Arriving in Batu Puteh and the jungle trek

COUNTRY: Borneo & Cambodia
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Building & Conservation
WRITTEN BY: Maddy King

We all arrived safely in Batu Puteh after a long and bumpy bus ride. We gathered our things and went straight to our homestays after casually being briefed about what to expect – how to behave politely and respectfully as we were staying with Muslim families. After being told I wasn’t going to be allowed to use my left hand to eat (we had to use our hands) I was feeling a little anxious. As were all the other left handers (there were a strangely large proportion of us.)

Amy and I were placed in a homestay right next door to a school, which I can imagine was largely convenient for our homestay parents as they had five children! We met the father Abdu Sani and the mother whose name was Bebe. They were instantly welcoming; the dad was showing us many cultural pictures of Muslim weddings and photos he’d taken on his various jungle treks – the pictures included pigmy elephant’s and orang-utans. He told us hilarious stories about leeches and silently chuckled to himself as two left handers attempted to eat curry and rice for dinner with their right hand as their only tool. The kids were lovely as well – we did lots of colouring and drawing with the young one Lila – who on one occasion asked me to draw a mouse for her, after I’d finished she pointed to it saying ‘cat,’ I said ‘mouse,’ she laughed and said ‘nooo cat!’ It was so cute because even though there was a language barrier she knew she was being cheeky.

We went to the jungle the next day, our boat pulled up on a muddy river bank and we all hopped out – proceeding to get our feet trapped in the deceptively thick and dense mud. We soldiered on, we were all adorned in head to toe protection despite the 30-40 degree heat, and had packed on the 80% DEET due to fear of leeches. I can proudly say that I never got a leech although other members in the group were not so lucky. We were shown an array of poisonous trees; the black spiky ones were deadly and introduced to the concept of deadly swarms of bees. And the next night we were expected to spend a night in this obviously habitable environment – habitable to everyone but humans it seemed.

Fast forward, and the jungle trek night was finally upon us, we arrived at the camp scene – the first thing we did was take care of our hammocks, which most people did successfully. Then we just relaxed around the communal camp area – although it began to rain heavily and the wooden chairs began collapsing into the mud so it was more of a relaxing standing – but this didn’t dampen our spirits. The jungle night walk just wasn’t for me but I saw many photos from the brave hearted of white tarantulas and alien vs. predator looking bugs, they were quite fascinating. The next day we’d all survived the jungle trek night and managed not to be consumed by crocodiles lurking in the river banks. Our daily activity was to clear the area of shrubbery for reforestation – so we got to use machetes which were so much fun! We all got really into it.

Our last night in Batu Puteh consisted of everyone getting dressed up in tradition village clothing and participating in traditional dance. Everyone looked so hilarious in their costumes, and attempting to dance was all a bit of a laugh. We’d all enjoyed getting stuck into this community, learning about their culture and being a part of a family for a few days – it was an amazing experience. One I will treasure forever. Now that I’m back at home in Australia I wish my mum would feed me noodles and doughnuts for breakfast with extra sugary tea – like my homestay mum did!

Sex Education in Laos - Griffith University students

COUNTRY: Laos
PROGRAM: UniBreak Groups
PROJECT: Nursing & Midwifery
WRITTEN BY: Honnie Bilston-Norup, Griffith University

You may want to go to the toilet, get a snack and a drink, this blog is a long one...This week has seen us much further up into the mountains so it is much colder at night, but is hot in the middle of the day, it's not unbearable though. Even though we are way up in the mountains, we are STILL dwarfed by even higher peaks. Awesome view to wake up to every day. We had the luck to stay in a village which has a type of meeting hall which is like a massive stand alone verandah and the locals cover the floor in mats for us to sit on. This facility also has 4 English toilets very close by! I am sure our homestay families wonder why we are up and out soooooo early in the morning...it's for the toilets of course!

This place offers us a perfect environment to sit for our meals and gives us a chance to stay together and talk. We have been able to really reflect on our practice this week as individuals and as a group. It is easy for the talk to flow when you are surrounded by mountains and a bubbling stream nearby. We have become even closer as a group this week.

We have done some massive clinics, it was nearly overwhelming to be greeted by over 600 students at one of the high schools. It is astounding that the majority of these young people have to live "on campus" in order to gain an education. They live without parental guidance; cooking and cleaning for themselves and are most certainly self-directed learners...I not only take my hat off to them, I should take a page out of their books as well! How I would love to show some of the teenagers I know this school. We did run clinics for people who were identified as having some sort of ailment at the schools, but the focus was on health promotion. The sheer number of young people living in grass type huts with a couple of toilets between them obviously has hygiene and infection control issues. We covered cough/sneezing etiquette, hand washing, teeth brushing, spitting where people do not walk and of course, everybody's favourite health promotion to teach...SEX ED!

We bought the town out of condoms again and had students write their questions on paper to avoid personal embarrassment. The questions were very interesting, some we had to defer to a facilitator or mentor to get the right info out! We sincerely hope that our health promotions will result in better health for the community. I wish I had lots and lots of money to finish their clean water projects and complete school buildings for them. I feel so humbled by what they make do with and how I take for granted the relative excess that I have at home. Hmmmmmm.

It is always funny to watch everybody's reactions to the mature age students! I am 42 and have a husband and 5 children, this is always considered bizarre as you are only a student here when you are young and before you are married. The disbelief increases 10 fold when they find out our husbands are caring for the children back at home! Much much much laughter from the women...and sometimes very loud "Oh's" of concern...sorry fellas.

We love it when some children and youth come up to us and want to practice their English, we give them as much time as we can and are amazed at how much they want to learn! They do their best to help us with our dismal Lao pronunciation...we really are trying to get the difference between husband and father right...it's a biggie to get wrong!

INTERMISSION

Long truck rides between villages have resulted in some old fashioned fun being resurrected...those of us my age and older will remember making "Mintie Snakes" at parties as a game and the longest "snake" got a prize. Katrin had a kilo bag of Minties with her that she shared out and it reminded me...next minute we have all the interpreters and health workers competing during the ride for the longest snake. Val, one of the facilitators made it very interesting and very competitive by offering a toy kangaroo as a prize. I am ashamed to say, my fellow Australians...that I lost by 10mm to Kon Keow an interpreter and he had even torn his snake... Aaaaarrrggghhhh! This is NOT the end, I assure you, I will keep trying, although it turns out that my greatest adversary does paper craft as a hobbie. Lets face it, the kangaroo will be staying in Laos.

Our work in the clinics this week has seen our clinical assessment skills further consolidated and our Lao greatly improved, we are even picking up what is wrong with the client before the interpreter tells us. Go us! We have been able to send another 3 people down to Luang Prabang for surgery, two hydroceles and one hernia, so satisfying. We have heard some very crackly and wheezy chests and detected a number of high temps with no obvious cause which has given us the chance to really think systematically to get to the root of the issue. Sadly, like our own GP's and Nurses at home, sometimes you just have to put it down to a virus. Goitres were very common this week so we packed a lot of little bags of iodised salt, they are something you don't see every day in Oz.

A large proportion of complaints though is "Jep El" which is lower back pain as they don't know about safe lifting techniques, so we cover it now in our health promotion and get to clown around again, faking "Jep El" with our bad lifting examples. We get the laughs and they get the message...win/win. We saw a cyst on a gentleman's back during the week that is the size of a cantaloupe, it is so heavy for him to carry around, but he couldn't take time away from his farming or family in order to go to hospital for it to be removed. These are moments that make us all very sad as it would be fixed so easily in our country. We have to be content with the knowledge that we are doing the best we can and working within their means and culture.

Our homestay villagers trust the "Griffith" team so much now that we have people turning up at breakfast, lunch and dinner for assessment and treatment. It is an honour to have that kind of place in their hearts.

