Josephian Annual - 2017 | Page 46

CHAPTER THREE Learning Journeys Overseas Residential Programme (ORP) Vietnam The Overseas Residential Programme (ORP) is a capstone programme catered to Secondary 4 Integrated Programme students that aims to enhance the students’ holistic development in three aspects: physical, cognitive and emotional-social. The programme involves students participating in an overseas trip over a span of about 3 weeks, where they are placed in an unfamiliar environment so as to undergo a period of self-discovery. There were 2 concurrent programmes in 2017: ORP – Vietnam and ORP – Shangri-La that ran from end May to mid June. Each venue had their own unique programmes. ORP-Vietnam was a 15-day programme which offered a homestay, service learning and outdoor experience in Hanoi and Hang Kia. At Hanoi, the students stayed with students from Vin School where they managed to experience life like the local Vietnamese, such as trying many new cuisines. The students were involved in community engagement projects at Thuy An Rehabilitation Centre where they learnt to interact with special needs children, teaching them the English alphabets and learning to make local handicrafts with the children. At Hang Kia village, they came together to help a local school refurbish its surrounding wall. They also learnt how to build their own bamboo rafts for the villagers to be used for tourism. As part of their outdoor experience, they trekked from Hang Kia to Cun Pheo village and while it was tiring, many felt that the experience was educational. Time for a break ORP Vietnam 2017 46 ST JOSEPH’S INSTITUTION Ready to go Transporting cement for the school wall Students working on the raft