Max, Year 12, Century Park Campus

Ever since my first EOTC in Year 7, I have always looked forward to the next year’s school trip. After hearing about the amazing things I would get to see and do on the Year 12 Thailand trip, I was extremely eager to experience this incredible trip myself.

Unlike the school trips I’ve been on before, the Thailand trip allowed me to immerse myself in a culture that I had never seen before. I was introduced to new foods, traditional clothing, architecture, languages, art styles, history, and many more wonderful experiences. But my favorite memory of the trip was being able to ride real live elephants with my friends! It was a little daunting, getting so close to an animal that could literally rip my arm off if it felt like it, but once I clambered up onto its back, I started enjoying myself. It’s not every day that you get to ride on top of one of the largest land animals in the world!

Aside from the elephants, I also had the opportunity to go kayaking with my friends on a beautiful lake. Needless to say, that was also one of my favorite memories of the trip. We all partnered up and started moving across the lake. By the time we reached our destination, I was utterly exhausted, but I definitely felt that my efforts were worthwhile as the view we got to enjoy while kayaking was absolutely exquisite. I’ve grown up in Shanghai, so I appreciate opportunities to appreciate nature, and so I really enjoyed being able to take a moment and savor the natural beauty of Thailand.

Another aspect of school trips I enjoy is the chance to bond with classmates. Our Thailand trip was a full ten days, quite a bit longer than previous school trips. We had plenty of time to relax and generally just enjoy each other’s company during the trip, and it’s times like these when we grow so much closer to each other and form the kind of “family bond” everyone in YCIS talks about.

All in all, I think it was an all-round spectacular trip, quite possibly my new favorite YCIS school trip. It was a great experience, and definitely, one that I won’t forget anytime soon!