Camp Reflections from Catherine Y11 

Despite its lack of popularity amongst students, the Left Behind Children Extracurriculars camps for Year 11s and 12s ended in a huge success both for our students and the children – with its unexpectedly amusing activities. Here’s why: 

First, we slept in Tree Houses. 

The smell of the wood not only had therapeutic effects, but also triggered our inner monster to unleash itself in preparation for the upcoming challenge – the children. 

Second, we relived our childhood. 

Playing with the kids was unexpectedly enjoyable. The village children’s extroverted energy guided us to enjoy ourselves while aiding the children, and let’s not forget their friendliness. Surprisingly, the children were more open to foreigners and foreign games; it felt like they were giving more to us than we were. 

And last, the outstanding collaboration between students. Each of the 9 students had a unique role; an artist, a leader, a mood maker, a translator and more! Allowing these skills to come in harmony encouraged us to take the challenges on with Utahloy’s best ability. Some examples:  ⁃ Rearranging the Cliff Haus Library  ⁃ Interviewing the elderly in nearby villages  ⁃ Cooking  ⁃ Tea picking and frying 

With only 9 students participating in the Left Behind Extracurriculars, the teachers (Ms. Azusa and Mr. Mawhinney) were initially a little worried about numbers; however, with the local people’s warmth and the inter-student collaboration, we were able (or at least we hope) to leave a small impact on the children’s lives and the whole community.