…a mug of hot chocolate would be nice!

The Winter Break is here! We wish you all a lovely holiday, filled with good food, quality family time, lots of fun and even more rest.

See you in the New Year!

Best,

Tarun, Manu, Zach, Steph, Jack and Victor

HoHoHo! 🎅🏻

Today it was a magical day at the Concha Boarding House. We could feel the Christmasy vibe and celebrate this tradition together as a beautiful international family. Last week, it was the Winter Ball and this week is Secret Santa! You can tell we love Christmas here, right?

Few weeks ago, we got the kids together in the living room and assigned a name to each one of them, including both staff and other kids. In this way, they got the person they had to buy a present to. In addition, we also set a budget and helped them if they needed a hand (yes, we ended up knowing some of their Secret Santas…).

Today, we reunited with them in the living room and started picking up presents from the Christmas tree. It is a way for them to celebrate Christmas with us, get a nice present and also, carry unforgettable memories from this year at the Boarding House.

Let’s have a look at some of the presents our Concha boys got! ⬇️🎁

Look at this beeeeeeautiful tree! 🎄🥹

The Concha Gang is ready to open some cool presents! 🎁

Sam is obsessed with Pokémon cards… so he got some! 🃏

Zhengtai was in awe with his new badminton racket! 🏸

Kike got some chocolates and this cute dog! 🐾

Jiarui will play basketball even more with his new ball! 🏀

Basketball players are very lucky…look at Fanbo! ⛹️‍♂️

Firdavs got a lovely Lego set! 😱

I’m sure Edu will wear his new t-shirt tomorrow, no doubts! 🎽

Matthew is going to have a blast with this cool car! 🏎️

Adrian got a sports bag…and he celebrated it! 🎊

Alex will fly high with this helicopter 🚁

More Pokémon cards for Gianni! 💪🏻

Another basket ball for Tim 🏀

We already know what Fanyang is going to wear when he reunites with his family during the break… 😁

Damn, Daniel! It’s all about cars today 🏎️

Of course, another car to conclude the post. This time, Vincent’s! 🤩

⚠️ Warning: this post contains LOTS of pictures ⚠️

After waiting for weeks, the day finally arrived: the Winter Ball is here! 🥳

Yesterday was particularly busy. Although most of the kids had everything ready, some of them went to Geneva to buy last-minute clothes, get a meal with their friends to celebrate the end of the term before the ball itself or even to look for the perfect Secret Santa present (yes, we are doing Secret Santa but that is something we will deal with in upcoming posts…sorry I spoiled it 🤫).

Those who did not go to Geneva stayed in the house, getting enough rest or simply getting ready before everyone came back. All of them were wearing elegant black / navy suits, combined with matching (bow)ties and polished leather shoes or snow-white trainers. We have to admit everyone was punctual and we could make it on time to the bus.

After leaving school, we arrived at the Hilton Geneva Hotel, where the kids took pictures together, had an appetizer and incredible meal with House Parents and other children from different Boarding Houses and enjoyed a party with music they personally chose. Emir and Eduardo got the opportunity to be DJs for half of the night and people loved it! Some other students were congratulating them both on the amazing job they’d done.

Once it was all over, we spent some time chilling in the house living room and, as everyone felt a bit hungry, Mr Tarun prepared some noodles. All in all, a night to remember! 🤩

The Concha Gang ready for the night! 🤩

Arrived at the Hilton Hotel! 🇨🇭

You better not mess with these three! 😵‍💫

As I was saying, the Boarding experience is not only about connecting with the kids in our house, but also with the kids in other houses! 👏🏻

The Middle Schoolers were sitting on table 18 with Mr Tarun and Mr Víctor ⭐️

I also wanted to be in the picture! 🤪

Look at the Concha High School crew! 😱

Beautiful table decorations 🍽️🎄

What are these four up to? 🤔

Say cheeese! 🧀

Let’s state facts: we smashed the photo booth! (not literally) 📸

Say “pishloq” 🇺🇿🧀

Mr Víctor and Mr Stéphane wanted to prove they are cool too! 😎

I see some potential models here! 😮

These two get along really well! 🤓

Wish the third picture was bigger, it looks fun! 😂

Adrian and Gianni having fun with Laura Jane from Villa du Lac! 😁

Adrian and João had a blast at the party 🎊

Who are these fancy gentlemen?! 🧐

DJ Eduardo and DJ Emir will make you put your hands in the air! 🪩

Late night talks 🗣️

Noodles, made by Mr. Tarun, to go to bed with a full stomach! 😋

Another calm night in the common area with our young Grade 8s, each reading their chosen books. It’s wonderful to see their vocabulary progressing as we go over and log in their reading diaries key words they may have misinterpreted or not understood. 

