We invite everyone to have a look on how much fun New Portena students had by making Christmas decorations last weekend 🌟🎅🏼🤩

Baking is a nice different way to spend the weekend, but if this moment is shared with friends, music, having fun and as preparation for a House Competition, it can be really amazing 😍

Since the beginning of the week Aliki has taken charge of the Bake-Off House Competition, making a list of all the ingredients needed and last weekend, with the help of Valentina and Daliya, has prepared a great colorful cake.

Everyone is very happy and proud of the result… we just have to wait to know who is the winner 🤞🏼🧡

Valentina and some girls from the other houses have been selected to participate to the Senior Girls volleyball tournament which have taken place in Warsaw last weekend and they won the first place.

Congratulations for this victory. Vale, well done! We are very proud of you!🎉😘

The “Samedi du Partage” is a specific day dedicated to promoting solidarity and sharing with people in need. The aim is to encourage people in doing positive actions by sharing food, time, or skills to make a difference in the lives of other people.

We are really proud of Manuela who, in the early morning of today and with a big smile on her face, went to Aldi with 3 other students to take part in this very generous initiative to donate some food to people who really need it.

Yesterday our dear Camila had a birthday full of wonderful moments 😍🤗 starting from her parents surprise of the balloons with a touching birthday message, a dinner with her dearest friends, ending then with some time spent with her New Portena family to eat all together the birthday cake 🍰🎉

Happy birthday again, Cami ❤️ Feliz cumpleaños! 😘

This Sunday, the 19th of November, marked a heartwarming event at CDL—the Gift Box Wrapping activity. After gathering donations from our boarders a few weeks ago for the Gift Box Appeal, it was time to transform those contributions into beautifully wrapped gifts.

Leading the charge on this compassionate project were Bice, Sayuri, and Hanna, alongside the dedicated efforts of Coco, Ingrid, Mei Mei, Paulina and Melissa among our New Portena Girls. Together, they brought warmth and joy to the season, showcasing the spirit of giving and camaraderie.

This initiative is another step in our #NewPortenaJourney, a journey that embraces not only diversity and unity but also extends a helping hand to those in need. Stay tuned for more updates on our collective efforts to make a positive impact in the world. 🎁✨

Last weekend, Ana Cristina, Darina, Manuela, Yufei, Adela, Valentina, Giuliana, Lulu, and Janelis embarked on a thrilling #NewPortenaJourney to Germany’s Europapark. Despite the rain, the girls laughed, braved crazy rides, and made unforgettable memories. Here’s to the joy of spontaneous adventures and the bond that turns rain-soaked days into endless fun! ☔🎢

The new week has started with today, November 13, the “Odd Socks Day” in Collège du Léman.

This day is an important part of the second pillar of the school wellbeing program about which New Portena girls are continuing to work on by preserving a culture of respect, inclusion, and empathy, and reducing the negative impact of bullying on individuals and communities.

Besides karaoke, the girls also joined different activities: cooking, tennis, stretching and relaxation, and other ones!

Thank you Rin for the meal you cooked for us 🫶🏼

Last night New Portena girls invited friends from other houses for enjoying karaoke together… 🎤🎶 and why not anticipating the warmest atmosphere of the year, which is close, by also singing Christmas songs?! 😊

We’re thrilled to kick off the second pillar of our Wellbeing program at New Portena: “Protecting Against Bullying and Respecting Diversity.” Yesterday’s house meeting marked the beginning of our ethnicity and diversity challenge, a meaningful initiative to foster connections and understanding.

In a heartwarming exercise, roommates in each room came together to discover what they share in common. From shared interests to cultural connections, the process was a celebration of diversity and unity within our boarding house.

Here’s to the journey of embracing diversity and building stronger bonds at New Portena! 🌐🏡✨ #NewPortenaJourney

Happy birthday, dear Jane. We wish you the best! It is so nice to have you in New Portena 🧡🏡

Bon anniversaire Jane!! 🥰🥳

Hello !

My name is Sofiia and I’ve been living in New Portena for three years now. I’d like to share with you the reasons why I think New Portena is the best home.

First of all, there’s the location, it’s not far from the school.

I also appreciate the rich diversity in our house, with students of various nationalities. This diversity has expanded our social circles and deepened our connections, enabling us to welcome and connect with new students as they join our community at the beginning of the year. Being in a big house for a long time has also allowed me to build meaningful relationships with my friends and the house parent team.

Thank you New Portena, I love you!

Sofiia

The first weekend of November greeted us with a gentle rain and the unmistakable feel of autumn in the air. Our New Portena girls, undeterred by the weather, seized the opportunity to whip up some warmth and sweetness.

On Saturday morning, Adela, Ashley, Lily, Vladi, and Yufri went over to their cooking activity to create a delightful cooking experience. The result? Delicious, homemade éclairs.

🌧️🍂🍮 #AutumnDelights #NewPortenaMoments

We introduce you to Nippy, the owl pumpkin that New Portena girls had fun to carve last Monday 😀

Yesterday evening New Portena house and its living room decorated with fake spider webs, bats, cockroaches as well as a table full of candies, marshmallows dipped in chocolate, scaring Oreo biscuits and much more hosted students from other houses who had a lot of fun playing board games and baking ghost, bat, pumpkin, brain-shaped sweets with New Portena girls! 🍭🧁

The whole house is decorated and everything is ready for the evening of Halloween.

We made every effort to complete the decorations before the arrival of the girls from holidays and we are very happy that they enjoyed this surprise.

