The air in the auditorium of the Singapore Sport School was dense with emotions, as athletes braced themselves for the forthcoming goodbyes.

It was the last day of the Singapore 2010 Friendship Camp, and participants were making the most of it: exchanging emails and facebook contacts, autographing each other’s tee shirts, and snapping photographs like there was no tomorrow.

“I feel very very sad,” said Ahmed Shehu Bello, 17, from Nigeria. “I’ll miss all my friends. I’ve had so much fun with them and we've become so close. I don’t want to leave. I can't imagine when I wake up back home and not see my new friends anymore.”

Others were just enjoying the moment despite the impending farewells. Gounou Kora Latifatou, 17, from Benin. “I feel good, I’m having so much fun!” she said.

Before the young athletes flew back to their homes all over the globe, they were treated to a final camp video (see above), a rock concert and dance performances. As the party livened up, everyone got up on their feet to cheer and groove to the camp theme song.

“It’s been so much fun! I’ve enjoyed everything, all the activities and spending time with everyone,” said Si-an, 15 Singapore. “Even the bus rides!” she added with a laugh.

When asked what she has taken away from this camp, she said, “I’ve learned how we are all different people from different places and cultures, but at the end we are still one people.”

William Peil a 17-year old swimmer from Virgin Islands shared, “I’ve learnt a lot about the three Olympic values - Respect, Friendship and Excellence.” He went on to say, “I’m thinking of writing a college paper when I return back home, on how the US can learn from Singapore and the Olympic values, especially Excellence and Respect. People here are so friendly.”

The youths have come a long way from when they first arrived, all awkward and out of place in a camp full of strangers. Ms. Melissa Ng, 25, a group facilitator said, “At first some of them were homesick and reserved because they couldn’t speak English well. We had to counsel them, but as the days went by, things got better and the entire group became really close.”

“I’m starting to miss them already,” said fellow facilitator Ms. Irnny Irianny Binte Chumaing, 29.

As the night came to a close, the reluctant young athletes shared their last moments together high-fiving, hugging, dancing, singing and chatting.

Members from Group 31 and 32, ended their Singapore 2010 Friendship Camp journey with their very own slogan, "One love!"

View all photos of the Singapore Friendship Camp on Flickr.

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