After moving into the apartments on Friday, the students had an early morning on Saturday as they joined with ISDSI staff and a couple hundred people for a 5km fun run that raises funds to help people in the conflict areas of Burma.  They each crossed the finish line with a smile and feeling accomplished, then enjoyed a bit of time to mingle before we headed off on the next adventure of the day – zip-lining through the tropical forest of northern Thailand!

It’s not every day you get to see the jungles of Thailand from the viewpoint of a bird, but the students and some staff did just that! Heading about one hour outside of the city, the students found themselves in the context of a smaller village of northern
getting suited up in harnesses and helmets before embarking on a zip-line course through the jungle’s canopy.  For the next 2 hours it was a mixture of zip-lining, abseiling and crossing different types of bridges.   However, while it was a great time filled with plenty of thrills, the students also were able to learn a lot more about the village, the tropical forest, and the social and economic impact of the zip-line on the local village. One of the students also shared how great it was to have the opportunity to hike in a new type of terrain he had never been in before.  Finishing the adventure off with a lunch made up of different Thai dishes the students also had the opportunity listen to live traditional Lanna (northern Thai) music before getting back in the van and heading back into the city.

With the Foundations course behind them, the students are now ready to embark on the Agroecology course!