Page 63 - 2016 Yearbook

COLLEGE LIFE

At Melbourne Airport before flying to Darwin on the way to Dili.
Timor-Leste (East Timor) Immersion

E ast Timor, albeit a short experience, will be remembered for feeling. After the ceremony all they wanted to do was shake our
hands.
a very long time. In two groups, we began our adventure as
one on an early September morning at Melbourne Airport where After our brief stay in Quelicai, we trekked to Laumana. The walk
we boarded our planes and flew to Darwin and then on to Dili. was long and hard, with each of us carrying up to 15 kilograms
This place was like a step out of reality, a place so different, and of supplies up a steep hill for approximately four kilometres,
we were in for a tough yet memorable time. One of the greatest but upon arrival all the pain disappeared. We received another
parts of our adventure was the people we met: the dedicated welcome, just as special as the last, and we were invited to dance
pastors and their helpers, the Marist Brothers and the brothers in with the kids and participate in their activities, and even the
training, the baby brothers, the locals and their inviting presence older women were performing which was unheard of. The two
and perseverance, and our phenomenal guides. days were filled with joy and laughter as we played games with
Part of our mission was to find out how these people live: their the children and enjoyed some adult company.
daily struggles, their history, their families and their faith. By the An important and touching part of the journey was visiting the
end of the immersion we all said that we had a better understand orphanage for young girls. Their stories, experiences and lives
of others, and we bonded with the children and the adults were amazing to hear about but hard to fathom with all their
regardless of the language barrier which became a triviality, as belongings in a single small box.
we communicated through our actions not our words. This immersion was many things: it was an adventure, it was
The main reason we were there though was to deliver money to exciting, it was fast, it was memorable and it was the best
a remote school at Laumana. On the way there, as we travelled experience of my life. I cannot vouch for others, but I am sure
up the mountains, we visited a Salesian school at Quelicai. they share my view. This immersion will go down as one of the
Our welcome was something else. It was so heartwarming to see greatest. We broke new soil, we made new friends and forged
these students waiting for us and their introduction ceremony new bonds. It was the journey of a lifetime.
was fantastically well done, well choreographed and full of Joshua Buttigieg

At the opening of the new facilities at a school ACK has Learning to cook traditional East Timorese food Hayley Leahy spending time with children at Laumana.
supported for several years. at the women’s centre.

59 Assumption College Kilmore 2016 Yearbook