Five students from Bushey Meads talk of the experiences of a World Challenge trip to Thailand and Laos (From Watford Observer)

Five students from Bushey Meads talk of the experiences of a World Challenge trip to Thailand and Laos

12:44pm Wednesday 16th September 2009

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Students from Bushey Meads return to school after a Summer holiday with a difference.

Nikhil Kotak, Phoebe Lazarou, Tom Baul, Rosanna Allnutt and Rhiannon Weare all took part in a World Challenge trip to Thailand and Laos.

Gareth Davies, a teacher at the school, accompanied the group on their trip.

He said: “We were there with another group of kids from a school in Loughborough and the World Challenge leader Sarah.

“I felt more like one of the group because the students were in charge of accommodation, budget, first aid, food and transport.”

The group renovated a school, rode elephants and trekked miles of jungle during the four week expedition.

Mr Davies said: “The village women in Ban Nam Gha where we renovated the school cooked for us, and then we cooked for them in the evening.

“We had a cultural exchange on the last night, the village people danced and we sang heads, shoulders, knees and toes.”

The group agreed helping in the village and the cultural differences they experienced were the highlights of the trip.

Nikhil said: “It was just so different, the kids there have nothing and they are happy with it. One person from every family came to help us while we were renovating the school.”

The group also played football with the villagers, leaving them with a gift from home.

Mr Davies said: “We gave them 12 Watford FC shirts in total, it was the only sports wear they had.

“One guy cut his foot when we were playing football and he had to walk home like that because he didn't own a pair of shoes.

“We're trying to get some old kit from Watford FC to send over, some more shirts and shorts and maybe some old boots they don't need.”

Like any adventure there were times when the World Challenge didn't go exactly to plan.

Tom said: “We went to an elephant tower to see elephants in the wild but none of them turned up. We did get to ride some though, that was my highlight.”

Nikhil said: “I got a leech on my belly button and it was there for about ten minutes. We also lost a lot of money in an exchange bureau early on.”

However this is all part of the learning curve and the life-time experience that is offered by the trip.

Mr Davies said: “For me, the level of confidence that the kids now have is the best part. They had to be the leaders of the group so they had to gain that confidence.”

All of the money to fund each part of the adventure had to be raised by the students.

Phoebe said: “We had to raise £3500 each but in the end it was more the £4000. We washed cars and organised sumo wrestling for the teachers. It took 18 months in total.”

But the fund-raising doesn't end there, for around $3000 U.S dollars a school can be built in Laos, like the one the group renovated.

Phoebe said: “In 6th form we're going to hold a party and send the money over to them. We're hoping to raise £800.”

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