Although she didn't start DofE until college, she completed all three levels. Thi Diem Nguyen, or Jenny, joined the DofE online. What did she learn about herself? And what did she take away from the programme?
Do you remember when you started at the DofE? What attracted you to the programme?
I didn't start DofE until I was at university at the end of my undergraduate degree. I was looking for ways to be more active outside of school, as I still had a lot of energy and drive after long hours in lectures. The DofE was a way for me to engage in different activities at once, and to track my progress over several months. As a result, it was no longer just about having a record on the ORB application, but about what I had achieved. At the same time, what struck me about DofE is that it supports young people in their development, in different skills, and doesn't just focus on one activity, as is the case with other programmes. The expedition was also a deciding factor and I saw it as a great challenge and adventure with friends.
If you were to summarise, what did the DofE give you?
The DofE has definitely taught me how to better organise my time and how important it is to constantly develop and not be afraid of challenges. The expeditions have also given me valuable experience for being outdoors, the ability to navigate in unfamiliar environments without a smartphone with GPS and to improvise. For example, my first expedition didn't start with a group of us arriving in a different city. Did you know that from Pardubice railway station you can get to two towns called Dolany by bus and it is quite important to know which one you are planning to go to? We found out right at the beginning of the expedition. Teamwork and the trust we developed for each other through the expedition planning were key so that neither of us panicked and we just adjusted our destination a bit and merrily set off. What I take away from the DofE are many unforgettable expedition memories and new friends.
How do you evaluate your participation in the programme now?
The program has helped me to better organize my time and find activities that fulfill me. But most importantly, it taught me that if you set a goal and are consistent, you can really accomplish a lot. I gained new skills, boosted my confidence and met great people who inspired and supported me along the way. The DofE opened up new horizons and showed me that development doesn't have to be about study or work, but that even small steps in your personal life can lead to big changes.
Sometimes all it takes is a little motivation and discipline to achieve your goals
Could you briefly summarize what you did at each level?
In terms of skills, I first focused on improving my Spanish, something I had already done during some of my holidays. I enrolled in a German course, thanks to this I can at least speak a little with my family in Germany. In the gold level, I made it a point to read before bed, so that like many people I wouldn't fall into scrolling on social media. I admit I still do it, but there are evenings when I reach for a book instead of my phone.
During the bronze level I chose yoga as a movement to prevent various back pains, and I returned to yoga during the gold level and even made my own set of asanas, which I still practice in the morning. In addition to yoga, I also had swimming during the silver challenge, which was quite a challenge during the winter months when the motivation to get up in the morning and swim decreased as the mornings grew darker.
As part of my volunteering, I was involved in tutoring and also in the EDISON project for young people in Czech schools, which spread awareness of other cultures. I successfully led two implementations of the project, which has already been in fifteen schools in the Czech Republic.
What is the most important thing she has learned in the DofE?
That it is important to keep developing and that education does not have to end with school. Also how important it is to have people around you who support you and motivate you to push yourself further. And last but not least, that it's okay if things don't go exactly as planned. It's important to be able to adapt and realize that you learn by making mistakes and sometimes the journey is the destination. It sounds like a cliché, but it's true. I am grateful for my friends and my mentor Mark who have accompanied and supported me through this journey for several years. It's beautiful to see how much one can accomplish even in such a short time. All it takes is a little motivation and discipline.
I'm taking the changes in my life more in stride now
Do you feel that you have changed or moved on as a result of the DofE?
Definitely! I'm much more confident. I'm not afraid to stand up for my opinions and my feelings, even though many people may not like it. Of course, I am also open to other people's opinions and try to see their point of view. For example, I have tried this a few times during expeditions. I have also realized through volunteering how even a small activity can positively affect tens to hundreds of people.
Do you think you will use some of the experience you gained in the DofE in the future? Or have you already used some?
I'm sure my Spanish and my basic German will come in handy while traveling. As well as the ability to navigate paper maps and the countryside. I had never even been camping before DofE, so even outside of the expedition, my friends and I would go camping so I could contribute my full share. Also, thanks to the experience of the first expedition, where everything ended up going differently than we had planned, I now take any changes in my life with more equanimity than before.
Are you able to continue some of the activities you did in the DofE?
I haven't stopped doing yoga since bronze level, I have incorporated it into my regular routine. I enjoy exploring new studios and have even tried aerial yoga! Maybe one day I'd like to go on a nice yoga retreat too. Thanks to the gold level, I've even found my way back to reading. And I'm currently challenging myself to read 100 books in one year. So far I have read a lovely 53 books, so maybe I'll increase that goal next year too. Although I am not actively continuing my volunteer work, I still keep in touch with the student organization AIESEC, which continues the project, but only in the role of a mentor.
If you could choose one or two experiences that you like to remember in relation to the DofE, what would they be?
The first one will be the first expedition mentioned by me, when we arrived in the bad town Dolany. The initial panic and confusion that turned into laughter when we stood in the middle of the square with a map and found that it didn't match any we had. Sitting by a small lake and watching the stars that you can't see in cities because of light pollution. The very first night in the tent, I fell asleep with fatigue but with a great feeling that despite the initial changes in the expedition, it was actually a wonderful adventure and experience.
This is probably not quite the experience, but the people I've met through the DofE. And who I've been lucky enough to watch move on with their lives, fulfilling their dreams of travelling and going to their dream school thanks to DofE. People who have come out of their shell and have more confidence in themselves thanks to DofE. That's something you don't just get.
Completing the DofE online has certainly saved me time
The DofE has been fulfilling the online version of the programme. What was it like actually seeing the supervisor in the online space rather than physically?
On the one hand, I see incredible benefits in that we could schedule appointments whenever it suited our busy lives. It saved us a lot of time finding time during the day to maybe meet in person. On the other hand, it has its own charm when you meet your mentor in person and have the opportunity to discuss a lot of things face to face. My supervisor, Mark, and I actually met in person for the first time after I finished my gold level, on the occasion of making videos for the DofE in Prague. For me, it was great to finally see him in person and so special to actually see him outside of the computer monitor. Honestly, if I went back in time I would make the same decision, after all in today's world it is the new normal to have online meetings and it saves a lot of time.
What would you say to someone who is hesitant about joining the DofE?
I was indecisive, too, and in your shoes. I don't regret one minute of going for it. The DofE really is for everyone, it can be fulfilled anywhere, anytime. You get to choose the activities you are interested in and enjoy, so completing activities regularly is not a chore, on the contrary it is fun and you enjoy it. Moreover, you will find that the moments spent with friends on expeditions are some of the best, or even an expedition with strangers is just one big adventure and a chance to meet similarly enthusiastic active people.
