Students from around the world spent a week discovering the Island and learning more about themselves while they participated in the second International Challenge for Youth in Bermuda.

Twelve students, three of whom were locals, spent last week on Paget Island pushing themselves mentally and physically while making lifelong friends.

A presentation banquet was held on Monday evening, at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club, to congratulate the students for a week of hard work and allow them to say goodbye to each other, the programme, their host families and Bermuda.

The programme aims to promote international goodwill and an appreciation for different cultures. The foreign students came from Romania, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Hong Kong, Finland, Bulgaria and Brazil.

Malaysian Kevin Teoh said he will miss Bermuda and joked that the young adults will return to the Island because one of the group members wants to get married here and hold a reunion at the same time.

The students participated in a historical railway exploration, canoe journey and a circumnavigation of the Island under sail. They were also required to fulfil some community service. A highlight for the young adults was a 24-hour home stay with a local family over the Bermuda Day holiday.

Saana Rusi, 22, spent the day watching the marathon and having a picnic on a beach.

?You are so lucky to live on such a beautiful island,? she gushed, although she admitted her fair Finnish skin was often burnt from the sun.

Alice Rika is New Zealand?s Outward Bound Youth Ambassador. The 18-year-old found Bermuda?s white roofs amazing and loved the camaraderie at the Bermuda Day Marathon.

?I can?t believe everyone comes out to support the runners, it?s great,? she said.

Kevin Teoh enjoyed the parade: ?Everyone is so open and friendly! It is great fun compared to our parades at home, which are rigid and quiet.?

Other students remarked on the colour of Bermuda?s water, the easy going nature of Islanders and the song ?Bermudians like to Drink?.

Bermudian Antone Gilbert attends Bermuda College and loved meeting people from different walks of life. He found his role as the Island?s ambassador a little daunting because his fellow group members had so many questions.

?They wanted to know about the history, culture, background of names ? they wanted to know everything! It?s a bit demanding because you have to know the right answers,? Antone said with a smile on his face.

The high ropes course was repeatedly mentioned as the most challenging aspect of the programme, but every student was proud to say they completed it and learned from the experience.

Everyone the spoke with gushed about the great people they met and their determination to stay in touch ? each student said they had made ?life long friends?.

Mark Norman, the coordinator of Outward Bound Bermuda, was pleased with the programme and said it was definitely a success.

He pointed out how remarkable it is that one of the smallest Outward Bound schools in the world put together such a comprehensive, global programme. Mr. Norman hopes to build on the success of the international course and expand the local programme.

He hopes to raise funds to increase the number of students Outward Bound Bermuda can accommodate. This would involve increasing the number of staff and the housing facilities.

Mr. Norman feels this is important because it will allow a wider cross section of the community to participate and benefit from the internationally recognised courses.

This summer Outward Bound will continue to offer its summer courses on Paget Island, as well as its three-week trip abroad to Wales. Anyone interested in the summer courses should visit the website at www.outwardboundbermuda.org.