2022 International Award Adventures Journey
Whether it's blisters or sunburn,
getting lost or getting soaked,
campsite dinner disasters, or snoring tent-mates,
making new friends or discovering new strengths…
Every participant of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award remembers their expedition for their whole life, and all have a story to tell.
The International Award is one of the co-curricular activities (CCA) at Dulwich Zhuhai with a high participation rate each year. It has enabled students to develop individually and with others through the completion of the different sections.
The most memorable section for participants in the International Award is often the adventures journey.
A group of Year 10 and Year 11 students took on their journey in in the Phoenix Mountain Scenic Area on 2nd and 3rd of December, preparing for their Bronze Award. The trip included routes through several distinct ecosystems and environments, deciduous forests and bamboo forests, as well as an overnight stay on the mountain. Students were equipped with maps only, and learnt to modify the route with input from teachers and external professional instructors, who accompanied the whole trip to ensure students’ safety.
# DAY 1
The first day started early in the Friday morning.
After a day’s hiking, students put up their tents, cooked their own food, and settled down for a night in a campsite.
It was the time for a real taste of independence.
#DAY 2
The next day was another early morning. They woke up at 6:30am, made their breakfast, packed up the tents, cleaned the campsite, getting ready for another exciting and challenging hike across the wilderness of forests on the Pheonix mountain.
The long hike took about seven hours, covering various types of trails across fields, forests, farms, rocky paths, and slippery slopes.
“The hike was challenging, especially when going uphill, but it was also fun and fruitful. We were able to exercise teamwork, develop leadership and navigating skills, and learn more about each other. I also learned a lot of things, such as how to read the map, how to set up a tent, and how to locate exactly where you are on the mountain if you get lost, which I think is really cool and useful.”
——Ethan Y (Y10)
“The trip was a severe test of endurance and persistence. It was great to see so many students ingreat spirits of hard work and resilience, and there was a lot of laughter and humour despite the sore shoulders, legs, and feet. We are very proud of each one of them and hope the trip inspired them in every aspect of their study and life.”
——Dr Khan, Teacher of Maths and Economics, International Award Co-coordinator
Over the last two months, the students had been training hard on their fitness to prepare for the adventures journey. They went on a training walk at Tanweijiao Mountain on 8th November, gaining a good idea of the journey. With the help of teachers, students learnt to plan for their own gear and what supplies to bring, as well as how to structure meals each day. They have also learnt survival skills such as map reading, cooking, and putting up a tent, to prepare themselves for the journey.
All the students can be really proud of themselves for their achievements, and we look forward to seeing many students return to take on Silver level of the International Award in the future.
