November 16th - 24th
This has been quite an eventful week. Sixteen youngsters (Year 7) from Discovery Bay International School have just completed probably one of our most varied programmes ever. This included some geographical (river), historical (Chinese settlement in N Thailand) studies, learning handicrafts alongside Shan students, visiting the Golden Triangle and the Hall of Opium museum, rafting, camping overnight on a river beach in grass huts they made themselves, climbing, archery, trekking and finishing off with an elephant ride before their return to Hong Kong. Oh and they also had a Thai cookery lesson, went on the high ropes and confidence course. I am exhausted just writing this - they must be shattered!  Our instructors loved being with them and everybody loved their enthusiasm!

In the same week, senior students from Junyuan School in Singapore undertook an intensive fieldwork week in geography studying everything from rivers to development issues and soils. A pleasure to teach such interested students.

Victoria Junior College, also from Singapore, spent 5 nights living in a very basic hilltribe village - no electricity or running water - and used funds they had raised to build a set of toilets for the village school. We were really impressed with them and although we did send all meals up the mountain, it still was a real challenge and they have all come through far stronger for the experience. The last night thankyou party was very memorable one and I am sure they will all return to Singapore more appreciative of the comforts they have, up to now, taken for granted.