TAIPEI EUROPEAN SCHOOL 台北歐洲學校
European Secondary Campus Newsletter
EDITION 18 FRIDAY 13TH JUNE 2014 Fri IN THIS ISSUE
A word from the Head of the BSHS Section Message from Head Page 1 Message from Assistant Page 3
Chrysta Garnett Head ESCPA Page 4
The end of the academic year is always bittersweet with the combination High School Graduation Page 5 From German Section Page 7 of celebration and awards assemblies celebrating the phenomenal success of our students in their academic and personal endeavours, coupled with Music Concert Page 9
the inevitable sadness of the necessary farewells to departing students Year 6 Visit Page 13 and staff members. Our Leavers’ Assembly this year saw the resurrection Y7 Ocean Project Page 16 of an old BSHS tradition with our student leavers receiving a TES teddy, a Y9 IA Hike Page 19 special memento of their time with us. H1 Outward Bound Trip Page 22 IB Spotligh Page 24
Yale MUN Page 28
Student Council Page 29
Tabitha Day 31 Harmony Home 34 Tabitha Cambodia 36
Dates for your Diary
Technology is a wonderful thing and the advent of Skype, Snapchat, Summer Vacation 14 June
Facebook etc means many of our students can maintain their international First Day of School 19 August friendships and we look forward to hearing about the continued success of
those students sadly leaving us. Keep in touch!
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We also say goodbye to several long standing and well respected teaching colleagues who between them haveMessage given TES over 35 years offrom service. We wishJames the following colleaguesWoodall the very best of luck and our warmest wishes and thanks for their dedication they have shown our young people during their time with us: Bronwyn Thompson, Craig Morris, Tara Laing, Chris Laing, Tara McNeil, Vicky Chen, Melody Feng, ElissaAssistant Campbell, Tim Sing Head Key and Karenof BSHSWang from (KS3 the British – Section;HS) Agnès Trinelle from the French Section; and Gabriele Macher and Franz-Joseph Neumann from our German Section.
An action packed end to a wonderful year at ESC culminated with an exciting announcement relating to the further development of our facilities made by Dr Weston this week. TES Board of Governors have acquired some land in Yang Ming Shan where new ESC sports facilities will be developed over
the summer. We anticipate that our new soccer pitch and tennis courts will be ready for use by our students next Term. Other developments planned for the European Secondary Campus during the summer: the installation of a state of the art digital sound system in the Atrium; two new self service charging stations for our latest hardware purchases (additional laptops, tablets and chrome books for student use); and the refurbishment of student study areas in Phase 2 and Phase 1 buildings.
I would like to personally thank all parents, students, colleagues and parents association members for your continued support of the school this year. A school is only as good as the people who inhabit it,
and I am very grateful to the TES community for the rich and multi faceted contributions it makes to the education of the young people in our care. I hope that you all have restful summer vacations and I th look forward to seeing you all again for the start of school on August 18 .
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James Woodall Assistant Head
The sheer size of this newsletter is a direct reflection on what has been an incredibly busy end to the
year. Graduation, Outward Bound trips, hikes, Year 6 transition, the list goes on and on. Firstly I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff who have given up their own time to attend overnight trips and weekend events. One of the true strengths of the school has to be the commitment and dedication of the staff. These trips and events only succeed because of the staff we have here at the ESC.
Graduation is always one of the highlights of the ye ar and once again it was a huge success. The venue at the CCU is fantastic and the evening was enjoyed by the students, parents and staff who attended. On Saturday evening the High School students got to celebrate one last time at the Prom. Mr Cornes and his Student Council team did an amazing job of bringing the evening together with a record 180 tickets being sold. There wasn't a spare seat in the room and it was a lovely atmosphere.
Please enjoy all the articles in this edition as they really show what a vibrant, fun and busy place TES is and show how lucky our students are to be part of this institution.
I would like to close by thanking the Pastoral Team of Mr. Imbleau, Mr. Sing Key, Mr. Matthews and
Mr. Latchford for their tireless work throughout the year. It is appreciated so much by myself but also by all the students who they care for. A special mention to Mr. Sing Key who is leaving this year. It has been a real pleasure to work with him over the years and I am losing an incredible colleague as well as a good friend. I am sure you will join me in wishing him and his wife Gloria the very best in their futures together.
Have an enjoyable and safe summer and I look forward to seeing everyone again in August.
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The ESC PA Thank you for all of your support throughout the 2013-14 school year. This year was another exceptional year and it could not have been like this without you.
We would like to express our biggest gratitude to our leaving active members who have continuously been working hard in supporting the school community. You are who make our school special. You will really be missed.
Sylvie Baudard Brian Burriston Rian Hui Mike Humphrey Sharon Hung Betty Lieu Gabriele Macher Christel Schenckbecher
To all of you, either startingａnew adventure from this summer or returning to school in August, we wish you and your family an enjoyable summer.
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ESC High School Graduation 2014
This year we celebrated our 11th Graduation Ceremony at the impressive Chinese Cultural University for the Graduating Class of 2014. Sixty one students graduated from TES this year – with twelve of those students achieving the distinction of having studied with us for more than ten years; three of whom having spent their entire school life with us. This wonderfully talented and
spirited group of exceptional young people together represent twenty one cultural backgrounds, from America to Venezuala, Austria to New Zealand. One of our High School traditions and highlights of the graduation year are the
student nominations for the two representatives to give the Graduate’s speech on behalf of the student body. This year, Chi Wen Chang and Vernon Lin achieved this honour and provided an
entertaining, profound and fitting final word on behalf of their friends and fellow students. Mr. Latchford our IB Co-ordinator continues to carve out a reputation for himself as the
keynote graduation speaker and this year he did not disappoint.
Having spent two years working very closely with all sixty one students, Mr. Latchford has seen them through the troughs and peaks of their IB studies and should be commended for his tenacity and commitment to enabling our graduates to achieve their very best. The standing ovation our
students provided following his wise words spoke volumes.
High School Diplomas were presented by our CEO, Dr Allan Weston and myself, and allowed
parents and students a moment to reflect on stage on the culmination of years of academic study. Their intended undergraduate destinations will see our students study a range of diverse subjects: Cinematography, Architecture, Neuroscience and Zoology to name but a few.
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My thanks for the choral interludes go to Formosa Voices led brilliantly by Tara McNeil who provided entertainment both before, during and after the ceremony, as well as to our special guest Blacker Sia who helped closed
proceedings with a series of uplifting metaphors comparing our graduates to eagles perched on a cliff top ready to soar and embrace their futures.
Our warmest wishes go with Class of 2014 and
their parents for the significant contributions they have made to our school. We are very proud of the people they have become and look forward to what they will continue to be. Chrysta Garnett Head of British Secondary and High School Section.
