Sam Roi Yot Series 2 [November 2022]

How time has grown me up

3 days post-program, ready to reflect. “This program is 5 times better than my first program in the same place.”

“No one can bathe twice in a river”.

Meaning you can never experience the same in the same place. Everything changes constantly. You of tomorrow are different from today and an area can be transformed into a new one. Appreciate everything we get to be surrounded and feel it as much as we could. Because what passes by will never go back. (Dec 2020)

I cried my heart out because my voice was not heard, a teacher took over my job, there was too much going on, I was completely burnt out, I could not hear what students were saying, English was so difficult. I was journaling every night but the stress didn’t release. This time, I only journal 3 times, and I was so peaceful.

taken from the bus, this is in front of the resort we stayed, before leaving...

I wanted to write a blog to mark my first time being a facilitator in a physical program with JUMP! However, it took me two months to recover in Maehongson. I was a mess. I turned 21 after that blown-away adventure. I thought I would never ever be capable enough to travel this much, to maintain the energy until 11 pm everyday, and talked to students, teachers, drivers, local people, JUMP! Staff, let alone myself. I could not feel my soul due to overwhelming motions.

See now, I am different. Nothing is impossible. There are always exceptions. These two phrases walk me through the darkest time.

“If I die, I want to put my grave in this cave.” I smiled and felt touched hearing a student saying this. I was surprised that my students at year-9 level were so spiritual. Please stay calm and be mindful of your tone of voice because this place is a holistic place. “What is holistic?” Because people come here to pray for good things. They listened to my story that I saw a group of Buddhist Pilgrimages had a walking meditation to this cave the last week. “Oh, right, we will be quiet”.

Once students entered the cave, they came to pray in front of a small temple. “I believe in incarnation because we might have our next life. The reading of the praying sentences was really peaceful.” I feel that when I heard their recitation, I feel incarnated. Hiking was the time that I could become closest to the students. We talked casually like friends. I listened to how they know about one another’s siblings, pets, special talents and dreams.

the magnificent cave with my team. a location of growth.

Things I am most proud of myself:

1. Maintain happiness and stable energy throughout 8 days of hard work. Average daily 12 hours working (730am - 10pm) The key is to focus on my own content, know what I will do, what to say, who to work with and incorporate others’ experience into my planning.

2. Run a great debrief session after Kayak. It was a complete failure in my first program. All response I received from that was “Kayak”. I asked them “What did you learn?” and “sWhat was the highlight…” They said “Kayak” only without further elaboration. I didn’t know how to ask them for better reflection.

This time, I did not even prepare any script, or questions beforehand. It was spontaneous on a ground of a coffee shop. It was pouring so we hid in a cafe. We debriefed on the experience and we continued the Truth guessing activity. It was 40 minutes of so much fun and learning on the ground. The good part was that sometimes students didn’t get to share a lot, but then I could like their answers back and forth and expand the conversation into meaningful takeaways.

Questions I asked followed the flow of students’ and teachers’ sharing.

• What was the most interesting in Kayaking?

• What did you see? What did you observe in the water? What trees did you notice? Why there were mangroves?

• What was difficult for you? What strategies worked to overcome challenges?

I ended by congratulating everyone on the journey!

My heart was pounding hard seeing the lightening crossing the river and sky. I recalled lessons Justin taught me as well as in the Wilderness First Aid course. I feared that something bad might happen. Fortunately, we got out of the water safe and sound with the support of the Kayak staff team.

This is a proper time that I studied Mangrove forests! (and in English of course)

handmade lip balm by students, thanks to Bring The Elephants Home initiatives

Engaging activities with students during the daytime:

• Tent setting

• Walking tour in the Co-existence path

• Design Thinking Support

• Safety Management: identify causes of incidents and respond to cases of traumatic causes or food poisoning.

• Interactive sessions on Leave No Trace and Hiking Safety

• Study PAWS Rescue: Animal wealth fare and actions for a safe society

my dear team A!!!

The evening activities every day turned out to be full of highlights:

Day 1: Icebreaker and set expectations for the whole program

• My Single Truth

• Goal Setting

Day 2: Allow student leaders to take initiative. Debrief on the day and explore community strengths and weaknesses to support one other.

• 2 Stars and a wish

• Growth Mountain

Day 3: Similar goal to Day 2 but different activities.

• Recap and Highlight

• Silent Line up

Day 4: A space for individuals to showcase their interests and engage with the whole school community including students, teachers, and JUMP!ers.

