5forSG55

August. The month we celebrate Singapore. Usually I get all hyped up when this month rolls round because I am really so proud to be a Singaporean. However this year the feeling is just different. Maybe it is because we are in a pandemic. Perhaps it is the negativity surrounding this year's election that had rubbed off me the wrong way. Or it could be that I was disappointed that the NDP committee had decided to provide a funpack for every household despite designating 2019 as the Year Towards Zero Waste. I guess my decision to opt-out of collecting said funpack also did nothing to add to the usual festive mood of the month. Hmm.... the biggest reason might be the grief of losing a dear colleague most unexpectedly just before the month began. 😢

Regardless of my personal feelings, the country was certainly in celebration mode. Practically every other post on my Facebook news feed was about a National Day promotion or a special 55 related offer or screaming red and white or a gratitude note that I might have written myself. The one post that really got my attention was one with #5forSG55 - a challenge to gather a group of 5 to pick 5 bags of trash from our East Coast Beach as a way to celebrate National Day.

As a diver, I am particularly aware of how our usage of plastic is causing harm to our seas. My first attempt at a beach cleanup was on a stretch of pebble beach in Bali after reading about #2minutebeachclean. There had been news about how the monsoon had been bringing in an incredible amount of trash to our shores and I knew I wanted to help somehow. The challenge just provided even more motivation for me to make this journey to the east. 😂 Thus I promptly joined the telegram group and created my own group. 

I was quite ready to do it solo but *surprise surprise* someone actually joined my group! And between the 2 of us we collected 7 bags of trash in under 2 hours. The best part of this cleanup was being able to encourage a stranger to help out with just our actions! We had been working silently and separately in a bid to cover as much ground as possible when someone approached my new friend to ask what we were doing and then if he could help! I gave him a pair of extra gloves I had and a recycled plastic bag and he went right to work!

A week later, I joined another group to do some "beach forensic examination" during which our focus was to document the source of the trash found on our shores. Unsurprisingly, most of the identified trash came from neighbouring countries but there were definitely some local trash too. In a shorter period of about 45 minutes, I bagged one plastic bag worth of trash. The best part of this cleanup was when 2 young girls approached me to clarify what I was doing. It so warmed my heart to see the acknowledgement in their eyes that what I was doing was not in vain. They started their own cleanup there and then.

Before the month was up, I organised another beach cleanup when some of my own friends decided that they wanted to do their part too!! This time round, I booked the use of Cleanpod 

                    

and really leveled up equipment-wise with a cart, weighing scale, pails, tongs and even sieves! The area we worked at did not have the usual large trash so I made full use of the available sieve and went after the microplastics! After about an hour's work, the 5 of us actually bagged just over 5 bags for SG55! 6.7 kg of tiny plastic and styrofoam kept out of the stomachs of sea creatures! But the best part of this cleanup had to be the ice cold beer we had before we even began work. 🤣

The plastic issue is such a humongous problem. I had been a lot more passionate about speaking against it in previous years. I wonder if I am becoming a little numb to it because you see it everywhere, even in the streets, by the roadside, on communal tables in void deck. Can I collect them all? Do my actions really make a difference? I don't have an answer to that. I just know I cannot do nothing at all.

Please stop trashing our planet.

 

for the wish of a single lady

"for the wish of a single lady"
It is something Axel often says when he has to defer to my preferences and to which I usually roll my eyes at 🙄 because I find it to be such an exaggeration, a hyperbole even! I mean I just prefer to use the pavement rather than cut across the grass patch?!?

But for this particular endeavour - I have to agree. It does feel like everything and everyone had come together "for the wish of a single lady", except it is a soon not-to-be-single lady. 🤣

So around this time (8ish am) last week, I was about 5 meters below sea level in a flowy white wedding dress atop a 100 years old wreck surrounded by marine life that took my breath away. But it was not as romantic as it appeared. 