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Mittlerer Bildungsabschluss an der Deutschen Schule Taipei
Zum siebenten Mal wurde an der Deutschen Schule Taipei erfolgreich die Abschlussprüfung zum
Mittleren Bildungsabschluss der Kultusministerkonferenz durchgeführt. Da alle acht Prüflinge den Bildungsgang des Gymnasiums absolvieren, haben sie mit dieser Prüfung nicht nur den Mittleren Bildungsabschluss sondern auch die Berechtigung zum Eintritt in die Qualifikationsphase der gymnasialen Oberstufe erworben. Da sie gleichzeitig die Prüfung zum International General
Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) der Universität Cambridge abgelegt haben, qualifizieren sie sich zum Besuch sowohl der deutschen Oberstufe als auch für alle britisch-internationalen Oberstufenprogramme.
Herzliche Glückwünsche!
Lars, Anja, Nicolai, Stephan, Ronny, Anja, Fiona und Theresa mit
Schulleiterin Garnett (BSHS), Schulleiter Fritzen (GS), CEO Dr. Weston, Leiter der deutschen Auslandsvertretung Dr. Zickerick und Prüfungsleiter Leidinger Die Prüflinge hatten bereits im März die zentralen Abschlussklausuren geschrieben, bei denen die Aufgabenstellungen direkt vom Sekretariat der Kultusministerkonfe renz kommen. Diese
Prüfungsarbeiten wurden in Taipei erst- und zweitbegutachtet und dann zur endgültigen Notenfestlegung an das Ministerium für Bildung des Saarlandes geschickt, wo die entsprechenden Fachdezernenten die Qualität der Arbeiten abschließend begutachteten.
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In der Vorkonferenz am 3. Juni legte der Prüfungsleiter Ministerialrat Peter Leidinger vom Ministerium für Bildung des Saarlandes im Auftrag der Kultusministerkonferenz die Fächer für die mündlichen Prüfungen fest. In diesem Jahr wurden die Prüflinge in Deutsch, Englisch und Physik geprüft. Unsere Absolventen zeigten hier beachtliche Leistungen und bestätigten, dass die
Vorbenotung in der Schule den Standards für den Mittleren Bildungsabschluss voll entsprach.
Im Anschluss an die Vorkonferenz lud der Leiter der deutschen Auslandsvertretung Dr. Michael
Zickerick zu einem Empfang in die schönen Räumlichkeiten des Deutschen Instituts im 33. Stock des „Taipei 101“ ein. Hier hatte Prüfungsleiter Leidinger die Gelegenheit zum Austausch mit Vertretern des Deutschen Wirtschaftsbüros, des Deutschen Akademischen Austauschdienstes, des Vorstandes des Schulvereins Deutsche Schule Taipei und der die Schule unterstützenden deutschen Firmen im Förderverein Taipei German School Education Association sowie dem Lehrerkollegium.
Die Zeugnisse wurden den Schülern in einer Feierstunde am 5. Juni 2014 im Atrium des Sekundarschulgebäudes von Schulleiter Emmanuel Fritzen zusammen mit der Leiterin der British Secondary and High School Section Chrysta Garnett überreicht, da dieser Abschluss durch das
gemeinsame bilinguale Kooperationsprojekt von Lehrkräften der beiden Sektionen vorbereitet wurde. Für das musikalische Rahmenprogram sorgten Schülerinnen beider Sektionen.
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Secondary Music Concert
“What a fantastic event.” “What talented students.” “Wonderful atmosphere!”
Just a few of the comments I heard at the KS3 Concert this year. With music ranging from Mozart to Of
Monsters and Men, with rock groups and soloists, and with pupils from Years 7-9, the event was a roaring success. I particularly enjoyed seeing the H3 pupils mentor younger pupils in such a supportive and educational manner, and of course all those weeks of hard work and rehearsal paid off in a genuinely lovely event. Well done and thanks to you all from me. Miss McNeill A View from the Lights – Shinya Kinda
I really enjoyed being backstage and controlling the spotlights for the performers. Backstage Crew – Sherry Chen Being backstage isn't one of the easiest jobs. In fact, as a performer and backstage
crew, I feel that being backstage produces more pressure than performing. One mistake from the backstage crew can end up ruining the performer’s piece! This year, the backstage crew consisted of
Grace Liu (Y9), Emma Hamilton (Y9), Cecilia Chang (Y9) and King Munn Cheah (H3 who supervised us). We were in charge of transporting the music stands,
chairs and microphones on and off stage. I was in the crew last year and I enjoyed it so much that I volunteered again this year. Being in the crew gives you an insight into of how a show runs, and will give you another perspective of watching
the performances.
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A Performer’s Perspective – Xuanlin Tham
The 2014 KS3 concert was a truly enjoyable experience for me as a performer. As the last opportunity for me and my fellow Year 9 students to perform in the KS3 concert, it
was really special. The atmosphere backstage as well as the amazing support from the audience really combined to make that night a fantastic last performance for us Year 9s, and definitely created many memories that we will bring into our upcoming years in the
High School.
Geography Year 8 Landform Model Presentations
As a creative culmination and celebration of their Geography learning this term, the Year 8 Geography students had the opportunity to investigate, research and learn more about rivers as well as the amazing landforms they are capable of producing.
Students mostly worked in small groups to discuss, plan, organize, develop and build a fantastic model of a particular river landform or feature which would then serve as a platform for a presentation before their peers. The range
and quality of the models is impressive. Furthermore, the presentations themselves were well planned and I was impressed with how each student took on this opportunity to not only foster Geography related skills, but also to develop more confidence in public speaking, presenting,
planning and teamwork, all of which will be valuable traits to have as high school students and students of life!
If you are in the Phase I Atrium, please do go and have a look at the various models on display. The Year 8 students certainly pushed for excellence and achieved it through this learning experience.
Timothy Sing Key Head of Years 8 & 9, Geography Teacher
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KS3 Children’s Literature Workshop
th On Wednesday 28 May, 25 students from
Years 7, 8 and 9 completed a workshop with New York historian and writer Leonard S. Marcus. Mr. Marcus has published many books with the focus of capturing the history of children’s literature.
The students were exposed to expert knowledge on famous children’s books, such as The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, and discovered different influences on children’s authors.
There was also detailed discussion about various styles of illustration and some very challenging word games inspired by Lewis Carroll. We are very thankful to Mr. Marcus for his time and acknowledge it is a rare
opportunity for students to meet a well-published author.
“The more that you read, the
more things you will know.
The more that you learn, the
more places you’ll go.”
