Year 12 students Georgia Woodward and Carrie Woods from St Mary’s College are trading in the traditional “schoolies” experience for a chance to experience Cambodian culture and give back.
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The girls, along with teacher Karen Mooney, will be leaving Gunnedah’s golden paddocks behind on Sunday for the shores of Cambodia.
The trio will be accompanied by students and staff from McCarthy Catholic College when they embark on the Catholic Mission Australia’s Immersion Program.
The ten-day experience will start out in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, and take them south to the Takeo Province, then north again to Phnom Penh, Battambang and Siem Reap.
During this time they will live as the Cambodians do and visit schools, orphanages and significant historical sites such as the Khmer Rouge Killing Fields.
The group is not going empty-handed, filling their bags with many gifts, including clothes, sanitary packs, skipping ropes, frisbees, balls and stationary.
Carrie said she heard about plans for the immersion program early in the year and expressed her interest in the idea.
“Previously this year I went to Fiji [with my family] where I got a third world experience and after that… I actually wanted to see more in depth what actually happens in third world countries,” she said.
“It’s coming up so quick and I’m very excited to get this new experience on the way.
“I’m so happy because me and Georgia have known each other for years. [She’s] probably one of the best people to go overseas with to share this experience.”
Carrie said she was looking forward to learning about a new culture and meeting its people.
“I am wanting to come back with memories and a new perspective of how I should value more things,” she said.
“I’m hoping after this experience it will help me get ready for going to university next year and going into the adult world.”
Mrs Mooney said they each had to raise $4000 to cover the costs of the trip, which saw them fundraising for many months, strongly supported by principal Max Quirk and the school community.
“Max has been unbelievable,” she said.
“He’s backed it from the start.”
The teacher said she would like to thank the school board, Combined Catholic Schools P&F, Mornington Butchery, Gunnedah Hotel, and The Armidale Diocesan Investment Group for their support.
Georgia, Carrie and Mrs Mooney will leave Australia almost exactly a year since Year 12 students went to the islands of Kiribati in 2015 as part of the immersion program.
The trio will return to Australia on December 16.
