Dreaming a beautiful dream
I remember the matching ceremony
We’d danced and sang our hearts out then
Then there was the moment we’d all been waiting for
When we’d meet our hosts
The days went by
Lessons in Japanese we vaguely understood
They were enriching nonetheless
Kyuu Shoku, we looked forward to that daily
When we’d line up to collect our trays
Special lessons with the other Singaporeans
They were like brief opportunities
To return into our comfort zone of fellow Singaporeans
Tea ceremony was nice despite my aching legs
I remember trying on the yukata
And carefully sticking flowers into my ikebana bowl
City tour was the most memorable
When we were reunited with the Chuubu people
We had dressed up in out blazers
And took traffic light photos
And played murderer on the bus
I remember the CCA periods
When we’d sneaked off to K,
Bursting with ecstasy at our new-found freedom
I remember Clement startling the teacher with a “YA HO!”
And running off like nothing happened
I remember us spamming Jia Min in the computer lab
All taking on the name ‘Hamamatsu dreaming’
What an appropriate name, for the two weeks flew by
Like a dream. A beautiful one indeed.
I remember the scandals—they were entertaining
Fang Yi getting married to Kimchi
And Weite stealing the bride
Lay Ting and Clement behind the tree
I remember the concentration and the dares
And Lam confessing to Shingo
And the ‘bang bang’ trend we’d begun in the school
As well as the new ‘word’ we’d taught them
I remember the teary goodbyes
And Kimchi’s host chasing the bus
And the Hostel we’d checked into
I remember ofuro
Where Weite strutted in butt naked
Eliciting screams from everyone
And Qian Rui enjoying ‘free show’
And Lam suggesting ‘wear poker’
I remember Harajuku
When we ran from shop to shop
Heads light and dizzy with ecstasy
But arms heavy with bags of accessories,
Totally dazzled by all the outlandishness
And Jo’s outrageous red and black dress
I remember accessorizing,
All the girls trying on each other’s clothes
And styling each other’s hair
And Guiqi trying on more than 10 different pieces
And LayTing looking all ‘Su Nu’
Shirley the ‘Avril Lavigne punk’
Weite and hair gel
Mabel the ‘look-good-in-anything’
And Vivien providing all the accessories
I remember Fang Yi and Lam in Yukatas
Confessing to Zhang Quan and Herrick
And Herrick proposing to Esther
And most vividly of all, I remember Disneyland
When we forgot about tan sensei and Kansokus
And lost ourselves as kids again
(I remember Nigel’s disgusting pink shirt too)
And Ashley’s Bambi ears
And Jiajia and Deborah running off without us!
I remember spinning in a teacup
And walking about like drunkards
I remember screaming till my throat hurt
And Zhang Quan’s open mouth policy
And the dazzling lights of the parade
And I remember getting on the plane and returning
But I still live in the fantasy of Disney
With the 19 others who touched my life so
Still say ‘Itadakimasu’ before every meal
Still wear knee high, striped socks
And still smile when I see a traffic light (shingou)
And most dreams dissipate quickly
But this dream is real
And this dream lives on… Harajuku style
終わらない