We were treated to cultural treats yesterday, we got to have a go at weaving in Sop Chek (my poor lady wouldn't have been able to sell the scarf I made a mess of so I bought one off her...I will never be a weaver). It was so special to buy scarves that were made right there. We then were farmed out in groups of 3 to learn Lao cooking that would be had for our lunch. The language barrier was a bit of a problem for me as I thought she wanted me to bash the chicken meat into submission (in my defense, there was chicken mince in a bowl nearby so I thought that was what I was supposed to end up with) unfortunately, it also ended in me bashing her cutting board into submission which resulted in wood chips in the chicken. She discretely removed my disaster and we learned to cook a yummy chicken and tomato sauce for rice...yum yum yum!

Then onto bamboo rafting down the river back to our village. Some of us nearly capsized in the rapids...now I know my roomie Emma is a true friend, she grabbed my lifejacket to stop me falling off and I don't mind saying I did the same for her when she was headed off the other side! Pats on the back for all as everyone else looked after each other as well...just wanted to blow my own trumpet.

We packed our weekend backpacks and trekked off to Luang Prabang where we are right now having a good rest...so tired from such a big week. We are enjoying hot showers, even though a lot of us shower and wash our clothes in the river every day, it is a decent walk over rocks and fences to get there and back. It's Chinese New Year so tonight should be pretty colourful at the night markets. Most of us are finalising our souvenirs for our loved ones and enjoying some of the western food that the restaurants here have to offer. I finally went to the Phousi Markets today which is the locals shopping area...what an assault to the senses; the noise, the smells, the sights and colours. I am in danger of experiencing everything from behind a camera lens as I want to show everybody what I have seen and don't ever want to forget anything. Live fish, meat chopped up on counters, thongs, thongs, thongs and more thongs! It was amazing and I am so glad I ventured out of my comfort zone to go there.

I am really missing my family as is everyone else and I cannot speak more highly of this bunch of people I have had the joy to be with on this prac. There is always a hug and some high quality counseling on hand whenever it is needed!

Love from everyone and me.

The journey continues from Muhaka to Tsavo

COUNTRY: Kenya
PROGRAM: GapBreak, Unibreak
PROJECT: Community & Conservation
WRITTEN BY: Belinda Rayner

On the 24th of January, the Antipodeans Abroad Gappers moved from Camp Muhaka to Tsavo. During these last days we continued to work on the bottle house and the grey water system there at the camp. We all accomplished a great amount of work on these projects, which I know we were all proud of. Some of us also got the great opportunities to work at the local dispensary, or even the nurseries. The opportunities we all got to experience and the people we got to meet and work with here I know will always be very special to us. So of course our departure from Muhaka was a heart filled one, as we all realised on this day how much we would truly miss this place and its people.

When we arrived at Tsavo we were warmly welcomed by the staff here and presented with lunch. We were then given a brief overview of the camp and its projects. These included making elephant dung paper, the tree nursery, sanctuary maintenance, Sasenyi School, wildlife monitoring, the bush adventure and lastly the safari. While listening to all of these I could tell that everyone was excited and looking forward to our projects and our time here.

On our first official day here at Tsavo we made elephant dung paper. Although this may sound bizarre and even a bit gross, it was actually quite interesting and fun. We were showed how to make this by some staff members who also explained to us how important this paper was to the local community. We smashed the poo, mixed it with glue and panned it. We then left it to dry and some of us even added some flowers to it. Overall this was a different, yet interesting and worthwhile experience. We also got to spend the afternoon working in the tree nursery, where we filled some plastic bags with soil ready for planting, cementing the bottle well, removing aloe vera plants and chilli picking. Overall these projects were relaxing, yet eventful.

During our stay here we also had the opportunity of working at Sasenyi Primary School. During this time we did demolition on an old school building, in preparation for the building of a new one, cementing the walls of a newly built room, and some of us even had the privilege of being inside the classrooms with the children supervising and teaching. Our time here was precious, as we all felt the work here was helpful and it was also amazing being able to talk to the headmaster about the school and also experience some time with the children.
One of the projects we also got to take part in was sanctuary maintenance, which involved filling in the pot holes and ditches in a road on this ranch. Although this work was found a bit hard, it was worthwhile. We also got to take part in wildlife monitoring, whereby we had the exciting task of spotting animals and listening to the staff tell us interesting facts about them.

We also got to experience a bush adventure during our last week here at Tsavo. We got to go on a game drive where we left the buses and looked at the many different footprints. We were also taught how to identify the footprints which was very fascinating. In the afternoon we were divided into three groups and had a competition in building huts. We then got to try and use a bow and arrow and shoot the target, which ended up being harder than it looked. Then we were shown how to light a fire without using a lighter or matches.
On our last full day here at Tsavo, we spent on safari. We got to explore Tsavo’s East National Park where we saw giraffes, baboons, different type of antelopes, zebras, buffalos and many elephants. From living in Australia where you can only see these animals on TV or in a zoo, to seeing these beautiful animals in their natural environment was fantastic and presented us with some amazing photo opportunities.

Our time here at Camp Tsavo had been a brilliant one. We have been able to experience Africa in a way that normal tourists couldn’t, as well as our time in Muhaka. I certainly know that I never imagined that Kenya would be this amazing. I was told before leaving Australia that this trip would be life altering, and these statements have proven themselves to be true. I don’t think anyone from this group will be able to go home and be able to put into words the gravity of their experiences and what we have learnt. I cannot thank Antipodeans Abroad and Camps International enough for giving us all this opportunity. From being able to see beautiful creatures, making new friends, to the amazing staff, our experience herein Kenya is unforgettable and unlike any other.

Stanley the turtle and the Mauritius crew

The final two weeks of the Gaggle’s migration to Mauritius is fun-filled and busy. Due to a cyclone passing just off the coast of Mauritius, the Gaggle spend most of their time on land, as rough weather conditions prevent them from entering the water to complete their transects. Instead they venture inland to the mountains of Tamarin falls, where they trek down the side of a canyon and up into the mountains in search of Nirvana. They stumble upon it, when the fearless Jessie decides to climb a rock face whilst the others are resting.

A deep pool under a cascading waterfall provides refreshment for the hot and tired gaggle and a selection of the Dutch invaders. Whilst they are swimming, Jessie once again decides to go on an adventure and climbs the next rockface up, proceeding, after heavy caution from the alpha male, to jump into the water from the top of the cliff – a height of roughly 7.5m! As all goes well, several members of the gaggle and Dutch invaders decide to join in the fun before climbing the long and tiring trek back up the side of the canyon. T

After a hard day of conducting transects on Tuesday, the wind becomes too strong and gaggle flee North to La Vanille Reserve des Mascareignes to visit the crocodile farm and the large array of animals in the reserve. They see monkeys, insects, crocodiles, amphibians, reptiles and giant tortoises undergoing X rated activities, complete with awkward sound effects. After arriving home, the gaggle bid farewell to the two local Dutch invaders that they have been acquainted with. It’s a sad evening.

On Friday the gaggle are still unable to go out to their research sites due to the rough weather, so instead they take an eye-opening and educational trip to Ile aux Aigrettes. Ile aux aigrettes is an small island (27 ha) off the coast of south eastern Mauritius that has recently undergone a transformation. The Mauritian wildlife foundation has over the past 30 years worked to restore Ile aux aigrettes to its original condition before the arrival of human beings. This was a monumental task, considering the large number of species that have become extinct (roughly 70% of Mauritius’ pre-man flora and fauna are completely gone) and the huge abundance of invasive species (99% of the flora and fauna on mainland Mauritius is not native). The gaggle is shocked and saddened by the appalling statistics and the trip reinforces in their minds the reason why they are there.

On a brighter note, whilst exploring the island, the gaggle come across a baby giant tortoise, (Stanley) smaller than the palms of their hands and take immense joy in carrying it around the island to give to the wildlife workers to raise and care for.

