..The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

This evening we gathered once again for our biweekly reading club. It was cozy under our newly put up Christmas decorations.

It was quite an interesting session! Fanbo noticed that Enid Blyton likes to use the word “Excitement” a lot, sometimes 2 or 3 times on a page, which led to us talking about how there are programs that can scan an author’s entire works and identify their favorite words and phrases.

We talked about the names of things, and characters that we like because they remind us of certain people.

Adrian is particularly (that’s one of our words today!) liking the Outsiders, though he has correctly identified it as quite sad so far.

Rodrigo has been learning about Bag-End, Bilbo Baggins house, as well as Bilbo’s frustrating extended family.

Here are our words for today: Excitement, Particularly, Promising, & Marooned.

Christmas spirit filled the Concha Boarding House, as we invited the kids to help decorate the living room. With Christmasy decorations ready, the boys eagerly came downstairs and the fun began! 🎄😎

They worked together, laughing, making jokes and sharing decoration ideas. Christmas songs were being played in the background, adding to the warm and joyful atmosphere. The living room quickly transformed into a cozier place for them to stay, reflecting the creativity and teamwork of everyone involved. 💪🏻❄️

Moments like these remind us how special it is to come together, celebrate and make memories that will last well beyond the holiday season. 😁🎅🏻

It all started like this: Mr Tarun and Mr Jack bringing all the decorations from the basement 😱

What a good team! 🤗

Rodrigo and Edu adding some Mexican touches 🎄

That looks good, Zhengtai! 🤩

We love the idea Joe but please don’t fall! 😵‍💫

House picture, say cheeeeese! 🧀

Look at this beauty! 🎄

Another appreciation picture of our Concha tree

This weekend a whole Concha contingent headed over yonder to Disneyland Paris to enjoy a wonderful day of roller coasters, fireworks and Disney magic!

The Disney Crew at the gates of the Magic Kingdom!

“WE’VE GOT A HULK”

At the entrance and raring to go!

Simbaaaa

Out there, somewhere, there’s a Mickey missing a hand.

Pixar’s newest animated character in the movie “Tortuga”, we haaaaaaave Rodrigooooooooooo

“I’ve got little arms!”

La Piece de Resistance

The castle lit up beautifully, but just wait, they aren’t done yet!

A special show for the winter season! Absolutely stunning.

FIREBALL! What an impressive shot

The boys came back with some spoils of war from their trip to Disney (not pictured below is the coolest little baby Yoda figurine)

THEY ARE WORTHY!

Shunyu’s Creepy Crawlies

All in all, an incredible trip that I’m sure will last in their memories for a lifetime

A frosty, fiery, sleepy-head.

Blinks but an hour or two; and then,

A Blood-red orange, sets again.

– From Winter Time by Robert Louis Stevenson

With most of the boys away to Disneyland Paris this weekend, the house was very quiet.

Our boys enjoyed some basketball on Saturday morning…

And a lovely trip to the Montreux Christmas market on Sunday!

Quique and Firdavs with the glorious mountains in the background, and view over the Montreux shoreline that Deep Purple sang about in “Smoke on the Water”

Mr. Victor and Ms. Tania enjoying the Montreux market!

Some of the many food and crafts stalls for people to enjoy

This evening we had our Awards night!

There were three awards to be handed out:

The Boarding Life Awards, given to our boys that represent what it means to be a boarder here in CDL, which includes being passionate, responsible, kind and athletic.

Very deservedly, Sam, Eduardo and Alex won the awards for Concha.

The Activities Awards, given to our boys that are the most active, during the week and especially during the weekends! When they show up, they show up enthusiastic and ready to give it their all. These awards were given to Joao, Tim and Fanbo!

The Academic Award, given to the highest GPA in their entire grade, and with a 4.19 Sam blew the competition out of the water!

We are all very proud of our boys and what a wonderful way to celebrate their achievements!

And for those that were super close to getting them, don’t worry!

There’s always next semester 😉

This evening we enjoyed some lovely food from Portugal!

Let’s state facts: the last two days have been quite hectic at the Concha Boarding House! 😵‍💫

The kids had lots of energy to face another school week packed with adventures and anecdotes and also to study. Some of them had summative tests coming up and, as it should, they were really committed because they wanted to get good grades.

However, not everything was studying. The kids got the opportunity to get involved in a conversation about an important topic that is crucial for their wellbeing: online safety. Mr Manu and Mr Tarun taught them the basics to ensure they use their social media appropriately, raising awareness of the risks and dangers they may encounter. They asked questions and got answers that will be very useful for upcoming cyber-experiences. In Concha, the kids’ safety is our top priority! 💪🏻

Gianni, Adrian, Firdavs and Zhengtai were really focused on their studying! 🧐

Sam and Rodri practising for their upcoming piano test 🎹

Mr Tarun and Mr Manu explaining essential concepts to the kids! 🤔

Today, our boarders embarked on a delightful adventure to the Cailler Chocolate Factory in Broc, Switzerland. This immersive journey offered the perfect blend of education and indulgence, providing a deeper understanding of Swiss chocolate’s rich heritage.

From the moment they arrived, students were captivated by the irresistible aroma of cocoa. Guided through interactive exhibits, they explored the fascinating history of Cailler, Switzerland’s oldest chocolate brand, and traced the story of chocolate from cacao bean to the exquisite treats we savor.

The experience reached its peak as students watched master chocolatiers craft chocolate creations with precision and artistry. The cherry on top? Tasting an array of Cailler’s premium chocolates—an unforgettable moment of sweetness.

This trip not only satisfied their taste buds but also inspired a newfound appreciation for Swiss craftsmanship. A truly delicious day for both the mind and the palate!

Climbing Club is always a hit with our young boarders. This weekend many of our Concha boys joined the club. After the warm up, we worked on basic techniques like keeping arms straight, body positioning and footwork.

This sport really drives the boys determiation, problem solving skills, strength and resilience. Every time they complete a boulder problem it’s giving them necessary life skills that young ones need. Today it was finding the way to push through and do a difficult climb that took many attempts, however, in day to day life they may need to study harder for a subject they are struggling with or prepare for a challenging test. If they can apply the motivation and mental strength they used in the climbing gym to these everyday experiences, they are destined for success!

Firdavs made it to the TOP!

João, focused and in the zone.

Sharing techniques about how to solve the boulder problem.

Fanbo’s turn to show us how it’s done.

Let’s see what we can learn from João’s skills.

Tim’s going to give it his best try now!

Smooth moves from Rodrigo, almost dancing on the wall!

Double success and double victory hang from Firdavs and Rodrigo – Well Done!

A great day of climbing for Rodrigo, he really pushed himself to the next level!

The kitchen in Concha is getting lots of use lately and while at the beginning of the year our boys were not very experienced chefs, they are now making delicious meals for themselves and their friends. Fanyang made perfect egg noodles with pork, vegetables and a spicy sauce.

We have quite a few good cooks in the house and it might be time to put together our own Master Chef cooking competion, I’m sure the judges would be impressed.

Chef Fanyang and two lucky customers