Blog 1 Overnight Trip to Jegersberg.
On the 31st of January 2018 our international Outdoor education class took part in an overnight sleep out experience in Jegersberg area just 15-minute walk away from the University of Agder.
The outcomes we hoped to achieve from this trip was to apply theoretical knowledge we had learnt around group development during our lecture classes to a field situation. Additionally, to this this trip also afforded us with the opportunity to put our gear to the test in cold and wet conditions. Then make the necessary alterations and additions in preparations for our winter expeditions.
I learnt several valuable lessons during this experience both around the application of theoretical knowledge as well and practical skills useful for the field. This included the applications of the Norwegian law of “Allemannsrett” (Government.no 2018) enabling us to camp of in this area free of charge provided we followed the relevant guidelines such as avoiding cultivated land and residential areas.
During the trip I learnt various considerations which should be made when deciding where to set up an appropriate campsite for both group or personal experiences. This included considering choosing an area which is sheltered from the weather, keeping equipment dry and leaving area appropriate for any planned activities such as cooking or games. For this particular trip we had to ensure that we to accommodate for appropriate area for our focus of group development games, as well as making an appropriate shelter to cook out of the wet conditions. The use of group development orientated games allowed our group to become closer and progress through Tuckman’s (1965) stages of group development from forming/ storming stages towards the norming stage which I believe will be vital to the success of our group in expeditions throughout the semester.
Personally, I found this trip to be valuable for the development of my personal skills in a contrasting environment to what I am used to in Australia. This included methods for staying warm such as which layers to wear, as well as ensuring you stay moving and the significance of eating a warm substantial meal prior to sleeping. The campfire we had during our overnight stay was not necessary was more of a way to keep us entertained before bed. However, for me personally it was valuable to learn to start a fire using tools too assist you. This will be a valuable skill to learn in the future where a fire may be important to survival in an emergency situation. This experience also afforded us the opportunity to cook a nutrition meal on a story kitchen within a 20-minute time frame. This gave me knowledge and experience about the considerations which must be made for cooking in cold weather conditions. Such as meal preparation, convenience, speed as well as the amount of energy required to survive and remain comfortable in cold and wet conditions.
In summary the Overnight stay in Jegersberg proved to be a valuable experience for both the group and my own personal development.
References
Government.no 2018, Outdoor Recreation act, Government.no, viewed February 13 2018, <https://www.regjeringen.no/en/dokumenter/outdoor-recreation-act/id172932/>
Tuckman, B.W. Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 1965, 63(6), 384-399