After returning from Ile Aux Aigrettes, Gaggle member Dani comes home to a surprise birthday party to celebrate her 21st year of existence, with balloons and confetti and cake. As night falls, the gaggle continue the celebration with exploding fireworks on the roof to indulge their pyrotechnic nature, and drive to the famous C Beach club where they are treated to a private party by the pool.

The gaggle take Saturday off to recover, but Sunday brings a new adventure: a climb to the highest peak in Mauritius. The views are amazing, the walk strenuous and difficult, but after the challenging trek at Tamarin falls, the gaggle’s stamina has improved and they return home weary yet satisfied.
In the final week of the Gaggle’s stay in Mauritius the weather finally clears up and the pressure is on to finish all the research before their presentation on Friday to a local resort, Preskil.
The gaggle must inform the staff and owners of the research they have been conducting and the dangers threatening the coral reefs that bring so much Tourism to the island. The gaggle finish all the research efficiently and effectively after improving greatly on their fish counting methods. Only one small mishap occurs when a new skipper is hired, but he soon proves to be no challenge to the position of the alpha and beta males and the hierarchy is left as is.

On the last day before their presentation to Preskil the gaggle venture to the furthest reaches of the reef to search for turtles in the sea grass meadows. They turn out to be shy and elusive, but several gaggle members are lucky enough to spot a couple of the majestic creatures and record their size and behaviour. They then return home to work on their final presentation.

To be continued…
P.S.
The gaggle-gecko war is still raging, but it seems the gaggle now has the upper hand, picking the geckos off the walls one by one and releasing them into the wild.

Nutella lamingtons and farewells in Pokhara

COUNTRY: Nepal - Pokhara
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Education
WRITTEN BY: Alyse Kendall

Some of the group spent the weekend relaxing in lakeside and making lamingtons (with Nutella) to celebrate Australia Day with their home stay families. They found it interesting visiting each others placements and explored the Nepali culture by trying out local restaurants, with some retail therapy in between.

Others endured the multitude of steps up to the amazing sights of Poon Hill. Day one of the trek included many steps and uphill slopes. Day two also included many steps but we managed to head down a few times after slipping on the ice and snow covered path. With an early rise on the third day, we trekked up to Poon Hill to watch sunrise. We felt like we were an arms reach away from some of Nepals' highest mountains and although we thought our fingers might fall off from the freezing cold, we managed to take many beautiful photos and a cup of hot chocolate didn't go astray.

With placements wrapping up, there have been a few emotional farewells. Some have experienced tear jerking performances by the kids and been entertained by traditional Nepalese dances. We are all sad to be leaving our placements, but have enjoyed and our time and are grateful for the experiences and opportunities we have had.

Hannah and Sarah are already on their way back to Kathmandu and home. Alyse and Hannah are off on another trek to Panchase for the weekend, and Clare, Heather and Jess are going to tackle the slippery slopes of the Poon Hill trek.

It has been lovely getting to know the group and Kalden and I'm sure we will all keep in contact and cross paths on future travels now we have all caught the travel bug!

Thank you for everything! Speak to you later.
Cheers
Alyse

Hand hygiene and disease prevention important for last week in Nepal

COUNTRY: Nepal
PROGRAM: UniBreak - Kathmandu
PROJECT: Health projects
WRITTEN BY: Liana Ross

By now the majority of us are home and few remain in Nepal. The last few days where quite emotional for us as a group. Farewelling each other was difficult but not as difficult as farewelling our host families.

The last week of our placement was spent teaching different health topics in 3 different orphanages and 2 schools. We were divided into pairs for the majority of the health promotion teaching and each pair was given a different topic. The topic’s that were covered included: hand hygiene, nutrition, and disease prevention, environmental and stretching and exercise to name a few. Each pair was given a different topic. The first two days where spent at the local orphanages and up until this time I doubt any of us had been to an orphanage.

It was interesting to see how differently each orphanage was run and how well the kids where looked after. Two of the orphanages were well run and the other one was questionable. The kids at each of the orphanages were really beautiful and happy to have us there. The teaching at the orphanages was quite relaxed.

Teaching in the schools was the hardest aspect of the entire placement which was increased by the language barrier. It was tough at times to get the message across to the children but I think everyone would agree that the long term benefits for the children made it worth it.

As I close the final blog, I reflect on my time in Nepal and I wonder how I’m going to describe everything to the folks back home. I know that I have a new appreciation for the simple things in life; like clean running water, electricity and living in a place with minimal pollution.

Six former strangers reflect on time in Mumbai

COUNTRY: India - Mumbai
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Community Health Work
WRITTEN BY: Helen Foster

It is with a mix of emotions that I sit and write the fourth and final blog for the Mumbai team, because it means that our program is officially over!
What a month it has been!

Like a high school science project, six complete strangers from around Australia were dropped into the metaphorical beaker that was our tiny guest house, exposed to one of the most full on cities in the world, and left for a month to see what developed! This could’ve easily ended in disaster, but instead relationships were formed in this short time that we will never forget.

This week the nursing students got the opportunity to spend a few days with Dani, Charishma, and I at SEC, and it was touching to see the way that they too were moved by the beautiful children and staff at the school.

On Wednesday the six of us visited two other SEC schools located across Mumbai. This was a very tough day for us all. Particularly our visit to Antop Hill SEC, as most of the children from this school come from families below the poverty line, so the outcome is often bleak for these children. Some of the children have no parents and travel from orphanages to the school each day, some live in tiny slum houses and others have to deal with the illness of their parents, often AIDS.

Working at Santacruz SEC, we obviously knew that there were children with very sad stories and low socioeconomic backgrounds, yet Farhine the physio who we worked most closely with had deliberately never gone into too much detail with us. By the end of the day we all felt like we had been kicked in the guts time and time again and pretty much all just wanted to cry!
The attitude and commitment of the staff across all three SEC’s is absolutely admirable though, doing their best to re-educate parents about what their child is able to achieve despite their disability, ensure there is regular sponsorship for the children and constantly seeking out donors for resources that are essential for the children. One thing that shocked us was the modified wheel chairs, that were a metal frame with a plastic pool chair mounted on the top.

When we shared our experience of the day with Farhine, she told us that when she first started at Santacruz SEC she went home and cried everyday because it was just so overwhelming and heartbreaking. She said that her mum had encouraged her to leave and just go and get another physio job, but Farhine didn’t want the children to have to go through the process of getting to know someone new and her efforts be in vain so she stuck with it and now the bond she has with the children is just amazing. It was reassuring to meet such a passionate therapist and also know that she too once felt how we had!

Seeing the other SEC schools has sparked passion in all of us and the girls are planning ways of fundraising money for SEC to sponsor children and buy resources once they get back to Australia.

I spent two months fundraising before coming to Mumbai and managed to raise $1000 dollars to donate to the school. It was so rewarding to be able to give to children that needed it so much and also surprising how far money goes over here. With the money raised, I was able to sponsor three children for a year, supply 6 children with a months supply of diapers, and buy three pieces of equipment for the therapy room, including a standing exercise bike, floor mat and a kit box that has different activities for working on fine and gross motor skills. I look forward to working with the other girls on my return to Australia to see what we can achieve when we really put our minds to it!

It was very hard saying goodbye to the gorgeous little people that we had spent the last month working with, we all knew we would become attached but never knew it would be that tough!
Yet we can go away with the satisfaction of knowing that we made a difference. A major highlight was that on the last day, Rohit, a boy whose arms were affected by cerebal palsy, managed to tie his shoelaces independently after Dani had been working with him.

Rachael, Lauren and Johanna farewelled the staff at Sanjeevani private Hospital and had a nice goodbye lunch with Dr Datar.
On Tuesday night we were all invited over to one of the doctors houses for dinner. Indian families eat dinner very late compared to western standards, and when dinner was finally served at 11:30pm, and we’d all had about 4 vodkas, we weren’t really that hungry anymore but more worried about still trying to act professional and not say anything stupid!

