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Sailing
in Solidarity for a Better World The Ship for World Youth was absolutely the most awesome experience of my life. Apart from the amazing places, the extremely generous hospitality of the Japanese Government and the luxury of the ship, it is the intangible aspects that I will reflect upon with the greatest memories. After meeting my eight fellow Aussie delegates in Sydney I knew I was in for an amazing experience. In the space of 4 days we went from a group of 9 people who mostly had never met before to a strong and united team! On arrival in Japan we had officially become youth ambassadors for Australia. 15 other countries were also participating along with the 120 Japanese delegates. Over the next 2 months we would sail from Tokyo westward to the Indian Ocean visiting four different countries along the way before returning to Singapore. With 264 young people from all over the world crammed into a confined space for an extended period there was never a dull moment. There was always something going on: a formal lecture, formal and informal discussions, parties, lunch with new friends, grand baths!!
Time on the ship was split into formal activities and free time. Strangely enough I think most people did most of their learning and interaction during the free time. Whilst the lectures, discussion groups and group and club activities served a purpose, they were a contrived situation and did not provide the necessary environment for all people to open up and share their own experiences. Rather, I will always remember the great times I had and the lunch and dinner table (I did not always make it to breakfast), at the bar, on the back deck, on the top deck, in someone's cabin or just in the hallways. Not just because they were fun, but because I was talking with people in a more personal setting and got to know them as real people. The Ship for World Youth was an opportunity for everybody to learn, and for each person to learn something different. No two people would have gotten exactly the same thing from the program, people took on board what is relevant to them. More importantly people could learn in a safe and supportive environment! The Skippys all made a big effort to overcome our shyness problems!! As a delegation I can safely say we took our role as ambassadors seriously and represented Australia well. We participated in the program with great enthusiasm and shared our own experiences with others. It truly was an unbelievable experience. Paul Gaffney Assistant National Leader - Australian Delegation SWY12 |
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