Issue: Special Edition on MIA Trips

Mission In Action Trips

Date: November 30 - December 2, 2011

The NISC Mission in Action Programme is designed to provide students in grades 6 -12 with an understanding of and an appreciation for Cambodia, its people, history, geography and the Khmer language, culture and traditions. The program provides students the opportunity to explore issues of global significance through a local context. Each grade group travels to separate locations around Cambodia and spends three days actively participating in a variety of learning experiences.

Grade 6 - Sihanoukville
Central Idea How we Organize Ourselves - Social inequalities create a need for action in the world. Our major destination was Sihanoukville. The major events were our visit to Don Bosco, Otress beach, and Kirirom resort. Our focus in Don Bosco was mainly to comprehend about their function, sustainability, and facilities. As for Otress beach, our main focus was to have fun, relax, enjoy the beach, increase our friendship and teamwork with the girls and the boys, view the scenery, and taste the delicacies. On the last day we stopped at Kirirom resort where we went rope sliding, kayaking, and some of us went swimming too. Most of us really enjoyed the rope slide because it was a challenge at first, but we later overcame our fear and it became enjoyable. We all ate lunch there too. Overall, the trip was very unforgettable, and it was a great experience. Arel and Bannhat

One of the experiences that changed our thinking on the MIA trip was the safety of the rope slide at Kirirom Resort. We were worried about the height and the actual condition of the equipment. We thought the rope was very narrow and the harness was too small. Our concerns changed once the first students started sliding from the platform. It was very safe and lots of fun!! Our knowledge was enhanced when we found out that the street kids on the beach speak fluent English because of their exposure to tourists. They also told us that this enables them to sell more to the visitors at Sihanoukville. Arel, Vireak, KimHang, Josiah (6 Blue)
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Grade 7 - Kirirom and Chambak

Area of Interaction: Environments - How do environments effect lives? The Grade 7 students traveled to Kirirom and Chambak for their MIA Trips. On Wednesday afternoon, the students ate their lunches high in Kirirom National Park. They went for a hike to a remote plateau covered in coniferous trees and rocks. They focused on their five senses to connect to the environment of the mountains. Thursday morning, the students went to the Chambak ecotourism site. Chambak is adjacent to Kirirom National Park and is a coalition of nine villages who are learning and practicing sustainable agriculture and using ecotourism to add to their income and improve their standard of living. The students talked with members of the community and learned how they harvest rice. Some students even participated in the harvest by cutting rice stalks and putting them into bundles. After completing a rigorous hike, the students visited a bat cave and spent some time relaxing at the base of a beautiful 120-meter waterfall. On Friday the students were participants in the Amazing Race Kirirom. Each team had seven challenges to complete, including riding a zip line, constructing a tower, learning and teaching phrases in Khmer, and canoeing. The students had structured reflections to complete throughout the three days: During the MIA trip to Kirirom there were lots of trees and tropical things. On the way up to the national park the trees looks different and most of the trees have been cut down or burnt to build houses or use the trees for their own good. I think that it will affect the people because of the pollution from burning the trees. While sitting on the rock in the forest I felt the sound of the wind, a sound that I have never heard before, and saw different types of trees that I have never seen before. We went to Chambok and saw that the villagers there grow crops to be able to earn money. The environment in Chambok is very nice. The houses were made out of wood and the rice fields were very nice. The villagers were very friendly and they taught us how to harvest rice in the field. There were a lot of trees during the hike up the mountain to see the waterfall and bat cave in Chambok. By looking at those environments I have learned how important nature is and how I should protect it. I now understand the importance of nature and how amazing and beautiful it is. Trees were being cut down during the ride up the national park and I think that people should protect the trees instead because it is a national park and we should take care of it. I would instead find a way to help them earn money instead of destroying nature for their needs. Ling Ling Meng Kirirom is a national park in Kampong Speu province, Cambodia. The people who live there are mainly rural and the environment is full of nature such as trees and rivers. It is because Kirirom is a national park and the government is protecting it, that the rural people living there cant have electricity (because there are no power stations). Instead they use solar panels and they cant have good urban-like houses. The good effects of the environment there are the fresh air and beautiful nature that attracts thousands of visitors so the local people can earn money. Even though the environment is protected, the rural people there are still secretly damaging the natural and wild environment there. If the people there destroy the forests and natural environment there, it would lead to global warming, less oxygen and flooding. The people living there may destroy the forest and natural environment so they can then have power plants, good house and an urban and modern style way of living. But to me, I prefer to protect the environment. Why? During the MIA trip I can see many, many wonderful things about nature such as the piney smell, the pricking grass, the rough terrain of the rocks and the magnificent waterfall, and it is rare to find a place like the national park, where there are no modern things, only the natural environment. This trip is life-changing as I now know how to like the natural environment. Marwin

