3rd/Aug./2023

CAS Learning Outcomes:

5: Demonstrate the skills and recognise the benefits of working collaboratively

6: Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance

I joined this service trip with my friend and teachers. We first went to Bangkok Community Help Foundation, where we poured in Thai food into around 500 paper boxes and packed them. Later, we went to the place near Grand Palace, where many homeless people stay. There were several food bank stations that Bangkok Community Help Foundation operates, and we gave out meals to disabled, elderly, and homeless people at 2 of the stations. I learned that they need to live with 500 baht per month, and they rely a lot on this food bank. By seeing the less fortunate people in real life, I was more motivated to get involved in community service more often. 

I also learned the power of collaborative working. The staff at Bangkok Community Help Foundation told us that they are thankful that we are helping them today, because it would take forever and be a big burden if one person need to cook and pack 500 meals. I learned that with more people, bigger changes can be made.

15th/Nov./2023

3: Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience

5: Demonstrate the skills and recognise the benefits of working collaboratively

As a Japanese club leader, I got the club involved in the Language Week that took place from 13th to 16th of November. We decided to go around primary school classes and teach Japanese origami along with some related Japanese vocabulary. I first emailed the primary school principal to ask for permission, and after I got emails of all the primary school teachers, I sent all of them an email asking if any classes are willing to invite us to host a workshop. Some teachers replied, and I then needed to contact each teacher separately to decide on a time to have the workshop in each class. I faced a trouble that primary classes were not free when club members had study halls, but after I decided to excuse the club members from their classes, I was able to smoothly make appointments with different primary school classes. Although managing emails and schedules of both primary school teachers and teachers of classes that the club members would miss on the day required efficient communication, I gradually got used to it and accomplished scheduling without major problems. 

I then looked for origami papers that the students would like on Lazada, and bought designed origami papers. I also put together tutorial sheets for several origami crafts into a document and printed them out for students and members to follow in the workshop. On the day of the workshops, I found out that many members knew how to do origami more than me, so I was helped. I also enjoyed interacting with the G1 students and doing origami together.