By Martin Lee, News Writer

During lunar break, the Myanmar VASE team members travelled to the SMOC (St. Matthew’s Orphanage Centre). At SMOC, students left with a heart to serve, but soon realised that it was them who were being served. The participants of the trip spoke about the lessons they learned as they reflected on their goals during the trip.

Many students expressed that their initial goals on the trip were to serve the children, play with them, and teach them English. Jaclyn Kim, freshman, said her goal “was to interact with different kids and teach the kids well.”

Julie Kim, freshman, wanted more than just to serve the kids, “I wanted to get closer to the kids there, I wanted to get closer with our team members”.

Hannah Cho, junior and returning Myanmar trip member, always had different goals whenever she went back each year, “I always set new goals during the last three years, this year was to serve more to the kids and to learn new things that I couldn’t last year.”

Teachers who went on the Myanmar trip also reflected on what they learned and gained from the trip. Mrs. Laroche, a returning teacher, said she learned “even though you have bare necessities in your life, you can be still happy as the children in the SMOC orphanage.”

Ms. Muus, who went to the Myanmar trip for her first time, said that she learned how to act with people. “The relationships you have with people is more important than the objects that you have or the modern facilities that you have.” She continued to explain that it is more important on treating each other well.

“I think I learned that what we expect sometimes is not what we are gonna get” as she added, “We expected the orphanage kids to be quiet and shy, but they weren’t. They were open-hearted and active kids.”

Trey Noh, who is a senior, reflected on his last trip before graduating. He thought his last trip impacted him more than other year and said “they taught me how to be loving and how to be selfless.” He commented about the children in Myanmar, “whenever they get chocolate they share, every time they get a textbook or notebook they share.” He added “Just watching that helps me to learn that a person who is privilege like me, should be more caring and sharing.”