Good Samaritan Education Philippines Immersion Trip

During the holidays, Year 11 students Jessica Corcoran, Jessica Griffith and Madison Nicholson accompanied by Mrs He, College Chaplain, went on an Immersion Trip to the Philippines with other students and teachers from Good Samaritan schools from around Australia. The aim of the trip was to not only immerse ourselves in the culture but to work alongside the Good Samaritan Sisters who work with disadvantaged children and parents to provide them with basic needs, education, life skills. But this journey proved to be much more than that. Our eyes were opened to just how poor the majority of people in the Philippines are. It gave us a whole new perspective on life as the incredible people we met touched our hearts through their overwhelming hospitality and the stories they shared with us.

We were privileged to visit our partner Good Samaritan Kinder School in Bacolod, a community centre for the parents, the Boulevard (a slum area), Conception Parish for Sunday Mass that was spoken in the local language of Tagalog and St Scholastica's School in Manila.

This experience was incredible and opened up our minds to a different way of life. Playing with the children from the Kinder school and the Boulevard showed how community is the most important aspect of life and that money does not bring true happiness. It was hard to leave this country which had made a difference in our lives and had bought us to be extremely grateful for what we have back here in Australia.