• Talent Show

Day 5: Reflect on the entire program in terms of personal growth. Express appreciation for self and others.

• Student-led energizer - Splat

• A highlight

• Appreciation moment

• Final Thanks from JUMPers

David is a genius. So delighting to meet them again to learn about elephants and see his strong connections with the people here.

Challenges:

• Communicate with children with special needs such as low attention span, emotional instability, and ADHD, and frequent complaints about the experience.

• How to support students to choose suitable ideas during the brainstorming process? There were a lot of good ideas but I didn’t want to assert my own bias in their decision. So eventually, I told them to vote among themselves.

• Deal with attitudes of adults that are not aligned with mine, which I could only share with people I trust and dialogue with myself. Respond to controlling manners nicely.

• Confront one amazing Kayak instructor that I laughed my heart out in anger. But I learn not to look back in anger. I could entitle the person and the angry feeling or a bad experience with bad words and reactions. The thing is, such feelings won’t last. So the title to such an experience should be temporary. I will move on and tell others the stories of how I was scolded by a hot-tempered person. Thanks to my kayak partner, I was able to hold my head space.

• To conform to the timing regulation of my job: I was in speechless mode at times when I literally ask to have increased resting time. Of course, my request was rejected. I want to advocate for a better management system where facilitators or all staff could have enough relaxation, accordingly well-being.

breathtaking view of mangroves!

Moments I enjoyed so much, outside work time.

1. The short motorbike ride along the road from the campsite to the activity zone. I was a bit proud to be the only one who could ride a motorbike. I helped to run back to the campsite to take some materials for my team. The scene of the ride was stunning. I wish to have time just to walk along the street and have my soul rest in the air and the green zone. I slowed down the bike to capture the wide meadow in my eyes. I didn’t take a photo, I wanted to keep the special feelings of such a short, unexpected time. The whole landscape was out like a big canvas - where I could lie on the grass, close my eyes or gaze at the infinite sky.

2. I had been to the beach 4 times to breathe the air. It is true that “it is such a shame if we don’t get to come here.” (Nina) Our resort is 1 minute away from the ocean, where we could see the Earth curve from the 6th floor. I had a 15-minute walk on the first prep day, along the beach. Then in the next 3 days, I tried to take 5 - 10 minutes sitting next to the beach, and having some drinks and snacks after work. I completely recovered. I didn’t need a beer. But had I had one, I would have been up to the 9th cloud. I called my co-facilitator, Wansi to come to sit with me. It was real quick if we scroll along social media. But 5m next to that ocean could buy my life and the heaviness of my body.

Thank you the holistic cave!

3. On the last day, we managed to run to the street vendors and get some food we were craving so hard, including shrimp, mussels, and papaya salad. We only had a 40-minute break after the whole day long, we need to be on duty for safety guarding. We decided to take the food away and ate them at the resort while being guardians. The awesome thing was we had 10 minutes sitting down next to the ocean, again, to chew out food in the salty air. That meal was one most worthwhile one ever for me. I was really grateful that I had so much appetite for food, it is a lucky one, and it is a sign of happiness. We sat along the coastal line, actually the cement pavement, eating, and talking about our family, and relationship. I was so happy with the conversations with Wansi, my senior. It was destiny that we met, where the puzzles of our businesses were resolved. It was just the right time for the bond.

4. The next highlight was the talent show dance. I thought of my secondary school friends. It was the first time that I could relate the friendship of international students to my own friendship. We were connected through music, interests, stories and early relationships as well. I think beyond materialistic life, what is essential is still such fundamental feelings. I was in awe seeing the students hugging and dancing “One Kiss”. I didn’t even know the song. I was just impressed by how contagious the positivity and friendship were. I looked at their movement and danced along. I wished that moment lasted longer. We made the right choice to open the dance to energize everyone. It would be an inspiring moment for me to work with more students in the future. This time, I also observed conflicts, arguments, and harmony among them. If I were to be a teacher, I must know how to deal with such issues. I think again, what I would be? A learning designer? A writer? A freelancer? A meditator? I dunno but I know for sure, I am a learner.

A memorable activity: play animal kingdom next to the beach. It was so hilarious... I am happy that students wanted to play for a long time. The cool thing is, all of them love the song "I want it that way" (Black Street Boys). LOL

Thank you for this blessing program. 1 week away from School.

Appreciation for life. Appreciation for new people I met.

See you all soon!