a lot of fun, and the winner’s privilege of being able to skip the meal- time queue was worth it. This project was also an opportunity for me to reflect on the IDEALS of Round Square, and the many personal growth and development opportunities were gratefully
impact on the world around us. It would be remiss to talk about the project without mentioning all the wonderful people involved. The welcoming and friendly staff, the amazing friends I encountered from multiple different backgrounds, and the positive and vibrant locals all made a massive contribution to my personal experience of the project. Former College Deputy Principal and Round Square Representative Rob Donaldson was instrumental in making this all happen, and Sarah Davidson, the current Round Square Representative, was also helpful and encouraging. Bringing together my interests in community service and conservation, applying for this project seemed a daunting yet exciting idea at the time, and I am extremely glad I followed through with it. This experience was truly life-changing, and an experience that I will fondly remember and cherish for the rest of my life. “I regard it as the foremost task of education to ensure the survival of these qualities: an enterprising curiosity, an undefeatable spirit, tenacity in pursuit, readiness for sensible self-denial, and above all, compassion.” – Kurt Hahn, founder of Round Square
and eagerly seized. The
inscriptions – on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Wat Pho is one of Bangkok’s largest and oldest temples, and is also considered to be Thailand’s first public university. Round Square’s Got Talent was held on our penultimate evening in the village. I will never forget the extremely throaty and equally hilarious solo rendition of Rolling In The Deep by a particularly confident friend, nor the Round Square staff performing a parody of The Twelve Days Of Christmas . There was everything from poems to push-ups, and it made for a highly entertaining and memorable night. I was part of the victorious Indian dance group, which, initially, was outside my comfort zone, but I was dragged into performing after unwittingly witnessing one of the ‘top secret’ practices. Needless to say, it was
exposure to different cultures, the delicate balancing act of leading a team of peers who had very different personalities and perspectives, and, finally, the experience of serving local communities and ecosystems were admittedly challenging at times. However, they will be sorely missed. What a large group of determined young people can achieve is truly magnificent, and as the first post-Covid-19 RSIS Project, we all appreciated not having our efforts hampered by the recent pandemic. The many photos and videos my fellow project members have taken – and shared – are a physical reminder of the time 59 students from all over the world have gathered in Thailand to do something good for a small community, and have a positive
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