Always remember us this way
- Aoyumi Jung
- Nov 19, 2023
- 9 min read
Updated: May 15, 2024
Residential Trip in Khao Chamao, Thailand
Bangkok Prep Year 13 students
Experiential Education
11 - 18 November 2023
Uncle Sam’s Farm Group: 20 members
To Issac, Lily, Ted, Sean, Oskar, Zayya, Pea, Ong, Eddie, Fah, Tony, Zen, Sam, Ashi, Aukey, Prae, Memee, Abby and Merryl.
I will remember all of you.
Teachers: Amy, Kat & Jastina
Facilitators: Finn & Linh
“The moment I want to remember was on Tuesday, that night, the last activity where we expressed how we felt about the activities early in the day, I expressed my desire for belonging, my wish to exist to others. After that, I came to realize I did matter to others… I felt indulged. I learned to smile with others. I learned that I am someone. Adaptability. Comfort. Belonging.
I want to embrace the water more. I want to become a true ocean man. If I could go back in time, I wish I could smile more. I want to look on the bright side rather than be a cynic. I wish I participated in the lip-syncing. I regret being such a downer. Companionship.”
– From A student that touched my heart
I think the lyrics of the song Yellow - Coldplay can describe myself in this experiential learning trip. “For you I bleed myself dry.” For the students, I constantly remind myself to embrace all challenges and concentrate on what means the most to me.
JUMP Foundation and my life drove me to believe that important learning moments can happen within a short amount of time. It can be way more powerful than their entire school year at school where learning is routine and fixated. I came to convince myself that being a facilitator can create teachable moments for young learners by guiding their way of thinking, sparking ideas and interests, and challenging them to step out of their comfort zone.
Being a facilitator has allowed me to practice empathy to understand what is in the mind of the students, and how I can connect with them. Being a facilitator allows me to develop learning design skills that make the learning programs intentional. I will carry on this inspiration and experience in my new workplace to breathe the learning outcomes with my soul, and the wish to support learners to achieve their goals.
This trip wrapped up the last year of the student group in high school, such a beautiful time of a lifetime. If I had a second chance, I would love to go back to relive it. My good friend remains my high school classmates after almost 10 years now. I hope the friends you get to make will give you support and joy. Therefore, on the first “Intention Setting” block, I invited everybody to be at the present moment, letting go of what currently occupies your mind. Let’s have a really good time together!
The best thing I could do for you was to spend my time designing the activities, writing down the intention, and asking the experts to ensure that this is what can engage you and make you learn. I am so happy to see you write down your goals, list out how you want to achieve them, and in the end, today, review them and point out new takeaways. I am so grateful for your attention to me word by word, I spoke slowly, you listened, and you gave me a powerful ear and empathy. I felt that you comprehended my expressions, you were making sense of them, and you respected me. And I look up to you.
Facilitation Notes: (and more in my journals ☺)
This is the program where I got the chance to experiment with different new ideas with a satisfying intuitive flow of thoughts and collaborating with a new co-facilitator. We set a common ground to work together and bring in our resources of strengths and creativity. I love the making of activity flow, writing down learning outcomes I want students to accomplish, then carrying out the activities applying the foundations of facilitation such as knowing the audience, framing, defining purpose and meanings, setting parameters, supporting the learners’ experience, and debriefing on what they learn.
Favorite Activities with adaptation and learnings:
Growth Mountain & Goal Setting are the great combination! “Where you are in the growth mountain with this prompt: growing up into an adult?”
Letter to Future - Plan & Delivery: Given the changed plan, I managed to frame this to ALL students in a dining room, not my intentional space and style. But I got students to engage in their reflection, surprisingly! Started with the share of writing as my personal interest, how I feel in this process and how it might help us to think and dream.
Leave No Trace Principles and Charade: acting as an energizer and also an educational activity about etiquette in the outdoor adventures.
Hiking: a free journey where individuals recognize the emergence of positive feelings such as peaceful landscape, fish, peace of mind; the joy of being in the outdoor
Basket Weaving for a purpose: enhancing curiosity, empathy, environmental advocacy and personal reflection on career path and life goals
Snorkeling: Like the hike in the national park, without setting too much instruction, but safety brief was more emphasized. All got our space to explore the world underneath water surface, seeing coral reef, and musical party on boat. This enhances a sense of connection among students as they felt connected as singing and dancing the same songs.
Sea Turtle Conservation Block: I wrote a 3 pages of activity flow to share with the coming Khao Chamao program that entail the following pieces:
Framing & setting intention
Mad Dash/ Circle of Life
Defining more purpose
Indoor walk & discussion
Outdoor walk & reflection
Poster-making: ideas in action, group work and presentation as assessment of learning.
Debriefing for personal discovery:
Rose, Bud & Thorn
Rock, Stick & Leaf
The art of asking questions for thinking, assessment of learning, and inviting for future application (card debrief)
Daily gratitude learning: setting group norms, shout out to friends that made your day, and final Taps of Appreciation
Other takeaways:
Encourage students to go into the ocean on period, stepping out of social stigma (*Learn from Anisha)
Motivate myself amidst the hectic of Program management.
Know my compass.
Learning Journey Buildout Skill
My source of energy: Student Reflection on Learning
Day 3 - Paddling at Rayong Botanical Garden and Basket Weaving at Community Center
How does paddling and basket weaving teach you about life and yourself?
"Paddling taught me how to balance life. Like really balance. Standing up with the shaking boat is not enough, have to find the balance in everything I do in life."
