Cultural Exchange

VANUATU TRIP - 2010

Objectives:

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-students will gain an understanding of the customs and traditions associated with the Vanuatuan culture.

-students will be able to compare the wealth and poverty within Vanuatu.

-students will be able to demonstrate a range of assertive and communication skills and processes that enable them to interact appropriately with other people.

-students will be able to access and use information to make and action safe choices in another country.

-students will investigate the responses of plants and animals to the environment and compare the natural habitats of Vanuatu and New Zealand.

-students, with their parents/caregivers, will make a decision to participate in this privately-funded opportunity. This would have to be sanctioned by the school, through the Board of Trustees.

Learning Outcomes:

• -students will learn about traditional villages and observe life there.
• -students will make observations at the local markets and look at the life and scenery as they travel from place to place.
• -students will take part in a traditional ceremony, a welcome to a village, learn to barter for goods, and take part in a traditional feast.
• -students will be friendly to each other and act according to our school Mission Statement.
• -students will be able to recognise the differences in the flora and fauna of Vanuatu and New Zealand.
• -students will be able to put into practise their snorkelling skills.
• -students will be appreciative of the fact that the trip has cost a great deal of money.
• -students will be able to discuss the differences and similarities between their own culture and that of Vanuatu.

Evaluation:

• -the parents and teachers that went on the trip had a meeting to discuss the merits of the exercise.
• -the trip was great value for money.
• -could set out an evaluation form for the participants to complete, and get feedback for future trips.
• -a positive experience staying at each place for 2 nights.
• -all accommodation more than satisfactory.
• -all activities were excellent – could cut one day from Beachcomber and add a visit to a school on an outer island.
• -Danny (owner of Beachcomber) happy to help with any future trips.
• -fly into Suva next time so not such a huge bus trip on the first day.
• -students wrote some interesting accounts of their trip, which were published in the local newspaper.
• -the organization of the Hamiltons (Travel Agents who planned the trip) was superb and the trip went without a glitch. Not a thing could be faulted of changed.
• -students ably discussed the differences between Fiji and New Zealand – looking at culture and physical elements.