Life changing excursion for local students
Wed 02 November 2011
Keagan Ryan, Bachelor of Journalism
Students from St Teresa’s Catholic College, Noosaville recently returned from Samoa after participating in a "solidarity immersion" during the September, 2011, school holidays.
Solidarity immersion is a term given to the process of experiencing another culture and seeing the world and life from a different perspective, in particular the perspective of those less fortunate.
Six St Teresa’s students teamed up with eight students from St Peter Claver College, Riverview to undergo the pilgrimage.
The students, between ages 16 and 17, lived with Samoan host families during their trip and experienced many cultural exchanges, including song and dance.
St Teresa’s assistant principal for religious education Timothy Kenny said the trip was about recognising our shared human story and retreating from viewing people from other cultures as "different".
"As a Catholic school in the Marist tradition, we see these kinds of experiences, things that challenge our students to look at their own lives from other perspectives, as essential to what we are on about," Mr Kenny said.
"The overarching goal for the College is to build a relationship with the community at St Joseph’s…we hope to be able to offer support with those resources for their community from time to time as well as being more aware of what life is like for people in our Pacific region."
Mr Kenny said the trip was about enabling the students to give back to the community that had welcomed them so warmly, as well as the opportunity to sightsee and explore Samoa.
"The students lived with families from St Joseph’s…each day the Australian students came to school with their host-student," Mr Kenny said.
"The first part of the day was spent tutoring some of the students from St Joe’s who were struggling with English or needed more practice with their reading skills."
Mr Kenny said the most enjoyable part of the experience was the satisfaction he received from helping those less fortunate.
"For me the standout highlight was visiting the school for kids with disabilities called Fiamalamalama, this was an incredible experience of joy and really coming to recognise what is important in life," Mr Kenny said.
"It also showed that in spite of cultural, language and disability barriers we could still connect with one another, it was beautiful."
St Teresa’s student Rachel McGhee said the experience was the most amazing of her life.
"I think I can speak for everyone when I say that no one expected what we got throughout our time in Samoa," Ms McGhee said.
"There were so many things I was amazed by throughout the trip; the hospitality and friendly nature of the Samoan people, the eagerness of the students at the school to learn about us and our lifestyles and the strong friendships I now have across the world.
‘"The highlight of my experience would have to be getting to know my host family and the school community and how welcoming they were towards us…their love of life was so strong, that really struck me.
"Their living conditions are so much simpler than ours in Australia and they live with so much less, yet their happiness was beyond anyone I know in Australia…I would like to live with that same sense of simplicity and happiness."
Ms McGhee said the immersion had changed her outlook on life.
"I feel great gratitude and appreciation for the many opportunities I have in front of me and that I have already been able to pursue in my life," Ms McGhee said.
"With this, I also felt very selfish at times knowing that these people are denied the same lifestyle as me simply because they live in a country that is not as wealthy as Australia.
"I sometimes felt pathetic and ashamed that I live in a society that is driven by the consumption of material things and where extravagant lifestyles are the definition of happiness, while my host family survives in a one roomed house, yet their love of life and happiness is so much higher than most people I come across in Australia."
In order to fund such an extravagant mission, the college undertook several fundraising campaigns including a "sausage sizzle" hosted by Noosaville Harvey Norman.
However the bulk of the cost was paid by the students and their families.
Image(s) designed by Keagan Ryan
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Submitted Comments
Beautiful article! The sentiment is great and really allows us to see that material values really don't mean 'happiness'.
sarahm
A wonderful and inspirational article, Keegan. Congratulations and keep up the great work.
Deb