I just received the signal from the photographer with his big ass underwater camera to remove my mask while maintaining my pose so he could get the shot. There was a strong surge and I found myself struggling to stay in place even with weights around my waist, two in my lap and another tied to my ankle. Other than corals and fishes, there were 4 other dive guides, my makeup artist (MUA who also dives!) and another photographer floating close by. 

10 seconds into holding my breath without mask nor regulator, focusing my eyes and face towards the sunlight shining towards our spot in the vast sea, I felt another surge and the chill of the waters. I gestured the "out of air" signal and heaved such a relief when the regulator was brought back into my mouth. As my breathing slowly leveled again, the only thought that came to mind, "What were you thinking to want underwater wedding shots?!?! In the sea no less?!?!?!?!?!"

In retrospect, I was NOT thinking. I just want. Axel and I met through diving and I wanted unique wedding photography and I saw such photos online so I want. That's it. I didn't consider anything else. I just wanted it. 😦

Well, I got what I wanted... and it would not had been possible if this team was not there to make it happen.. so this post is dedicated to all of them who had fulfilled the wish of this soon-not-to-be single lady.

To George: right after our first dive, I remembered sitting next to him and telling him that I was crazy to want this and that HE was crazy to take us on. It was a surprise to me that I had a hard time finding an underwater wedding photographer; now I know better. It was through word of mouthS before we found George and I am SOOOO glad that we found him. Like I said, I just wanted without considering any factors but he, he is so professional, dedicated and thorough. He arranged for pre-shoot practice in a pool for us, flew in first to take test shots with the local guides, took care of not just our safety but our comfort and always put us at ease. I really really admire his passion for his craft (and the ability to look so fresh with so little sleep).

To Stephy: Axel received her contact from a mutual friend and when he was telling me about her, he said I would definitely connect with her and he was right. I am so glad I had not completely forgotten what I learnt from my sign language course from years back and even more glad to be able to have such a talented MUA to prettify me throughout the trip with waterproof makeup. She was able to design different looks and hairstyles based on what I was wearing and whether the shoot was on land or underwater. I was super impressed by her array of self-made hair pieces and props that she brought along. Most importantly, she showed genuine tender care towards both myself and Axel. We appreciate you!

To Lilian: Hey fellow Hello Kitty lover.. you put me right at ease the moment I saw HK on your underwater camera 😍 and your gentle guidance really brought out the model in me 😄 it was so so easy to pose for you and I really had such an awesome time fulfilling that secret desire to be a model. macro, infrared and light painting?! you opened my eyes to the possibilities of the photography industry.. thank you for your easygoing and funloving nature.. thank you for being you!

To Qiping: You had always been relatively quiet during our initial meetings, attentively listening in and always ready to give the helping hand. Little do we know that you can be such a silly yet witty lame joker of a "small fresh meat" 😆 Thank you for all the laughter you brought us during the trip. I also appreciate the really helpful and on-point pointers (pun intended) that you gave when you were behind the camera..

To Tisnu, Ketut and Made: What can I say? You are literally our life-savers, ensuring our safety and well-being throughout all the dives. Thank you for always fining like crazy to make sure we get our air every time we signaled for the tank that we shared. Thank you for not losing my mask too. 😄 Especially to Tisnu, thank you for being such a pillar of strength when I had nothing else to hold on to underwater. I am sorry that this dead weight here caused you to suffer leg cramps underwater.. 😦 Also, thank you for driving us around in your lorry too!!!

To Julian: Last but certainly not least! I really think you are a closet diver... hope you get your certification soon! You are such a giving person, so kind and nice to us and sweet to Stephy. Thank you for being the indispensable translator and helpful coordinator during the trip. Really enjoyed our little chats while I was being dolled up by Stephy. All the best to you lovebirds!

L to R: George, Tisnu, Julian, Qiping, Lilian. Front: Stephy

Finally, to my love, when I almost panicked with that real threat of death by drowning, your steady gaze and smiling lips instantly calmed me down. Thank you for being my life buoy, holding me with your strong arms and holding my heart so tenderly and preciously that I feel no fear when you are near. The entire adventure was worth it for that instant when I realised I truly would have no other than you. ich liebe dich. 💗