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

LO3: PLANNING AND INITIATING ACTIVITIES (Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience)

LO7: ETHICS (Recognise and consider the ethical implications of choices and actions)

Project Week was simultaneously the most incredible and most challenging experience I have ever undertaken. My group and I went to Pokhara in Nepal for 6 days, and hiked the first 3 days of the Annapurna circuit. It was an experience that had many highs and many lows, and while there were moments when I found it unbelievably challenging, I feel the I have grown so much as a result of it.

One of the first major challenges of Project week was the planning stage. My group struggled a lot to find flights that were within our budget, which caused a lot of stress and hard work for us. We also had difficulties with the packing and training we had to do before we left. For the whole trip, we had to be able to carry our clothes, toiletries, water, and sleeping bags on our backs, while hiking at altitude. This meant we had to be very selective in our packing, and that we had to prepare for the difficulting of the hike itself through increased physical activity.

Our 3 day hike challenged us all, as it was more difficult than any of us had expected! There were several points in the hike where I felt that I physically couldn’t continue onwards. My group members were crucial to my motivation, and I feel that we really worked well to help and motivate each other. I also feel that I personally pushed myself harder than I have before, and that over the course of the hike I learnt to grit my teeth and keep going, even when things seemed impossible. We had several unexpected challenges throughout our hike. The first was that we were caught in a rainstorm with sleet during our ascent to Ghorepani, but we had no choice but to push through as we needed to reach our accommodation before sunset. This was a challenge for all of us, but we managed to persevere and push through. The second major challenge was that several members of our group were injured while we were hiking, and that we had to change our plans as a result. We struggled to contact UWC due to issues with cell service, and then had to devise a new itinerary with a reduced trekking route. This meant that some members of our group could not reach our summit at Poon Hill, and that we had to work together as a team to find a feasible plan for our hike.

Throughout our project week, both during our hike and our day in Pokhara, we came into contact with the ethical issues present in this region of Nepal. Whilst in Ulleri, on our hike, we did service activities with a local school, including giving donations we had carried up the mountain, helping to rearrange the library, and practicing English with the children. We discussed with the school teachers and our guide, Shanta, how the tourism industry in this region means that English language skills are a crucial part of their education. While on the mountain, we came across litter and rubbish several times. During our day in Pokhara, we visited the Museum of the Mountains, where we learnt how the tourism industry has led to pollution on the trail increasing a lot. This problem is much worse in the Himalayan mountains such as Everest, where pollution by hikers can endanger others and harm the natural environment.

Overall, project week was an extraordinary experience, and one I am so grateful to have had. I feel that I learnt a lot from it, and that this experience will stay with me for years.

Sunrise at Poon Hill

Service at school in Ulleri

Poon Hill – 3200m altitude!