DP1 Orientation

DP1 Orientation is a trip to signify the beginning of the IB Diploma Program. This trip aims to bond with classmates and prepare ourselves for the IB Diploma in an unfamiliar environment that is meant to not be in our comfort zone. This trip strives to help us identify our strengths, develop and learn skills, recognize and consider the ethics of our choices and actions, and to show commitment and perseverance. For our DP1 Orientation, we went to the Borderlands Camp located in Kithulgala, Sri Lanka, for 3 days.

Our journey began on Wednesday, August 28th and it ended on Friday, August 30th. This day was mainly action, a core topic of CAS. We left at 7:00 am on two buses to Kithulgala. It had been raining in Kithulgala which meant that the water level was high. Because of that, we were unable to go white water rafting until the water level reduced to a safer level. We then decided to go canyoning. When we began our hike to the waterfalls, I was overwhelmed by the great number of leeches. I got bitten a few times and I have a slight fear of heights and thus was scared to jump off the high canyon tops. There were quite a few people that slip and fell while walking on the slippery rocks but we learned a different technique of walking on wet rocks to prevent slipping. We descended many canyon tops and it turned out to be a delightful time.

After that, we had lunch and then went white water rafting as the water level had reduced to a safe level. We had six rafts to hold everyone. The rafting was one of my favorite activities in the orientation trip. One of the highlights of rafting was when Kevin, fell over as we descended a rapid. It was funny and enjoyable to watch. Rafting also allowed me to bond with my classmates and work collaboratively with them so that we could stream down the river safely. After rafting, we went back to the borderlands camp and reflected on our day, followed by a nice meal.

The next day, we started the day off by waking up by 6:30 am and doing some morning stretches to give us that ‘get up and go’ feeling which will prevent lethargy and tiredness throughout the day. We then rode the bus to the beginning of the path of our upcoming trek to the Kithulgala Belilena Caves and later to the Sandun Ella Waterfall. The weather conditions during this period were poor with continuous rain and leech filled rocks but we powered through and proceeded to engage in all of the day’s activities. While on our trek, we walked past beautiful tea plantations and picturesque views of the Kithulgala town. Once we arrived at the caves, we divided into two groups and proceeded to do TOK (Theory of Knowledge) related activities. In Cave 1, we had to draw a map of our journey to the Belilena Cave which was quite challenging as I had to try and recollect everything we encountered on the way here. After we completed this, we visited another cave which was a short hike from Cave 1. In this cave, we were instructed to gaze into the darkness at the end of the cave while a story was being narrated. After we were told the story called the ‘Allegory of the Cave’, we were told to turn around and look at the view at the entrance of the cave. After staring into the darkness, turning around and looking at the view was breathtaking. I started to realize the beauty of nature and how we don’t notice the little things around us. My eyes seeking to adjust to the light made the surrounding environment look more beautiful than ever. I had never seen nature in this perspective before and thus, this moment was very memorable to me. It taught me that humans can only see the world through our senses, and have a misinterpretation of reality. If we were ever able to see the world from another perspective, we may find a world that we wouldn’t understand.

After our TOK session, we continued our trek to the Sandun Ella Waterfall. The next and final activity for the day was abseiling down the waterfall. After a long hike to the beginning of this beautiful waterfall, we split into two groups. One group began abseiling, while the other group, including myself, went to have lunch. After enjoying a nice meal of rice and curry, we abseiled down the waterfall. I was scared to abseil down the waterfall as I have never done it before, but I disregarded my fear and descended the waterfall. Even though I slipped while going down, and got cut, abseiling was one of my favorite activities of the orientation trip.

On the last day of our trip was different than our last two days. The last two days were mainly action related activities. On our last day, we were divided into groups and had to interview one of the local woodworkers in the area. Since I am a Sinhalese speaker, I, along with another one of my partners had to ask questions and translate them for our other group members. We went to the woodshop which was a short walk from the Borderlands Camp. The local Woodworker we spoke to gave me great insights into the construction of the Kithulgala dam and how it is going to affect the economy in the Kithulgala area including tourism received due to the famous water activities associated with the Kithulgala river and surrounding environment.

Not only did I learn about how it was going to affect the economy but I also learned how the dam is impacting the environment. The area lost many trees and animal life due to deforestation to make space for the dam and the beautiful scenic town this was once before, is now feeling the effects of urbanization. I spent a lot of time in thought after this interview. I was always aware of the damage done to the environment when building infrastructure in a level of global significance but I had never seen it with my own eyes. Thus, this predicament stayed in my mind throughout our final moments of the trip. After the interview, my DP1 Orientation Trip came to an end.
Overall, my DP1 Orientation Trip was a very memorable experience. I learned many new things and built up my confidence by taking part in these activities. Though I faced a few difficulties, it was an unforgettable experience.