Category: Exploration

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Comfort with Uncertainty

Photo by: Chanda Cheng

These outdoor trips help me to learn and grow myself. 

    As apart of Outdoor Leadership exploration, I got to learn the main question is” How to lead ourself when we are in outdoor?” This question got solve when diving deeper into the exploration. The topic that related to the main question I asked myself is the survival skill. We learned about how we could rescue a victim when the victim is in an emergency. If we are not sure what happened to the victim yet and using traditional medicine or don’t know what to do in that situation, we could kill the victim immediately. As such, I got to learn the steps to rescue a patient in an emergency situation,

1- Scene Safety

2- Primary Assessment

3- Secondary Assessment 

4- Rescue Plan

I learned about all of those steps in class and we practiced the lessons on the campus also. This could be a helpful reference because it appears that I want to be a doctor. Furthermore, we had two trips in this exploration which we went to Kirirum and Mondulkiri. I love the two trips so much because I have experienced many brand new things that I haven’t tried out before, and the trips have made my thoughts open to hundreds of stories which I interest in. 

Photo by: Chanda Cheng
Photo by: Chanda Cheng

In Kirirum, I really love the weather there, it was drizzled and a little cold. The cold breeze that blew to me every time has strengthed up my power to continued walking to my destination. I remembered once when I was sitting down and I was so exhausted and suddenly the wind just blew across me. I closed my eyes and just got the touch of the wind to my skin. I also love the landscape there, the trail in the middle and the sides are the trees stood straight in lines with small green grass on the ground. This scenery really caught my attention and boost my relaxation and calmness level. My third highlight is when I got to sit and watch the sunrise. It was the greatest moment ever to watch the sunrise with my friends and my facilitators. While I was watching the sunrise, the hornbill flew nearby on the trees under the cliff. I got a binocular and I zoomed in to see the hornbill clearly. Luckily, I could see the hornbill, it was lovely to use the binocular following every movement of the hornbill. In Mondulkiri, I got so interested in the waterfall. The water was quite cold and it can refresh many negative thoughts out of my mind and inscribe with the beautiful piece of art in my brain. I didn’t want to move out of the enchanting waterfall that I faced. The waterfall melody can awaken thousands of surprise to me. It’s a hard way of trekking but in the end, it paid off with the delightful waterfall. Another highlight is what I have never tried before and it now becomes one of my favorite food which is Phnuong soup, I got to taste the soup and the soup was very delicious. I wish to myself I could taste the food several more times and cook it.

Even though the trips sounded really fun, there were still some obstacles that I met. One of my difficulties in Mondulkiri was the leeches. I was the first one who got bitten by a leech. At the first time seeing it, I was not quite scared of them but when the whole group started to panic because there were more of them, I started to feel anxious even more. At this point, my mind started to think of some types of wild creatures that I afraid of such as geckos. I tried to calm myself in the situation while I was really uncomfortable. That didn’t really work. However, the relaxation worked until we came to the waterfall. The touch and the harmony of the waterfall – the coldest water ever – aided me to increase my calmness and relaxation. Therefore, the solution got solved and I was very impressed with myself that I could be relaxed and calmed down. This was a big challenge for me but I overcome it – I had to use my bare hands to pick it out of my legs. Thanks to the waterfall for letting other people relax by the music you have created.  

Moreover, leadership roles are essential for me because I need to use those in this exploration since we were in a group of different personalities. Once, I have shown my leadership role which is a designated leader. At that time, I saw everybody was quite busy with all of their works. I thought that it was really busy for themselves to wash their own lunch boxes. As such, I’ve decided to speak up ” Ok! Let’s wash all of the lunch boxes for our team,” In fact, I have never been a designated leader before but that situation appeared to me that I could use the designated leader as my leadership roles. I considered being a designated leader does not need to be a tough or strong person. I could start being a designated leader from this experience. 

Being part of the group in Outdoor Leadership exploration was a new experience for me. It allowed me to give love and to see the beauty of nature that I have never focused before. The way that it designed itself to be. Challenges were being accepted by me so a solution must be accepted too. Comfort with Uncertainty is now what I understand and I learned. This journey was the best moment in my life that I could find my true happiness. (One more photo to go through for the end)

Photo by: Chanda Cheng

 

—————————–Outdoor Leadership Exploration—————————

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The Journey of Ecotourism

 

