Trevor, Year 9, Century Park Campus

Two weeks before my trip to Sri Lanka through World Classroom programme, I knew little about the country. Now, I have an excellent background on the history, culture, and customs of the island country. Although I have been fortunate to travel quite a bit, Sri Lanka has some of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen, ranging from high mountains to sandy beaches, and to lush forests. There are miles of gorgeous mountain valleys and long stretches of beaches, and the colour of the sea is indescribable.

Sri Lanka also has many wonderful cultural things to see, like a lot of traditional dances, including mask dancing which tells a story using symbolic masks, and fire dancing where entranced dancers do not feel the pain of the flames as they dance with burning sticks.

The country also has a very rich history that consists of Dutch, Spanish, and Indian influence. Dutch and Spain brought Christianity, while India brought Hinduism, and you can see many churches and temples for each of these respective religions throughout the country. On the subject of temples, Sri Lanka also has a lot of Buddhist temples, each with their own special charm. Some had impressive statues or buildings; others had amazing landscapes, and a few housed ancient relics of Buddha.

I really enjoyed this trip to Sri Lanka and I hope that even more students participate in this World Classroom trip in years to come. On top of the knowledge of the country, you also learn a lot of other life skills that cannot be obtained in the classroom. I feel that the experiences that I’ve gained on the World Classroom trip have made me stronger and have better prepared me for the real world.