Ms. Vossler is the Best

By Anya Shanmugabalan

The last band trip of the year was unforgettable. With lost passports, exploding chargers, and misplaced instruments, our chaperones were kept on their toes from beginning to end. 

Last Thursday, Dalat students from Middle and High School traveled to Johor Bahru to attend the Raffles American School Arts Festival 2025 (RASAF). Raffles American School, or RAS, invited around ten schools from Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia to collaborate in art, dance, and band. Although Dalat only participated in the band portion, our students experienced and thoroughly enjoyed this unique opportunity.

Thursday night, disaster struck: I lost my passport. After eating dinner at the RAS dormitories we were staying in, I realized my passport and wallet were missing. I assumed this would be the mishap of the trip and would eventually turn up, but this was just the beginning.

The start of the festival on Friday marked the beginning of 8 long hours of rehearsal. Hours of practice as a full band and in sectionals were exhausting. Friday night, I filed my first police report, officially informing the government of my missing passport. Ms. Sara Vossler was the best, waiting at the police station as I made my report. Jing Xuan Leow (12) enjoyed herself, too, vlogging the whole experience.

Saturday was concert day, and while there were only 4 hours of rehearsal, we had a long day ahead of us with our journey home after. Before the concert started, the RASAF 2025 team gave out Section Chair Awards to recognize leadership and excellence in their musicianship. Of the 9 sections with this award, Dalat represented 5 of the winners, with Haesol Park (8), Shon Kang (8), Iyan Sandahl (12), Daniel Willoughby (12), and Joshua Conklin (12) all receiving a Section Chair pin. 

When the time of the concert finally arrived, we were ready and excited to play, knowing many of our family and friends were watching online. After the concert, our excitement was dimmed after realizing there had been no audio available on the stream. Nevertheless, RASAF 2025 was a wonderful educational experience. 

Jing Xuan Leow (12) reflected, “It's a little sad knowing that this would be my last trip of the year, but it's one filled with a lot of special memories, such as Anya Shanmugabalan’s (12) lost passport, Joseph Yim’s (11) forgotten clarinet, Evelyn Stevens’s (9) exploding charger, and my misplaced IC.”

Since I didn’t have a passport, I needed to take a 10-hour bus back to Penang. Ms. Vossler, the best teacher ever, stayed with me throughout our long journey. It is without a doubt I will never, ever forget this trip.