Nature is being threatened by human hands and definitely needs our help, no matter what they do, there always the consequences that may affect them and the whole world.
Ecotourism, what does that mean? At the first time involving in this exploration, I didn’t know what Ecotourism means. Do you know what does that mean? Until our facilitator, Teacher Bunthan, explained us with an ecotourism website, video and pictures. Ecotourism is the tour that brings the tourists into a green world, nature. In addition, Ecotourism has many advantages for the lives of people, nature, and animals. Unfortunately, a few areas in Cambodia are getting hurt by the people for their own purposes. That is making up the goal of our exploration is to preserve the natural resources that we do not want to let them get away which also means to create an ecotourism site that located in Bangkern Phal village, Romtum commune, Rovieng district, Preah Vihear province. There is also an indigenous community living there so it could be attractive to the tourists and we also keep the tradition by letting others know and understand.
In order to make this project going to succeed, all of us have interviewed both tourists and the villagers over there.
We had three different trips and each trips had different purpose. The first trip that we have been to is Chambok. Chambok is an ecotourism site in Kampong Speu province that has been created by Mlup Baitong organization. We went there to learn more about Chambok so we could understand more information about ecotourism. Then I have realized that ecotourism is also with the community which means that we also show the tourists how the community looks and what is the potential there in the community. Moreover there are many more activities that including in ecotourism too such as Khmer traditional dance show, hiking up the mountain, and cook the traditional cake. We had so much fun there while we also learn many new things that we didn’t know before. As my own experience, the first trip really made me understand a lot more about ecotourism and business skill as well. After that, we discussed with each other again about the next step of the project. Therefore, we decided to do the survey the tourists inside the city. Plus some places that we have selected to, which were Wat Phnom, Tuol Sleng Museum, and Independent monument were considered having many foreign tourists over there. We have created the Google form for survey the tourists so it would be easier for us to see the responses and number of people. During the survey, I was learning something new too. At first, I was a little afraid in talking to the tourists but after I tried talking many times I’ve been becoming better. The tourists are so friendly so it made me want to talk with them. Overall, we have interviewed 253 people. We found out that 209 of 253 would love to visit our ecotourism after the project exist. While the others are not sure and do not want to go. After all, we have done with the step of survey the tourists so we have a discussion again about the next step. Therefore, we will go to the indigenous community to explain them about our project and ask for their opinions. On the day 1 of our trip to Bangkern Phal village, Rumtom commune, Rovieng district, Preah Vihear province, we had a presentation about what is and the data about the survey form. We are proud of yourself because we let them understand what is ecotourism and they did understand well after the presentation. They also listened to s carefully so they can be in touch of everything we have explained. I was so nervous when I presented to them because there are many people ans I need to use microphone but then I suddenly just talked without worried. We’ve also let them discuss in a small team and let them presented about their opinions of the impact of ecotourism. Most of them have presented with the positive impacts but there are also some negative impacts to the community. Day two, we have walked around the village to interviewed the villagers. They are so friendly which made us smile and laugh together. A lot of them said they definitely love our project and they want that to occur in the future. At the end of the exploration, we did a report so the round 2 students can read and understand what have we done in round 1.
All in one, this exploration has taught me many new things that I have never try before including business skill, being friendly to people, environment and much more. I hope that this project will exist in the future with our effort into that because we can solve some problems in the community such as preserve the forest, and getting the indigenous community attractive to the tourists . At last but not least, Ecotourism exploration provided me many skills that I will need for the future.

  • The Fresh Air

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Precious Plastic

     Round 2 exploration is really interesting to me. We were mostly take it on the recycle plastic machines. Sushi our teacher has introduced to 16 students in the class to the precious plastic website. The website gave us much benefit that relate to our topic that we are working on. 4 machines are using to recycle plastic. There are shredder, extrusion, injection and compression machine. However in our exploration we only need 2 machines are shredder and injection machine. Shredder is using for cutting all the plastics that you have. Imagine that if you have full bottles on the island how can you bring out all of them to the dump. In this case you probably need to use Shredder machine because it shreds all the plastic bottles into flake so it is much easy to carry to the dump. When we shred it it becomes small so it doesn’t heavy and take less space. The machine after is extrusion machine so this machine transform plastic shred into the a long string but this machine is hot. The process is like this so there is a long string coming out of the machine when it is too hot it will melt. The next machine is Injection machine is similar to extrusion too but this machine need physical work. This machine we need to put the shredded plastic into the machine and it will melt out then we can put it in the mold like toys and after it dries it will become into the shape that the mold is. The last machine is the compression machine. It works out by oven and it can make big things. First we need to have the mold. Then we can put shredded plastic in and put it into the oven. The oven will heat it up and it will melt to become that shape.

