2 weeks into the new school year, and students at IIL are typically already excited by the prospect of impending cohesion trips. These trips are remembered for their ever new and exciting activities, as well as for the enjoyable times spent among friends and fellow class mates. This year was no exception, with students from year 12 and the equivalent french-section, leaving for Chateaux d’Oex over a span of 3 days, and returning exhausted but smiling none the less.
Students and staff arrived at Chateaux d’Oex on Wednesday 12th September. Waiting for them was a traditional Swiss chalet, complete with an energised Swiss Leadership Camp team. Rooms were clean and comfortable, and hosted a beautiful view of the surrounding mountainous landscape.
The team members hosted a brief welcoming session, and
detailed the events of the upcoming few days. Following a long-awaited lunch, students left for the afternoon activity of “Canyoning”, a thrilling expedition which involved jumping from cliffs into rapids, and climbing rock-faces. The activity proved a huge success, with students in both sections completing the experience readily and eagerly, some even daring to brave a 9m jump! Following this, students returned to a much-deserved hour of free time. By 20:00, dinner having been devoured, students were prepared for an evening activity. This entailed a night-hike, in which groups of students were equipped with head-lamps and radios, allowing them to communicate and find other groups, the eventual aim of the activity. All groups succeeded, and students returned to their rooms exhausted yet excited for the days that lay ahead of them.
Thursday morning presented students with the exciting prospect of ascending Glacier 3000, a renowned and expansive glacier in the area. Having arrived at the top by cable car, students were met with breath-taking views, and a number of activities lined up for them. These included using avalanche detectors, snowshoeing and crossing a bridge between two peaks, the favourite among most students. A fully packed day left students largely tired, and by 17:00 students were back at the chalet. Students arrived, well-rested after dinner, for a leadership session with the team leaders, this particular one dealing with the struggle of communication. Students were then eager to test their new-found skills in the evening activity, which consisted of building a cardboard boat in teams, which would be tested with one passenger on a swimming-pool the next day. Students returned, post boat-building, to bed, motivated and confident about the next-day’s boat race.
By 10:00 of the following morning, students had reached the pool, boats in tow, and the race was set to commence. The race proved surprisingly successful for most boats, which were able to stay afloat much longer than expected. The surprising winners consisted of an all-girls team, who gladly received chocolate as a their prize. The race proved the perfect end to an enjoyable 3 days, with students leaving for Geneva soon after. On the ride home, students had lots to talk about and praise, and though exhausted, remained in happy spirits until and after their arrival home - the sign of another successful IIL cohesion trip.