.
"At the end of the day, we have to overcome things by ourselves. Though we have friends, we still have to know how to paddle alone."
.
"The fairtrade story made me realize how we often take things for granted. And there are many people whose needs are unmet. So I'll be more aware."
.
"The grannies allowed me to love new art. Now I could do it all day."
.
"When hearing about the grandma stopping school in grade 5, and started this work since grade 8, I felt their whole life has been around this. In a way, they have been limited to a choice."
.
"I learned that the grandma really enjoyed their work, I also wish to find joy in things I do like them."
.
"I am surprised to hear that the grandmas go to teach this in a school nearby."
Closing Circle - Rock Stick Leaf
Rock - A favorite moment you want to remember. What rocked you? What inspired you? Stick - A biggest lesson you have learned, reviewing your goals set, what goal have you achieved, and new learnings.Leaf - something you want to do differently. Something you could have done better if you go back 5 days. "Learn to focus on the present moment."
“I learned to let go of school stuff.”
“My goal has been achieved.”
“I actually enjoyed hiking very much and I would love to do it again.”
“I know a lot more people now and that I care less about embarrassing myself and enjoying every little moment because everything comes once as a moment.”
“I would go back and take every opportunity to participate and put myself out.”
“Meeting Linh, Finn and everyone in group A and being able to have a lot of fun with everyone since last residential. We were able to laugh together and have a good joyful time.”
“Sea turtles are very endangered species. Share your feelings and take actions otherwise we don’t know what can happen.”
“In life there are always gonna be challenges. Present is a gift. And I learned to speak out confidently.”
“What I will walk away with is that achieving hard work is a factor of motivation.”
“My favorite memory: The water was calm and tranquil, the wind brushing against my face. It sent soft, pleasant sensations down my skin. I stood on my blue paddleboard, dripping wet from past attempts. I did it! It was triumphant. A sense of ennui engulfed my soul.”
“I achieved my goal that I was able to enjoy the present and sympathize with friends.”
“A takeaway is that I am so messy and disorganized. I gotta work on that.”
“I learnt making knots - a new way of thinking in the way it is tied, to have max strength.”
“I do not regret any decision made.”
“I would have been more enthusiastic and optimistic about the trip. I would have been more open-minded.”
“I’ve learned to become more outgoing. I’ve put myself out there and become more confident. I have learnt not to judge others by their looks at the first impression.”
“A takeaway: find the food in the bad by having an open-minded, be social, being in a new group isn’t as bad as I thought.”
“I want to remember the bus, and boat ride karaoke. Even though everyone in our group has different personalities and interests, and were not close, knowing and singing the same song really connects us as a team and allows us to express ourselves confidently.”
“Sitting on the rocks looking at the fish made me feel peaceful and happy. And I don’t want to forget joyful feeling as singing with my group on the bus. I learned that I should find something that I can be passionate about for the rest of my life that makes me happy. I achieved both my goals: have nice time with Fah and make new friends. I have no regret about my trip. Even though I felt unwell, I didn’t do some activities, I don’t feel sad. I still feel content.” - A student
Every reflection is valuable. Just wanted to highlight the one that are meaningful to me.
Before heading off, a special student approached me and asked "May I?", we hugged. I just could not hold my tears. I never expected such an act from him. Honestly, there was a moment when I felt scared of him for his aggressive expression. Deep down, he has a kind soul. That was seen in the moment was on second evening, when he confessed himself to feeling existing and included. I hope that he will continue his growing journey with self-esteem, self-belief, and positive thinking in any situation.
Ted came and thanked me for everything. You gave me the collective thank-you notes. That was my favorite content I often gathered them in an activity format. The schedule changed so much that I had to remove many activities I wanted to do with you.
Your reflection will be kept as reminders of the purpose of a learning designer, as well as the purpose of my being born in this world. I want to be a supporter of those who love to learn, and anyone who deserves to unleash self-confidence and potential. Your increasing vulnerabilities day by day was what drove me to work harder to design meaningful activities. Rarely, I felt frustrated with the management system of the program, I told myself to pull myself together and focus on my goal - your learning.
On that bright sunny morning, in our final closing circle, I spoke the final words, I felt every single word of mine being listened to.
“Think about the elements in the cave, the shapes and the patterns of such. It takes hundreds of years to come in their shape. If you see yourself today, yesterday, or tomorrow, you might not see any much of an influence you make. Yet, as life goes on, you will be able to see your impacts leaving in this world. What kind of impacts do you want to leave? Please carry this question along your growing journey.” - From Linh
I hope what you wanted to carry on from here in returning home will remain vibrant. I hope your dreams and hopes will come true. You will find the path you want to go and find genuine joy in that. You will find it okay to feel uncertain about your future or speak about your fear. You will stay true to who you are and step out of your comfort zone to grow into a better version.
Balance yourselves and feed your mind and physical body to live the best life.
You all will become starry dots in my life canvas. Thank you for opening yourself and practicing a sense of gratitude with me. I am glad that you made new friends and recognized some life-long learning skills and mindset. Congratulations on overcoming 5 rocking days with challenges and happiness. "We will meet again as long as we live." My heart will go on for you.
Love
Linh
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p.s: I wish I could break the rule to share the photo of the students, Finn and me.
officially published this on 15 May, 24. Took me lots of time to refine the writing and get the photos. Anyway, so glad to relive this experience in my mind. <3
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