OSC Day 4!

Today's blog post is written by: Nitika.

Today’s session started with a combination of group activities. It included rope untying, boiling an egg, jumping off the rope, filling up a pipe with water to get the ball out which had holes in it and finding a coin in the flour or water.  It was quite an activity which needed patience and control because some groups kept on failing and starting again, for example: refill the pipe with water if it leaks.

After finishing these activities, we headed out for rafting. We took our paddles and hiked down to the river. Instructions were given and we practiced before starting. We hadn’t crossed a kilometer and we had to face the 1^st rapid. It was a class 3 rapid. It was pretty exciting as well as frightening because it was a new experience for most of the students. The thought of flipping over or messing up gave us an adrenaline rush. As rapids passed, we got used to it and had control over the raft. Unfortunately one boat flipped on the Killer Fall but they coped up well (Editor’s Note: Everyone is uninjured and some actually enjoyed the experience!). As a team, most of the members were synced, which helped us move the raft properly.

After finishing rafting, we got down at the shore of the river. We were asked to create our own rafts using wood, tyres/tubes and rope. We could only use the materials we were given. This was a challenging experience because no one had ever made a raft using basic materials. We really worked as a team because we had to make parts of the raft separately and join them together. We had collaborated well as we agreed to the decisions made regarding the structure of the raft. Finally, we boarded our rafts and moved on (Editor’s Note: After building the rafts, they had to race them about 700 meters). I think no one ever thought that those rafts would stay afloat because they weren’t strong enough but it worked out well. It was something new that we learnt which was technical as well as interesting. Our activity ended after reaching the base camp in our own made rafts. Overall it was a thrilling experience.

OSC DAY 3!

The blog for day 3 of OSC Grade 9's Week Without Walls is written by Ceola Daly.

Today I, along with my 32 other classmates in Grade 9 of OSC, woke up and went jogging, followed by stretches and then a cool down swim in the river. Although at first this was widely unwelcome because of the time, we soon all woke up properly and enjoyed it. 

After Breakfast we split up into two groups. Group 1 (not my group) went off kayaking, while my group (Group 2) prepared to go White Water Rafting by learning about River Science, which at first seemed slightly boring but then proved to be extremely useful later on. 

Getting into the rafts, Group 2 split up again into two groups, 8 each in a raft. My raft was 8 of us + Ms Amanda + Richard. We set off rafting, and although parts of it were a struggle with patience and physical strength, everyone enjoyed it thoroughly. We all came back excited for lunch and kayaking, only to find out that apparently the kayaking was very tough for the other group, leaving them still glad they did it but very tired. 

After lunch, Group 1 and 2 switched activities and we headed off to out starting points. Honestly, even though kayaking was pretty tough, I found carrying the kayaks tougher. During kayaking, we were all sort of scared of going down the rapids, although there were only 4 capsizing moments (2 of them were mine.). After kayaking it was raining, so walking back to camp while muddy, wet and sore was not ideal, and we were all a little tired and grumpy, but we liked it nonetheless. Afterwards, we all washed up and just watched a video at the Long House to cool down. 

This was probably the most tiring, but definitely the best day of camp so far.

OSC Day 2

Our blog today was written by 2 people. The first part is by Malaika Salman.

"When we woke up, we had the mandatory luxury to take a dip in the freezing river at 7:00am. Then, on the bumpy and uncomfortable ride up the hill, we got off and set off for a hike to get to the waterfall. We got lost. More than half of the class headed in the wrong direction while hiking up to the waterfall (Editor’s Note: We challenge groups to take leadership and initiative to find their own way up without assistance from guides unless safety is at stake), after going up and down in wrong directions and in the end a guide came and took us to the right direction (Editor’s Note: They were about 20 feet from where they needed to be). We were told that this is the first time anyone has got lost hiking up the hill with borderlands, so we can all say proudly we have written history today. The whole “getting lost” was actually a fun and challenging experience for most of us because together as 9^th grade were trying to figure out where we had to go, but in the end, we learnt that we should always stick together as one unit.

Then after lunch, we headed into the village to interview people around the village about the dam that will be built in Kitugala, and I learnt a lot. Today was a fun, but tiring day and we all achieved something today. "

The second piece is written about the abseil activity, by Nathan Omprasadham.

"One does not always find they hanging off a 110-foot cliff with their life in the hands of an inanimate object, but one finds that doing so often gives you a rather different perspective on life. Wade (accompanied by his trademark grin) happily told us back at school all about how abseiling was technically the safest activity we would undertake on our trip. He told us we had nothing to worry about. He failed to tell us about the fact that doing so meant you would probably end up kissing a mountain…hard. 

Rocky intimacy aside, the decent was exhilarating, with water rushing past your feet as you descend down the incline, everything else disappears as the rope and the rock become your whole world. Slowly that expands and you start to take in the scenery, breathing the mountain air and digesting the spectacular view. Gravity is pushed to the back of your mind as your friends cheer you on, and step by step you descend into victory… and beyond."

OSC Day 1!!

Today's blog post is written by Nathan Omprasadham.

"Day 1 of Borderlands was an emotional rollercoaster to say the least. One that hardly went down, but seemed to maintain a steady climb as we stretched ourselves farther, pushed ourselves further, then stopped to look back and realise that we had only just begun. From crossing rickety old bridge to literally “going with the flow” down a river, there always seemed to be a fresh experience to surprise us, to make us reconsider what we knew and how we could change ourselves for the better.

Right off the bat we were given a task that seemed simple, yet we all knew held it’s own set of challenges. We were asked to find our way to camp, but with a guide that was only as reliable as our own eyes and minds. Blue ribbons acted as silent sentinels, tied along the path we were meant to take, but oftentimes positioned to intentionally lead us astray. Our small groups of 5 slowly began to work out systems, pick up on clues, and work better with one another, and it made the simple action of getting from point A to point B that much more gratifying. When looking back, I can firmly say that the single most challenging aspect of our day was not freezing water, the slippery slopes or even the ever present fear of facing the unknown, but instead was the simple act of lowering a stick to the ground. The so-called “magic stick” became our personal, psychological hell. Shouts and accusations flew across our grade as we attempted to move a stick that was balanced precariously across our fingers to the floor. It put a harsh yet realistic spotlight on the second of the four stages of teamwork: “the storming”.

The day followed with more physical challenges as we delved into the world of canyons. Acts as simple as standing were pushed back as we embraced all our limbs in order to move forward. The ever-present rush of the river accompanied us as we slipped, slid, leaped, and swam our way through nature’s obstacle course. The thing that impressed me most was not the fact that everyone made the biggest jumps and steepest slopes, but the fact that people would, without prompting, help their fellow man. The weak swimmers were pulled on by the strong, the struggling climbers could count on the able, no one hesitated to lend out a helping hand and everyone was happy to accept it. It was great to see every one of those people attempt the extended part of the rapids course, but it was better to see them helping and encouraging each other every step of the way.

We ended our day’s activities with a moment of zen as we formed small circles in the river and simply let it carry us home for the night. I’d love to say I had fun, but it was more than that. I saw the grade I have spent a good portion of my life with in a whole new light, all through the silent wisdom of the river."