SCHOOL LIFESCHOOL LIFE
As the new school year gets underway, United Education International School (UEIS) equipped students with outdoor gear and headed to Yama A Sya in Nan'ao for a summer river trekking adventure. For new students, it was an opportunity to meet classmates and become familiar with their new environment. For returning students, it was also a chance to take the initiative in welcoming, supporting, and helping their new peers.
Before entering the river, professional river trekking instructors introduced students to the surrounding aquatic environment and essential safety knowledge. From understanding the terrain and learning how to move safely through the water to knowing how to assess risks and protect themselves during outdoor activities, students first established a basic understanding of safety before entering the river valley. These preparations also helped them understand that exploring nature is not simply about being brave enough to move forward—it also requires observing the environment and making thoughtful decisions.
Once they entered the river valley, the outdoor experience truly began. From wading through the water to climbing across different sections of terrain, students had to remain aware of their surroundings and pay attention to the people around them. On some sections, they reminded one another where to place their feet; on others, they reached out to help teammates through challenging spots. Through repeated moments of waiting, reminding, and supporting one another, new and returning students who had barely known each other at the beginning gradually began to build trust and teamwork.
This kind of teamwork was not an assigned classroom task. It developed naturally through a real-world experience. When the path ahead had to be completed together, students learned to slow down and wait for classmates who had not yet made it through. Some who initially received help gradually became the ones reaching out to help others. For students at a boarding school, these shared experiences are an important part of building peer relationships and becoming part of a new community.
For some students, however, the biggest challenge was not the obstacle in front of them, but the uncertainty behind the question, “Can I really do this?”
The diving challenge was one of the moments that left a particularly strong impression on many students. One student shared:
“I was really scared at first. When I looked down, it seemed so high. But after I gathered the courage to jump, I suddenly felt like I could do anything. It felt amazing.”
The jump may have looked like just another challenge in the activity, but for the student, it became an opportunity to see themselves in a new way. The fear they felt while standing at the top was real, and so was the courage it took to finally take that step. Only after completing the challenge did they realize that something they once thought they could not do was actually possible through their own choices and effort.
This experience gave students more than an outdoor adventure. It gave them opportunities to make decisions in real situations, work with their peers, and face things they had once been afraid to try. This is one of the reasons UEIS values outdoor education: learning does not have to happen only in the classroom. Through authentic experiences, students can learn beyond the classroom, and when they have people around them who are willing to wait, encourage, and support them, they can gradually build the courage to take steps beyond what they once believed was possible.
From water safety and understanding the natural environment to teamwork and personal challenges, river trekking offers students opportunities to learn beyond what textbooks can provide. At UEIS, we believe that diverse outdoor experiences do more than enrich school life. They also give students opportunities to connect with their peers, interact with their environment, and build meaningful experiences of their own.
What students brought home from their day in Nan'ao was more than a memory of playing in the water. It was the experience of facing challenges together and accomplishing something as a team. Along the way, they learned to reach out and help one another, while some found the courage to face a fear for the very first time. By the end of the day, they discovered something perhaps even more valuable: they were capable of more than they had imagined.