Grade 8 - Rovieng
Area of Interaction: Health and Social On Wednesday 30 November, 26 grade 8 students and 4 excited teachers headed to the north east of Cambodia to Rovieng. After an early start, we settled in quite quickly to our bus trip, and found ourselves in the forest 5 hours later. Settling into our dorms was quite easy, since all the girls were in one big open area, sleeping under mosquito nets and the boys were in treehouses! We quickly got ready to begin our activities for the three days, which were focused around the area of interaction of Health and Social Education. Climbing 23m trees, jumping off them, abseiling, building Angkor Wat and flying 600m through the air were some of the adventures that we had. Collaboration and communication played a huge part in us completing the activities successfully, and we all had to support and encourage each other to do these. It was a tiring trip, both mentally and physically; however, we feel that we have bonded as a grade and learnt so much about ourselves that we can do anything that we put our minds to. We cant wait to see what next year will bring! This field trip was a real experience for me as I am a bit of a shut-in. It was real mind-opener as I got to see the country along with my classmates. One of my biggest fears is heights and about 75% of the activities we did were related to height. But I did them, nonetheless, and proved to myself that I was a risk-taker. A lot of the activities, such as the swinging ropes, included doing group work and communicating and so it was a good opportunity to test myself so that I realize how much of a collaborator I am. I learnt that many of the people who were with me cared for their other classmates which was something I rarely saw at my old school. Last, but not least, one of the things I learned was that to get around a lot of the obstacles you had to think and you had to be resourceful and idealistic. Adam

The MIA was probably the best time of my life. We did a lot of teamwork from which we got to know each other better. Considering all the activities we did involving heights Id say that were all good risk-takers. I didnt know I had the guts to do half the things I did! Some activities were more on the teamwork side, like the dancing rope, the log and building Angkor Wat. We needed to speak our mind and listen to others in order for us to complete the task. Some of us in the class were really scared of heights and other things, so we had to be caring and cheer each other on or comfort them. In most activities we had a partner. It was really nice to have someone there with you when you were climbing the trees or waiting for your turn. They understood how you felt and were there for you. Also, some of us were really good inquirers, asking about the trees- how old they were, how tall, if they would break!! etc. It was a really fun learning experience and Im so glad that we got the opportunity to go. Melanie Ens

Grade 9 - Siem Reap

Area of Interaction: Human Ingenuity Guiding questions: What innovations allowed the Khmer culture to attain such great heights during the Angkor period? What are the innovations being used today that allow people to continue to thrive in this area? How and why have these innovations changed over time? Grade 9 students visited Angkor Wat and looked at both this ancient site and the modern city of Siem Reap through the Area of Interaction lens of Human Ingenuity. They learned about the innovations made by the Khmer people that allowed them to attain such great heights during the Angkor period, and then looked at the innovations being made today in Siem Reap that enable people to continue to thrive in this area. Students then analyzed the changes that have resulted over time, and theorized about the reasons these changes have taken place. Students worked together in groups on specific topics including systems, communication, technology, thought, art and culture and presented their findings to the class. These are a few of the students reflections about their MIA experience: I learned a lot about the Angkor period, unlike before when I knew very little about it. Nakita It changed my understanding of my own countrys history. Kim Buoy Before I didnt think Angkor Wat was a big deal. After the MIA trip, I saw how much it impacted present day Cambodia, and how invaluable it is. Putree After this unit, I started to respect Khmer culture and history more, since I learned a lot about it on the trip. Lily They were a great nation back at that time and it made me respect Cambodias past more. Brendan There is a rich history behind Khmer culture, which is shown in the carvings and bas-reliefs. However, this history is shrouded in mystery since most of the early records are gone. Seth Visiting Angkor Wat made me realize that my ancestors were the ones who built the most sacred building in Cambodia. Kim Buoy The Aspara dancers are one of the things that are still in existence. The religion of ancient Angkor also lives on in modern Cambodia. Gun In the future, I wish many more scholars would study the mystery of Angkor Wat so we can learn more about it, because Im curious too. Sojung Despite their empire collapsing, plenty of wars, and later a genocide, Khmer people still keep moving forward. Putree I discovered many things that I did not know about my fascinating culture. Por Chou

