CAS Nehir's Steps - Awareness Walk

At 24 September, Sunday, we went to Istanbul Technical University’s campus (İTÜ) for trekking. There is a social awareness for leukemia project called “Nehir’s Steps”. Nehir was a kid who passed away from leukemia and her father decided to organize a walk for her memory; also, the money gained from sold t-shirts is donated to foundation which they are dealing with cancer.

When we go there, we first buy t-shirts per person which they are 50 TL. Except us, the IB students, there are lots of people existing there to help kids with cancer. With the first whistle, majority starts to run, some walked. With a great start, after a minute I was 5^th. I can see the 4 people in front of me. After 5 minutes, gradually I get exhausted and keep ran slowly due to not training so often. I finished the 5-6 km route in 30-40 minutes approximately.

I love playing sports, both individual and team sports. They both have different pleasures. I enjoy walking and running. Because they teach people how to be effective on every second from start to finish. I am good at starting parts of the competitions; however, I can’t manage myself so ideally that I am couldn’t finish the walking or running without being almost played out.

I experienced a real long-haul walking/running organization which contains from ramps and descents. The most challenging part of the process is the 10-15 minutes after start, because I felt almost dead and live the moment that I can’t even breath. Likewise, I compelled at the ramps which they were at the end of the runway, it challenges me a lot, after 5 km running and walking, the last ramps feel even hard. I developed my body strength slightly and oxygen capacity. Also after 5 minutes from start, a friend of mine fell and he had a minor injury which we led him to the race again. We helped him and learned that how should I interact with a stressed person who had an injury and basically how to interfere him in case of a first aid situation.

I showed perseverance by admitting the walk, keeping it till the end without giving up. We worked collaboratively when donating them money, walking together with all the people who are trying to help cancer and when helping the injured friend, we showed that how we are connected to each other and what we are doing. This CAS action helped me to develop my body, how to manage my breathe and one on one friend communications. In addition, I developed my self-management skills by managing myself, according to the phases of the activity. Social skills by meeting new people at there, which aren’t from our school, discussing about the walking with my friends.

We accord the rules, don’t invade the rules of the University. We run and walk according to the establishment’s directions, for instance following the common pathway, our paramount objective is donating money to kids with cancer, walking for them alongside.

CAS Camp Şile

At 8-9 September, we went to Şile for CAS camp. The camp was so interesting than normal, because we don’t have so much opportunities going for camp in the city of Istanbul. We have chance to play volleyball, football, do canoeing, creating some intelligent and authentic works and collect rubbishes from the beach.

As we played volleyball, I realized that how important the role of coordination in team sports is, because when you I’m playing one on one with my friend, you’re almost predicting where she can throw the ball, in a match of totally 10 or 12, you should both predict what your teammate will do and so the opponent.  

While playing the survivor game, I realized that I am precise and accurate, because I shot a basket at once. I observed that attention payed to games raise the quality of your work. When your rival team is carrying the ball on the stick slowly but fully concentrated, oppositely if you’re carrying it fast but not attentive, then they will win. I learned how to create tactics: analyzing their skills and then preparing your movement accordingly.

I get used to stay in a tent -even it’s a one night-and adapted to the cold. I learned that camping technics are that important you to have a qualified time in total. I decided to start camping education after this experience, because I fully enjoyed it.

The most challenging part of the camp was building the tents, getting used to cold and sleeping in the tents. We received the camping materials and built up the tent. There are a few materials that we’re not be used to it. Everyone slept in their boiler suits. I learned how to set up a tent firstly, then to move inside and respect everyone according to their wishes. At home, we are free people with our family, most of the time my ideas are matched with my family so there isn’t any significant problem; however, during the night time in the tent, some wanted to sleep earlier than us, some stayed around the camp fire till the sun rise, so you must respect everyone’s ideas and conducts. The paramount skill I’ve achieved is respecting each other.

I participated the sports activities, creativity based activities and community service. I initiate to football and volleyball games during our free time. I advised that we should watch stars from a higher and a darker place because light pollution affects the visual quality rate of stars negatively, also advised that the night walk can be longer because experiencing a long night walk can be a good promotion of camping.

We played survivor game and canoed. During this process, we supported and helped each other. I showed my collaboration and taught how to direct canoe, because I did it few times, that’s why I know. Although it is hard to survive in survivor game, gave tactics and supported my friends as possible I can. I showed a great perseverance to the sports and art activities by both respecting my teammates’ ideas and showing patience to the long process. For instance, collecting rubbish from the coast took a time way too much as I expected, but because of working collaboratively we easily overcome the challenge.

I’ve realized and experienced other’s support. For example,by getting help during setting up the tent, trying to race with the canoe, we specified some rules, importantly, the game which we played at the beach consisting of every teammate of our team provides me to experience the collaboration in best way. I learned some key points from my friends. The benefits are specifically, increase on my strength, even it’s a two-day program, analyzing your opponent critically and producing relevant solutions accordingly, more importantly, moving and deciding with your team, producing common and agreed ideas.

During the camp time, I am aware of my environment. Water, food and security are the prior global issues that we might have faced with. Thank god, they didn’t vitally affect our health. We find fresh water; the camping management gave us food and the security of us was provided by again the campmanagement.

We accord to the rules and the ethical issues such as respect to each other, to the nature and animals. We run the camp process according to our plans within the framework in creativity, activity, service.