Out of all the memories that people make throughout their time at St. Mary’s, highschool retreats are what is often remembered the most. St. Mary’s International School has had a long annual tradition of its high school’s retreat, with each grade going off to different prefectures for their trip. This trip is more than time where we can shift away from school but an event where we can learn new things to prepare for us for the future. This year 78 seniors embark on a fun and reflective trip to Chiba Prefecture which included fun activities such as ropes courses, hiking, and cooking.
All of Grade 12 went on a 2-3 hour bus drive to Chiba where we first did our activity, ropes. We learned the safety, risks, and etiquette of performing rope activities taught by the staff there. Many students felt the adrenaline when having to balance on a single line of rope with nothing attached by the harness especially when being on a higher platform. Another highlight of the trip was hiking on the Nokogiriyama Trailway. The railway had a lot of giant buddhist statues coming in various sizes and also came with a beautiful view of the ocean. But most significant event of the trip was the cooking activities at the Mother Farm. Many students with no experience of cooking learned how to make Japanese Curry from a furnace. This process including everything from learning how to cut the vegetables, making the fire, cooking the meal, and at the end – the cleaning up process. This activity taught us valuable skills such as teamwork, but also patience. The mixture of making the food with teamwork made the food much more enjoyable and delicious.
The grade 12 trip was more than just a time off from academics but also a workshop to prepare for the future after graduation.