Awardee Reflection - Zali Kerley

 

Gratitude

Day 5 (19/4/24) … A day to remember!

We woke up bright and early to board the bus by 8am for what I found to be one of the most moving and memorable days of the trip

Today, we established the theme of the day to be gratitude. There were a few ill bodies due to the busy previous few days and the new cuisine, but we all kept a positive mindset and continued to embrace every moment of the trip.

Our first stop of the day was the orphanage, where our theme of the day was enlightened. Upon arrival the owner/coordinator of the orphanage for the last 20 years greeted us. Everybody placed their gifts on the table, which quickly became covered in pencils, chalk, puzzles, teddies, and footballs. Others presented the owner with their money donations. We took some footballs and gifts to give directly to the kids. Their smiles and giggles surrounded us as they learnt to kick the football and played with their new teddys. Seeing how grateful the children were to just have a football made me realise how lucky I am to have the resources I do to learn and play the sports that I love.

Next, we went upstairs to see the babies. In a humid room, cooled only by 2 small fans, laid the babies in their metal cots. The older boys across the corridor sat on their thin mats and metal beds, unaware of what was going on as some of them were blind and deaf and suffered from other disabilities. Due to their disabilities, those boys never got the opportunity to attend school nor get an education, which made me particularly more grateful for the education I receive.

We said goodbye to the kids and headed off to the old folks’ home, making a stop to collect milk as a donation. The residents’ fragile bodies slept on metal beds in hot, humid rooms with only a small fan to cool them, but they still had a resilient smile on their faces. It filled me with happiness to see them smile as they held our hands and looked into our eyes.

The last stop before our long bus ride to Ho Chi Minh was Long Tan. We walked silently down the footpath, taking in the unique sounds, smells and sights surrounding as we approached the white cross. The rubber plantation caught my eye. I find it hard to comprehend there were battles fought in rubber plantations. You can see hundreds of metres through the rubber trees and there is nowhere to hide. We gathered in front of the cross as Dennis lead us through a moving service. We had the chance to lay a poppy and a flower at the base of the white cross. We said the name of our soldier out loud to remember and commemorate the sacrifice each of them made for our country. We were all extremely grateful to have Dennis on the trip to share his wealth of knowledge and experiences.

As our theme of the day was gratitude, I took the time during the bus trip to reflect on what I am grateful for. After my experiences that day there were so many things, I became more grateful for. I am grateful for my home, where I have access to a comfortable bed, air-conditioning, a washing machine, and dryer. I am grateful to feel safe enough in my hometown to walk down the street to get snacks from the local supermarket. I am grateful to have access to an endless supply of fresh and safe water to drink.

Finally, but certainly not least, I am grateful to get education. An education, and teacher support so great to lead me to an experience of a lifetime. An experience where I was surrounded by people with the same passion of history, and that history surrounding us all. I am grateful for the amazing peers I had on the trip. I now have many talented and unique friends for a lifetime. I am grateful for the staff on the trip. Aaron clearly did an amazing job of planning before and during the trip for it to be as successful as it was. Lara, Bex and Tracey always gave us a laugh, whether it was because they were cracking a joke or just because of their contagious giggles. Adams, Dennis, and Aaron made us all feel safe and I loved the chats I had with each of them. I always felt safe to approach each of you if I had an issue or just wanted a chat.

I can’t wait to see everyone soon!!