During the April holidays, I went to the Outward Bound School in Anakiwa for three amazing weeks. I had some of the best experiences and met some awesome people. My personal highlight was the three days we spent sailing through the Marlborough Sounds. I got to see ‘golden hour’ while sailing right out to the edge of the Cook Strait phosphorescence as we rowed at night. There were amazing stars and Hector's dolphins which came right up to our little cutter boat. We cooked and slept on the boat, spending three days in very close quarters with 13 other watch mates who became like brothers and sisters. When out at sea, the watch really connected, which was such a cool and rewarding part of Outward Bound. Outward Bound is about challenge and being taken out of your personal comfort zone. I set a goal going into Outward Bound that I would take absolutely every challenge thrown my way. Some of the challenges I faced were flipping over in a sit-in kayak and relying on a total stranger to rescue me, spending two nights solo in the bush with only a tarp and groundsheet in the pouring rain, running a half marathon, and eating flapjacks. On one of the days we had to row from 7am to 7pm instead of sailing, as there wasn’t a breath of wind, which is pretty much unheard of in the Sounds.

As I was placed on the School Leader's Mind Body Soul course, not only did we do the set schemes and Outward Bound curriculum, we also had leadership workshops and reflective sessions. In these, we had group ‘DMC’s’ and I was able to learn about other prefects and head prefects' leadership approaches in their schools from all around the country. Outward Bound truly showed me that I am capable of more than what my mind tells me, and that there really is ‘more in me’. It was such a unique, empowering, and once in a lifetime experience. I would like to thank the Otago Community Trust for supporting students to experience life on Outward Bound, and for me to participate on Course 700: Blake Watch. I gained so many experiences as well as confidence and connecting with myself and others. Participating on Outward Bound gave me the opportunity to grow and develop, and give it my all. I miss it!