In a particular hostel room, two ice skating freshies were discussing about their exciting welcome tea party on 27th Aug 2007 at the Fuji Ice Palace.

Hui Min(HM): Did you wet your pants that Monday?

Sophia(S): *gasp* wet my pants?!! No I didn’t! What are you talking about?

HM: Relax. I was just asking if you had fallen down on your first ice skating session.

S: No, and I managed to learn how to skate in the end, though I don’t know how to brake yet. What about you?

HM: I fell…uh um well, I know how to walk on the ice in the end. Without relying on the railings too! Do you know that it was a big feat from entering the rink to steering away from the railings?

S: Actually, I was clinging on to the railings initially also. Then one of the committee members came over to teach us the proper technique. I still remember that my feet must always be positioned at a V shape. Those who mastered the techniques were happily zooming around on the rink after that.

HM: Ya, there was such a large turnout that I had to keep saying “excuse me” in order to move around. So did you manage to see the committee’s performance? As I watched them ice skate in tandem to the music, I was thinking to myself: how long will I take to reach that level?

S: Are you watching the performance or the performers?

HM: Hey hey, what are you suggesting? I pay equal attention when each of the main committee members was introduced, okay.

S: Haha alright. You know, I was thinking of the refreshments the whole time I was skating. I rushed over when I saw a queue forming at the refreshment table. The egg tarts and “chocolate ball” did not disappoint me.

HM: Well, while you were gorging your food, I was immersing myself in the foamy atmosphere with stirring Chinese pop music in the background.

S: I thought you could only walk on ice? How could you join the “snakes”* that were “slithering” all over the rink?

HM: With this romantic atmosphere, of course I would rather walk on the ice alone than zigzagging along with other people. You would never understand…

S: Okay I may not understand but nevertheless, I still enjoyed the session as much as you do. Hey, I need to go for class now, see you at the next session!

HM: Okay!

The discussion ended then with the freshies looking forward to the next ice-skating session.

Truly it was an unforgettable night for the first-timers who would slowly but eventually, discover the joys of this amazing sport. For the veterans, it was another night of engaging themselves in the sport and imparting the skills to the newcomers. All in all, the welcome tea party marks the beginning of another new chapter in ISC’s history.

*snakes : moving lines of people holding on to the shoulders of the preceding member.