On Friday our close group was divided, some staying in Mumbai and some flying to Delhi to see Delhi and Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal. It was very sad to say goodbye after becoming so close, but good to know we can always catch up when we all get back home.

I think I can speak on behalf of everyone when I say that our time in Mumbai has completely exceeded our expectations. The city, our placements, the people we have met and the food have all been amazing and this has been a month we will never ever forget.

A school makeover, a birth, and donations galore

COUNTRY: Ghana
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Health
WRITTEN BY: Camille Gray

MONDAY.

Today Naomi and Sally joined Lucy, Jacquie and I to form an elite squad of paint-bearing art teachers, marching into Prince of Peace School with creative determination.
We cut out over sixty paper people and had each child decorate one with crayons, paints and additional pipe cleaners for little spirals of hair. Since the paediatric ward was in desperate need of decorations, we told the students that each figure would be put on the hospital walls, eventually joining the paper hands and writing messages of encouragement, "Get well soon!" "Be happy!" "Keep smiling!"

Katie, Kiah and Alice ventured out to Gomoa Takwa to visit the poorer orphanage, armed with loaves of bread, jam and juice. Since most of the children were attending the local schools, the girls played and fed the excited and squealing younger children. Introduced to three gorgeous German volunteers who resided at the orphanage, the girls were given a tour of another building project, which would eventually replace the current crumbling residence, they were told.

Nina and Hannah visited the maternity ward, helping a severely pregnant woman with preclampsia to her swollen feet for the doctor's inspection. The two witnessed multiple births, one of which saw the unexpected delivery of a second child, which unfortunately did not survive, and was crudely presented to the mother prior to being casually discarded right before her eyes.


TUESDAY.



Jacquie, Lucy, Naomi and I returned to Prince of Peace Primary school for an intense day of patience and progress. Jacquie was ecstatic upon discovering that one child, Earnest, was able to spell the word 'fingers' by slowly sounding out the letters which had been drilled over and over this week.

Katie, Alice, Nina, Hannah and Sally got to work decorating the paediatric ward. Transforming the sickly white walls with colourful letters spelling out "Akwaaba" ('welcome') and slinging a mammoth rainbow paper chain across the windows, final touches were made with rows and rows of paper people received from the school from the day before. A fully equipped bookshelf slotted between some beds, and new soap was inserted in the empty space at each sink.

Katie, Alice and Nina later witnessed a birth, helping the mother who tightly squeezed their hands, urging them to stay for moral support.

Kiah worked in the female ward, and upon discussion convinced some nurses to take a severely ill patient to casualty to receive immediate attention. Kiah continued to stay at the hospital well into the afternoon, working with another volunteer to treat the 13 year old girl who was struggling to breathe, ensuring that she was placed in a raised bed with her head up and an oxygen mask on her face.

Another afternoon visit to Gomoa Takwa brought copious slices of bread, butter, biscuits and juice poppers to the kids for lunch. Sally and Nina began labelling boxes and boxes of paracetamol, skin ointment, antispectics and bandages for the children, with particular instructions on each item. Lucy and Hannah blew bubbles for the kids were uncontrollably excited. We all witnessed a heart breaking sight as three siblings were dropped to the orphanage. With fresh haircuts, ironed shirts and nervously clutching suitcases, they were highly anxious and refused to eat or speak for some time. We can only hope that with the love and attention of the volunteers, staff and other gorgeous kids that they will find some sort of happiness at their new home.

WEDNESDAY.

One of our biggest days yet.
Nina, Kiah, Katie, Sally, Hannah and Alice started with a presentation of donated sheets, wheelchairs, medical supplies and equipment to Swedru Government Hospital.

Kiah then returned to the severely ill 13 year old patient, Rebecca, who she spent yesterday with, only to discover that she had been placed back flat on her back despite her obvious respiratory problems. The medication she was receiving was ill-suited, and she was showing signs of distressed kidneys, not to mention her extremely swollen stomach. Kiah stayed with this girl for the rest of the day, joined later by Sally and together they attempted to convince doctors that she was in need of transferral to a larger hospital in Accra.

Meanwhile, Jacquie, Lucy, Naomi and I were back at school teaching. Jacquie and Naomi attempted some basic maths with the children, while Lucy and I conducted a fiercely competitive times table tournament. The afternoon was spent playing yet another steaming hot game of soccer down the road, with rest dust circling around our feet as the children stormed after the ball as a pack, screaming each time someone kicked the ball. The older boys showed obvious skills,yet it was the 5 year old goal keeper who stole the show with his insanely swift reflexes and fearless dives into the gravel.

Katie headed off to Helping Hands Orphanage for the afternoon, receiving a colourful hand written love letter from an 11 year old named Samuel which read:

Hi Katie I love you very much
I hope that you love me too.
I will miss you when you go
I will never forget you
When you forget my name just say Samuel
Never forget my name, me too I never forget yours.
Please Katie when you come back again
you are my girlfriend.

Signed with a shaky drawn heart, Samuel had sheepishly slipped Katie the note just as she was leaving.

Nina, Hannah, Alice, Lucy, Jacquie, Naomi and I were collected by Seth at midday, with some of us sitting in the back of his bright blue ute. He drove us to the food markets where we proceeded to buy over 500kg of food including rice, beans, cassavas, palm oil, onions, milk and apples using money Alice had fundraised. Our collective donations were put together to pay for ten bunk beds and twenty mattresses for the orphanage, which were due to arrive in two weeks.

Armed with food, on a bumpy ute ride to the orphanage in Gomoa Tarkwa, our arrival was met with extreme excitement by children and adults alike. We were hugged over and over by a woman named Tracy who worked at the orphanage, and graciously thanked by John, the manager, who said, "Madasse, Madasse" ('Thankyou'), repeatedly as we offloaded the bags of food. Books, mosquito nets, clothes and toys were handed over in bags, with the freshly bathed children (many of whom had been using our recently donated soap!), hanging at our ankles.

When we finally hopped back into the ute, we witnessed an unforgettable sight. As we reversed out of the bumpy gravel driveway, twenty children emerged from the dust, running after the car, screaming and waving. We pulled away with their tiny bodies sprinting up the hill to follow us, stopping only when we reached the road, and continuing to wave goodbye until they became mere shapes in the distance.

THURSDAY.

Our final day of work in Swedru.
Alice and Hannah spent their morning waiting for certificates at Swedru Hospital, which arrived in 'Ghana time' (i.e. two hours later than scheduled).
Katie and Kiah visited their host mother's school, drawing with the children before splitting up, with Katie making her way to Prince of Peace to visit the teaching staff and kids.

Lucy, Jacquie, Naomi and I stepped up for our final morning lesson. Lucy and I gave the kids a 'reward' by writing up a ridiculous number of revision questions to complete at their own pace. The kids absolutely love learning and genuinely saw the workload as a treat, with one student, Evans, finishing over fifty maths questions within an hour and begging for more.
We were both shocked and touched to see that the older children had strung balloons across the room, and were each secretly writing letters to Madame Lucy and I. Handing out little Australia bracelets, coloured pencils and letters to the children, we were weary of the approaching afternoon, and inevitable goodbyes.

Some of the older children were crying and hugging us when we left while the younger simply waved good bye, expecting us to return tomorrow. Either way, after only a few weeks, each child had made an impact on us in one way or another. Clutching our hand written letters, and telling the kids to stop following us along the road and get back to school, we made took our final steps away from Prince of Peace.

Meanwhile, Nina and Kiah were involved in the dramatic ambulance transfer of 13 year old Rebecca to a bigger hospital in Accra. After requesting an ambulance at midday on Wednesday, she was finally on her way nearly 24 hours later. Swerving through lanes of traffic (or simply creating lanes of its own), the ghanaian ambulance driver reconstructed scenes from a The Fast and The Furious, honking and shouting as the vehicle wedged through tro tros and cars.

