BE x Singapore American School (SAS) Outdoor Education Week 2022
In the month of March, Beyond Expeditions hosted over 120 students and teachers from the Singapore American School (SAS) over the course of 3 days. Throughout these three days, the students had the opportunity to embark on multiple adventures allowing them to immerse themselves in the wilderness. Having hosted SAS in 2021 at the Marsiling Bunkers, we decided to incorporate an additional Survival-of-the-Fittest segment; just to spice things up. As the years go by and the international borders open up, we hope to be able to one day host SAS in Mongolia.
THE HUNGER GAMES
The day was split into two, with half of the students embarking on a hike to the Marsiling Bunkers while the other half would be taking on an experimental adventure learning how to harness their brains and their brawns.
Starting off with an orientation tour of Beyond Expeditions’ yurt camp, our extremely knowledgeable guides Scott, Kavita, Bigad and Eshani, narrated a story about the Mongolian Yurt and the Mongolian culture so immersive that many students were tempted to book a flight to Mongolia. However, before they could let their imaginations run wild, it was time for the Hunger Games to begin.
Students were split into different teams where they would be tested on their physical, mental and intellectual strength: Tug of War. Although the Sun’s suffocating rays played absolutely no role in helping them win the tug of war, the student’s grit, technique and strength was a breath of fresh air. Ultimately, the winning team won themselves an advantage in the Hunger Games: an additional Ferrocerium Rod. Now, why would students fight hard in a tug of war just to earn a metallic rod?
This is where things get interesting.
45 minutes. 5 eggs. 1 rod set. In their respective groups, a team leader was appointed, where he/she was in-charge of overseeing Plan No-Dying-of-Hunger. In this activity, students would have to start a fire from scratch within 45 minutes using the Ferrocerium Rod that was given to them, successfully sustain it, and boil 5 eggs to feed themselves. The winning team from Tug of War would have earned themselves an additional rod. The students searched high and low around the entire Ground Up Initiative (GUI) for additional materials that could quicken the process of starting their fire. Tension in the air was thick, but their determination was thicker. As the 45 minutes passed at lightning speed, they worked harder than ever, showcasing a side of critical thinking, tenacity and camaraderie that even their teachers have never seen before.
Although some groups were not able to sustain the fire enough to successfully boil 5 eggs, going hungry in the process (hence the Hunger Games), they decided to feed themselves with something other than eggs — determination. Staying on and pushing through whatever obstacles were thrown at them, it was safe to say that despite them not being able to start a physical fire, they had definitely lit a fire inside them.
Inspired by each and every one of the students’ personal growth that day, the Beyond Expeditions Team prepared a sweet treat for everyone to enjoy. You guessed it, marshmallows! As the Hunger Games came to an end, the students learnt more than just starting a fire, they also learnt many new skills. From learning how to spell Ferrocerium, to boiling eggs over a freshly made fire, all of the students and teachers left with a smile on their faces.
the north bunker
After a more-than-just-refreshing hike in the forest, the students were greeted by the Marsiling North Bunker’s residents — beckoning them to come visit. As the students manoeuvred themselves around the fallen debris, logs and branches, many of them were reassured that they would make it out of the bunkers alive with the help of their guides Simran, Kelly, Celeste and Chloe.
Successfully avoiding the wrath of the trees that surround them, the students came face to face with a stone tunnel: the main entrance to the North Bunker. Of course, being an adventurous bunch, the students did not enter the North Bunker through the main entrance, no. They entered through the 2 other significantly smaller entrances located at both sides of the Bunker.
The students were nothing short of brave. They embraced the thrillseeker side of them and crawled through each of the tunnels, meeting the Bunker’s resident frogs, geckos and spiders. Seeing their group mates enter the claustrophobic tunnels with finesse inspired and fueled others to take on the North Bunker’s tunnels head on. Once inside the Bunker, the students learnt about the history of the North Bunker and how it was home to many since its existence in 1942.
After that, while many students thought their morning hike was over, what they didn’t know was that the real fun was just about to begin.
the SOUTH bunker
The South Bunker is located approximately 2km away from the North Bunker, with the distance being perfect for an interim walk before they get — literally — down and dirty.
The Marsiling South Bunker, similar to the North Bunker, was built in 1942 by the British. It was supposed to be used for the British Royal Air Force during WWII, but when the Japanese conquered Singapore shortly after, it became a fuel haven for approximately 4000 Japanese Zero Fighter Planes. If this piques your interest, our Marsiling Bunkers is the perfect read for you!
On the way to the entrance of the South Bunker, it was evident to the students that things were about to go South (pun intended). With slopes getting steeper and exponentially more slippery, the route to the South Bunker proved to be a real treacherous exercise for the SAS participants. This was greatly exacerbated by the rain that had drenched Singapore the day before, but the students and teachers pushed through, encouraging one another every step of the way. It was so heartwarming that even our guides felt a surge of determination in conquering every obstacle in the way.
Upon reaching the South Bunker, many students were flabbergasted by the dugged up man-made entrance leading to a dark abyss. We got one of our bravest participants, Curtis, to enter the hole first, using the ropes tied around the entrance to scale his way down. It was a flawless execution of hand-leg coordination and the other students watched him intently, striving to scale down the hole as perfectly as him. Once all the students had gone down the hole and entered the South Bunker, the tunnels in the Bunker were lit up using our specialised Nightcore Headlights.
Throughout the South Bunker, students got to know more about the deep dark secrets hidden in the bunker, as well as dangers that lie within. Not only did they learn how the operation processes of the fuel stations were like, they also got the chance to have hands-on experience exploring the secret tunnels of the South Bunker. The water level of the south bunker was at mid-calf level, and many students’ feet were soaked in the muddy trenches of the South Bunker. Waddling through the thick muddy waters, the students travelled to each end of the South Bunker, experiencing the 4 different entrances that were used by the Japanese during the Japanese Occupation in WWII.
There, students learnt about the backstories of these entrances as well as myths from different urban explorers who visited the South Bunker in their time. Despite the fact that these myths were meant to be scary, the students were as brave as a lion and showed not even an ounce of fear in their eyes. Instead, their eyes lit with curiosity, even brighter than the Nightcore Headlights used to light up the corridors of the South Bunker.
Soon, it was time to leave the South Bunker. Entering the South Bunker with curiosity and apprehension, the students left the South Bunker with a satisfied smile and a newfound love for urban exploration. As they made their way back to the starting point, many of them were exhausted from the entire day of action-packed activities. However, it was safe to say that many of them would do it again in a heartbeat.
Overall, the students had both a fun and enriching day of activities with Beyond Expeditions. It was not just a day of learning and having fun, but it was also a day where many of them unlocked the inner adventurer in them. The activities also allowed many of the students to discover more about themselves; about their strengths and their weaknesses. Needless to say, it was definitely an eye-opening experience for the SAS students and teachers, and many of them expressed interest to come again to join Beyond Expeditions SG on our other adventures.
For the team of guides leading the SAS students; although it was heartbreaking to part with them after such a meaningful day of expeditions, we are excited for what’s to come! So if the SAS Outdoor Education Week sounds like something you, your loved one, or anyone you know will enjoy, please don’t hesitate to drop us an email at discover@beyondexpeditionssg.com and we will get back to you with more details.
At Beyond Expeditions, the fun never ceases to end. Till next time!
Author: Chloe
Freelance content writer and copy writer since 2021 and currently pursuing a full-time Economics degree in Singapore Management University (SMU).
