In late September VSP hosted Uthaloy International School from China. Their trip was designed to complement their unit of inquiry ‘Where we are in place and time’ and included a new activity day, which included a visit to a traditional Karen Village, located not too far from the Traidhos Community.
The Karen are a large ethnic group living primarily in Myanmar and Thailand, whose lifestyle and culture promotes a close relationship to nature and self-sufficiency – something to which most modern-day city dwellers might find difficult to relate. The students spent the morning learning about the Karen people, their history and their culture, and gaining first-hand experience at traditional weaving taught by one of the women in the village. Following that and a quick snack break, the students were taken along a simple hour-long trek through the hills around the village, ending at a small temple, where they had lunch.
In the afternoon they were given the chance to explore one of the largest and most important temples in the district – Wat Phraphutthabat Si Roi, also known as the Buddha’s Footprint Temple. Here the students were told the fascinating legend of the footprints before seeing them with their own eyes. The visit ended with the students having the opportunity to explore the grounds of the main temple before heading back to the Traidhos campus at the end the day.