Phillipines Immersion Trip

From 7 Dec – 18 Dec, 16 of our 2018 Year 12 students embarked on an Immersion Trip to the Philippines, where they stayed with a small village on Bantayan Island to experience their way of life and to help out within their community. The students aided the community in many ways, including building footpaths around the village, making Christmas decorations and even have some fun with a night of Karaoke. Our students bonded with the families in the community and have created life long memories and have developed new outlook on life

Special thanks to staff members Liam Doherty, Rachel MacDonald and Vithiya Sathiavan for accompanying the students on the trip. 

Here are reflections from two of our Year 12 students who went on the trip:

The Philippines Immersion trip is something I will cherish forever. Being able to experience a third world country with a group of 16 other students who are there for the same experience makes you realise how much we take for granted back home.   

It was eye-opening to see how little these families live on, especially with having limited water supply; the children have to fetch the water from the well every morning so they are able to flush their toilet or even wash their dishes. However, even though these families have so little, they are the happiest and most affectionate people you’ll ever meet. 

This immersion trip is something I will remember forever and it has made me want to continue helping others because you see how grateful they are. I his is only just the start of many more immersion trips to come. 

Rhiannon McCausland 

As an amazing 10 days have just passed, getting to know some of the locals of Cebu and the families in Ancop village in Madridejos, Bantayan Island was truly a life changing experience and one I will never forget.

As heartbreaking as it was to leave the village, I know that the long journey to get there was more than worthwhile. I am so thankful for the people who were a part of our immersion family and I am so grateful that I was able to experience this journey with them. I am more than happy to say that our efforts have impacted the village greatly, and I know the villagers will be forever thankful for it.

This trip to the Philippines was not an ordinary holiday overseas; it was a mission to help out the families and being exposed to things that are far from what we experience in our ordinary living. I am so grateful for everything I was able to hear and see, the experience was truly eye opening. I cannot wait until I can go back there and become a part of many of the families lives to help out as much as possible for a very long time. I am still amazed on how strong, driven, warm and open hearted everyone we meet are and opening up to completer strangers.

This experience has truly changed my perspective on life.

Tahlia Diaz