SJG's IB CAS Blog: (A) Hiking Club

BEFORE THE ACTIVITY:
The hiking club activity is one I am ver y excited for because as an athletic person, I really like doing sports. When I was little, my parents used to take me hiking a lot but now, I will be able to do it with my classmates and friends. I am looking forward to the challenge of climbing mountains and being able to breathe the fresh air and relax. I am committed and determined to go to as many hikes that are organized as I can. One thing that I see that could get in the way from me achieving my goals is that I will stress about schoolwork and opt out of the acitivty in order to study. I am determined to not let this happen.

With this activity I would like to achieve a better understanding of the environment surrounding me. I would also like to get fit by doing a different kind of sport. I would also like to use this activity as a way to get to know my classmates and teachers in an environment which is outside of school and also to disconnect from the academic parts of IB and enjoy CAS. My hiking, I will develop more physical strength because hiking is tough on your muscles. It also creates a sense of “togetherness” where the club works together as a team. I will know if I have achieved my goals or not because I should notice that it doesn’t require as much physical effort to hike by the end of the activity and if I feel that I am capable of relaxing and forgetting everything I have to do for my classes.

1. Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth. I will learn that I am capable of setting aside schoolwork to enjoy doing other things and breathe the fresh air.

2. Undertaken new challenges. The mountains we will climb are a physical challenge because I am not used to doing this kind of exercise and I know I will get tired.

3. Worked collaboratively with others. The hiking club is a team and we are all dependent of each other, We must all stick together and walk at a similar pace if we want to continue as a group.

4. Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities I will try to go to as many hiking events as possible.

5. Engaged with issues of global importance. While hiking, you are in close contact with nature and nature is often harmed by man. If I see pollution such as plastic bags or aluminum cans on the floor, it will motivate me to recycle and take care of our environment more.

6. Considered the ethical implications of their actions While working in a group for this activity and being out in nature, people will sometimes need help to walk through a difficult passage or if they are injured. I will always be prepared to help anyone who needs it.

7. Developed new skills. I will develop my physycal skills and well as my teamwork skills.

DURING THE ACTIVITY:

HIKE #1: Ermua, Plentzia (September 27th, 2014. 9:30-13:30)

For our first hike, we went to the mountain of Ermua which is in Plentzia. We got together at 9:30 at the metro station with the club and then started our hike towards the top of the mountain. The walk from the metro station to the mountain was longer than I expected and I was already tired but the time we actually started hiking. However, I kind of liked the "warm-up" walk because as 11th graders, many of us had questions about advice and suggestions in how to organize ourselves in IB. I was able to talk to the 12th graders about what they are doing and what they find most difficult and I appreciated how open they were about it. Once we got up to the lighthouse, we stopped for a bit to take pictures and have lunch and then we tried to continue hiking. The top of the mountain however, was blocked off by rocks and thorns so many of us didn't get there. Going back down, we found an old bunker from the civil war, where soldiers used to live and had to watch for any ships coming in from the sea. There is still a cannon there and we wandered around the bunkers underground passages for a while which is now all covered in graffiti. This got me thinking about the contrast that exists between nature and man made things and how this bunker, which once was home to many horrors, now disrupts nature but is also beautiful in some way because people today have found a way of creating art with it. It was certainly something I didn't expect to see when signing up for the club. When the hike ended, I was pysically exhausted so I guess that I fullfilled my goal of doing exercise. I also feel that I have improved these physical skills that I set out to develop however with this activity because I increased my resistance and strengthened my muscles, which will also allow me to perform better in the other physical activities Itake part in.