Bugs, Cold Showers, Hammocks? Do It Camps Style!

An expedition is not only incredible for students but is also a wonderful experience for travelling teachers too. Jane is a teacher who has been on 5 different expeditions with Camps. You can read more about her experience below.

As a school, we have taken 5 separate groups out with Camps to different locations over the past 10 years and yes, it can sound a scary proposition – a whole month away from home, in a country that you’d possibly struggle to find on a map and a culture that you had no idea even existed.

So, what makes us brave the elements and look forward so much to the adventure? Well, to start off with, the fundraising is something which might sound daunting, but with help and advice from Camps and a very useful Facebook page, the energy that the students put into this is amazing. The team spirit starts to grow from the moment they sign up, all helping in group efforts and thinking up ideas for themselves – entrepreneurs in the making! It really develops a sense of budgeting and responsibility as well as being an incredible high when you get those regular comments in the corridors “I’m halfway there already, Miss”

 The trip itself is something that Camps claim to be life changing. This statement falls so far short of the mark – it’s untrue. It is a trip which opens the students’ eyes to ways of life they could have never imagined – the cost of a Mars Bar which they eat without thinking could be the equivalent of a whole week’s wages.

The way that a whole community all pulls together to make the most out of what is effectively nothing and the students can be part of it for a while. They learn the true value of team spirit, they learn about new cultures, they try weird new foods and traditional dances. Yes, they do work hard on the different projects, but they get to see these grow as they challenge themselves to be the team to plant the most trees in the rainforest (You rock, Team Tucan!) or to finish the painting of a kindergarten, changing it from a dowdy shack to somewhere fun and inviting for the little children in the village to learn.

 They find out a lot about themselves as they face and overcome challenges, working together to find the best way to organise themselves into a productive workforce. Everybody has a part to play and they all find their own particular strengths and skills through teamwork and communication. I have seen relatively quiet students blossom over such a short period into confident young men and women ready to take in the world.

It’s not all work – due to popular demand, our adventure element has been scuba and wow, it really is an adventure. There can’t be many more exciting things than listening to humpback whales singing in the distance while you are being eyeballed by a turtle with the sun glinting down through the water above you! The look on the faces of the students after their first sea dive – amazing!

Looking to get your students involved in a life changing expedition? Contact us today to find out more about your options.