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SCHOOL TRIPS
149
November14
Trip of a Lifetime
The chance to stand on their own two feet, experience unimaginable sights
and escape the omnipresent parental gaze are just some of the reasons
children savour school trips. We asked nine students to recount the
memorable moments from their recent excursions, near and far.
V il lage Life
Student:
Daniel McConaghy, Senior
School:
Singapore American School
Duration:
One week
Malnutrition is one of the biggest
problems in East Timor. Although
they have enough food, they don’t
eat the food that is best for them. Our
undertaking on the excursion was to
build a community garden to provide
nutritious food to malnourished
villagers. I tilled soil and built a
compost box for villagers in the
pouring rain. Even though I was
soaking wet, seeing how much my
work meant to the villagers inspired
me to carry on for as long as it took
to complete the work.
The trip, which was part of
Singapore American School’s interim
semester programme, taught me to
be appreciative of what I have. We
don’t realise how fortunate we are to
live in Singapore until we visit these
villages where only a minority have a
roof over their head.
Travelling to East Timor was a great
opportunity to expand my knowledge
of different cultures and places, to
get out of the classroom and learn
outside. We climbed Mount Ramelau
and saw how beautiful this country,
which is newly independent after a
tumultuous history, really is.
East Timor is a place I recommend
to anyone who has the opportunity
to go. While it might not be the
smoothest trip, it will likely be one of
the most memorable.
40 Woodlands Street 41
6363 3403 | sas.edu.sg
Photos by Alexandra Toh, SAS graduate
Daniel McConaghy (pictured)
helping an East Timorese villager
EAST
TIMOR