Action (the actual trip itself)
LO2 challenges, LO5 collaboration
Project week is a 6 month CAS project where we complete elements of CAS on a trip outside of the country without teachers. In the end, we were very optimistic about our trip and the activities we had planned out. On our first day we went around to visit temples in bangkok. I will always remember the ‘Wat Pho’ temple where we saw the reclining Buddha. This is one of the biggest Buddha in Bangkok which was 15 metres high and 46 metres long. We also visited the ‘Golden Buddha’ in the ‘Wat Traimit’ temple which was made only out of gold and was very pretty. I also bought a sarong to respect the culture since tight leggings were not allowed.
Below is a photo of my group members and I with the ‘Golden Buddha’
Below is a photo of us at the ‘Wat Pho’ Temple.
On our second day, we did one hike where we learnt about the different species of trees in the outskirts of bangkok. We also did a waterfall hike.
On our third day, We struggled to stay motivated during our bike ride. Our buffalo tours guide -Jaylee, was always very positive and full of life which made strenuous activities such as the 37 km bike ride very fun. I wasn’t feeling too well that day but having my friends around me made the experience a lot better. I also remember that the bike ride has a nice breeze blowing and was not too hot, even though I got a bad sun burn. I’ve learnt that if I have people around me, I’m motivated to do better and work as a group and I wanted to prove to myself that I would be able to finish the bike ride.
Photo of us on a highway in bangkok, To reach the countryside we had to ride through bangkok for around an hour.
Project week can apply to other situations in my life because I’ve learnt to become more independent. Previously when travelling with family my parents always used to book all the flights, hotels and figure out what we would be doing on the trip. Project week has shown me that it is not so easy to plan trips and will help me after I leave school and go to university in a different country. The cooking class also helped me learn new skills and how to make simple dishes. I wasn’t a big fan of cooking and didn’t like using a stove but I went to the cooking class with an optimistic attitude and could cook these dishes when I’m living alone
Below is a photo of us at the market in Bangkok where we bought vegetables and ingredients for the cooking class
During the trip I had to collaborate and communicate with my peers on the trip with me. We also had to check in with our supervisor and on ISOS daily so that everyone knew we were alive. My group members and I overcame the challenges of not being allowed to take grab or uber by taking the sky train when we weren’t travelling with buffalo tours. This was a lot easier than we thought and helped us stay within our budget since it was quite cheap.
Project week was one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had in high school and definitely one I will always remember.
