!
More than a quarter century later, in YFP 2014, although it was a rather strictly youth event, our entire family of 3 girls, Victor and I were involved!! In fact, Jiun and Hong too!! (^^) I was involved as a PD sunshine aunty helping to train our lion cubs every week. En of course was one of the more than 500 PD lion cubs who participated. Xuan was in the FD item, even Qi who could only join in pretty last minute due to her O level examinations, participated in the FD item too. About 3 weeks before the actual performance, Victor suddenly expressed explicit interest in helping out as a photographer for YFP.. "Don't know whether they need photographers anot..?" -- one thing led to another, and very shortly later, he received a text message asking if he could take some pictures at our last combined rehearsal at Northland Sec!! So for the final training at Northland Sec, Victor was the one who drove the entire family plus our 2 ex-lion cubs-neighbors there!! I was overflowing with pride and joy that my whole family was participating and contributing to this all-important SSA event, actively contributing our part for kosen-rufu!!
*\(^_^)/* *\(^_^)/* *\(^_^)/*
Of course it was not all smooth-sailing.. Juz as my lion cubs' parents faced resistance from their children to attend the weekly YFP training sessions, I too faced some similar challenges encouraging persuading coaxing cajoling En and Xuan.. Maybe because En was younger and had me accompany her for all the sessions, she was manageable. Xuan's resistance was fortunately juz her very first training. When she went and realized she could see some familiar faces there, though still a lil' reluctant, she dutifully avail herself for most of the subsequent trainings. It helped tremendously too that Sharon and I car-pooled our FD kids and took turns to send them for their training. Surprisingly the stronger resistance came from Qi who after her O-level papers, was extremely disappointed that she could not join SD.. but it helped that Xuan was already in the thick of YFP prep mood and I juz have to push Qi along..
Once Victor got started to take pictures at Northland Sec, he was totally absorbed into the photography team, being part of their whatsapp chat group and regularly being updated on their team activities. Best part was he could legitimately hold his camera and take our pictures at the YFP rehearsals and performances!! Drawback was he could not share these beautiful pictures on social media...
On the district front, considering the very limited number of youths we have, most, including my 3 girls, actually signed up as performers. From their sharing during zadankai after the YFP, they, even Qi and Xuan, actually enjoyed the entire experience and found it memorable!!
Our take back, besides the beautiful memories, would be the beautiful picture Victor took of all of us.. almost everyone whom he knows who took part, would have his/her face on his photographs!!
Victor was so proud to see quite a few of his photographs being selected and printed on SSA Times!! Almost at the same time, he recognized that 2 of the 3 printed photographs by Seikyo Shimbun on the YFP coverage were his!! Beaming from ear to ear, he could hardly contain his joy and excitement!! I guess that must be one of his greatest satisfaction.. I was told Sensei reads the Seikyo Shimbun.. which meant Sensei have seen Victor's pictures!!!!!!!! What a wonderful wrap up to our YFP.. (:
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