Field Trip Mood Activated!!! TRACE Romances With LICCSAL Students

Resident Minister South flanked by Lecturer and student of LICCSAL Business College 

What are lovely day for us all today, what are lovely day for you and me today… hahaha… folks how you doing? Hope all is well with you?It was indeed a lovely day for TRACE after a weeklong stress of moving from one disasters zone to another during and after the Freetown floods.

TRACE was looking forward for a time to rest after such exercise. As God will have it, TRACE was approached by one of the Lecturers of LICCSAL Business College one of the colleges in the country that is making name for itself through their excellence performance in public exams and quality teaching among other things.Mr. Lebbie one of the Senior Lectures in that noble institution informed TRACE about his college field trip to Bo city and requested for TRACE to be part of that trip and to be part of every other arrangement. When Mr. Lebbie mentioned Bo, it was like music in TRACE’s ears as it kept on re-echoing Bo, Bo, Bo… with such name TRACE did not turn down his request but to support it to the fullest.
Sometime ago TRACE wrote an article about Bo city as the city that never sleeps and it has been a while for TRACE not to visit that city due to the ebola in the country. Bo city is a very lively city that caters for everyone even with no money in ones pocket, Bo city caters for you. TRACE was eager to see what has happened in his absence in that City and what will occur in a couple of days, months and years. Mr. Lebbie did not make a mistake at all inviting TRACE to that event. TRACE holds the dream of that Lecturer as his own dream.On the 1^st October 2015 all students gathered at their Wilberforce Village campus before 7:00 AM for the all-important three days field trip. TRACE joined the team at about 8:00 am as TRACE was putting measures in place at home for his day’s absence in the city.It was a tactical move taken by Dr. Buck the Principal of LICCSAL College to address students for them to put on their best performance during their stay in that city and for them to call him in case of emergency. After Dr. Buck’s address, the journey to Bo City began. There was deep excitement in the faces of the student. For some it is the first time for them to visit Bo, while some said it has taken years for them to visit and some said it is a new way for them to explore new places in Bo. With different feelings and thoughts, faces of the students were shinning as they were all looking towards one direction, Bo City. TRACE asked Mr. Lebbie about the purpose of the field trip. In his response he said their focus is for students to have interactive learning, entertainment, extension of classroom study, social interaction, and new experience. “Field trip is for students to have an educational experience that they never could have had in the classroom. It helps students interact with what they are learning. The experience goes beyond reading about a concept; students are able to see it, manipulate it or participate in it physically. Students are able to see elements with their eyes rather than reading about it and believing what they are told because it’s in print,” TRACE was told by the Lecturer.
During the journey, those that were at the back of the bus kept entertaining others with different songs created by them. Their entertainment went deeper after they took their breakfast along the Freetown - Waterloo High Way. Emmanuel, Charles, Sannor, Frenzee and team sang different songs including gospels that touched everyone in the bus including the driver.For the first time visitors, they wanted the journey to be faster for them to see Bo city while those that were well entertained wanted the journey to continue without end.More excitement took over the bus when the bus reached Bo city and the students were taken to Njala University where they started their first visit before they went to their guest houses.
At Njala University a football match was played between LICCSAL boys and Njala University boys. The match ended goalless with a stiff resistance put on by LICCSAL boys. Those who are aufait with football will agree with TRACE when we talk about home advantage. All praises was centered around LICCSAL goalkeeper Amos of Accounting and Finance department for keeping the goal closed. The performance put on by LICCSAL boys came as a surprise to Njala boys because they thought they would have been tired due to their long travel.
The second day, students visited Bo Stadium, Bo School, the Presidential Lodge, Resident Minister house and some other parts of that city.TRACE learnt that field trips provide entertainment for students. They often serve as a powerful motivator for students, stirring up excitement as the trip nears. Breaking away from the routine provides students with a refresher that might make them more focused back in the classroom. Learning and fun make a great combination. Field trips are considered fun, but the students learn as well, whether they realize it or not.
As the saying goes all work and no play make Jack a dull boy, student accompanied by Lectures (Mr. Lebbie and Mr. Ibrahim Bangura aka I. Bangs) visited most talked about After Works and Black N White where some physical exercise of dancing took place. The most interesting part of that night visit was the slogan which came out of it “heabam” meaning (drop it) from the one of the latest song in the city.
During their visit at the Bo stadium and Bo school, students were briefed about those places. The students were pleased with the move taken by the Lecturers to visit such places.
Hey! Did I tell you that TRACE was with a first timer in Bo city called Abu Bakrie Samura of LICCSAL Mass Communication department? Bakrie was overwhelmed with what he saw in Bo City as he moved extensively in that city. 
Day three of the field trip, students received public lecture from the Resident Minister South Mr. Conteh where he encouraged student to be persistence in what they are doing, have trust and belief in themselves.
The Resident Minister gave an example of how one can be persistence in what he is doing for him or her to get positive result.
TRACE found some truth in the lecture of the Resident Minister, knowing the political background of Bo city. The lecture of the Resident Minister touched the hearts of lot of students and some described it as one that can change any ugly situation. “It is all about determination to become somebody” some of the students said while TRACE was chatting with them.
TRACE also saw determination from another Lecturer Mr. Bangura who was determined to play football with the students but he was undermined by some of the student maybe because of his football technique, but they were not able to resist him in other areas. TRACE learnt that there is a cordial relationship between lectures and students. Their interaction made the trip worthwhile.
TRACE did not forget his traditional places of visit but this time TRACE was accompanied by Bakrie and Emmanuel to the Clock Tower, Supermarket and other popular places in that city.There was a constant check by another Lecturer whose absence was badly missed Mr. Hassan Kamara of the Mass Communication department. He was concerned about everything that was going on in Bo city.
TRACE learnt that one can get a perfect mate in such trip by observing them. Some of the ladies TRACE noticed were wife materials due to their way of doing things both by their domestic interventions and the care they showed during the three days, while some distanced themselves as their personalities dictated.
The cassava leaves, groundnut stew and the ‘one pot’ among other food which was prepared by the female students made TRACE to think twice. Most of the women were quick to adapt to their new environment as they did not see the environment as a new place but a place they can live comfortably. Lettie, Zainab D. Hawa and Sento were moving from one place to another to fetch water with little or no complaints. Monica and Lucy, Salamatu and Mabinty were much close to the kitchen; they were the master strategists of the food. Foday and Suliman ensured that everyone is okay. Lettie was with her own team more especially for the beauty contest, while Paton and Mariana Terry were looking forward to TRACE or the debate and live broadcast.Students was looking forward to explore more places such as the CKC, UBC schools among other places but the time frame of their visit they said is very short.
The students were moved by what they saw and the experience they got. They are calling for more of this as a way for them to explore more places and skills of what they will be doing in their career.
It was all of fun for TRACE, the Lecturers and the students, it is true that field trip takes the book learning from the classroom and extends it to life and that life is in you...