Grade 10 - Kratie and Ratanakiri

Area of Interaction: Community and Service Grade 10 students left on their MIA to northeastern Cambodia a day earlier than the other grades for the long drive to Ratanakiri funnily enough, no one complained about the extra day out of school! We broke the journey in Kratie to eat sticky rice, visit the temple at Sambok Mountain, see the endangered Irrawaddy dolphins on the Mekong, and take part in team-building activities in the evening. The next morning we continued north to Ratanakiri. After a long, bumpy, dusty ride, everyone was happy to arrive and even happier to go for a swim in volcanic Yaklom Lake and walk through the forest. The peaceful, cool forest setting of Yaklom Hill Lodge was great for getting close to nature perhaps too close for some of the more arachnophobic students! The next day was a busy whirl of activities with a tour of an indigenous peoples village and primary school, two beautiful waterfalls, Banlung market, and finally, a chance to swim in Yaklom Lake again. Despite the long trip back to Phnom Penh the next day, all agreed the trip had been full of new experiences. I learned about local village life. They live without electricity, toilet, clean water and other normal things. They live in nature. They get all life resources from nature. They dont have time to play, because they have to get their food from farming and hunting. Therefore, they dont actually have time to feel bored. It was really good experience for me to learn about the different local peoples life. Nuri When we visited a local minority village and met the children at their school, I noticed that they seemed happy, they improvised and accepted the common outcome of their lives. They will all probably grow up in their village educated or not and will continue being happy. I learned to appreciate and be grateful for what I have. This trip has helped me learn that people are not always what they seem. When exposed to different situations people tend to show their true colors. The tough kids are scared of spiders and lizards, the quiet ones are loud when they are away from home, and the smart kids make foolish decisions. Its important not to judge people until you have seen them out of their comfort zone. Rooman Memories from the trip are great moments spent with my classmates, especially on the bus, making jokes, playing cards, swimming in the lake, evening activitiesand the beautiful campfire. All this enabled me to get closer to my classmates. It also enabled us, as a class, to embrace our AOI of community and service with more interest. When we visited the minority village and waterfalls, it was more interesting to do so with our peers. This trip was a great experience. We reflected about different forms of respect, respect for others, respect for oneself, respect for the environment and respect for the culture of others. I believe as a result of this trip our community is growing stronger and more connected. Aspasie

