International Award Practice Expedition
1st March 2024
‘The attainment of knowledge is a never-ending journey in life. Each different path is an opportunity to learn.’
On Friday February 23rd, students kicked off the Duke of Edinburgh International award practice expedition with lessons in first aid and map-reading. While plotting different coordinates, we quickly became aware of just how far of a journey we had in store.
On Saturday February 24th, fourteen students embarked on a journey into the leaps and bounds of Kisongo’s hills alongside the breath-taking scenery of Ngaramtoni.
The icy morning air at 7 am provided the perfect rush of adrenaline for students to take on the 22km walk. We packed our lunches, tied our shoelaces, and began contemplating which group would arrive back first at the campsite.
As we boarded the bus to Ngaramtoni ya Chini, through the window of the bus, we were surrounded by hills far and near, plenty of cattle and groups of school kids embarking on their own journey.
With the first step of the bus, we filled up our water bottles and began walking into rural Maasailand and were welcomed by the warm smile of a Spanish-speaking Masaai. During a brief discussion, he explained to us the importance of seeing the world beyond the walls of a classroom and developing the skills of a global citizen.
Arriving back at around 4:30pm, we enjoyed a refreshing dip in the pool and cooked our own meal, chipsi mayai!
The next morning we walked 10km in the Kisongo area. Despite sore feet, our hearts were filled with ambition and determination to complete the journey. The trip ended with a refreshing drink in Kisongo and a life-time of memories of perseverance, teamwork and collaboration.
Article By Narindwa Matikanya
