A Parent's Perspective: True Adventure in Romania 2024
I am so pleased that we decided to send our daughter on the 2024 True Adventure Trip. Kyra had wanted to do the trip from the very start. Initially, the 2024 destination was meant to be Ecuador, but because of the political riots and violence, True Adventures decided to change it to Romania. I realised that the destination was not the most important factor here; it was the adventure itself my daughter was seeking.
She was at times nervous about the Adventure, but was always excited by it at the same time. She understood that this kind of adventure was not going to be about comfort and luxury- it was going to be something that she had never encountered before and there would be times it might seem like hard work. This never once deterred her from doing the trip. I think this was the secret to Kyra’s gain from the adventure: from the early planning stages, she saw it as a challenge rather than a luxurious, relaxing holiday.
There were times that the trip was difficult for her. The heat and the physical endurance got to her at one point, and she had to dig deep within herself to keep going without a “meltdown”. The one and only time that she called me during the trip was after the most trying and arduous activity- the 3-day hike. The happiness and elation in her voice to have conquered the challenge was something completely new for her. She was ulta- pleased it was over, but equally thrilled that she had accomplished it. Her words to me when she got home were: “I will feel a closeness to the other girls and the teacher (who were on that hike) for the rest of my life because of what we went through together and because of how we relied on each other”.
My daughter knows nothing about cooking. She knows a lot about helping to clean up after meals, and that seemed to stand her in good stead whilst on the adventure. Apparently, she did a lot of washing dishes and, when she got home, she was REALLY pleased that we have a dishwasher. She also came home with some new cooking ideas which she had learnt from other kids in the meal planning- such as tomato relish, aubergine pasta sauce and savoury mince.
Kyra learnt and internalised certain skills such as:
- working with other teenagers
- being on time for meals and departures
- checking air tickets and boarding passes
- solving problems and making decisions on a daily basis
- managing a budget with her peers
There is no doubt that Kyra gained confidence and independence that will stand her in good stead- particularly in the months and years after matric. Ms Theron is an expert in allowing the children to make mistakes and learn from them. She is like another pupil in disguise, and only switches to teacher/authoritarian mode when absolutely necessary ie: for safety reasons. In this way, the children really “learn by doing”. They are given the freedom to make decisions and plan for the group.
I am so glad that my daughter Kyra had the chance to do this Adventure. It gave her a unique opportunity that not many other children get. She will be quite fine when travelling alone in the future. The Romania Adventure has made me certain about that.
Keiryn Whitty,
St Peter's College parent