A group of us from our school participated in a Rural Immersion Program in Mokhamal Dang, Nepal, during the seven-day period from December 16th – 21st 2021. Throughout these days we experienced many activities associated with each of the 3 components of the CAS curriculum: Creativity, Activity and Service. These experiences included: welding, trekking, engaging and interacting with for the locals, helping local children learn, wood-cutting, and grinding. This group of activities gave us the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the culture of the region, be physically active, and develop relationships with classmates, teachers, the sponsors of the program, and members of the local community. Perhaps most importantly, spending time in rural Nepal has afforded us an opportunity to see how people in rural areas live sustainably. Bird Watching was one of the many activities we did that allowed us to learn about the biodiversity and wildlife of the region.
LO1 – Identify Own Strengths and Develop Areas for Growth
The Rural Immersion experience has been a transformative opportunity. I have gone trekking before, but I had no idea how much the physical challenges of the daily hikes would allow me to identify several of my strengths as well as weaknesses. I learned that I have greater levels of resilience, adaptability and endurance than I had previously thought. At the same time, I have also realised I need to build longer-term stamina and to learn better trekking techniques. The duality of these new perceived strengths and weaknesses have helped me grow in understanding my potential for development.
LO2 – Undertake Challenges and Develop New Skills
Adapting to a new environment that is primarily nature-based and strongly influenced by rural culture was one of the hardest parts of my trip. Taking on the tasks of welding, cutting wood, and using a grindstone pushed me beyond my normal comfort zone, allowing me to gain technical, analytical, and social skills. It also provided opportunities for me to develop an attitude towards embracing new challenges and to improve my ability to solve problems, while opening me up to learn through doing or through hands-on participation.
LO4 – Show Perseverance and Commitment
I participated fully and actively in all planned activities throughout the immersion; for example, wall painting and bamboo craft techniques demanded significant amounts of time and effort, but challenged my own personal comfort levels. I continued to work hard to complete these tasks in a responsible manner. That level of commitment and determination has allowed me to learn about the value of persistent effort when it comes to real-world learning through experiential learning.
LO5 – Demonstrate Collaboration and Recognize Its Benefits
Throughout the course of the experience, working as part of a team was essential. There were many common activities, such as group games and buying ingredients for cooking together, which provided many opportunities for me to work together with others in order to create successful results and to share the responsibility for each step in the process. Working with my peers to plan and execute all of the assigned tasks helped to develop my ability to work well with others and illustrate the importance of teamwork and teamwork practices in creating shared benefits.
LO6 – Engagement with Issues of Global Significance
My recent visit helped me see the global issue of Rural Inequality and Development and how much more we need to do. All the challenges that rural tribal communities have had to face over the years have given me a better perspective on the importance of sustainable development through a united front, and how, even with limited resources, the tribal community has shown resilience. During my immersion, I also learned more about the various disparities globally and gave me time to reflect on my personal position and all the privileges and responsibilities that come with it.
LO7 – Recognize and Consider Ethics of Choices and Actions
While engaged in many parts of our immersion (building a welding shop, working with villagers, working on community projects), we made sure to maintain respectful interactions with the villagers, remain within Safety Compliance standards, and align our actions with those expected of us by the community at large. This approach helped me gain a better understanding of how to ethically engage with Communities, as well as the significance of how to approach Servant Leadership with humility, respect, and awareness of Cultural Sensitivities.
The Mokhamal Rural Immersion Program is one of the defining moments of my life: it pushed me to get rid of everything that was familiar to me; this led to a greater understanding of myself mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. I developed new-found self-worth, new skills, new friends and access to things that would allow me to work toward becoming a better person through my contributions. In addition, I learned to appreciate how important it is to be part of an effective team, how important it is to stick with something even when you want to give up, and how important it is to adhere to your own morals and values. The experience also opened my eyes to the daily struggles many people living in war-torn regions have to endure and what privilege truly means; it also opened my eyes to how the little things we do individually can help build sustainable communities. I hope to apply the knowledge and experience I gained from this experience in all my future involvement in, and contributions to, society.
