TES German School Trip
A week of Camping & Experiential learning
When it comes to the weather, November in Taiwan is always a mystery… Despite a few patches of rain the students from Taipei European School (German Section) had an awesome School trip full of camping and outdoor adventures.
For some of these children it was the first time they had spent a whole week away from home and on this school trip they had the opportunity to develop confidence in themselves, as well as learn some important life skills. It was a pleasure for Imagine team leading this adventure with so many great characters – we are looking forward to the next one!
Day 1 - High Ropes course
Confidence, Courage & Trust
Starting out on Taiwans north-east coast the school trip began at a climbing centre with a series of high-wire climbing challenges. One of the obstacles was to climb a 10 meter wooden poll and navigate across to the other side while passing someone on the same wire. This challenged required a lot of balance and courage, with some student stepping well outside their comfort zones. After a bit of apprehension it was great to see many of the group excited to try again for the second and third time. In the afternoon the students had a go at a three tiered obstacle course followed by a tasty dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 2 - Nature Park
Nature Education, Exploring & Fun
The following day the group jumped back on the bus and headed for a natural Bird Park to learn about bird wetland habitats and ecosystem management. Guandu is an amazing place and well worth a visit, the staff there are fantastic and help guide the students to understand how important the ecosystem is and how they can be an important part of environmental stewardship. In the afternoon the group was lead into the forest and taught to identify an invasive species of vine, they then got hands on and involved by cutting away some of those vines to helping improve the biodiversity of that forest ecosystem. They then had the idea to up-cycle the cut vines and turn them into a Christmas wreath decoration. Genius!
Day 3 - Civilisation Game
Communication, Leadership,Teamwork & Creativity
Creativity of the group was unleashed during the Civilisation Game on day 3. The group was split into three civilisations and set off to explore the area where they were going to set up their civilisation. After a discussion about organisation, leadership and what they intended to create, the teams set about trading resources and constructing shelters. The first priority was to create fireplace and gather the tinder and kindling for a fire so they could cook lunch. With a bit of training the students started to master fundamental survival skills like fire starting and soon each group had water boiling for a pasta á la forest…
In the afternoon each group invited the other teams round for a tour of their civilisations and a reflection on what they had accomplished.
Day 4 - Nature Awareness Hike
Endurance Challenge, Natural & Historical Knowlege
To round off the adventure the students went on a nature hike on a picturesque east coast trail, traversing rice paddy fields, waterfalls and some historical stone calligraphy carvings. The heavens opened during the walk, and with strong rains and winds it made for an exiting hike!
It was a great week of camping, outdoor adventures and new experiences for a lot of the participants on this trip. As a result, we hope they’ll feel more confident to venturing out into nature and creating more escapades for themselves in future.