Kelsie Preston's two weeks in Bhutan have been life changing. When the final year Education student from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) was offered the opportunity to complete her service learning commitments in Bhutan through the New Colombo Plan, she did not hesitate and says, "It was probably the best decision I've ever made".

Kelsie worked in the Bhutan Service-learning Program with Bhutan's Ministry of Education–a partner of QUT–helping develop policy and practice to support inclusive education.

"Our role was to offer advice to the teachers on how to add inclusive practices for the children with special needs," says Kelsie.

Her experience in Bhutan has given Kelsie a totally new outlook on teaching. "Bhutan had a massive impact on me - it made me much more conscious of being inclusive. After seeing students with special needs who weren't receiving the benefits of HPE, I am also motivated to do more research in this area."

Kelsie also loved the experience of being in Bhutan. "It was an eye-opener to come to a county where there is no McDonalds and no traffic lights–not even in the country's capital city of Thimphu.

"The architecture is so different to anywhere I have been before and the beautiful mountains and Buddhist culture were a highlight.

"My day began with getting dressed in the traditional outfit–with some help from the hotel staff. The twenty-minute bus ride to school was exhilarating as we went down some very winding roads!

"I knew nothing about Bhutan before and now I'm so passionate about what I have learned that I hope to do a Masters focusing on Health and Physical Education in special education," she says.