Adrian is deep in another world and Firdavs is distracted by the camera.

Javi and Sam doing great and Jerry too – but needs to work on that posture.

Jiarui and Fanbo find it more comfy on the beanbags.

Our boys ceremonially make sure to visit Olympus Gym every evening. They usually practice their hooping skills and tonight wasn’t any different. Check out these epic pics of the Concha Team balling together!

Which way is he going?

This way? – That way?

It’s a Fanbo Fade-away!!

This year, Concha Blanca and Concha Annexe came alive during our weekly meeting with the spirit of Geneva’s Escalade! Guests gathered to honor the historic victory of 1602, breaking the chocolate marmite—a sweet nod to the tradition of smashing pots to commemorate the Savoyard defeat.

We delved into the story of Mère Royaume, enjoyed Swiss treats, and celebrated unity and resilience in our cozy haven.

La Nuit de l’Escalade – the History and Tradition

A boiling pot of vegetable soup, or so the legend goes, saved Geneva’s religious fate in 1602. The troops of the Catholic Savoyards, led by the Duke of Savoy, launched a surprise attack on Protestant Geneva on a cold night in December that year. Genevans tells the story of Catherine Cheynel, also known as Mère Royaume, whose quick thinking led her to seize, and empty, a large cauldron of boiling hot soup on a group of attackers beneath her window, killing one of them. The resulting commotion alerted the townspeople who successfully defended their city and defeated the Savoyards.

L’Escalade or Fête de l’Escalade is an annual celebration of this historic event, usually held on the night of December 11th, when the original attack was thought to have taken place.

The name refers to the French word for “climb” (escalade), as the Savoyards first had to scale the city wall to get in. The most delicious aspect of the fête, though, is the smashing of the marmite de l’Escalade, a chocolate cauldron embellished with the city’s red and yellow coat of arms. Traditionally, the oldest and the youngest members of the household stand over the marmite (French for “cauldron”), joining hands. With a resounding “Ainsi périrent [or périssent] les ennemis de la République!” (“Thus perished [or perishes] the enemies of the Republic!”), they slam their clasped hands over the cauldron, smashing it.

Tonight, our culinary journey around the world brought us to the vibrant flavors of Thailand. The evening was a feast for the senses, featuring delectable Massaman Chicken, savory Beef Thai Basil, and Shrimp with Vegetables in a rich oyster sauce. To conclude this delightful experience, we indulged in a Roll of Coconut Rice Pudding, a sweet and creamy treat that perfectly captured the essence of Thai desserts. This flavorful adventure transported us straight to the heart of Thailand, showcasing the rich traditions of its renowned cuisine.

Dear Emir,

We wish you a very Happy Birthday! 🎂🎁

You are a wonderful part of our community, and we hope this year brings you joy, success, and all the best things in life. May everyone around you see the amazing person you truly are in every moment.

Wishing you the best today and always!

Warm regards,
The Concha Team

We all know the Christmasy feeling arrived at the Concha Boarding House last week, setting up the Christmas tree and all the decorations around the house. This week, the students channeled their creativity into building gingerbread houses for a Boarding competition.

The kids were buzzing with excitement as gingerbread walls were carefully assembled. They also decorated the house adding that “Concha touch” that could make it characteristic and different from the rest. They were very involved, which is truly inspiring.

While we don’t know the winner just yet, the judges are hard at work making their decision. Every gingerbread masterpiece deserves recognition, and the suspense is building as we wait to find out who will take home the title of Gingerbread Champion

Firdavs didn’t know where to start from! 😮‍💨

Kike was really into it 😎

Nathan adding his personal touches to the house 👏🏻

Eduardo and Javi working as a team!

Look at this beauty! 🥹

Concha’s Gingerbread House and some of the other house’s. Which one is your favourite? (We know your answer already 🤩)