KAMLOOPS – It’s unique, alright: a calendar comprised of adventure photos from the past year taken by adventure guide students at TRU while on climbing, kayaking and other field trips in BC, Alberta, Ontario and the United States to support a trip to Tibet, one of the biggest adventures these students will encounter during their time at TRU.
The group of nine students have until the end of April to fundraise for the trip, which comes with course credit and is being organized by the students in collaboration with TRU Bachelor of Tourism Management graduate Chris Jones, who is now working with Wind Horse Adventures in Tibet.
Traveling with Sharman Learie, the university’s paddling program director and driving force behind the creation of the expedition, the students will work alongside adventure guides in Tibet and also help out with the international organization, Braille without Borders, and in a cultural exchange at the University of Tibet.
“The trip will give us great experience with expedition planning and all aspects of it,” explained adventure student David Downey. “We will be working in a foreign country alongside guides who are training to work for Wind Horse, and so it will be a great way to compare the training we receive.”
Downey is also pumped about working with Braille without Borders, an organization focussed on giving
children and people with vision impairments a chance to participate in an activity they otherwise couldn’t.
“We’ll be taking children who would ordinarily not get to rafting, and we will take them on a flat water rafting trip down the river. For these kids this may be the highlight of a lifetime,” he explained, adding, “Working with Braille without Borders gives us the opportunity to really connect with the people in Tibet and people with challenges. It brings out the essence of intercultural relations, and adds a humanitarian aspect to the trip, which is something all of us wanted to participate in.”
The humanitarian aspect aside, the venture poses guiding challenges for the students, said Downey.
“We are all looking forward to learning how to adapt to a different type of client with physical and language barriers to deal with;it’s not just a great opportunity for the children,but for us as well,” he said.
The students will also meet their Tibetan peers and have a chance to promote the school and the province.
“We have organized three nights of cultural exchange with the University of Tibet, and at these nights we will be presenting onthe Adventure Guideprogram and tourism throughout the province of BC.These presentations will
involve slideshows and movies as well as our oral presentation,” Downey explained.
The calendars, available at $12 each or $11 each with a purchase of five or more, or $10 each for a purchase of 10 or more, can be purchased from Valhalla Pure or at the Adventure Programs office located in the Old Main building at TRU.The students hope to sell all of the calendars before the end of December, but will continue to sell them until they’re all gone
For more information, please contact:
Gilles Valade (instructor) at (250)371-5843
or David Downey (student) at 250-319-6245
or Greg Simmonds (student) at 250-213-6237
Calendar photo available on request to David Downey or Bronwen Scott