- Dr. Seuss
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Reading the World in a Book
This is the last year in which H2 students in TES will be sitting an examination in IGCSE English Literature. From
now on, at least with most classes, students will be sitting the new Cambridge IGCSE examination named ‘World Literature.’ TES was one of the pilot schools for this course, and the very first examinations were in 2013. As a result of the course the students will be able to read, interpret and evaluate literary texts from different countries and cultures; develop an understanding of literal and implicit meaning, relevant contexts and of the deeper themes or attitudes that may be expressed; present an informed, personal response to literary texts they
have studied; explore wider and universal issues and gain skills of empathy, promoting students’ better understanding of themselves and of the world around them. Some classes will continue to study English Literature since the choice offered by access to both syllabi enables us to better meet individual student requirements.
The choice was made to offer both IGCSE courses to better prepare students for the demands of the IB Language and Literature course, which has become very popular since its inception three years ago. IGCSE World Literature has a recorded
oral component just as does the IB LangLit course, and the wider cultural variety of texts (some studied in translation) matches our school ethos as a learning environment preparing students to be alert and culturally sensitive citizens of the world in the twenty-first century.
A typical class of twenty fifteen-year-olds will have studied several of the following texts: a collection of nineteenth and early twentieth century English short stories; a play originally written in Swiss German in 1956 [The Visit by Durrenmatt]; a famous Shakespearean drama from the mid-1590s about teenage star-crossed lovers [can you guess the title?]; Things Fall Apart, the first modern Nigerian novel from 1959 and Purple Hibiscus,
another Nigerian novel from 2003. They are studying a variety of poems to prepare for the unseen analysis of a text, one of the requirements of this course not present in the old one. Next year they will move on to study a selection from Master Harold and the Boys , a drama from 1982 which takes place in South Africa during the apartheid era: ten contemporary stories from the Cambridge anthology Stories of Ourselves, and The Sound of Waves, a Japanese novel from 1954.
Alongside the study of the texts for the World Literature IGCSE our H1 and H2 students also follow a course in
English language which for most of them results in the First Language English IGCSE in the summer of H2.
They are kept busy, to say the least, and parents can always play an active and supporting role by reading the texts and discussing them with their children. We enter into literature imaginatively and ‘lose ourselves’ in it, but mysteriously we ‘find ourselves’ in the very same process.
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Year 6 visits High School Science
On Thursday 29 May we were pleased to welcome Year 6
students to the Science Department for their Transition Lessons. This involved wearing lab coats, goggles and doing some fantastic chemical reactions with the High School Science teachers.
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The Women of Troy H1 IGCSE Drama
The performance of this great Euripidean tragedy was very well received by our audience. An audience
which, incidentally, must be thanked for struggling up to Yang Ming Shan in the rain in late May.
There were brave attempts at catching convincing portrayals of some difficult characters : ‘Menelaus, Helen of Troy, Hecuba and Andromache’ etc… and these required our students to find a level of maturity that they had not needed to conjure up in earlier shows / work. The TES Drama department was proud to
see so many students rise to the challenge. That is not to underplay the value of the choric parts of course. The messengers bringing tidings of woe, enhancing the mood, or simply commenting on the action, provide the dramatic conventions of Greek tragedy; without them, the plays would lack that tonal diversity which sets them apart in terms of story-telling. The column in our hard drama space, the drawing of our new curtains and the intimate gathering was enough to give us a sense of the era and of some of the darker underlying themes : infanticide, oppressive patriarchy, war and adultery.
Costumes were intelligently put together and the set was minimal but well employed to define the space. In all, it was a very positive experience for our students which will have placed them in a strong position to embrace next year’s practical dramatic challenges.
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Year 6 Induction Day
The Year 6s and many of their parents came up to the Secondary Campus for the Induction Day on Thursday, May 29th. It was wonderful to see so many enthusiastic young learners walking onto the TES Secondary Campus and taking their next step in their lifelong journey of education. Ms. Garnett, Head of British Secondary, hopefully put every parent’s minds at ease as she stressed the similarities between the Primary and Secondary campuses and how the adjustment to their new Secondary life is a smooth transition. Mr. Woodall, Assistant Head, addressed parents as well and spoke about how parents can help with the transition by checking homework diaries at night and by ensuring their child gets a good night’s sleep every
evening. Staying up late at night texting, tweeting or emailing classmates probably won’t lead to a very productive following day. The parents were given tours of the school by the current Year 7s and the students looked forward to the tour all week because the ‘kids’ had the opportunity to be in charge of adults for a full 40 minutes. Going outside their comfort zones and taking healthy risks is something we
encourage students to do! Everyone at the Secondary campus looks forward to seeing all the new Year 7s in August after having a happy and healthy summer! We would like to thank Ms. Barker, Ms. Millward and Mr. Stebbing for their ideas, enthusiasm and commitment in developing this year’s Transition Programme.
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Year 7 Oceans Project
Over 70% of our planet is covered by the Ocean, it is up to 11km deep in some sections and holds mysteries
and secrets still to be discovered. We know less about the deep ocean floor than we know about the surface of the moon, and unlike our celestial neighbor, no humans have set foot in the lowest depths. The Oceans are vital for our future generations, therefore we’ve been spending a lot of time with our current new generation in learning as much as we can about the mysterious blue parts of our planet.
Throughout Term 3, the Year 7’s have been studying Oceans in a number of different subjects. In Geography we are studying the coastline and how humans use the sea, in Science they have been looking at sea creatures and ecosystems, In English, Drama and Music the students have been producing poetry, plays and music inspired by the Ocean. At the start of term we took a trip to a beach to study some of these elements but also to collect some of the waste to be found on Taiwan’s beaches and “upcycle” it into works of Art.
Finally, Maths have been classifying and analyzing the material we found on the beach to enable us to have a greater understanding of Ocean waste.
The project will culminate next week when the Year 7’s have a presentation event to perform and show some of their compositions and work done so far to other classes and a selection of teachers. It has been a great learning experience for them, enhanced by the integration between their subjects to enable them to get to know a single topic in great depth. The next time you visit the coast with one of these students, try asking them a question such as; What forces are working to shape our coastlines? What will this look like in the future? What kind of animals live underneath the water surface? How are they adapted to live where they
do? Why is there so much rubbish in the Ocean? Where does it come from and how does it get here? Why is the Ocean important to us? The likelihood is they will have some good, detailed answers!
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Oceans Day Cross-Curricular Project
The Year 7s ended their academic school year on a very strong note as they displayed tremendous th perseverance and creativity with their Oceans Day exhibit/performance on Monday June 9 . It kicked off with Drama performances where the young actors demonstrated their understanding on the adverse affects of pollution both locally and globally. Ms. Campbell asked Year 7s to perform a skit in front of their peers and act out their newfound knowledge on the ecosystem. Mr. Greave’s geographers then utilized their ICT and Geography skills to illustrate how erosion shapes landforms through well designed ‘Minecraft’
videos.
