On Friday 3rd February groups of staff and students from Queen Mary’s College headed to the airport, bound for three separate Challenge Abroad expeditions to Cambodia, Tanzania and Thailand. Having arrived and settled in they have got stuck straight in to the activities that feature on their trip of a lifetime!
Read the blog for each of the trips below and discover lots of photos and videos of all of the expeditions on our social media pages, using the following hashtags: #QMCChallengeAbroad #QMC_cambodia2023 #qmc_thailand2023 #qmc_tanzania2023
Team Tanzania Updates
Upon arrival students spent time enjoying the sights when orienteering around the local area in Kilimanjaro. They collaborated on lesson planning and have since been doing a fantastic job in the local school.
09.02.23 Team Tanzania have been split into two groups, each leading classes of 55-60 children in every workshop they deliver!
The theme of yesterday’s teaching sessions was social wellbeing, focusing on communication and teamwork. #qmc_tanzania2023 students rock!
Fun evening activities have included watching Lion King on film night and participating in a drum and dance session.
13.02.23 Team #qmc_tanzania2023 have had a very exciting weekend. On Saturday, they enjoyed a trip to Arusha National Park where they experienced a game drive followed by a walking safari. The students managed to spot lots of animals including giraffes, zebras and warthogs to name a few!
On Sunday the group visited Kikuletwa hot springs where they were able to relax in the refreshing water and unwind after working hard all week. Check out @qmc_tanzania_2023 who are doing an insta takeover on @challengesabroad today!
17.02.23
This week the Tanzania group returned to the school to continue delivering workshops on physical, emotional and social wellbeing. The students also had the opportunity to visit the local markets and do an evening of painting.
There were birthday celebrations in honour of Callum, Emma and freddie, who were treated to a big chocolate cake!
Team Cambodia Updates
09.02.23 Students have also enjoyed some sightseeing and got involved in a tree planting project. The local school children have really warmed to the students, and are fully engaging in the well thought out activities the students are delivering.
10.02.23 Students have really enjoyed their time Prek Chhdor Primary School, where they have supported children to make excellent progress with their language skills. They are are looking forward to going to Siem Reap for their weekend excursion, before moving in to make a difference in another school next week. #qmc_cambodia2023 #QMCChallengeAbroad
13.02.23 Team #qmc_cambodia2023 enjoyed a weekend excursion to Siem Reap taking in the Temple of Angkor Wat, originally a Hindu shrine that was later converted to a Buddhist temple.
15.02.23
This week the team are in the Supplementary Education Class Center (SEC). they are also spending time at the Buddhism for education of Cambodia (BEC).
19.02.23
Students spent their last weekend excursion visiting the Cambodia Peace Museum, the killing caves and the bat cave.
Team Thailand Updates
Students visited The golden buddha, enjoyed refreshments at “The Smoothie Shack’ and are busy planning for the educational workshops they are soon to deliver.
09.02.23 Students are doing exceptionally well delivering educational workshops. They taught the children about the human body, insects, life cycle of a butterfly and made bug houses. During downtime #qmc_thailand2023 students had a taste of fried scellion and papaya at a local market. They have also been enjoying delicious pancakes for breakfast!§
13.02.23 After a very successful day at the school Team Thailand enjoyed a weekend of delicious food and sightseeing in Chiang Mai. They visited a 14th Century temple and had a language and cultural exchange with the Professor Monk in Chiang Mai.
They are now at the Elephant Nature Park, experiencing a once in a lifetime opportunity to help care for the elephants. The cakes they have made for the elephants to enjoy look delicious! How lucky are our students to be getting up close with the elephants?!
Our students participated in a community project, supported children to build a bird drinking bowl and have also visited the cave monastery.
15.02.23
Students helped to clean out the dog pool before spending time helping with puppy socialisation. They also helped the local villagers to build a fire break; hard work for the team but a fantastic job done .
18.02.23
Today Team Thailand helped to make rice parcels for the older elephants who have no teeth. They discovered that elephants have six sets of teeth in their lives! The Elephant Sanctuary need 1000 rice parcels to be made for the older elephants each day!
19.02.23
Team Thailand were presented with certificates for their excellent work in volunteering to help with the conservation and protection of the elephants and the rest of the animals at the Elephant Sanctuary.
