1 . When my school offered the opportunity to take part in a School Challenge, I didn’t hesitate to sign up for the initial meeting. 1 We decided to plan a three-week adventure in Romania.
Of course, it was not a case of simply signing up and paying the money. 2 We arranged a variety of events for the purpose. We had decided to go to a remote rural village and to work with a team of local people to improve the school buildings.
We had been warned that our trip would not be a holiday and that things would not always go to plan. We certainly experienced the difficulties during the trip. 3 This meant that they were too weak to continue walking and we were not able to travel as far as we had intended. In fact, one of the team quit the journey.
4 I never got tired of watching the sun rise every morning over the pine forests. Feeding the bears in the sanctuary was also incredible. I would never have imagined that these powerful creatures could be so gentle and calm. My best memory, though, was working on the school building project. I will never forget the hospitality and kindness of the villagers. They cooked us amazing meals and did everything they could to make us feel comfortable and welcome.
My School Challenge trip influenced my life in so many ways. It gave me a taste for independence and adventure, and certainly made me want to travel more. 5 Not having television, internet and hot running water for three weeks was certainly a challenge, but in many ways enjoyed living a simpler life for a short time.
| A．This had to be raised by us to fund the trip. |
| B．Despite the obstacles, it was a truly amazing trip. |
| C．Above all though, it has made me realise how easy my life is. |
| D．It was much more challenging than I thought it would be at times. |
| E．This was where we met other team members and chose our destination. |
| F．However, we wouldn’t be spending any time there until the end of the trip. |
| G．For example, a few people became ill because we were so high up in the mountains. |