A few promising poets from Ms. Liang and Ms. Bevin’s English class then proudly read their poems and below is Krishi Shah’s Ocean’s Day poem entitled Me:
I have so much dirt in me, Why do people make me so polluted? I often asked my four friends about this matter But they say I have the same condition.
Living organisms sway in me Eating others like bacteria I feel tickly in my tummy sometimes Those things have grand fights often,
I feel really ill when it happens. People use me a lot, Like I’m an ‘anytime help thing.’ From transportation, food, activities and more, more, more, I can make an enormous list of this. People come to me often to get food,
They smell really awful, They smell like rotten fish! The triumphant smile I see on their faces, Seem really understandable. When the Titanic drowned,
I heard screams and shout, All over from my friend Atlantic’s house Oh what an event it was! As I am the ocean…
Oh wait a minute I forgot… I am the Indian Ocean, And those four friends are the other oceans, Which you might have learned in Geography.
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Finally, Mr. Hebden’s Art class displayed their thematic Oceans Day mural that dealt with the duality of humans and the ocean. Displayed around the colourful mural were sculptures created from the rubbish
that they picked up off the beach. By twisting wires, hammering nails and sawing pieces of wood, they turned the garbage into masterpieces.
All in all, it was a very poignant way to end Term 3 – a real celebration of success!
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Year 9 International Award Hike Yangmingshan Experience 2014
In preparation for their new expedition into high school and to celebrate the culmination of their Key Stage 3 career, the Year 9 cohort took to the beautiful Yangmingshan National Park that surrounds our school for a two day expedition.
The expedition also served as a platform to introduce out Year 9 students to the Adventurous Journey
aspect of the prestigious Duke of Edinburgh International Award that TES offers to its high school students. The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award (‘the IA’) enables 14-24-year-olds to learn practical skills that are valuable to their personal and professional development, while fostering our school values of Respect, Responsibility, Participation, Perseverance and Creativity.
“The Adventurous Journey section encourag es a sense of adventure whilst undertaking a team journey or expedition. As part of a small team, participants will plan, train for and undertake a journey with a defined purpose in an unfamiliar environment.”
Kristian, Patrick and Robin about to start the trail to Cixing Shan! Checking in at the trailhead with Ms Chang and Ms Brown
On Thursday we gathered at the ESC for a safety briefing and quick group registration. Thereafter The Year 9 cohort and staff caught the public bus to the Yangmingshan bus terminal. From there we began a pleasant hike up to the visitors’ center near the Qixingshan trailhead. As the hike commenced we were
faced with a steep incline and a lot of stairs! Easy for some, challenging to others! I was impressed with the attitude that the students displayed. It warmed my heart to see our TES values in action, and on this particular day, perseverance was at the forefront!
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Once we made it to the Lengshuikeng (Cold Water Valley) visitors’ center, we had a quick bite to eat and something to drink in order to rehydrate and fuel up for the day’s objective – to get to the peak of Qixingshan, the highest peak in Northern Taiwan, which lies at an elevation of 1120m above sea level.
The weather was overcast with dark grey clouds and of course there were anabatic (there’s a nice Geography key word for you) winds blowing up the sides of the mountain as we hiked closer towards the peak. The students and staff got to the peak and celebrated with a view of … NOTHING but the surrounding mist and cloud cover that surrounded us. However, spirits were high and we all took an
opportunity to snap a few shots of each other at the elevation marker. This was truly a great feat for many students for whom this was their first real hike as well as visit to Qixingshan!
Then it happened. The sky cracked open and the heavens poured. We all got wet. Some of us (including
myself) got absolutely drenched. However, the fun we were having was unstoppable. From the peak, we worked our way down the mountain to the Taiwan Scouts Activity Center. We settled into our cabins, got dry, had dinner and were soon off to bed to rest up for Day 2. Day 2 was a much easier hike with a short trip up to Qixing Park where the Year 9 students could rest, take in the sights and sounds of Yangmingshan. A small group of 9 students decided to go to the peak of Qixingshan again, this time accompanied by Dr. Matthews. From there we made our way down to Lenshuikeng again, following the trail through the Jhaocaihu creek, past the Jyuansih waterfall and back to the ESC.
Mr Sing Key and Mr Woodall taking a break at the Jyuansih It’s day 2 and we are ready to hike up to Qixing Park! waterfall.
All in all, the hike was a resounding success. The students were an absolute pleasure to hike with and the character, positive attitudes and perseverance in challenging circumstances were they displayed were truly admirable I thought.
My deepest thanks and appreciation go to Ms Chang, Ms Brown, Mr Imbleau, Mr Cornes, Dr Matthews and MR Woodall for their commitment, participation and assistance with making this hike a truly fun, memorable and safe learning experience for us all! Mr. Sing Key Head of Year 8 &9
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Articul8 Finale
Throughout Term 3, the Year 9 students have been working on a rather special project. The Articul8 project has enabled the students to focus on a topic of their choosing and write an extended piece over a number of weeks, learning valuable new skills and reflecting on their learning all in one go. The results of their labour will be realized this week and some of the best pieces of work identified and given recognition in the final week of term.
In IGCSE and IB, coursework and extended project work become more frequent visitors to the students’ schedule. During the course of this work they gradually learn and develop the skills they need to
successfully complete such projects. Literacy, research, referencing, evaluation and analysis skills are all developed and enhanced. This year we decided to see what happens if the Year 9’s were given a headstart on this process and learnt these skills in preparation for their examination classes whilst becoming more conversant with the type of subject matter they will face during the IGCSE’s. The students have risen to the challenge and it is exciting to see them showing qualities that will help them in their quest to score the best possible marks in two and four years time. As well as learning the skills whilst writing their articles, the students have also been keeping a blog to reflect upon the processes they go through in producing a longer piece of work. They have used this to monitor their progress against the deadline, to register any challenges they have come up against whilst
researching and to flag some of their favourite resources.
The students have taken on challenging titles and are producing some excellent work. As part of the final process the best articles will be published in a magazine, unfortunately, we will not see the finished production until next academic year but hopefully the benefits of this learning process will stay with the
students throughout the IGCSE and well beyond.
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H1 Outward Bound Trip
In the penultimate week of term, the majority of the H1 students headed to Fulong Beach, for two days of team building and Outward Bound activities. The plan was to do some kayaking, some cooking, some raft building, and for the year group just to enjoy each other’s company. It was with great delight that students handed over their mobile phones, as they knew that this would encourage them to do just those things.
