This is the first year that VSP has welcomed MLC Sydney, Australia, with 115 students joining our program. They experienced a range of activities in order to explore Thai culture. They did a Thai Culture and Language Class, Muay Thai, Thai Cooking, visited a Temple, Monk Chat, learnt Thai Massage, and visited the Elephant Nature Park. Besides that, they also went biking, joined in team building activities and did community service.
"[The trip] exposed them to the Thai culture. [They’ve] seen how an IB school is. The trip made them appreciate their lives through seeing the village kids. They were so keen on community work and giving of their time to make other lives better" - Vivienne Migdanis
This year, MLC had two community service projects with two different local schools. One of them was building a concrete sports field and two pavilions at Mae Mae School, Chiang Dao. Another one was making a concrete floor and building two toilets at Ban Mae Chon Mae Fah Luang Learning Center, Chiang Dao. The project in Mae Mae School used 200 bags of cement to finish, or around eight tons.
The students were all enthusiastic towards the projects and everyone was devoted to their jobs. It was fun, satisfying, tiring and cooperative ten days. During this ten-day service, students learned how to work together as a team and also learned skills for mixing cement and laying a concrete floor. They might not have been able to experience these things if they had simply stayed at their school. It was one of those times that they could contribute and help the people who are in need whilst also developing friendships in a new place. At the end of the community service, we were all tired but happy for all the things we’d done.
"It will have tested their friendships and helped develop social skills." - Chris Eddleston
"I think this program made a difference to us and we experienced a transformation" - Anne Layman