     In the exploration we plan to make the shredder, and injection machine. However there are some problems such as danger, time and skill. The machines are very dangerous. If we want to use the machine In the class we’ve learn a lot of things such as types of Plastic. There are 7 types of plastic. There are PETE, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP, PS and Other. To understand more about plastic, Sushi has invited Cimila to come to our school and do an inspirational talk about plastic. At that time, I was the one who contact her. I really love contacting by email to outside people because it is a good way of connection. Last but not least, we have learned a lot from Camila.

the image is from polychem-usa.

     Also, I and my 2 of my classmates have contacted to Tim which he works in Naga earth. Naga earth is the social enterprise company in Siem Reap. In our trip we have two trips. First, we went to Naga Earth to learn how to recycle paper, creating biodiesel and  eco-friendly soap from used cooking oil, silk screen and see the two lovely machines are shredder and injection machines. First thing we did in Naga earth is we listened to Tim. He has presented us about the eco-friendly soap and biodiesel that Naga earth has made. He said that he gave the soap to the school for the children to wash their hands. After learning about the soap and biodiesel he gave us a tour to shredder and injection. Again, he did a really good job in introduce the machines. He said that the shredder machine is really dangerous because it can cut your fingers with the blade. He did a little example to show us how the machine work too. At the next thing we did is we learnt how to make paper from cardboard, pieces of paper and cornstarch. Most of the students like making paper there including me. When everything finishes, Tim has shown us how to do the silkscreen. I really love making paper and also with silkscreen.

   

 

 

 

     In the second trip we went to Rehash Trash also located in Siem Reap. Plastic has been recycled to the valuable materials for using every day. It has been recycled by the process of crochet with hand. One day plastic bags that always floating around the air have been taken to recycle at Rehash Trash. When I first step into the workshop, I know that the place is so beautiful because there’s a little room for putting all the products Rehash Trash has made. All the products are for sale. I look around to see the products. There are many products such as, mattress, handbag, bottle holder, key chain, and ect. After watching the products for a while, we learn how to make our own products with different workers. For me I learn with one of the workers there. She taught me how to crochet bracelet, necklace and keychain. I was so happy to learn that and I really thanks to her for teach me. When I learn with her, I know how to crochet some styles. This is the process that we can transform the plastic bags into beautiful stuff for sell into prices. First, we wash the plastic bags to make it clean and nice. Then cut them into a rope that meet together. Finally, we can crochet it into useful stuff but there are different styles of crochet so we can choose. Some styles are hard and some are easy. When we went to Rehash Trash, we learn with different workers. For me I learn with one of the workers there. She taught me how to crochet bracelet, necklace and keychain. I am so happy to learn that and I really thanks to her for teach me.

 

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Community Documentary

 

I am in Community Documentary exploration. In this exploration we study about the community by interviewing people about their life and about the community. The purpose of the exploration is to learn and observe about the community. In the exploration we divided into 4 teams. There are photo, video, podcast and blog group. In the first week of our exploration we learn more about interviewing skills and we improve it. So I am in photo team that has 4 Liger members and 2 World renew members. My group is basically have to learn camera skill first. Therefore we did learn that with the teachers and we all understood it well. Then we have a pre trip to Kampong Speu province in 4 villages which are Srey Sompong, Tropeang Leap, Prey Onse, and Chrok Popul village. In the pre trip the porpose is to learn more about the skill like interview skill. After pretrip, we feel more confident. Then when we come back from the pre trip we have prepared the plan for World Renew students that come to Liger for learning the skill in this exploration. We had a really good time teaching them the skills that we have learned. For my group as the photo team, we teach them how to take photos and how to use camera. When the World Renew students understand well about the skill, we had another trip to those 4 villages again. This time we prepared the plan that who do we want to meet and where like village chiefs and monks in the pagoda. In this trip everybody did very well than before because we have experienced it one before. Well just as before, we are doing the same things like photo team takes photos, video teams take video, podcast team record the sound and block team interviewing people. When we come back to Liger, each team comes up with a product. To make the products we worked with the World Renew students again. First my team teach them how to edit photos. My team has photo book, video team has video, podcast team has podcast and blog team has blog. The blog contain all the informations about the exploration. In the book we divided in 4 villages. Each village we put the photos and a little bit description about the village. We spend 1 week to make the books. After that, we have another trip to the 4 villages again. This trip is for us to present our products. We don’t only present to the villagers but we have inspired them that they want their children to become like us. That is a quite meaningful feedback. Overall I have learned a lot of skills in this exploration and we had a good work with World Renew students.

  • Drone