Neither the weather nor the transport were straightforward on the first day, but the rain did hold off
enough for us to be out on the water in the afternoon. The weather on the second day was perfect: like the final bowl of Goldilocks’ porridge, it was neither too hot nor too cool. It was just right for the activity of building and paddling some rafts, using canoes, bamboo and string. The skills of the Outward Bound leaders inspired confidence; the raft-building skills of the students did not. However, as everyone had a lot
of fun, this didn’t really matter.
Speaking as their Head of Year, I had a great time on the trip. The students were impeccably behaved, as they so often are. The teamwork and leadership qualities were evident throughout, and the teaching staff were able to enjoy the experience as much as the students.
Dr. Gavin Matthews
Chloe Oani: Definitely the highlight of my Outward Bound experience was the raft-building on the second day. In our activity groups, approximately 14 members in each team were given three kayaks, bamboo poles and rope to build a raft which could be paddled from the kayaking base to the beach. This task required critical thinking, communication skills and most importantly teamwork. We also shared a common goal of not wanting to sink! After constant revision to the design and construction, we put the raft in the water and began our perilous journey to the beach. Despite the hostile ‘shark-like’ attacks from Mr. Hebden circling our raft with his kayak, our team was able to work together and reach the shore - with a minimal amount
of paddlers falling into the water. Overall, I’m sure that the raft building activity was a favourite of both students and staff and surely made the trip more memorable.
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The other competitive activity was the cooking, which took place on the evening of the first day.
The competition itself was won by the mosquitoes, who fed exceptionally well. It was felt by the expert judges (or a motley collection of teachers) that it was a draw by the human competitors, and they were highly impressed by the culinary skills of
the students.
Candice Chiang:
The skyline fell. It wasn’t the time for collecting shooting stars to make wishes. After the rain and the kayaking, no one would spend their time on counting stars. It was time for dinner. However, there was a tiny problem. Dinner wasn’t prepared for us: we had to cook by ourselves. This was surprising news to many of us, especially those
who weren’t able to cook.
Potatoes, onions, beef, carrots… Everything needed for curry was all prepared. We were split into groups of four, and we started doing work after brief instructions by the Outward Bound leader. Some people were washing dishes, others were getting ready to cook, some were just sitting there waiting for food (they were supportive). An hour later, the aroma of curry spread out - sweet, savoury and fragrant. The feeling of accomplishment after the effort was as sweet as the curry.
We shared food with each other, laughed at how bad some of it tasted, and chatted about who was the chef of each group. It was time to wait for the shooting stars, make wishes and throw those wishes into a jar. There was nothing to wish for apart from a dream with these beautiful memories made on that day.
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H3 REPORTS
Today, H3 students will receive their academic reports for the second half of their H3 year. Many of them have made significant improvements and I am very pleased that, for many, the consistent hard work, is starting to pay off. Forty six students increased their total points score, so by up to 6 points! This is a real testament to the effort so many of them have put in and to the support and guidance given to them by their teachers.
As always, I have completed a traffic-light analysis in which I have identified students who are either ‘borderline’ or ‘at risk’ according to the criteria below. Please take some time to discuss the report with your son/daughter and get them to add up their points total and compare it with their previous report. They should then be able to set some targets of work that they need to do over the summer based on the targets which their teachers have set them in the report.
The vast majority of students are identified as green . If a student has been identified as red or amber, I have made contact with parents and the student concerned to look at options and make sure that
they have a plan for the summer. This is all designed to support students as they proceed through this challenging programme and we have had many successes with students in the past when we have identified early that they may be struggling. As I say, though, the vast majority are proceeding very well and the results they have on the reports issued today indicate some very impressive IB results in the summer of 2015.
At TES (during the course), we work on the following principles:
4 in a HL subject is borderline / 3 or less in a HL subject is a cause for concern 3 in a SL subject is borderline / 2 or less in a SL subject is a cause for concern
25 - 28 points overall is borderline / 24 points or fewer is a cause for concern D in the EE or TOK is borderline / E in the EE or TOK is a cause for concern
RECENT TRIPS
I would like to thank the staff and all H3 students who took part in the recent Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) Major Projects – Tabitha Cambodia and the Indigenous Cultures Project in Taitung. The students conducted themselves in an exemplary manner, just as we would have expected, and they achieved such a lot. The CAS reflections I have read so far on ManageBac have been wonderful – showing real engagement and thoughtful consideration. It was lovely to hear students talking about having had ‘life-changing’
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experiences and saying that this was “the best trip they had ever been on”. My thanks to Mr Henri Labuschagne and Mr Paul Lee for their leadership of these projects and to the students for embracing the spirit of CAS so enthusiastically and with such mat urity.
EXTENDED ESSAY All H3 students will need to work on their Extended Essay over the summer break. The Extended Essay is their individual project in a subject which students consider their favourite and, possibly, the one which most closely relates to what they would like to study at university. The reports you will
receive today include a status report on where they are up to with the planning and writing of their Extended Essay. The deadline for the first draft is Monday 15th September 2014.
I wish like to wish everyone connected with H3 students the very best for this extended summer study period! I would like to wish the parents of H4 students the very best for the results which th students can access at https://candidates.ibo.org from 1200 GMT on Sunday 6 July. I have all my fingers crossed and high hopes for some excellent IB results.
Darren Latchford IB Co-ordinator
H3 Indigenous Communities Project
rd th Bunun Trip, Taidong, June 3 to June 5 This is the third year that TES has journeyed along the beautiful east coast railway to Taidong to visit the Bunun community who live in this beautiful part of Taiwan. The H3
Indigenous Communities Project has been working throughout this year to raise awareness, understanding and appreciation of the traditions and cultural heritage of the
many indigenous tribes of Taiwan. Visiting the Bunun community is always the highlight of the project. As well as having a chance to experience the gentle pace of life and see the stunning landscape, the trip really gives the students involved a deeper insight and a new perspective on how indigenous communities and their traditions exist in the context of modern Taiwan society. One of the new areas of the IB TOK syllabus focuses on indigenous
knowledge systems and this project is a great way for students to see these knowledge systems in practice. The project hopes that future H3 groups will continue to strengthen
the bond TES has made with the Bunun tribe over the last few years and continue to raise awareness within our community in the process. - Mr. Paul Lee – CAS Coordinator
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Here are some thoughts and reflections from three of the students who went on the trip:
Felicia Chua (H3) It was an eye-opening experience visiting the Bunun Foundation for the entire team and myself. Through
this trip, I got to see and experience living life in a rural area. Having lived in the city for my entire life, it was something different yet satisfying. From learning their traditional tribe dance and songs, to interacting with the local students and learning how to work on a farm under the scorching hot sun, I have learned to appreciate my identity and blessings even more.