Rebecca was in a critical state when she arrived, going into hypovolemic shock due to a perforated bowel. With no pain relief, and overdosed on incorrect medication in Swedru, she had kidney failure and was struggling to breathe. The hospital in Accra was far more advanced than Swedru, with nurses and doctors examining her symptoms beyond the original claim that she was merely suffering from malaria. Put on life support after a series of tests, Kiah, Nina and Sally worked tirelessly to persuade doctors that they would fund her treatment. With payment received up front for medication, it is nearly impossible for poorer families to afford treatment, particularly if the patient is in Intensive Care. Literally handing over cash in one hand, to receive a syringe or bandage in the other hand, the girls are consistently learning about the a health system based on It is in this cause that the girls are channelling their energy, attempting to preserve a saveable life.

In the afternoon we made our way to Helping Hands Orphanage for our final goodbye. Suddenly the copious hugs became more precious, with little Obed (an incredibly chubby 2 year old) having to be practically peeled off Katie as she said left for South Africa. The older children grew quieter upon hearing that we were leaving, and not once were we left without at least one small hand gripping our own.

An aeroplane passed and many children began pointing in delight, urging us to look up at the sky to admire this mystical mechanical bird. We couldn't help but feel the incredible separation between our lives and theirs. The children at this home exist entirely within the confines of its basic facilities, while we go through each day in Swedru knowing that we will eventually get on a plane and return to a home of incomparable fortune. We could only leave these children with the comfort of knowing that despite having so little, the children have an immeasurable amount of love to give.

FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY.

Accra, Accra, Accra!

Enjoying final meals at our host home, we hugged, laughed, and in some cases danced good bye with our families, before heading off to Accra to momentarily settle before the long haul back home.
With another two trips to the textile markets, and one completely bizarre trip to Accra shopping mall (resulting in food poisoning for almost the entire group), we completed our final days in Ghana, trying to savour our last Fan Milks and plantain chips. Good news arrived regarding Rebecca- whose condition has improved, and the hospital attempting to take her out of Intensive Care, all thanks to the donated funds of Kiah, Sally and Nina which essentially saved her life.

Ghana has been unbelievable, and we can all scarcely believe that it has so abruptly come to an end. In just four weeks we were completely immersed into one of the most vibrant and fascinating cultures in the world, gradually learning customs, attitudes and expectations from Ghana's greatest asset; its extraordinary people.

We will miss Swedru, the Tro Tro rides, the shouting on the streets, the cherubic babies, the spicy, carbohydrate-heavy food (perhaps excluding Fufu), and our friends here in Ghana including Ama, Seth, Felicia, Tina and all the people who have spent time getting to know. We will never forget the relationships we have formed with the children of Ghana, particularly the orphans, only strengthened by the amalgamated energy of a group of Aussie girls. This group, brought particularly close in the final week, has together experienced a series of inevitably life altering moments, accumulating into a powerfully fond memory of GHANA.

Aussie Day and a foot massage in Kota Kinabalu

COUNTRY: Borneo & Cambodia
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Building & Conservation
WRITTEN BY: Maddy King

The weekend back in Kota Kinabalu was enjoyable for all the gappers - we had two birthdays (Tom and Duncan's) so to celebrate we went out for dinner to little Italy, having pizza and pasta was an amazing treat as although we weren't entirely missing our western food (and were trying to be tough) it was a nice variation from the usual rice and noodles.

The next day Molly from Antips and I tried a local foot massage 'reflexology' the whole way through it We were in hysterics from it being too ticklish to bear or gasping in pain as the ladies told us which specific part of our foot was connected to an organ and what our reactions meant - I apparently had eye problems and was told I was tired, which after all the construction work I'd done was probably true.

For Australia Day all the Aussies headed to the local 'Aussie bar' for our fix of steak and beer - there was no 'shrimp on the barby' option which was a bit of a let down ... We all stocked up on vegemite an honey spreads as we'd not yet become accustom to the local coconut jam and we missed vege like crazy after it was confiscated from some of the girls at customs.

Our last night in Tinangol was a memorable one. We had a massive feast prepared by the lovely kitchen staff and then we all participated in Karaoke. It was so much fun! Man - a guy who lived next to camp and was related to some of the staff was an expert at karaoke it was his equipment after all. He sung some Malay songs - and some people joined in, though admittedly didn't stand a chance against Man's pro skills.



The next day it was time to say goodbye to Ramesh our camp leader - we'd grown to love Ram so much so it was really sad to say goodbye. It was the first of many sad goodbyes to come which I've learnt I'm not so good at ...

Next stop is Batu Puteh we have a loooong 9 hour bus journey ahead of us... So until next time. Maddy K from camp borneo 2013

Last day at Ccorao School, Peru

COUNTRY: Peru
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Construction
WRITTEN BY: Kate Elphinstone

The last day at Ccorao school was difficult to say the least. The small faces we had grown to know and love would be fixed permanently in our minds at this age, with little chance of seeing how they would grow.

During our time here, we worried that we weren't doing enough, that the children weren't learning enough, that we should have had more time at the school. But it was all put in perspective on the final day.

The gratitude that they showed us was a reminder that our time here meant more than we could have imagined. We travelled half way around the world to spend 2 hours, 5 days a week trying to teach English. We didn’t feel like we were doing enough, but then we weren’t looking at the big picture.

Just to have the school in the community, to have our In Country Partner help support local families and for the kids to meet and learn from us has made their community better. The families have support if they need it and education for their children offers an outlet from home life. Sadly, the school’s buildings are better than the homes in which they live. But the school allows them to be kids before reality forces them to grow up too soon.

Our last lesson was a chance for us to throw a party for our classes and hand out our gifts. It was one of our quietest lessons in grades 2 to 3, with the photos and pictures from Australia and koala key chains keeping them in awe. But it was nothing compared to the many gifts they gave to us, more than we expected; handmade earrings, bracelets and a classic Cusco woven shoulder bag.

After the lesson, we had time to return to the home we had visited the week before. We revisited the family with the boxes of supplies they needed: new shoes for the children, backpacks, blankets, clothes and school supplies. The young daughter was very happy with her new school bag, perhaps the only bag she will have for many years. It is such small offerings, such basic needs that can mean so much. That is something that resonates from our time here, that we should never underestimate what a small gesture, from our perspective, can mean.

When we returned to the school after the home visit the children clung to us, requesting photos and excitedly grabbing the camera to see the resulting image, fascinated. They held our hands, coaxing us to run with them, as we made our way across the paddock to the perimeter fence. The mud bricks we had helped move are now stacked into a sturdy fence, protecting the school grounds and property. The opening in the fence had been decorated with streamers. The teachers decided that us volunteers also needed to be decorated by streamers, followed by confetti and mass amounts of flowers for us to hold. We then officially 'opened' the new fence, breaking a vase like a piñata. And in true Ccorao style, it began to rain just as the teachers finished their speeches of thanks for our time at the school.

We headed inside for the final farewell and the final hugs from our kids. They sang to us first, then lined up and one by one hugged each of us, giving more bracelets and hand made cards. The line soon came to an end and that was it. They left, walking to their homes as we reviewed the photos, juggled all the gifts and looked around at each other in disbelief that we were at the end of our time here.

The next group will visit the school in April. It’s comforting to know that the work will continue, that more people will get to see these children grow. Even though we only had 4 weeks, it really is only the beginning of so much more.

