Risk-taking. Perseverance. Determination. These are the words that one would associate with the International Award. From the 23rd to 24th February, a group of Year 12s traveled to Da Lat for our practice expedition. Da Lat was nothing like the comfort of our homes. Putting up tents, cooking our own meals and being surrounded by nothing but trees was definitely a first for many of us. But perhaps the most challenging aspect of the whole journey was the 32km trek that we had to cover – that’s 6 hours of non-stop walking each day, for 2 days. Even though there was lots of groaning and moaning due to our sore muscles, we still managed to push past our limits and trek to 3 peaks with all our required equipment on our backs. We even made our way to the top of the Lang Biang Mountain 2167m above sea level. The view from up there was truly spectacular and it was certainly worth the climb!
Although it was just for a weekend, we achieved the unthinkable and acquired new experiences. This was just a ‘taster’ of what our Assessed Expedition will be like but I am certain that we will return to the wild even stronger to tackle it once again.
Zhuo Yuen Lim, 12N
The International Award Practice Expedition in Da Lat was an unforgettable experience. It took determination and motivation to reach the finish line. We began the trip with an early start and a 6:30 arrival at the airport. There we encountered our first obstacle, a forgotten passport! After having passed the obstacle we began to board the plane safely. Our first day involved a 10km trek, but unfortunately for one group, it became a 13-14km trek after having deviated from the route and ending up lost in the middle of the jungle! When everyone had arrived safely at the campsite we started setting up our tents and equipment. We split into three groups to cook our own homemade delicacies: we feasted on pasta, curry, and Hikaru’s potatoes. After scary stories around the fire, we had a restful night of rain and wind and woke early the next morning, ready to resume our trek through the jungle. Miraculously, no one got lost this time, with the two groups sticking closely together. Some of our members immersed themselves fully in nature, and attempted to communicate with the birds, but without success. We finally arrived in the infamous ‘Chicken Village’, amazingly devoid of actual chickens, and were transferred by bus to the airport. There we boarded the plane without any setbacks, arriving home with minimal cuts and bruises and a real sense of achievement!
Carola Di Bella and Ellie Spencer-Harty, 10S
The International Award is a programme for anyone aged 14-25 that allows them to participate in exciting and challenging activities and gain accreditation for these activities. The programme is recognised by universities and employers worldwide. This year at BIS we have 12 year 10 students doing the Bronze Award and 17 year 12 students working towards their Gold Award.
All 29 students who undertook their Practice Expedition in Da Lat performed extremely well, showing great perseverance, teamwork and strength of character. They coped admirably with the challenges that they faced and exceeded all expectations. We are all eagerly looking forward to the Assessed Expedition in May in Yok Don National Park in the Central Highlands which will bring fresh challenges.
John Witton
Biology Teacher and International Award Coordinator
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