Daniel Hsieh (H3)
On this trip, we visited some of the local students and the members of the Bunun tribe in Taitung. The trip was impressive because we could interact with students younger than us and from a different paradigm. Also, actually working on the farm, with its soil and dir t helped me to appreciate the beauty of nature and life. Although it was only a two and a half day trip (with about twelve hours of transportation), I feel that I have experienced many interesting things. For instance, we learned how to sing and dance for some
traditional Bunun performance arts. In addition, we also saw how the people of this island make use of the land through their agricultural skills as we visited the majestic farms around Long Tein village. In short, it was a really interesting and a worthwhile experience.
Daniel Huang (H3) Our trip to the Bunun Cultural and Education Foundation was filled with learning experiences. We went through a broad variety of activities ranging from archery, farming, and participated in their indigenous dance. Personally, I had a really fun time trying out archery for the first time, however, through that I also learned about the tribe’s moral and ethical respect the show towards nature and the animals they hunt. Another enjoyable experience was when we helped the indigenous schoolchildren one evening with their
English homework. It was a nice change from us learning to them learning. This knowledge and culture transfer between indigenous and modern societies should happen more often. All in all, the trip was very worthwhile. The experiences we had with the people of the tribe were the most valuable entities that we left with. I was truly enlightened by the culture and customs that I was exposed to.
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ESC Newsletter · 13th June 2014 27 TAIPEI EUROPEAN SCHOOL 台北歐洲學校
YALE Model United Nations
From the 23rd to the 25th of June, I was lucky enough to be part of the group of H3 students who travelled to the National Taiwan University to participate in the inaugural session of
Yale MUN Taipei. As this was my first MUN conference, the terms 'inapposite' and 'perplexed' are complete understatements in defining the experience of walking into my first
committee session being faced with a collection of well-trained, well- experienced candidates.
Despite it being at this point that I worried my preparatory efforts could be somewhat lacking, I drew inspiration from my fellow TES delegates and persevered through the two and a half hour long committee sessions as well as the prolonged voting procedures. In truth, the whole affair was in fact a surprisingly fun experience. The serious facade sported by many on the first day soon changed into one
of a more relaxed and friendly nature as the group of students soon began to feel comfortable around one another and the daunting task of speaking to the whole group seemed somewhat less so as the conference progressed.
The committee sessions themselves were fitted around several delegate training panels which included
among others talks on US-Russia-China relations and the Art of Negotiation. These panels provided us with the opportunity to not only hone our MUN skills but also to take a sideways glance and some contemporary political issues which were related to and helped us in our committee sessions. As with most MUN conferences, the social highlight of the weekend was the delegate dance which took place on the Saturday night. Unfortunately, only a handful of TES students were able to attend due to it clashing
with Graduation but King Munn, Antoine, and myself thoroughly enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.
Overall, this experience as very much an enjoyable one and I am sure I can speak on behalf of the whole group when I say a great deal of memories were created from the weekend’s events.
By Henry Reynolds & King Munn Cheah H3
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Student Council
2014 has undoubtedly been a big year for the Student Council. Many projects have been successfully
instigated and executed, such as the first-ever Light It Up Blue Day, the new collaboration with F.A.C.T. (Foundation for Autistic Children and Adults in Taiwan), the Study Area Refurbishment project, the launching of our very first student-run website (connectFOUR), exciting new Valentine’s Day games and many more! However, the success of these events should definitely be attributed to the students of the
school, and the members of the Student Council. With almost 50 students collectively working together in this team, the process of bringing the ideas of the students to life is made all that easier. Without further ado, let’s take a look at what each group of the Student Council has been working on this year.
The Blue Group has been working on a variety of exciting projects throughout this school year, planning to release them as soon as possible to the school community! One of the most immediate changes you will soon see is the product of a project on which we have been working hard for several tiring months
already, to revamp and refurbish the study areas in Phase II, giving them a complete facelift and makeover to modernise the school and keep ourselves advancing. The new study areas, vibrant with colour, will be introduced and available for use starting next term, but of course, it does not end there as we are looking forward to improving the study areas even more to make them the ideal settings for
students. In addition, we have also been developing merchandise to represent our school and bolster our school spirit, and are very excited to unveil and release them as soon as possible. What’s more, with the addition and incorporation of more forms of technology around school, such as the TV screens situated around both phases, we hope to put them to even greater use by allowing them to display important and relevant information for students. Stay tuned with the Blue Group to see more facility improvements, and feel free to let us know the changes you would like to see in the school!
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“I didn’t think anything would be more stressful than IB – I was wrong. Paranoia lived up to its name.” The Green Team believes that having a social life is of great importance. Through activities, we hope to
enrich individual students’ school experience and to facilitate a platform upon which they can relieve their stress and escape from academic pressure. This year has been a prolific year for the Green Team.
Prior to the school year, our goal was to introduce new and exciting events to the TES community and we are pleased to say that goal has been achieved. Apart from the discos and egg pancake sales, friendly competitions have been put forward to the student community, such as Paranoia, How Well Do You Think You Know Your Friend? and the annual Halloween Dress-up Competition. Although the school year
is coming to a close, nothing will dampen our enthusiastic attitude towards new exhilarating projects. The groundworks for new events have already been set and we cannot wait for the upcoming school
year. We hope you are just as eager!
As Charles Dickens once said, “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” This mentality has been at the core of what the Red Group has worked to achieve this year, and it is fair to
say that the Red Team has most definitely not been “useless”. The Red Group has participated in many new exciting projects this year and is exceptionally pleased with and thankful for all the support we have
gotten from the TES community. This year saw the inauguration of the autism awareness and Light It Up
Blue (LIUB) project and the continuation of our work with Taiwan’s Funds for Children and Families. Students from a range of year groups and sections worked diligently to instigate the autism awareness and LIUB projects. Our work ranged from persevering through wind and rain down at Ming Yao Department Store to raise funds for the planning and hosting of a parents’ luncheon, to extend the
understanding of autism amongst our parent community. The Red Team has tackled this new project and has most definitely come up on top. The Red Group focuses on long-term projects, and is looking
forward to seeing the gradual acceptance of autism within our own school society.
The Red team’s work with TFCF has been growing stronger ever since its commencement in 2011. As of this year we are supporting ten overseas children with their education and medical expenses. The Red
Team is honored to be able to bestow upon these children the benefits and privileges of education and health. The leaders of the Student Council are very proud of all the hard work and efforts the Red Team
has put into its projects. We hope, after this year, the team will have learned that being a good human
being is something for which we should always strive. It may just be one lesson, but it’s a big one.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our members for their hard work this year and the
student community that unremittingly supports us (especially during food sales!). We look forward to working on future projects to help enhance the students’ school environment and learning experience.
You have not seen the last of the 2014 Student Council team!
