My CAS experience was a one-night trip to Phetchaburi with the Between The Roots Committee, where I learned the significance of energy and education. The trip's two goals were constructing a biogas balloon and teaching English to children at a local school. On the first day, we only focused on getting to the hotel when the bus driver mistakenly took the wrong road. Therefore, we had to complete both our tasks on the second day.  

We headed to the local school first. Teaching English allowed me to understand the importance of education. Learning a new language broadens one’s world. It enables people to learn and understand each other. The biggest challenge here was that I couldn’t communicate with the children. I couldn’t speak Thai, and the children couldn’t speak English. After an ice-breaking game of rock, paper, and scissors, we split into groups and started teaching the alphabet using cards we made. I felt sorry for the committee members because I thought I wasn’t being helpful due to the language barrier. 

In the rural areas of Phetchaburi, where we went to construct a biogas balloon, I witnessed that many people lacked energy. I learned that the energies I use daily are obtained at the cost of others. Biogas balloons recycle biowaste, such as food waste, and produce and provide energy while helping reduce waste. We dug a big hole for the biogas balloon to fit in and helped construct it. It was quite a challenge since I was new to digging and using a shovel, and the weather was hot, like an oven. We took turns digging and taking rest. The biogas balloon was set in place, and we finished the task collaboratively. I felt proud and satisfied that I worked with the committee and contributed to the community.