Students Experience Thailand World Challenge

Over the summer break, 14 students from two local schools in Kidderminster went on a month-long expedition to Cambodia and Thailand in South East Asia with World Challenge Expeditions. The student teams from Holy Trinity and King Charles had an amazing time touring the two countries, and after 3 flights via Mumbai and Bangkok they reached Phnom Penh. Time to sight-see and absorb local culture as well as undertaking a gruelling six-day trek in the area of Chieng Mai in Northern Thailand, and undertaking work to help maintain a 'Skills Centre' in rural Cambodia as part of their project in a children’s orphanage. Science teacher at King Charles 1 High School, Mrs Emma Trickett, said: “South East Asia is such a diverse region; it's a fantastic part of the world for the students to begin their travelling adventures.  We experienced many different cultures and unforgettable life-changing moments.  The trek through the jungles of Western Thailand was incredibly fulfilling and so much fun, and the time spent in Cambodia finding out about their tragic history was both exceptionally sad, whilst at the same time being inspiring! This trip will stay with the students for a lifetime!” Trip highlights included jungle rafting and riding an elephant, firsthand experience of local Geography, something which classroom education can’t recreate. They also donated clothes and toys to the children in Cambodia, kindly donated by Teddies for Tragedies community group in Kidderminster. Geography teacher and assistant leader from Holy Trinity International School, Mr Ron Jackson, said: “The team had a wonderful time in South East Asia enjoying new foods and varied experiences. They schools worked extremely well together to both enrich not only their own lives but also those of children and adults in Cambodia particularly through improvements they helped make to a 'Skills Centre' in Battambang." Organised as part of their enrichment studies, previous joint school trips include a History trip to Berlin and a World Challenge expedition to Ecuador, with photographs used as part of the students’ ongoing studies and displayed around the school for others to enjoy.