Laos Service Immersion Trip

Student reflection by Amy Pritchard and Grace Mitchell

During Mount Alvernia College’s Year of Courage, thirteen eager year 11 students and 3 teachers had the privilege to travel to Laos with Infuse Travel on a 16-day service expedition, which quickly became the trip of a lifetime.  

Upon arrival to Laos, our first few days were spent travelling between the world of golden temples and bustling street life that is Vientiane, and the majestical mountains of Luang Prabang. During this time, we visited museums, temples, natural lagoons, took part in a glorious cooking class, and visited the first of many night markets – which quickly became a highlight for numerous people (especially the teachers...).   

As we entered the middle of our trip, we were given the opportunity to visit the remarkable Elephant Conservation Centre – Sayaboury, in which we walked alongside magnificent elephants and their mahouts through dense forests, learning about the importance of protecting these extraordinary creatures for future generations.  

Panor Village followed, where we spent 3 days concreting by hand to build a volleyball court for the primary school, whilst forming unforgettable bonds with the village people. This time allowed for much reflection, highlighting the importance of being grateful for the simple things in life – such as the value of community, the peacefulness of nature, and the significance of appreciation. Our fundraising money even allowed us to purchase school and household supplies for our village host families, as well as a table and 30 chairs for the meeting hall.  

As our trip drew to an end, many tears were shed as we were faced with mixed emotions of accomplishment and melancholy. Though, amongst our shared journey of resilience, laughter, adventure, and connection grew a special bond between us that we will treasure for the rest of our lives.  

After a magical evening exploring Singapore during our layover, we returned to Australia once again as significantly stronger, more compassionate, confident, and appreciative versions of ourselves, ready to excitedly retell every moment of our trip to our loved ones.  

Throughout our 16-day service trip, a profound sense of gratitude was embodied within all of us girls. The immersion allowed us to understand that although a country can be classified as ‘poor’ in terms of wealth, they can be so very rich in community and happiness. We experienced this firsthand as we observed how close and connected families were to one another in Panor, and what it really means to ‘be a village’. This understanding of connectedness despite language barriers was reinforced during our days spent concreting, in which the village banded together with Mt A students and staff as one. 

Despite the many hours spent in the heat of the sun, we were surrounded by so much joy and happiness that the exhaustion quickly faded, leaving us with a profound understanding of what true service means, and the difference it can make in people’s lives. The incredible warmth and hospitality we were shown by the Panor Village community during our service days deepened our appreciation of what it means to be sustainable global citizens. This unique experience that we were privileged enough to be a part of has shaped each of our lives forever, sparking a deep and permanent commitment amongst each of us to strive to serve our local community and wider world moving forwards. This experience may be completed, but the impact it had on us is long lasting. 

Additionally, we would like to thank Mr Rodgers for his generous donation of 10 volleyballs, along with pumps and whistles, that were received excitedly by the village children. Before arriving to Panor, there was no sporting equipment to play with, despite roughly 100 children living in the village. However, they demonstrated exceptional natural sporting talent for both volleyball and soccer when presented with the volleyballs, and we have no doubt the 10 donated volleyballs will be put to good use!   

Laos Photo Gallery