– 2014 Student Council Executive Team
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Tabith Day Year 7 Activities
Tabitha Day took place on May 22nd, serving to raise the school’s awareness and appreciation of the Tabitha Cambodia project. Our team hoped that through these activities, these students would
be able to steer away from the common misconception of poverty directly equating unhappiness. We wanted them to learn that they could gain happiness even through completing simple tasks such as building birdhouses or creating
pottery.
The rationale behind the birdhouse making activity was to simulate the experience the Tabitha team
will undergo in the near future.
We felt that the Year 7’s would gain and understand the feeling of fulfillment and satisfaction if they were to create a home for a life. This was done through using glue and popsicle sticks. We also encouraged students to follow one of the school’s secondary values - Creativity. They were free to
create and express their ideas through the birdhouses as they wished. During the activity, it was refreshing to see these students getting their hands dirty to build something both beautiful and meaningful. Though the activities were at times hard to plan out, the overall positive feedback we received made all the effort worth it.
The aim of the pottery activity was to dispel any former misconceptions about Tabitha and for the Year 7s to acquire an appreciation for Cambodian culture. The students learnt that despite the limited resources, people in Cambodia are still able to live happy, fulfilled lives with what they
have. In order to show respect towards this foreign culture, students were asked to make pots, which represented the hardships which Cambodians have to go through for daily necessities such as water. The pattern on the pots
was also something to be taken into consideration, as some of the more adventurous students took on the mission of engraving complex Cambodian patterns, incorporating them into their designs.
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Another special addition to Tabitha Day was the “Make a
Wish” event. A Tabitha logo was built and set up in the Atrium and students were free to write on the “Make a Wish” cards and hang it on the wooden logo. Due to the students’ overwhelming participation, the logo has since become both a symbol of TES’s school spirit and a piece of art, representing the strength of the Tabitha spirit that we
hold and have successfully spread to the school community.
Tabitha Day was altogether an eye-opening experience for everyone involved, especially the Tabitha team.
We are very grateful for this opportunity given to us, and we must say we did a fantastic job organizing the event and bringing it to undeniable success, motivating us to make even more contributions when we get to Cambodia!
Tabith Day Cambodia
Tabitha Day was huge. It was a never-
before-seen, student-engaging and active
event purely organised by the H3 Tabitha team. One of the main components of this day was the large-scale monopoly
game, The Cambodia, aiming to mimic the day-to-day lives of people living within Cambodian society. This game included various different roles such as farmers, entrepreneurs, factory workers, doctors, drug dealers, the unemployed and the government.
The aims of this game were to observe the decisions made by each unit to ensure their survival as well as their reactions to the increasingly corrupt government. One aspect we looked at in particular was whether each unit would make decisions solely for their own benefit or for the benefit of the whole society, effectively reflecting their ethics in the game. This experience really allowed not only the Year 8s and 9s, but also the entire Tabitha team, to fully integrate the situation in Cambodia and learn to empathize with the people there.
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We learned that life is never fair, hence the
inequality incorporated in the game (some were unemployed, some were doctors). We learned that when survival and well- being are being put on the line, our ethics become clouded and we can sometimes make bad choices.
A lot of preparation had gone into the organization of this game, and though it was hectic on the day, it was both vigorous and enjoyable.
The event not only educated the participants of the chaotic environment of Cambodia, such as the government going bankrupt, but it also showed us, the organizers, how difficult it was to maintain a sustainable and peaceful economy. Our game promotes the idea of free choice, where it was the creativity, enthusiasm and participation of the students that made the game successful.
The fact that we got to contribute to the birth of “Tabitha Day” was both surreal and accomplishing. We hope that Tabitha Day will become an occasion that is celebrated every year, encouraging students to participate and lend support towards the future Tabitha projects and to continue expanding this event in future years.
Written by: Anni Chen, Janice Liu (H3)
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Harmony Home
For the last term, the H1s have been engaged in the Harmony Home project, which raises money and awareness for a very worthy cause. Harmony Home provides support for children and adults who are affected by HIV/AIDS, many of whom have no other support mechanisms. The project is as much
about raising awareness as raising funds, and helps prepare our students for the service projects that they will undertake as part of their IB course in the H3/H4 years. For the purposes of the project, we split the students into five different committees: Fundraising, Awareness, Action, Media and Treasury. Each committee had a Chair, two Vice Chairs and a Secretary. I asked the Chairs of Fundraising and Awareness to write something about their experiences.
Janice Liu
Angelina Chen, Chair of the Fundraising Committee: Being a part of the fundraising team in the Harmony Home project has been a really exciting, exhausting and sucessful experience.
In the fundraising team, our goal has been to come up with spectacular ideas to promote our activity and raise funds to help the Harmony Home community. Since this year's project lasted for only one term, we have had a limited time, which prevented us from planning some bigger activities, but this did give the H1s the opportunity to have full concentration and focus on implementing effective methods for the best outcomes. For us, the aim was to gain as much money as possible!
Since time was short we had to get our heads in the right direction. The fundraising team members all showed great determination, enthusiasm and participation. We took time from outside of class and PSHCE lessons to begin our tasks.
At the end, we as a whole team have sucessfully raised a massive total from a bake sale, a Krispy Kreme sale, the Summer Fair second-hand sale, a BLT burger gathering, and the most significant and highlighted night: the ‘Roof Top’ buffet & raffle ticket activities, which was attended by 100 guests.
I was so proud to be the Chair of this team. Despite the hardships of planning and organising the result was very rewarding. During these processes, I have learnt how to persuade people and have
come to understand that communication is key! Thanks to all of our wonderful supporters, because without them the fundraising team would not have had such an amazing and unforgettable memory to cherish!
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Ray Chen, Chair of the Awareness Committee: What is HIV/AIDS? What is the difference? Many people have been confused about the difference between them, but actually they are the same! HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is a type of virus that enters our blood, infects the immune system and disables the T-cells from fighting
other diseases. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, and is what HIV develops into. Humans don’t immediately become ill after getting HIV. It can take some years for the victim to develop symptoms of AIDS. This year’s Harmony Home awareness team has been striving for success in such a short period of
time. We raised awareness and brought Harmony Home into the spotlight by educating the people around us. We have designed t-shirts, logos and tickets for the Tien Tai dinner event, produced banners, and put interesting facts about HIV/AIDS in the daily bulletin. Brochures were produced and given out during the TES Summer Fair, as well as at the Tien Tai dinner event. Together, we have collaborated with the other teams, supporting each other to accomplish goals as a whole year group.
