Sneaky Seniors

By Lee Yee Tan

On Monday, 28 August, the entirety of the Class of 2024 was seen near the main office at 5:30 p.m. Around half an hour later, they mysteriously disappeared and were not been seen on campus for the rest of the week. It turns out that they've been off for Senior Sneak!

Senior Sneak is a tradition where Dalat International School's seniors get to go on a trip together as a class using the money they've made over the past year while running the Junior Class Store. At first, the destination is kept a secret from the rest of the school. This year, the Class of 2024 decided to head for Koh Lanta, Thailand, where an unknown yet exciting adventure awaits them. 

Starting with a long travel day from Monday evening to Tuesday morning, the class arrived at Koh Lanta safely after around 16 hours of travel. The rest of Tuesday was spent hanging out at the resort. Wednesday was when snorkeling and island hopping, the trip's main highlights, happened. After 2 hours of the bumpy boat ride that made everyone sick, the class arrived at Phi Phi Islands. Not only the weather, but also the water was shining clear. After seeing this astonishing view, all the sickness from the boat ride was suddenly worth the suffering. Thursday was spent as a service day: the class had a choice either to serve younger students at a local school or to spend time with stray pets at a local animal shelter. After 3 hours of interaction, bonds were created, but it was also time to leave. Seeing the children's reluctance to say goodbye, the class was sure that they had left a legacy in the children's hearts. Friday then consisted of class bonding activities that brought everyone outside despite a thunderstorm. After the sandcastle-building activity, many jumped into the pool and hugged each other, wishing to share the warmness in this melancholy weather. Friday night ended with a small worship night along with Elizabeth Silverstein (12), the class president's overview of the classes' upcoming senior year.

Beyond a doubt, the trip was phenomenal. From the amazing Thai food to the island hopping experience, not only was the class able to see their hard work from last year pay off, but they are also now a more bonded class, ready to tackle senior year together. "Sneak really gave me a chance to talk to others that I normally don't interact with," exclaimed Jonathan Park (12). As the seniors return from this surreal dream, reality slowly hits them: all the tests, quizzes, and assignments have been piling up in front of them. However, nothing could replace this emotive experience that linked 67 hearts together before graduation happens.