Grade 11 - Kep
The Diploma Programme Core The Grade 11 Mission in Action (MIA) camp was based at the Sailing Club in Kep. The focus of the camp was the IB Core curriculum. We began the first day with lunch at the sailing club before then taking boats out to Rabbit Island where students were given the opportunity to reflect upon Creativity and to demonstrate their creativity in the form of sand sculptures. This was then followed up in the sailing club with an evening introductory session on the Extended Essay. Our Mission in Action (MIA) Camp was the perfect vehicle to introduce our Grade 11 students to the Extended Essay. This is a 4000 word research paper that enables students to develop sophisticated research and analytical skills. The Extended Essay is a major component of the IB diploma core and a valuable piece of work that students can discuss at university interviews. Day two at the camp was an intensive CAS and Extended essay day. In the morning students were divided up into three groups: one group going over a detailed deconstruction of the extended essay requirements, one group Kayaking (Action phase of the DP core) and the other group involved in Accrobranche (Action phase of the DP core). This was followed by lunch and then we embarked on the Service component of the CAS core. Students were involved in house building in a small village, weaving and running educational sessions at a local school. After dinner in the evening, we then sat around a camp fire whilst students presented their WOK me. (Ways Of Knowing me) as part of their Theory of knowledge course (TOK). The morning of day three was spent writing up their CAS journals and reflecting upon the activities and learning that had taken place over the MIA camp and discussing the next stage in the Extended Essay process. Further information about the Extended Essay can be found in the DP Handbook and a wealth of material regarding the Extended Essay can also be downloaded from our NISC Managebac site https://nisc.managebac.com/login . Please take some time with your son/daughter to review the material on Managebac and gain an insight into the value of the Extended Essay as a learning tool. A sleepy, slow morning of waking up early turned into a day of rush and excitement as the 11th graders took off to Kep for their MIA trip. After a four hour bus ride, they finally arrived and immediately started to the get check-in details and unpacking situation over with for the only thing they had in mind, purring in their ears was; lunch. An amazing buffet lunch of a wonderland of a variety of food was served at The Sailing Club, a beautiful, baby blue caf/clubhouse located on a sandy white beach. To get to the club was simply a two-minute walk from the cozy, newly built hotel they stayed at. The place was clean, exotic and to top it off, the food not only was delicious but never failed to leave us in a mouth-watering state once set on the table.

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Grade 12 - Sihanoukville
Focus - Awareness This years Grade 12 MIA trip had awareness as a focus. Many community time blocks on Fridays as well as class time include components that encourage our seniors to become more aware of their environment and their effect on it. The three days of the MIA trip were divided into awareness of my skills to survive in the world, awareness of the environment around me and awareness of communities. Through the simple act of learning to cook food, many students became aware of the need for them to expand the survival skills they will need for the next part of their journey into college. The second day saw students spend time in a marine environment where they became aware of the beauty that often escapes us by the fact that we are too busy. They also became aware of the fragility of the marine ecosystem and the need to be more careful and respectful when interacting in such environments. The third day saw students integrate into the Cambodian Children Painting Project where they experienced first-hand the power they have to make positive contributions to a community. Our seniors embraced these children through dance, songs, play, paint, origami and balloon shaping: from the smiles that could be seen everywhere, it is obvious that that the children of the CCPP will remember them for a long time. Overall, the trip was an opportunity to allow students attention to be focused in different areas and to see the power they have to create change in a positive manner. They also were able to create a stronger community bond within their own class the class of 2012 will certainly remember their MIA 2012 trip! This trip has taught me many important things. Not just that, but Ive also gained many experiences as well. The activities we had were Khmer cooking class, snorkeling with Scuba Nation, and volunteering with the Cambodian Children Painting Project (CCPP). In the Khmer cooking class, I gained some experience in cooking. Ive learned that Khmer cooking is highly sophisticated and complex. I learned about the importance of respecting and appreciating different cultures. In the Scuba Nation trip, I learned about the importance of appreciating the marine ecosystem, and protecting the environment. The marine ecosystem is very beautiful and fragile, and if we dont protect it, it will be lost forever. On the third activity, we went to the CCPP. There I learned that we can make a difference in the world. A simple act of compassion is enough to change peoples heart; like when we help and play with the children, it seems casual, but the impact it has on the children is enormous. Overall, I learned about the importance of cultural appreciation, environmental appreciation and acts of compassion. I hope the things I learned will help me in the future by guiding me to the correct path in life. Bandith I really enjoyed the last NISC MIA trip that I had with my class. It was a great experience with a mixture of new and old activities. Our MIA trip was based on our upcoming future and how we were going to survive college. Learning how to cook Khmer cuisine opened me up to cooking instead of being afraid to cook like before. I took charge and made three dishes I never expected I could accomplish. Being able to go to an island and snorkel the next day made me feel more connected to life and nature. I remember clearly being really close to a puffer fish and a barracuda! I have never felt so much thrill and happiness and yet, at the same time, fear, over nature. I felt so refreshed being in the ocean and reunited with what was around me. For our last activity and our last day for our MIA trip, we went to volunteer at the Cambodian Children Painting Project. I was in charge of singing and dancing. I felt really happy to sing and dance with the children as I heard that there wasnt a singing or dancing class in the CCPP before. Being able to put a smile on their face made me realize that there is so much more to life than just our own, and we should open up to ANY opportunity ahead of us. This world is not just mine, it is everyones world and just by spreading knowledge and love, we make everyone happy. Toy
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Continued from page 1. Grade 6.