In addition to these activities inside and outside school, each Thursday afternoon for the last five weeks students have visit Harmony Home’s children’s refuge. I asked David Huang, a member of the Media Committee, for his thoughts about that experience:
David Huang, Media Committee: A few weeks ago a team of students were sent to this special shelter for infants affected by AIDS and HIV. As we entered the quiet corner of the neighbourhood, we got a strange feeling of déjà vu; as if school time is over and we are re-entering our cozy homes. Surprisingly, most of the children we met
aren’t HIV positive, and most of them are physically healthy. The manager explains to us that those infants are the victims of politics, since their parents are illegal immigrants who are being held by the government before they get deported.
After a quick tour, we had the opportunity to interact with these children. As we enjoyed our playtime, a disturbing question emerged in our minds: what would happen to these children without
this strong fortress to support them?
The emotional struggle enlarges as we enter the second floor and encounter our first patient. A poor child, who wears a gas mask, clings onto the nurse’s leg. The manager tells us that this boy is HIV positive, and was abandoned by his mother, who left him alone outside the doors of Harmony Home.
We can see the injustice that these ill-fated children are facing. The fate of these innocent children reminds us of the reasons we are supporting Harmony Home. As a group of H1 students, we are contributing our efforts and talents to help these children who have been so affected by HIV and AIDS.
We inherited the Harmony Home project from previous H1 cohorts, and have now held several fund- raising activities to improve publicity and financial support for Harmony Home.
The year group has only had a short term in which to organise themselves, and they have impressed me as much as they usually do with their drive and unity. They have decided to continue the project into the start of the next term, as they are clearly relishing the chance to engage with this important service project.
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TABITHA Cambodia 2014
DAY 1 Today we took a bus to the Killing fields which was then followed by a visit to S.21, a high school which was converted to a prison during the war. The bus ride to the Killing fields was quite long and so I was able to spend some time looking out of the window and observing the people and shops as we drove by. I think it is important to notice the people around you when you travel to a new country, especially the new and different things as it is these things that give is the extra cognitive tools we need in order to learn even more about the next place we visit. In addition to this, it is always interesting to see how
people live differently or similarly to ourselves. For example, I saw bottles of petrol on the side of the road here for people to buy and place in their motorbikes.
After a long drive we arrived at the Killing Fields and the prison. At the Killing fields we were given an audio device which informed us of what life was like when arriving at the killing field and it also gave us
the opportunity to feel it. The emotional stories of the survivors and the surroundings gave me enough sensory input to allow me to imagine the trucks driving up, unloading human beings, which to the soldiers were not human, and executing them. Afterwards we visited the prisons.
I don't think I will be able to hear the word intellectual ever again and still hear the same things go through my mind. This afternoon, a classmate of mine mentioned the word and fear filled my body. The word seems to have a whole different psychological meaning to what it did when I woke up this morning. I have bought books, some which are factual, others which are the stories of survivors and I intend to read them with a fully open mind and an open heart. The thought scares me to be perfectly honest, but then I can only imagine what it would have been like for the people who were here. Perhaps I won't feel anything. As one of my classmates said, sometimes there is just too much to feel all at once. It may take time for this experience to finally sink in.
Although a lot of what I have learned today was similar to what I have heard from my mother and from books, it is just not the same as when you are so close. Geographically, psychologically, emotionally.
Written by : David De George
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DAY 2
Today is Day 3; House building Day 1.
Today we learnt the meaning of perseverance. We had the pre-conceived idea that such a task would be easily achieved. We later found out how wrong we were. The hammering was a difficult task in itself, and Jeffrey's thumb paid the price. It was not as hot as we thought it would be; instead, it was a challenge of concentration. The first house was particularly difficult; it took a long time to master the art of construction. Along with the help of the villagers, we managed to build two houses with our blood, sweat and tears (literally). This teamwork and collaboration was done through a language barrier which struck
us as a great achievement. It also made us realize that there was power behind working towards a common goal. Sore as we were, the way the villagers thanked us made everything worth it. The tears in the villager's eyes really touched us and nothing could compare to the sense of accomplishment which followed.
It was a particularly interesting experience; it felt
as though we were learning more than doing work. The work itself required determination and focus. We had the chance to challenge ourselves with activities we had never done. The learning was not like the education we receive at school,
instead, they were lessons of our morals and principl es as human beings. This could only be learnt through practical and real life situations. There was no such thing as failure, only mistakes.
Every time we accidentally bend a nail, our instructor would laugh enthusiastically.
The unison of emotion replaced language and tore down the barriers which had previously been there. At
the end of the day, we felt hammered and exhausted, but personally, we think we nailed it.
By Jeffrey Sun and Milton Lin
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DAY 3 These few days spent with the villagers differed from the rest when originally landing and viewing the country for the first time- it was a perspective change.
We finally had to chance to build houses for them through our small gratitude we were able to become 'heroes' in changing the life of others.
For most of us it was our first time using hammers and other tools to form the pieces of a shelter, and it was a struggle at first. However as a team we all persevered and pushed through in accomplishing our
task- Girl Power.
Even though the villagers were very welcoming towards our arrival we had difficulty understanding and communicating through the cultural and language barrier. However we were able to overcome this by our use of sign language and the initiatives of each of our members in taking the first step. Along with the
construction process and the help of families and children, we had the chance to further bond- feeling accepted in the village life.
I believe, even though to some extent we may 'sympathize' for the villagers who are less off than we are.
I also think we have the chance to learn something about them. Modern society have created 'routines' as 'life'. And as a whole we have become so reliant and obsessed in technology, so competitive that we have fallen apart and become more 'selfish' and 'narrow-minded'. Upon seeing the children so carefree and happy in their own environment, it reminded me, in the end, have we lost our gratitude of being human?
-Fiona
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Every nail counts. This experience, through the harsh weather and countless times we have hit our fingers was both painful, exciting and fulfilling. We started off with just scraps of materials, but gradually the house came into shape, with the motivation of both our group members, and the village people and their children. I have never hammered anything before and a little kid was more skillful than me, and allowed me to gain
more from this experience than I am giving them. Through the little things we accumulate from this experience shows as an individual it may be difficult but as a team we can go beyond our limits. - Anni
In my opinion I think without this trip I would not have become the person I am today. I am so blessed to have met the people in the village and be given this opportunity. With our small generosity we were able to provide more for them and even though we have only met the children for one day it seemed like I've known them for a while. Through the smiles and laughter they gave it seemed pretty difficult to leave. I officially have post-Tabitha depression.
-Anita
At first, we felt it was really challenging because we had no experience with what we were working on. However throughout the entire trip, originally having a phobia for the hammer, gradually we began to get the hang of utilizing working equipment and had the chance to explore the village and interact with the villagers.
Overall, the look in their eyes at the end of our trip made all our hard work pay off! -Bobby & Melanie
Overall, we all think we have found a piece of Cambodia within ourselves!
Team 7 (Fiona, Anni, Bobby, Anita, Melanie, Denise
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