LO2: Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process

This season, I faced a significant challenge in the form of a language barrier. The woman I was interacting with, Yapiang Aunty, could only speak mandarin. Initially, I thought I could overcome the barrier by engaging in drawing activities or card activities with her. However, instructions were also hard to explain and I could find out anything meaningful about her life. Ultimately, I convinced one of my friends, Karen, to help me translate. This was a more effective long-term solution and we ended up shaping a powerful story of aunty’s fierce independence throughout her life. Despite finding a translator in the end, I learnt that there are ways of overcoming a language barrier without one. Miming and acting were my best friends in this process. I realised that persistence, resilience, and patience were also key during the season.

By the end of the season, we were able to write an article about Aunty, which I consider to be a measure of my success in overcoming my challenges.

I was able to work on a range of skills, especially my communication abilities and collaboration. I learnt to become more patient, open, and clear when trying to express my thoughts, because I didn’t want anything to get lost in translation. I am also quite introverted, so this service was a great opportunity for me to push myself out of my comfort zone and work on my collaboration.