The Scene 2.0

I decided that i should work on the language and tenses of my previous post, and below is the revised one!

************************************************************************************
This happened to me a few months ago. The director, Ivona, of the India youth expedition project (YEP) suddenly called for an emergency meeting. Although I have known her for about 2 years, yet our relationship was not exactly "fantastic". It didn't bother me much; perhaps our personalities were just too different.

When Ivona took up this year's project, I was exhilarated because I was looking for a community projects to participate in. She was reluctant to recruit me at first, for the vacancies were limited (25-30 pax), and she felt that other students should not be denied of the opportunity to experience what we went through. Fortunately, she succumbed to my pleas in the end.

The project seemingly proceeded very well from the surface, but it was always the way she handled things that made the team uncomfortable, like making sole decisions without consulting the team. Despite the fact that a few members had raised it up to her before, she was apparently not receptive towards criticism. However, the team was still feeling optimistic that she might change for the better in future.

Ivona also assigned us the various roles and responsibilities in the team. She made me the assistant director, which I took it up with pride and honor. The team got along very well and we all enjoyed working with each other. The "D-day" came to us as a complete shock, comparably a flaying pain. Ivona announced that our budget had increased by 3-fold due to some unforeseen circumstances, and our participation fees would be raised from $1000 to $2000. As students many of us could not fork out this large sum of money; it was devastating but I decided in the end to give up the chance to travel to India. Ivona then suggested for me to remain in the team as helper instead. I agreed, steadfastly recovering from the agony of not able to go India. The only comforting fact was by helping out in Singapore, it reassured me that the kids in India will receive my love as well.

The emergency meeting on Monday was yet a second blow for me. None of the team-mates nor I, as the vice director, had any clue on what Ivona has to tell us. As she walked into the room, we waited in anticipation and ironically, a glitch of fear about the unknown.Ivona took a deep breath and began speaking in a hardly audible voice (as usual). "As we all know some of our members won't be able to join us in the upcoming India trip, hence I held a second recruitment drive and now would like to take the chance to introduce to the team these new members. Also, there will be a change in the originally assigned roles... Alexis shall replace Shiwei as the vice director, Thomas will be the new logistic head...."

I could feel the room spin beneath my feet, as her voice slowly faded into a low, monstrous dragging tune. Like a diathesis of my heart, I felt the tightness of my chest setting in, yet gathering all my strength to utter my disappointment out."Ivona why is it so that you made such major changes in the team but yet I only got to know it now? Perhaps it would be more appropriate if you had discussed this matter with me first!"

Everyone in the room nodded in agreement, and that started a little commotion. Ivona shook her head and tried to explain that it was a decision she came up with only last night, based on the fact that the team could not have a vice-director that would not be able to travel with the team. I realized how little my voice was in the team; for Ivona had been the only one making decisions. Clearly her mind was set and nothing I say would shake her decision.