On 22nd November, 2015, 7 students and I embarked on a World Challenge Expedition to Cambodia and Laos. For some students this was their first time out of the country, their first time exchanging foreign currency, their first time passing through customs and their first significant time away from home. As part of the 28 day expedition students had to successfully complete four phases: the acclimatisation phase, the challenge phase, the project phase and the R&R phase. Each phase of the expedition had its own challenges from working in a local school as part of our project phase to trekking the Kampong Speu & Xe Pian National Parks as part of the challenge phase. The students and I were also to experience some amazing sites such as the Temples of Angkor and Si Phan Don where we floated down the Mekong River as part of our R&R and acclimatisation phases. As if these challenges weren’t great enough, the students were also completely responsible for handling all finances and transactions, organising food, accommodation and transport for the whole trip whilst sticking to the predetermined budget.
During our time on expedition I observed all the students grow as leaders, teammates and more importantly globally aware citizens. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the 7 students, Molly Lynch, Caleb Catania, Gabriel Wright, Jordyn Kay, Ruby Johnson, Eliza Valeri and Nick Brydson-Dixon, who were brave enough to take up the challenge.
Daniel Hayman
ESC World Challenge School Leader