Author: BHay

With our final post, we would like to thank all the staff and parents at St Leonard’s College who made this trip possible. As our past posts reveal, it has been an incredible experience and the connections and memories we have created will last a lifetime.
We feel particularly indebted to the efforts of Jane Harrison and Dorothy Forbes. Without their tireless work and sacrifice, none of these experiences would have been possible. We are all enormously grateful for everything you have done. Thank you both!

Waking up from our deep slumber, at first it felt like any other day of our Big Experience trip. However, we soon came to realise that today is Day 17, the final day of our unforgettable journey. Though we were thrilled to finally be reunited with our families, it was impossible to conceal the clouds of disappointment that shadowed over us.

To prepare ourselves for the oncoming flight, we allowed ourselves to sleep in and enjoy the feast in the hotel restaurant. We then went to the Russian Market to quench our remaining thirst for shopping. Its rich history combined with the crowded, complicated maze of shops spectacularly concluded our market stops in the trip. After an hour in the market, we packed our bags and headed off to a delicious lunch. The realisation that this would be our last time packing and eating lunch in South East Asia hit us like a bullet. Everyone was saddened to leave the small yet cozy hotel. As soon as we devoured our lunch, we set our sights to the magnificent Royal Palace. This effectively concluded the magical trip as the significant Palace symbolised all of the beautiful memories made throughout the journey. On this hot day, we ended our time in Cambodia with a relaxing boat ride around Phnom Penh. This hour granted us the opportunity to step back and fully submerge ourselves in the beauty of the city. In the serenity of the moment, we reflected upon the entirety of the trip. We then ventured off to the airport.

Throughout the trip, we learnt of the values of different cultures and were able to compare and contrast those values from ours. Constantly, we were forced out of our comfort zones, leaving us vulnerable but also giving us opportunities to learn and adapt. In Australia, those precious chances were rare as we are not as frequently pushed outside our comfort zones. We were always afraid to be judged when we committed ourselves to new experiences. Fortunately, the trip was full of times where we all learnt more about ourselves and the world around us. Though outdoor activities such as white water rafting were exciting and adventurous, it was times of silence and volunteering that were the most meaningful. Going to the villages, building a house, visiting an orphanage and primary school, places where struggle and strife were visible, were the places where the group evolved the most. After encountering those less fortunate, we were able to acknowledge how lucky we are to have a solid education and a healthy lifestyle. We gained an appreciation for all we have a at home and now have more gratitude for our luxuries. These interactions with local communities portrayed the different values that the people half way around world harbour and taught us more about the important things in life. We saw that there are many ways to be happy and that in it self was one of the biggest lessons we all learnt.

At the end of the trip, it was impossible to not appreciate the enormous support we received from both the teachers and the tour guides. Hung and Volek, our tour guides, were easily the best tour guides we have ever witnessed. They were with us the whole trip and were fantastic in their leading. Their life stories forced us to view them not as strangers but as fellow friends and a respectable figure. We also met other tour guides along the way including the amazing Yawan, in Thailand, Mr Vong in Laos and Niang in Cambodia who all happily instilled their knowledge to us in an entertaining way. Though there were some standouts, we were all disappointed and even saddened when we had to say farewell to each guides as our trip continued on. Similarly to our two tour guides, three self-sacrificing and humorous teachers were always at our backs, ready to motivate and assist us in every possible way. Joss, who was always smiling and happy, kept close tabs on all of our welfare and put us before her at all times. She was amazing to talk to and established herself to be the mother of the trip. Thank you Joss! Mr. Hay, though strict with rules, always cared for each of us deeply, sacrificing some of his free time to participate in conversation with people independently. These short talks relieved our stress, allowing us to take our minds off of tiring days ahead of us. His humour was another huge support for all of us as we could take a moment in a hectic day to have a jolly laugh. On behalf of the whole group, we would like to thank Mr. Hay for his enormous efforts to make this trip the best it could be even if this was his first as well. Last but certainly not least, Ms. Brown, the group leader, spent all her energy and time to safely return all of us to Melbourne while also allowing us to enjoy our time here to the fullest. She joyfully motivated us to participate in all activities and shared her wise wisdom with the group. Her strong leadership skills kept everyone in check while her patient yet caring personality brought out the best attitude for everybody and for that, we all appreciate and thank her determination for the success of our trip. Finally we would like to thank the group for being awesome friends. We are all so glad to create amazing bonds and memories with such incredible people. This experience has been life changing for everybody involved and has taught all of us precious lessons that will never be fully learned in a classroom.

