Adventuring is something that everyone looks forward to as a child. We have read countless tales and yet are bored by simple fairy tales. As such, given the opportunity to go on an adventure or simply a hike away from the monotonous life of the urban, I would gladly jump towards it without hesitation. This is one of the many reasons why I decided to embark on this journey: friends, philanthropic activities, fresh air, etc.

Afterall, an opportunity with so many positives is hard to come by and I quickly filled out the registration form, but I refrained from pressing the “submit” button right away. Going on this journey meant leaving behind many facilities that I take for granted. My personality had developed around spending ~8 hours amongst my peers — out of which roughly ~6 hours were spent on studies. Spending such long hours seemed extremely taxing and something I knew I wasn’t capable of. I also have a long enmity with mosquitos which I absolutely detest. As I imagined many events that might occur, I leaned more towards avoiding the trip all together.

My ambivalence towards my trip coupled with my innate ability to blow things out of proportion in my imagination really procrastinated for 2 days before I finally gained enough confidence,thanks to peer pressure, to hit submit. Truly a miracle that seats were still remaining. (～￣▽￣)～

LO1 – [Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth]

As mentioned previously, I lacked in many areas ranging from ability to hold conversations for 4-5 hours to refraining from declaring war on the local mosquito population. Some troubles and weaknesses were trivial but some were serious like having enough stamina to complete treks whilst not dragging my feet throughout the whole ordeal. These sectors were truly something I hoped to improve with the trip and they did make a huge progress with me learning to conserve my energy, talk more relaxed and be able to have the stamina to walk for extended periods. These truly seemed like small wins to my peers but it was a huge step in my character development.

Still the journey was far from perfect and I learnt many other things that I hadn’t even thought about before. Such as managing my belongings, keeping track of planned activities and being more informed regarding things to bring and things to leave behind. I gained many skills ranging from social interactions all the way to managing an alone trip with no help.

LO2 – [Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills]

Few actually know but I am acrophobic and absolutely hate anything that is remotely close to it as much as possible — it took me 4 years of coaxing before I flew a kite on a terrace, 140ft above ground. As such climbing the mountain with no fencing on either side a single misstep spelling doom I still soldiered through the hike and climbed the top most possible, enjoying the entire hike as well. Truly a wonderful experience where I learnt an insurmountable lesson: the art of controlling your fears. The entire experience felt refreshing and comparable to molting.

Of course, one example doesn’t make a trip truly rejuvenating, and, indeed, I faced many and many such challenges where I either through the help of peers or self confidence I earned valuable experience and overcame many fears and conquered challenges one after another.

LO4 – [Show perseverance and commitment in CAS experience]

One benefit of going on a trip is the requirement to wake up early is abate. Another benefit is you can skip activities you don’t feel like doing because it would conflict with your holiday mindset. As a student going on a school trip such a mindset will develop no matter how serious the trip may be or what purpose the trip is for — one childhood, one life. However, the trip demanded early wake up, as early as 7 o’clock, and productivity throughout the day.

Even with conflicting emotions and my growing ambivalence of whether I would have come to the trip again if given the chance , I didn’t complain. After all, this was life and nothing was served on a silver platter and silver spoon — you still have to chew after all. Hence I showed perseverance and attended each activity with due diligence and did everything to my best efforts: ranging from teaching the localing children to completing adventure courses at dangerous heights.

LO5 – [Demonstrate skills and benefits of working collaboratively]

When we were on the trip, our friend group had divided itself into 2 groups of 4, heartbreaking. As the trip progressed, we always found something lacking and this is where we demonstrated the skills and benefits of teamwork. Missing cards or card games? Ask me or Mudith. Missing any medical supply? Ask █████. Missing Fun? Ask Yug. Tired and want to chill out? Find Pushkar.  With all of us working together the trip was quite fun and truly a memorable experience with things hardly falling into disarray.

Such teamwork varied greatly from just entertainment management to looking out for others to hikes. In many instances, we would divide ourselves into nonofficial pairs and help each other out as we ascended or descended as many people found themselves slipping on the wet mud pathways throughout the entire hike. Not only in activities but in services such as when visiting and spending time with children in the local school we would make teams together manage the children and create a more effective team with the ability to manage everyone.

LO7 – [Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions]

Embarking on the school activity became a meaningful chapter in our collective adventure as my peers and I ventured into a local school to engage with, play alongside, and teach children. Just as the decision to join the adventure was influenced by the prospect of fresh air and philanthropy, ethical considerations became a guiding force as we entered the school premises. It was more than a casual encounter; our visit was a deliberate effort to impart not only knowledge but also values that could potentially shape the ethical compass of these young minds as they grow. Echoing the spirit of the broader adventure, we aimed to foster an environment of respect, cultural understanding, and inclusivity within the school. The ethical dimension of the school activity underscored the importance of instilling values like empathy and responsibility in the children, making our engagement not just a momentary exchange but a conscientious effort with potential long-term impact.

[Certain cherry-picked photos showcasing the event]
Photo Album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/M9kLvsPqhtQbX3YZ7