What an adventure indeed! Goa volunteers wrap up for 2013

COUNTRY: India
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Ashleigh Barnes

The last two weeks went past faster than a Goan could say “chai”. We barely had time to stop and think between work placement, weekend get-aways and a whirlwind of other activities. We can all say that we worked hard and well. Our motivation saw two projects being completely revamped, a team of dedicated painters transformed the government school and the fisherman’s school. On the first day of painting the rusty swingset and monkey bars a crowd of 60 Indian men and women swarmed on the footpath. “What are you doing?” “But why?” “But why are YOU doing it?” “Where are you from?” The Goans could not understand the generosity of a few motivated Australian students who wanted to create a better learning area for the children. They had never seen such colour and vibrancy on a play ground but their confusion quickly gave way to enthusiasm.

Above and beyond aesthetics, the children and women that we worked with have all grown and learnt. We went into this trip knowing that you cannot teach a language in a month, you cannot change India and you cannot hope for too much. We are each a link in a chain but each link has its triumphs. I was proud to hear the children at the Fisherman’s school using English manners of their own accord. I was excited to see them using and caring for the exercise books that we purchased and filled with worksheets. For those in Women’s Empowerment and Drop Out Girls, the Aussies were so excited to tackle head on issues of hygiene, abuse, budgeting, the daily requirements of a woman living in a slum. Jade and Helena who study nursing and occupational therapy in Sydney gave a presentation to hoards of primary and secondary students on hygiene. The children also taught us things in return, they taught us hindi and sign language, they taught us much more creative henna designs than we could come up with and new songs and games to keep ourselves entertained.

It came as a shock when all of a sudden the mass of faces which had made up our classrooms, orphanages, hospitals, on our first few days had names and ages and stories. We knew our students’ strengths and weaknesses and in learning theirs we had also learnt more about our own. For instance, a month in India has taught us a whole new meaning of the word patience. It was these faces which we were dreading saying good bye to, and which had us planning picnics, making countless shops to Oscar’s, our local supermarket, and helping (aka watching) the chefs make 300 gulgule (Indian doghnuts!!).

We also had to say goodbye to the staff at camp who had cared for us so well. The drivers who fulfilled our every last minute request. The kitchen staff who made delicious (although slightly repetitive) meals. And of course the gorgeous Simi who made sure everything ran smoothly.

Perhaps worst of all was saying goodbye to each other. We had lived together, laughed and learnt together. We had gone for early morning runs, shopped til’ we dropped, devoured tubs of nutella when lentils stopped being appetizing, traveled 9 hours in a van to see ancient monuments for a weekend getaway, bartered haggled and compromised. We had been high and low. We learnt more about each other in a month in Goa than we may have in a year in Sydney. Our last nights were filled with games, sarees, photos, music, cocktails and stories as well as planning convoluted road trips around Australia to ensure everyone gets a visit!

Goa 2013, what an adventure!

A whirlwind of paintings, hospitals and classrooms

COUNTRY: Ghana
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Health
WRITTEN BY: Camille Gray

MONDAY AND TUESDAY.

We are officially into our third week. Alice, Katie and Sally spent the day at the orphanage, opting to repaint parts of the building. Coating the outdoor children's shower area in a light blue and planning to create an underwater sea creatures mural, the kids (one in particular- the most adorable little boy named Obet) joined in making tiny brushstrokes.

A hectic day at the hosptial. Alice, Nina and Lucy began by scrubbing the entire paediatrics ward, leaving the walls about five shades lighter. Working in the maternity ward afterwards, the girls witnessed a devastating loss of a newborn. They were confronted by the casual treatment of the deceased baby, which lay partially uncovered on a bench, and the mother who lay alone, inconsolably defeated. The day became even more intense from there with a twenty year old mother struggling to deliver her first baby which subsequently did not breathe for some time afterwards. The girls waited through each excruciating minute as the nurses slapped, probed and fed oxygen into its limp body. This young mother was terrified and alone as the family is not permitted in the delivery room, so the girls held her hand and spoke reassuring words despite the suffocating atmosphere of anxiety.

Naomi, Jacquie and I tackled the primary school together. Taking on the rowdy class of thirty year one's and two's as a pair, Naomi and Jacquie drilled the alphabet, focusing on the sounds of the letters which until now was an entirely new concept for the class. I took Lucy's class meeting the most divine group of 10-13 year olds who were ecstatic upon the discovery that I could speak a few words in Mandarin. The students are particularly fascinated by other countries, so learning about China was a big hit. As we left the school we could hear the students screaming goodbye in Mandarin, singing the words at us and squealing when we said it back to them.

Hannah, Sally, Katie and Kiah ventured off to Accra today in search for supplies and gifts to give using fundraising money. Purchasing medical equipment for the hospital, copious amounts of stationary and exercise books for the school as well as food, toys and toothbrushes for the orphanage, it was a mammoth shopping effort fuelled by the desire to leave Ghana having made some sort of difference.

WEDNESDAY.

An epic day of transformation at the orphanage. The showers were completed, exploding with colour, hand prints, wobbly names, and brightly illustrated pictures of fish. The children were equally as colourful, splashing paint all over themselves, with one boy's entire face and hands dripping in bright yellow. With a majority of the group at the orphanage, Alice, Katie, Kiah, Sally, Hannah and Noami were delighted to bring such joy to the old cement walls, not to mention initiating a hilarious activity for the kids.

Back at school the teachers continued their work in developing core reading skills; something which is lacking entirely. The children in Lucy's class are extremely good at maths, yet many struggle to read longer words and their english vocabulary is very limited. Jacquie continued to both teach the class english and to read at the same time with most of the children unable to speak english at all (a constant barrier in both learning and discipline).

Nina assisted in the paediatric and maternity ward, delighted to hear that the twenty year old mother from yesterday is well and that her newborn son is breathing and healthy. Bidding goodbye to the mother, there was a small sense of achievement in her thankful smile as she walked confidently out of the ward.

We finished the afternoon at the weekly Obroni meeting, with Kiah leaving temporarily to become a pen pal with a local 12 year old girl named Gifty. The group prematurely celebrated Australia Day at Ewusiwa Gardens, a huge outdoor restaurant and dined on as many servings of hot chips as we were allowed (we literally emptied the kitchen of its supply).

THURSDAY.

Orphanage renovation part 2 complete.
Katie, Sally, Naomi, Hannah, Alice and Lucy formed a brilliant team taking on the decaying, water-borne wooden tables first, leaving behind clean, brightly patterned, plastic covers nailed into the wood. Showing typical Ghanaian initiative the kids grabbed stones from the garden and hammered the nails themselves, eager to contribute. The entire eating area was scrubbed clean and coated in a multitude of colours, with the kids once again playing an integral role in the project. The team then went out into town to purchase drink bottles, tooth brushes, shower scrubs and food for the children, rocking up two hours later in the back of Seth's bright blue ute surrounded by supplies.

Nina came to visit the Prince of Peace school assisting Jacquie and I in our attempts to control over forty highly energetic children. With Neen and Jacquie drilling sounds together for the morning, it was decided that a soccer game in the afternoon was necessary to expel the seemingly infinitive supply of energy. In the adjacent room I was covered in poster paint as the children drew then painted their homes, with one student, Evans, fiercely patriotic, as he refused to use any colours other than yellow, green and red (those of Ghana's flag).

Kiah and Hannah spent the morning getting to know the Ghanaian nurses, making jokes, sharing stories and asking questions about one another's culture.

We reunited as a group at the orphanage to hand out the newly purchased supplies and distribute some Australian flags (Australia Day celebrations strike again). Some of us huddled in the dark before a grainy television with the children to watch Ghana play Mali in the African Cup of Nations (of which Ghana won 1-0, much to their delight).
Lunch time was chaotic. Katie, armed with a single bread knife, simultaneously cut, buttered and spread over sixty pieces of bread with orphans swimming at her feet, and outstretched hands grabbing at her waist, yelling, "Please madame! Please madame!"
Somehow each one was fed and sat content at their newly furnished tables, slurping from a juice popper in one hand, and a packet of biscuits in the other.
This moment of peace evaporated as soon as Kiah whipped out her polaroid camera and began distributing photos of the children. With the rare chance of owning a tangible self portrait, the kids were crazy with excitement, and chanted Kiah's name as if she were a demi God.
We bid yet another painful goodbye with the eldest orphan, Junior, refusing to let us go at the road, crying for a hug.

