On the morning of July 7th, the weather was clear and a group of excited sixth-grade students arrived at school an hour earlier than usual. It was because this day was their long-awaited graduation field trip. Upon seeing each other, they asked if everyone had brought food and equipment, and talked about how they had trouble sleeping the night before because they were so excited about the trip.
After an hour-long bus ride, we arrived at their destination, Banteay Chhmar, the fourth-largest temple complex in Cambodia. Then the students divided into three groups to explore the temple with the guidance of their tour guide. Students took notes and captured rare reliefs during the tour as a blueprint for their future paintings. After the enriching and lively three-hour learning journey, it was time to rest and share a delicious lunch, followed by a fun-filled group game.
In the afternoon, we continued our journey to a man-made lake that had been thriving for over 800 years, with an island in the middle called Mebon and an abandoned temple on it. A long wooden bridge led to the island, surrounded by large areas of red lotus flowers, adding to the picturesque scenery.
As we thought the trip had come to an end and we were headed back, we were surprised to see that the students still had a lot of energy left. They sang songs on the bus, swaying to the beat, until the tour bus parked back at the school campus, and they returned home feeling satisfied.
We hope this enjoyable learning experience will remain in the students’ hearts and accompany them as they grow. Through understanding Khmer’s glorious past, we also hope it will inspire them to work hard and contribute to their nation’s future.