Preparation

Meeting before we go is very important. We started our journey with an information evening with parents in August. This information evening looked at the focus of the immersion, the logistics of going and questions arising from the discussion.

Following this discussion we shared a meal with the parents, students and teachers in September. It is important that we get to know not just the participates, but the families before we go.

After the HSC exams we have met several times as a group. To discuss...

          Meeting Tuesday November 12 - What has Father Gavin taught us? Logistics.

Father Gavin had some important pieces of advice concerning our trip.  He emphasised the need for us to truly embrace the culture and avoid making constant comparisons between our lives at home and life in the Philippines.  He also emphasised just how hot and humid the climate would be and the likely effect this would have on our bodies and in particular our energy level.

He was able to give us some insight into the people, their particular cultural customs and living conditions and we had lots of questions for him.

It was great to have Father Gavin give us some practical advice concerning clothing, sanitation, food, money and shopping.  However, the best advice he provided us related to how we should care for ourselves emotionally and support one another throughout the immersion.

          Meeting Tuesday November 19 - What has Kate Young taught us? 2012 experience.

We really appreciated Kate being so giving of her time and coming to speak to us concerning her personal experience of the 2012 Philippines Immersion.

She shared stories, offered advice and reassured us regarding questions of safety.  But we were really inspired by her reflections on how the experience has continued to remain with her and shaped many of her decisions since.  This excited all of us even more and we were able to contemplate the gravity of what we had all signed up to.

Meeting Friday November 29 - Final meeting

This was a surprise Year 7 Question and Answer Spotlight activity.  We had to respond quickly to all the questions they had concerning our trip and our motivating reasons for wanting to participate in the Immersion.  

This made it all seem so much more real and also gave us the opportunity to reflect and verbalise how we were feeling.  We recognised the challenges that the trip presented and it was comforting to know that each of us had our own anxieties prior to departure.