On the Sihanoukville M.I.A. trip, I learned that the Cambodian beaches arent what my parents thought it would be: dirty, forgotten, poorly-looked-after strips, but in reality they were clean, perfect with soft white sand; some new experiences have also taught me something, like, rope sliding is much safer than it looks, as the machinery, equipment were all operated by hand, not electronics. In the city of Sihanoukville, I discovered that the Sihanoukville port is equipped to handle container ships, evidenced by the large cranes on the piers and already-landed containers. Alpha
Continued from page 6. Grade 11.

Once lunch was over, the juniors were given time to hang out around the clubhouse and the beach and some took a quick dip into the nice green sea before preparing to head out to Rabbit Island. Three boats were needed to transport the class over to the island. When they arrived, everyone eagerly jumped off, into the rest of the day that was filled with fun and games, sun bathing, laughter, heavenly oil massages and a gorgeous barbeque seafood dinner. A sand castle competition was one of the collaborative activities that everyone enjoyed, as they were able to express their creative side and employed their teamwork abilities. After a long day at the island of paradise, the students returned to the hotel, listened to a brief presentation done by Mr. Ian introducing the Extended Essay, attempted to have a movie night, went star gazing out on the beautiful dock that extended from the clubhouse far out onto the sea, then went to sleep back in the hotel, each one anxiously looking forward for the next day. The second day greeted the 11th graders with a wonderful buffet breakfast of a great variety of choices of food. Students were then divided into three groups that rotated through three stations where different activities were initiated. The first station was accrobranche (zip-line gliding), the second station was kayaking followed by the third station where its focus was on Extended Essay subjects. At each station, students were able to learn new things, overcome their fears and feel more confident about the Extended Essay. The morning was active and adventurous. It was guaranteed that everyone had an amazing experience. After lunch, the students got onto the bus and headed out for community service. Students were again divided into three groups and each was in different locations doing different service activities. One group went to a school, taught the young children how to count in English, the second group went to learn how to weave as well as other arts and crafts where as the third group went house building for a family. Each group was working for about three hours in their stations and then the class returned to the hotel to shower and get ready for another delicious dinner at the crab market. The food was again amazing. Before going to bed, the class gathered together out on the sandy beach for a bonfire to share WOK (Ways of Knowing) presentations about each other and a little time for dancing. On the last day, before returning home, the students had their last time to hang out on the beach, swim and were given time to reflect upon the trip on their CAS websites. At 11:30, the 11th graders packed up and left for Phnom Penh filled with sadness for no one wanted to leave the peaceful world of relaxation and fun in Kep to the busy loud city. They all knew that once they returned, homework was awaiting them at home. Deva and Nika
Continued from page 7. Grade 12

I think I learned a lot from this trip. The first day we had a cooking class. When we cook, we have to be aware of what we put in the food. For example, if we put too much salt, the food will taste really salty and its going to taste really bad. Its the same in life: we have to be careful of everything because everything you do will effect your life in the future. The second day of the trip was my favorite. Snorkeling in the ocean was like I was living in another world. It was cold, quiet, peaceful and beautiful. It was an experience that cannot be bought with money. The underwater world is really amazing. The last day of the trip was full of happiness. We spent time with kids from the Cambodian Children Painting Project. I learned that I am so lucky that I have parents and everything. Sometimes, we always complain about what we hate to do but those kids dont even have a chance to complain like us. I also learned that happiness is really easy to make when I spend time with the kids. I didnt even need to speak Khmer to make them happy. What I did was just smile and play with them. If I have more free time, I will go back and see them again. Jome
P.O. Box 2042, Phnom Penh 3. Kingdom of Cambodia Phone: (855-23) 886-000/ -006 Fax: (855-23) 886-009 E-mail: info@nisc.edu.kh