LONG LIVE THE PAGODAS!

Daniel Kim and Lakshmi Malhotra

We are currently in Bangkok and about to board our flight to Melbourne. 

A more detailed blog of our last day will be uploaded once we return to Melbourne. 

Everyone is very excited about being reunited with their loved ones. It has been a truly incredible trip.

We woke up this morning and prepared ourselves for the emotionally draining day which had finally dawned on us. After a short breakfast, we met in the lobby, ready to drive down the path of Cambodia’s tragic history. Today we would be visiting one of the most infamous Khmer Rouge prisons, alongside one of the 388 killing fields which were scattered across the country during Pol Pot’s reign. Arriving at our first destination, S-21 prison, Tuol Sleng – also named ‘The poisonous hill’, we were shocked by the countless atrocities which occurred behind the prison walls. The secretive and horrifying nature of what occurred within the prison made the experience so confronting for each and every one of us. Walking through some of the dimly lit prison cells, the reality of what sins were committed only 38 years ago in our exact location seemed so surreal. However, this was the harsh truth. The Khmer Regime truly did cripple the country. A staggering 3 million people killed ruthlessly, 43% of the population- dead.

Firstly unable to entirely comprehend the inhumane acts executed by Khmer Rouge soldiers, we were additionally exposed to the moving images of those who had occupied the cells. Some of the photos were taken by Vietnamese journalists on the discovery of this ‘re-education facility’ on the 10th of January 1979. Cell Block B housed an exhibition, displaying thousands of photos of those who were once prisoners. We learnt with great depth and detail, our tour guide made us realise this was no ordinary political reign. Making the historical events so much more real for all of us, he opened our eyes to a new perspective surrounding the cruel intentions of the Khmer Rouge leaders. Keep in mind that some of those who committed these atrocities were as young as 12. Torture was something that never passed by any person detained within the walls of S-21. Farmers admitting to being intellectuals, women from poverty claiming to be university graduates- purely to avoid the horrific pain inflicted upon them. All those with glasses, lighter skin or soft hands were labelled as educated people solely on the fact that farmers, the idealistic occupation, were hardened and uncorrupted by bourgeoisie (middle and upper class) ideals and comforts. These “educated” people, and their families, were herded to S-21 into the old school blocks where they were chained in small classrooms which had been congregated into 12 separate cells for the men, and 16 cells for women. The cells were either wooden or brick without windows, in order to utterly cut them off from the outside world.

We followed the footsteps of the detainees, being driven to the killing fields along the same route which they would have years ago. An ominous silence had swept across the group, as we entered the killing field which had previously acted as a Chinese cemetery. The scenery was alike something out of a children’s picture book, the warm sun and vibrant green grass, towering trees in full bloom accompanied by a completely blue sky. The conflicting nature of it all created an eerie feel- surely something so horrific could never have occurred in such a beautiful place? Yet, once again clouded by the reality of the situation, we followed the track to see one of the notorious 129 mass graves on site. Altogether these graves once held the bodies of 20,000 men, women and children. In just the three graves we had encountered, the total body count was 716 alone. In a building at the heart of the site, over 900 fractured skulls were piled together, a reminder that this isn’t just a story. These events were honest and true, nothing about it was surreal any longer. Standing less than a meter away, we stood staring into hollowed out faces of the past. While it was a very confronting experience for many students, we all agreed that it was also profoundly moving and very worthwhile.

After these visits to historical places, lunch along the water front was welcomed. From lunch we had a quick visit at the central market, which was built by the French in the 1950’s. It was by far the most extravagant market we have visited during our trip. Once we returned to the hotel, the group met in a conference room to reflect on the events of this huge trip. This was an opportunity for everyone in the group to reflect as a group on the most meaningful parts of the trip. Common themes included appreciation of friends and family, gratitude for the incredible opportunities we have been provided with, and empathy for those who have much less than us yet remain so warm and generous. The genuine closeness and connection within the group was also apparent and this is something we are all very proud of. The night then concluded with a group dinner at a local Cambodian restaurant. The food at this restaurant was one of the stand-out meals of the trip.

