Spotting Toxic Ties – Red Flags, Green Lights, and Real Talk! 🚦

This is the final week of our wellbeing pillar 3. We delved into the world of toxic friendships and relationships, exploring the warning signs that often go unnoticed.

Through Kahoot scenarios, students were presented with various situations commonly found in friendships and partnerships. Each scenario prompted them to choose between red, yellow, or green flags, creating a visual representation of the dynamics at play. This interactive approach allowed for a deeper understanding of the subtle nuances that can indicate toxicity.

What made the session truly impactful was the openness with which students shared their personal experiences. Students discussed strategies they employed to navigate toxic situations and highlighted the importance of setting boundaries. By sharing personal experiences and insights, our community demonstrated resilience and a commitment to cultivating relationships that contribute positively to our well-being.

Lots of love,

Aida & Yewande

Navigating Cultural Diversity in International Friendships

Entering the third week of our focus on building positive relationships, we delved into the realms of international friendships and microaggressions. The boarders, enjoy a distinctive experience at international schools as they have the incredible opportunity to build connections with peers hailing from various corners of the globe

International friendships enrich their lives by exposing them to diverse perspectives, cultures, and traditions. These connections foster mutual understanding, breaking down barriers and promoting global harmony.

However, even with positive intentions, international friendships may inadvertently give rise to unintended microaggressions due to cultural differences and misunderstandings. To navigate this potential challenge, it’s essential to approach these relationships with an open mind, cultural sensitivity, and a genuine willingness to learn. This proactive approach not only helps steer clear of unintentional microaggressions but also cultivates a deeper and more authentic understanding between individuals from diverse backgrounds.

They learned how to spot microaggressions and what to do in such situations. It was educational for the students and sparked a lot of conversations. ion proved impactful for the students, sparking numerous meaningful conversations. Feel free to join the dialogue by scanning the QR code below – your input is highly valued!

Lots of love,

Aida & Yewande

Chasing Snowflakes ❄️

This weekend, the boarders turned the snowy slopes of Leysin into their playground, with choices ranging from skiing and snowboarding to tobogganing, ice skating and a cool excursion to Glacier 3000.

Gabi and Gia, glided effortlessly through the freshly fallen snow, and carved their way down the slopes with skill and precision. Laughter echoed across the hills as the students embraced the thrill of speed and the joy of mastering the slopes. For Zoya and Stacy, tobogganing offered a delightful alternative. Clad in warm winter gear, they raced down the tracks, wind in their hair, and smiles on their faces.

 

The highlight of the weekend for Melissa, Martina and Zia undoubtedly the excursion to Glacier 3000. A short journey brought the students to an otherworldly landscape of ice and snow. The panoramic views from the top were nothing short of breathtaking, with the Alps stretching out in all directions like a majestic white carpet.

Until the next winter adventure,

Lots of Love

Aida & Yewande

Week 2 of Building Positive Relationships 👯‍♀️ 👯

Positive friendships are an important part of the journey to adulthood. They help children and teenagers learn important social and emotional skills, like being sensitive to other people’s thoughts, feelings and wellbeing.

Healthy friendship and relationships occur when both people:

* Care about each other.

* Understand and respect each other and are responsible for each other.

* Solve problems together and communicate with honesty.

* Share at least some of the same goals and values.

In the previous week, we delved into the qualities we value in our friendships. Now, in the current week, we’ve taken the opportunity to inquire with our friends about how we come across as friends ourselves.

Lots of Love,

Aida & Yewande

Bonding Over Dinner 🍽️

We love when we get to have dinner together in the house . We swapped stories about the day’s adventures, discussed classes, and simply enjoyed a moment of respite from the IB mock exams.

Lots of love,

Aida & Yewande

Building Positive Relationships

Today marks the starts of our third well-being pillar, centered around fostering positive relationships with a particular focus on friendships. As a house, we are taking the lead in championing this pillar.

We understand that friendships are some of the most important relationships we build in life. Our friends are the families we get to choose therefore it is essential to introspect on the reasons behind our friendships, ensuring that these bonds contribute positively to our lives

This week our emphasis is on identifying the qualities we desire in our friends. We have created a brief video to delve into this topic, aiming to inspire students to contemplate their friendships more deeply.

Lots of love,

Aida & Yewande

Happy New Year!!! 🎊

We’ve returned to campus for the start of a fresh semester, and to mark our comeback, we indulged in a galette des rois (king’s cake). This delightful pastry is typically baked for Epiphany on January 6th but is commonly savored from Christmas through the entire month of January. Each galette contains a hidden surprise—a small porcelain figurine known as a fève. The fortunate person who discovers it is crowned king or queen for the day.

As we savored the galette, we gathered to share stories about our holidays. It was a delightful way to kick off the new semester.

Lots of Love,

Aida & Yewande

Secret Santa 🤫🎅

At the boarding house, we kicked off our Secret Santa with tons of excitement. There were giggles and surprises as we exchanged quirky gifts under the twinkling lights. With everyone playing detective to figure out their Santa, the holiday vibes got even cozier in our shared space.

Lots of Love,

Aida & Yewande

Winter Dance

Attending the annual winter dance was a magical experience, as the venue was transformed into a winter wonderland with twinkling lights and festive decorations. The boarders, adorned in gorgeous dresses and sharp suits, created a glamorous atmosphere that added to the enchantment of the evening. The dance floor buzzed with laughter and graceful movements, accompanied by the  tunes of our very own Dj Zia. As the night unfolded, it became a cherished memory, filled with warmth, joy, and the spirit of celebration.

A special thank you to Ms. Lucelia for organising such an amazing event.

Lots of Love,

Aida & Yewande

Fête de l’Escalade: A living tradition.

Each year, the citizens of Geneva take part in the tradition of smashing a chocolate marmite (cauldron). Decorated with the city’s colors — red and yellow, the cauldron also features its coat of arms. There is a specific ritual that accompanies this process, the youngest and the oldest join hands and recite the phrase, “Ainsi périrent (or périssent) les ennemis de la République.” This translates to something like, “Thus perished (or perishes) the enemies of the Republic!” Then, they smash the chocolate cauldron with their clasped fist.

Martina (the oldest) and Gabi (the youngest) performed this ritual with successfully? Have a look at how they did.

Lots of Love,

Aida & Yewande