FRIDAY.

The group has split up for the weekend with Katie, Kiah, Hannah, Naomi, Sally and Alice off to the Volta regions leaving Lucy, Jacquie, Nina and I in Swedru.

The Volta gang rose early and headed off for an 8 hour Tro Tro journey, planning to visit the famous waterfalls on Saturday.

Nina, Lucy, Jacquie and I set off to the school for another day's work with some of the younger children screaming as Nina walked in, "Madame is coming! Madame is coming!" Huge progress in the younger class with Jacquie and Nina reaching a milestone as the children recognised some sounds of the alphabet without prompting.
Lucy and I experienced some minor memory blanks as we taught the maths class (nothing a sneaky calculator check can't fix), and began introducing the idea of decimals to the children.
Another game of soccer finished the day, with some of the girls (one named Princess...actually), showing some serious skill. Utterly exhausted and coated in alternating layers of dust and sweat, we returned home to our families and were greeted by the news that the rest of the group had finally found accommodation despite being turned down five times!

SATURDAY.

Nina, Jacquie, Lucy and I ventured out to Gomoa Takwa, a small village about forty minutes from Swedru to visit the 'Hope for Orphans' Orphanage. Our arrival was rather celebratory with lines of children sprinting up the dirt driveway towards our taxi, swarming and spinning in circles with excitement. Even our taxi driver was laughing, "They are happy to see you," he said as we stepped out, and were immediately grabbed by a dozen small hands.

Greeted by a young, exceedingly kind man named John, we were given a tour of the home, and were alarmed at what we saw. Crumbling concrete walls and windows with torn and gaping mosquito nets formed the exterior of the largely empty house. A few excessively old mattresses lay on the floor, with one large bed taking up an entire room, which we were later told was the sleeping quarters for over twenty children (on one bed!), with many simply sleeping on the floor. A large portion of the house has a dirt floor, and the kitchen occupies an outdoor space near the back of the house, amidst chickens and naked toddlers who roam next to the fire.

The children are beautifully behaved, yet many suffer from severe chicken pox and other skin conditions, and after about an hour we were met with hopeless crying as the younger children scratched at their skin, pointing to it, while we had nothing to offer.

We immediately assumed responsibility for changing some basic needs in the home-establishing a good supply of food, medication, beds and water has become our goal for the week. It wasn't long before we were at Swedru shops buying bulk packs of soap, nappies, toothbrushes and shelves, talking to Seth to arrange for bed orders as soon as we could.

Nina and I experienced a Saturday night like no other.
Upon returning home we were informed that we were to be escorted to the Swedru High School 'Entertainment night', of which we had absolutely no clue what to expect.
It was insane.

We were thrown into a huge school hall with over three hundred Ghanaian teenagers dancing before a DJ on a stage. At one point we were led up onto the stage, and then pushed straight into the middle of the dancefloor with the teenagers subsequently forming a circle around us, laughing and clapping at our 'Obroni' efforts to replicate their natural born sense of rhythm.
Literally drenched in sweat, and almost sore from laughing we left two hours later having heard one particularly catchy Ghanaian pop song four times.

SUNDAY.

Lucy and Jacquie woke early to attend a 6:30am Catholic mass returning home two hours later to breakfast set out by their gorgeous host mother. Lucy noted the similarities in the service to Australia, with the main difference being the length of the mass and Ghana specific prayers.

Nina and I were taken by our host family to an Assemblies of God service which went from 9am to 12pm. We spent the first hour in small 'study' groups discussing specific topics. This was followed by the loudest, most exuberant hour of the service involving copious tambourines and amplifiers, four vocalists on microphones and one extremely enthusiastic drum player. At one point we were taken to the front of the church hall with the older women to dance in a circle before the entire congregation (which despite last night's activities was still fairly daunting).

Well recovered from the volume of the singing and preaching at the service, we met Lucy and Jacquie afterwards to return to the Gomoa Takwa orphanage again to deliver some of our purchased donations. We recoated the tables in Lino plastic, using hammers and nails, and were greatly amused when the children began fanning us with recently donated books, remarking that we looked very hot (mainly due to the fact that we were covered in sweat, an all too familiar sensation in Ghana).

Ending a wonderful day, we eagerly checked our phones to hear that the rest of the group was in Accra and heading back to Swedru after an adventurous weekend away (soon to be updated!!)

7 days left in paradise - UniBreak Maldives

COUNTRY: Maldives
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Community Healthcare
WRITTEN BY: Lauren Hansen

Over the last three weeks we have settled into the routine of our placements and daily life here in the Maldives. However, the addition of new extra-curricular programs this week has kept us vigilant and is a reminder that each week on the island brings new challenges and excitement.

Supplementary to another caesarean at the hospital which Katherine got to see, the nurses at the hospital did a series of school visits around the Atoll this week, talking to senior students about the importance of nutrition and hygiene. In particular, they discussed healthy eating, the food pyramid and hand hygiene. They are also aiming to bring hygiene and sterilisation to attention within their hospital this week with a workshop planned for the nurses. At Hithadoo School the completion of the first aid workshops left an opportunity for Ashleigh to begin her counselling workshops for the teachers, to provide them with resources and skills for helping students in need.

Swim lessons have been popular with both schools and the students are progressing well. The first swim lesson for Sharafuddin School this week was greeted with an overwhelming response of nearly 100 kids for the 4 volunteers to teach; luckily the nursing students were home and quickly biked down to the beach to help out!
The pre-schoolers also did some swimming this week with a special “pool day” at pre-school, filling the playground with inflatable pools and pool toys for the kids to splash around in. Kara also taught the kids a poem one afternoon, not an easy feat to teach to three year olds, especially since they have limited English! At the schools English, Social Science, PE and Maths lessons continue. Yesterday was a public holiday so there was no school. Instead of school, the year one students had their first excursion which they were very excited about. I went with and learnt all about identifying local plants. This week was culture week for Ben and Gabby’s year two students so the students wore traditional dress into school and shared local food. They managed to get Ben dressed up in a sarong!

The year two dance group at Hithadoo School also put on their traditional costumes and did a special pre-performance for us student teachers before they went down to one of the local resorts to perform. At Sharafuddin School, the teachers got a more physical introduction to Maldivian Culture through the game “Bashi” which is a traditional sport played here on holidays and over festivals. From my understanding it is something like backwards tennis, you face away from the net and try to hit the ball over your head and the net while people on the other side try to catch the ball.

In our free time over the last week we did another beach clean-up with the help of the Rowing Association and more night snorkelling. We were lucky enough to catch a turtle every trip to take pictures with before letting it swim away. The night barbeque on the uninhabited island was stunning, cooking up fresh fish caught by Bree and Katherine over a fire made of coconut shells on a private beach- definitely getting immersed in the local culture!

Last night a group of us slept on the island under a full moon, we taught the excursion team how to roast marshmallows over the fire and in return they taught us how to roast coconut flesh to make “Maldivian marshmallows”. We also had a go at spear fishing, although judging by Ben’s several attempts to spear an (already dead!) fish, it must be harder than it looks! Tonight we are heading out reef fishing off the boat so maybe we will have more luck with that! Looking forward to the week ahead as we wrap up our programs at placements and consolidate what we have learnt both professionally and personally from the trip so far.

In only 7 days we’ll be back at home with a good cappuccino made of real milk rather than powdered, a hot shower and not getting woken up by the 4:30am prayer call. However, I know as soon as we leave here I will miss the people, both those within our team, those that have helped us at placements, the excursion team and our In Country Partner Suna. Our house has had many visitors this week and both the students and teachers have been giving us all kinds of lovely gifts and presents from fresh fruits to hand-made craft created from local shells as a welcome to country and now as thank you gifts. Hopefully though our work at placements and within the community through extra–programs for the schools and hospitals, the locals gain as much out of our experience here as we have.