After today’s journey back through Cambodia’s timeline, the group felt connected to the events which occurred less than half a century ago.The recognition of the pain and suffering inflicted on these people from those who visited the sights was something we will never forget.

By Peter Caddaye, Luka Hamilton and Amelia Gaskell

Today we said goodbye to Siem Reap and travelled to the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. We spent most of the seven hour journey relaxing, sleeping and reflecting on the experience so far. The journey was broken up by a stopover for lunch and even more memorably, a visit to a market that sold a variety of cooked insects. As the photos below show, some students also made some new friends.

Upon our arrival at the hotel in Phnom Penh, we were given one hour to acclimatise to the new surroundings. People used this time to visit the hotel pool, play cards, or just chill out in their rooms. At 7pm the group disembarked the hotel for a delicious dinner on the water front. Following dinner, we cruised Phnom Penh in a colourful convoy of tuk tuks. Compared with Siem Reap, the city was more noticeably vibrant and pulsing with energy at night. The array of bright lights and new developments was reflective of a city that is in the rapid stages of growth, buzzing with a new found confidence associated with economic transformation.

As we returned to the hotel our day was at an end. Tomorrow we will be learning about the history of Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge. It promises to be a profoundly moving day that many are looking forward to experiencing.

We began our fourteenth day of the trip with an early start, quickly dressing and downing our buffet breakfast. A short bus trip took us past beautiful rice paddies and villages, until our arrival at the Tonle Sap lake. We boarded a colourful wooden boat, which chugged through the massive lake, revealing a whole community of floating houses, schools, a church, and even a police station. The houses on stilts provided for 750 families, whose main sources of income were fishing in the wet season and agriculture in the dry season. After experiencing these water villages we headed out to the main section of the lake. At first we thought it was the ocean! Since the lake connects to 6 major rivers in Cambodia, the expansive waters reached the edge of the horizon. We found it hard to believe that in the dry season the water level reduced to only a few centimetres. During the boat trip back to our starting spot, we began to understand the way of life on the lake. We could see the methods people utilised to get fish out of the nets and also the type of boats they used to travel around the lake. All in all it was a very interesting journey and also gave us a greater appreciation of the impact that unchecked development can have on an eco-system.

Our second part of the day was a stop at the orphanage, Kampuchea house. We grasped new knowledge of the lives of orphans through a speech performed by one of the students who lived at the orphanage and had graduated from school and had proceeded to become a third year medical student. We heard about many other success stories from orphans who had been nurtured there, from talented chefs, to original jewellery designers. Soon we were set free to mingle with the kids! We all immediately got involved with activities and began to develop connections to the children. We played universal games such as soccer as well as discovering new games, like hackey sack with a shuttlecock. It was such great fun to just play games and put a smile on everyone’s faces. We were shown that our fundraising money was put to good use in order to buy school books, backpacks and pencils. It was life changing to experience their lifestyle as well as knowing that we had contributed to make it better.

We arrived at the school approximately 45 minutes after saying goodbye to the gorgeous orphans at Kampuchea house. The local school welcomed us with excited smiles and high fives as we walked down the drive to the main centre. To begin, the school’s founder gave a heartfelt speech about how the school differed from others such as ours, explaining that the students came from quite poor families who usually have a minimum of 5 children! He then continued to discuss how the children within these families rarely get to attend school as they cannot afford the costs. In addition, they were very thankful for the supplies that we had brought the previous day as it made it much easier for the parents and the teachers. Directly after this, we had the opportunity to further connect with some of the students by reading them books in English, teaching them the English language and playing many fun games. When it was time to say goodbye it was profoundly emotional for many, as close relationships had been formed with the children. However, the bonds made will stay with us forever and never be broken.

Upon our return to the hotel, we had half an hour to refresh before heading out for dinner. After sharing a delicious meal together we finished up the evening with an hour at the night markets. It was another memorable day and tomorrow we will be catching a bus to Phnom Penh.

Ella and Emma