Pamela Boardman, teacher at the Ysgol Friars High School in Wales

The time in Banda Aceh was an incredible experience. I had not fully understood the extent of the work carried out by Education International. The highlight of the trip was the visits to some of the completed Primary schools. All of the children were excited and pleased to see us and proudly showed us their classrooms and their work. We went to the official opening of one of the schools. We were treated like VIP’s and watched with delight the welcome ceremonies performed by the children in their traditional costumes.

On another day we visited one of the secondary schools, all of the pupils turned out to welcome us, hundreds of them. We attended a trauma counselling session, and then listened while 2 of the students told their stories of the tsunami. They were very brave to stand up in front of so many people and tell such emotional stories. At the end of this session all of the students in our party stood up and told the pupils in the class how they felt about Banda Aceh. They were greeted with cheers and applause, and then the pupils all clamoured around us and wanted to have their picture taken with us. This was a very emotional experience to see these pupils who had gone through a terrible time showing such courage and joy in life.






On the first day in Banda Aceh we visited the beach where the tsunami had first struck the land. I stood looking out sea and tried to imagine a 30metre wave coming towards me. Behind was a view of destruction, an area of swamp which used to be houses, yet in front of me I was looking at a beautiful sunset over the mountains and sea. This summed up the whole trip, a mixture of sadness, tragedy, beauty, friendship and hope for the future.

The party was made up of people of different ages from 17 to over 60, and 8 different nationalities. By the end of the week we had seen so much that we felt as if we had known each other for years. Everybody agreed that the week has been an amazing and life changing experience. The work done by Education International in Banda Aceh was impressive and largely because of 2 inspirational men Mr Jerome Fernandez and Mr Aloysius Matthews.
Since we have come home I have shown the photographs and talked about the trip with all of my pupils. We are arranging for the 2 students to give presentations in assemblies to each of the different year groups, and to the school council. They have also been invited to give a presentation at the annual conference of the NUT. We are going to establish a link with the secondary school that we visited, and some emails have already been sent. Also we are arranging for publicity in the local newspapers.

HEY EVERYONE !!! :D Emily's finally added to the blog !!

Hey, hope everyone got home safely !!! miss you all !! My appologies for taking so long to put something on the blog, but it has all sunk in now and therefore I am hoping that this might be a little better than something I would have done a week ago when jet lag had the better of me!

Trip home : 15 hour flight as well as the other three flights, I would do it all again if they asked me because I will never ever experience something as amazing and emotional as this again, missing indonesia so much and I wish that I could have another chance to see you lot and all those childrens faces which were so full of enthusiasum and hope again! I'm fully recovered now from my egg eating moment, can't believe i missed the last day!! I HATE EGGS!! LOL !

The thing I gained from the most from participating in this tour is my understanding, instead of sitting at home oblivious to what is happening outside my frount door, I have seen, I have witnessed the wonders and shocks of Indonesia. I have heard the stories that the children, teachers and pupils my age have to tell me about the tsunami and their experiences. I am amazed by the sheer hope and dedication that the students have to learning, it makes me realise how well off I am and how I should be so grateful for my family, friends and education.

Highlight of my trip, wouuld have to be visiting the schools, how can children be so happy? Its so confusing how they are so cheerfull welcoming and warm hearted even though they have lost everything, just makes you think no matter what stands in your way take a leaf from their book, you can always rise above it. I will never forget them running about the playground with the football seeing their little faces light up was touching and wonderful to see.
I will quote the poem from the first briefing in the EI's office which in my opinion really sums up the tour:

"The more you care about others,

The more confidently you act.

There is nothing you cannot do,

No defeat you cannot survive,

No fear you cannot overcome,

When you are concentrated,

heart and soul on helping others!"

Hopefully in the near future we shall all meet up again, and this time I won't eat any egg !! oopsy!!!

Hope everyone is ok and taking care!!! xxx

p.s thank you to everyone for being so welcoming and ACE, you made the trip 10 million times better than it already was xxxx

p.p.s thank you Phuoc and Juliane for sending me some little things when I was ill on the last day the fruit and drink really helped :D xxxxxx

loves xxx Emily xxx