Camp Tinangol and the Borneo experience!

COUNTRY: Borneo & Cambodia
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Building & Conservation
WRITTEN BY: Maddy King

Two weeks has gone exceptionally fast looking back at our first day in step-in lodge we really didn't know what to expect nor did we have many expectations. Time has just gone so fast... Camp Tinangol has definitely been an experience, the people here - there's a big group of us 28 in total - are all so lovely! Night one we were welcomed with a traditional dance, then we all joined in, the traditional costumes were amazing.

We then became aquainted with the staff Ram our camp leader is so much fun and very attentive to listen to any queries we had. We got settled in to the long house our communal living quarters. The next day it was time to get to work...we were introduced to the construction site after a long, picturesque and extremely muddy walk we arrived, the first day we were very unsure of what we were doing. There were tools that seemed more foreign than the dreaded squat toilets - which can I add are not all that bad. We got to experience the local village through our walk to work everyday and we seemed to be improving in our productivity and skill because construction work wasnt as easy as we'd anticipated.


My favourite day or experience thus far has been visiting the kindergarten the kids were all super enthusiastic to interact with us and eager to listen and learn some english. Impressively, they already knew loads of english words which made us feel guilty about our lack of knowledge of malay words - but then they taught us some. They were all full of energy and were such spiritied children you couldn't help but feel happy after leaving.

We've had a few RnR days - we went to the beach and had a little BBQ. We also went into Kudat (a local town) most of us to satisfy our internet cravings plus there was a KFC.

I've thoroughly enjoyed my last two weeks but not for the reasons I'd expected. We've all had to adjust certain expectations about feeling clean mainly and the reality of 'roughing it' in the (almost) jungle. It has been quite confronting revealing a lot about our reliance on the comfort and convenience of home - being able to pop down to the local supermarket, having a comfy bug free bed, having clean dry shoes - all of these things I miss but its all part of the experience - everyone feels this way and personally I wouldn't change it. The next stop is KK - the Aussie bar for Australia day until next time. Xoxo gossip antips

Laos baby named after Griffith midwifery student!

COUNTRY: Laos
PROGRAM: UniBreak Groups
PROJECT: Nursing & Midwifery
WRITTEN BY: Rosie Haynes, Griffith University

As we headed to the final villages this week, the terrain became more challenging and the first day of the week saw one of the trucks get a flat tire. However this was the least of our worries as on the second day of the week the road was impassable and the group was forced to walk 3km to get to the town. Chipseng was horrified that we had to walk, even after we reassured him that it would be fine and that we wouldn't mind a bit of a walk (the people in Laos find it difficult to understand the western view of doing exercise for fun).

The walk was quite spectacular and finally allowed us time to stop and take pictures of the scenery. As we first got off the truck and started walking several people in the group started singing si-quay, si-quay (right-left, right-left) and our equipment was transported via boat to the village. This also highlighted the real issues presented to the villagers in regards to health care because they live in such an isolated and rural area.The last few days of the clinics also saw some interesting cases with a lady coming in complaining of a sore ear and upon further inspection we saw what looked like a spider web inside her ear, leading to some odd questions.

As it was Bec's birthday during the week, the group had bought her a chocolate cake to share after one of the dinners. After seeing this, our amazingly talented local cooks decided that for the next night they would bake a traditional mut fuc cake. What originally looked to be a strange combination of pumpkin and coconut custard turned out to be an even better cake than we had the night before. The cooks on this trip have been amazing, turning up with a delicious warm meal three times a day, and during our last few days at the village they pulled out some of their best dishes, including their version of KFC! On the first night at the village this week they cooked us a traditional meal including whole roasted fish (freshly caught), lots of sticky rice and fresh salad.

On our last night in Pak Xeng, after a tour of the hospital, the midwives were informed that there was a lady who was in labor at the hospital. After speaking with the attending midwife at the hospital, it was found that the students help was greatly appreciated. Our dedicated midwifery students stayed up for the majority of the night with the lady at the hospital until she gave birth at 4 in the morning. During the labor there was a bit of negotiation between our midwives and the staff working at the local hospital, who wanted her to deliver in a set of what looked like medieval stirrups.

Over breakfast the next morning we heard stories of the night before and the three midwifery students huddled up on one of the wooden beds at the hospital and also of how attentive and dedicated the father was. At the end of the night, the mother decided to name her new girl Laura, although their pronunciation is closer to Lorla.
The morning of our last day at Pak Xeng the village threw us another basi ceremony and we gave out gifts to our translators, cooks and drivers who have put in so much work for us these past few weeks. Now that group A is back in Luang Prabang the only thing we have left to do is meet up with group B, visit the hospital and give them a bit of a hand over of the things we have done.

I know for me this has been one of the best experiences of my life, and I have learnt so much from my time in the villages and not just about rural and community nursing which was our primary aim of this placement. We have learnt of the importance of community and looking after the people around us. We have learn the art of non verbal communication, and the universal language of laughter as we have blown bubbles for the children in the villages and given out balloons and stickers though most of all we have gained an appreciation for what we have.

Beach cleans ups and diving in Mauritius

COUNTRY: Mauritius
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Marine Conservation
WRITTEN BY: Emalyn, Jessie, Nikola, Amelia, Tash and Dani

The second week of the gaggle’s temporary migration to the island of Mauritius brings many exciting new experiences. They start the week with more data collection on the beautiful, yet threatened, coral reefs of Blue Bay. Having now perfected their fish identifying and counting techniques, the gaggle can complete their transects much more confidently and, hopefully, more accurately.
Due to the nature of their volunteer work, the gaggle must adapt their waking hours to the tide, so they are at their most active when the tide is high and fish counting is possible. Unfortunately this means that for the next week, the gaggle must get up early to start work at around 9am.

On Wednesday the gaggle expand their territory to include the town of Tamarin, where they take a break from their underwater escapades to educate the public about the importance of conserving Mauritius’ marine environment. They join forces with fellow conservation tribes, such as the Mauritius Marine Conservation Society (MMCS) and Quicksilver to promote marine conservation to passersby at a local shopping centre. The gaggle soon prove to be particularly adept at this task, as it involves two things that they, being females, are particularly good at: talking and playing with children. The gaggle perform services such as face painting, whilst members of the MMCS give educational presentations and colouring in competitions to the local children of Mauritius, as they know the importance of teaching children from a young age about the dangers threatening their local reefs and what they can do to help.

On Thursday the gaggle takes a break from their busy work schedule to learn the art of scuba diving, or for the two of them already possessing their scuba diving qualifications, to improve their diving techniques in a brand new environment. For the beginners, the idea of diving for the first time is exciting and a little nerve-wracking, but they are in good hands and complete their first dive without any mishaps. They are marvelled by the new underwater world that they are exposed to, just a few metres deeper than they can reach by snorkelling. The two diving pros are taken to a deeper site, where they explore caves and underwater tunnels.

Enthralled by the beautiful underwater reefs, the gaggle find an excuse to go diving again on Saturday during a community beach clean. Staff, the gaggle (sporting Australian Flag tattoos and red, white and blue zinc in celebration of Australia Day), and volunteers from the community make sure no part of the beach is left unclean by sending their workers out to all parts of the beach. The experienced divers venture to the deeper sections of the beach to collect rubbish whilst scuba diving, whilst the rest divide themselves between walking along the beach and snorkelling in the shallows. The amount of rubbish the foraging team collects is shocking, but will hopefully send a message to the local community about littering and protecting the reef.

After a long day of picking up rubbish, the gaggle celebrate Australia Day in typical Aussie style, by partying hard in the nocturnal institutes of Flic en Flac, returning home just in time to watch the sun rise over a nice and clean beach.