During the October break Melissa joined an amazing trip in Vietnam and Cambodia with other students of the school. The two weeks were filled with exciting activities and places to visit. Trips like this can be incredibly enriching and provide a wealth of experiences and memories.

Vietnam 
After being in Hanoi, students went to Sapa which is one of the most interesting towns in North Vietnam and where there are beautiful mountain-spaces, diversity of minority people, and rice terrace fields, especially Fansipan Mountain well-known as Indochina Top. Students had the opportunity to interact with the locals during a visit to a Primary boarding school in the area and they did a boat tour in Tràng An. They also did a one-day cruise where they could do some kayaking in a lagoon and visit Sung Sot Cave. They visited the Vietnam Military Museum to learn about their history and enjoyed a rickshaw tour of the city and shop for souvenirs.

Cambodia
Memories of Cambodia will also always be unforgettable for the students. In Siem Reap they embarked on a culinary adventure with a cooking lesson, where everyone learned how to cook traditional Cambodian dishes and received certificates for their culinary achievements! 

It was a great luck also to have the opportunity to visit an orphanage: the time spent with children was truly heartwarming.
The 15 students who went on this trip generously donated school materials to 65 local students in need, a seemingly small gesture which meant so much to these children. We are so proud of Melissa and all the students for taking time to do such a beautiful thing.

Students were delighted to have a traditional dinner while enjoying a lovely Apsara Dance show.

The visit to the Angkor Wat and the Tomb Raider temple captivated them and after that they journeyed to the capital, Phnom Penh.

On their last day they had the privilege to interact with the local students, an enriching experience that touched their hearts.

The first half of the term is officially in the books, and it’s time to recharge and enjoy some well-deserved time off.

To all our New Portena girls, we wish you an incredible October break filled with relaxation, adventures, and the opportunity to explore the world around you. Take this time to rejuvenate and make the most of the moments that lie ahead.

As we bid farewell for now, remember that the friendships and memories we’ve created will always be with us. Cherish this break, and we look forward to seeing you all reenergized and ready for the second half of the term.

Enjoy your time off, and make the most of every moment! 🍂🌟 #OctoberBreak #NewPortenaJourney

Today, we gathered for our second at-home dinner, and it was a heartwarming affair. Our menu featured mouthwatering tacos with soft tortillas and a delightful chocolate cake for dessert.

This relaxed dinner gave us all a chance to unwind and savor the simple joys of community living. As we shared stories, laughter, and delicious food, it felt like a perfect evening.

Tonight holds a special place in our hearts because starting tomorrow, many of our New Portena girls will set off for the October break. So, in a way, this dinner was a farewell, a moment to cherish together before we embark on our individual journeys, knowing we’ll reunite soon.

Here’s to a fantastic October break for everyone, and we can’t wait to create more beautiful memories when we return. 🍽️🍰✨ #NewPortenaJourney

Yesterday the 0-5 km race took place in Collège du Léman: the aim of the event was to initiate the student to healthy habits as the run. Everyone was free to participate by covering the distance best suited to their abilities and it was amazing to see the enthusiasm of the students in trying to push themselves harder than what they originally planned.

It was also a nice way to spend a sunny Sunday morning in the open air, in good company, among many laughs… ❤️ just like a real family!!! 🫶🏼

Tonight Miss Fana was back with her cooking skills! 👩‍🍳
Last year she taught Ana Karina how to make a flavourful sweet potato soup with onions, garlic, and thyme. Ana was looking forward to preparing it with her again. 😍

Every evening, Mrs. Fana brings her culinary magic, and last night was no exception. She’s a kitchen wizard, and the girls absolutely love her. For our latest adventure on the #NewPortenaJourney, Mrs. Fana treated us to a French classic: crepes. Some girls pitched in with the cooking, while others eagerly waited to savor these delectable delights.

As the crepes sizzled on the griddle, our excitement grew. Mrs. Fana’s expert hands turned batter into golden pancakes. It was like witnessing a master at work, and we couldn’t wait to dig in. Smiles, laughter, and the taste of France filled the room.

Bon appétit, and here’s to more tasty adventures! 🥞😄

This Wednesday, just like every other Wednesday, Collège du Léman hosted its International Dinner. This time, the spotlight was on Thailand, and the culinary journey was nothing short of exquisite.

At Collège du Léman’s recent Second Boarding Assembly, our New Portena Family members, Bice, Hanna, and Sayuri, shared their heartwarming project: the “Gift Box Appeal.” This annual fundraiser aims to provide Christmas boxes to those in need.

The Gift Box Appeal embodies our community’s spirit of compassion and giving. It’s a simple yet impactful initiative where we collect and distribute Christmas boxes filled with gifts, spreading holiday joy to those less fortunate. It reminds us of the importance of giving back, nurturing empathy and generosity in our students. It showcases our diverse community’s unity and collective power for positive change.

As we approach the holiday season, let’s be inspired by the Gift Box Appeal and commit to making a difference in the lives of others.

This Sunday, adventure called, and some of our New Portena girls answered! 🎢 They embarked on a thrilling day trip to the Walibi theme park, making unforgettable memories on their #NewPortenaJourney.

Laughter, excitement, and endless fun were the order of the day as they tackled roller coasters, explored new worlds, and enjoyed the thrill of the rides.

We’re all about creating lasting memories and seizing every opportunity for excitement and bonding. Stay tuned for more exciting adventures as we continue to make the most of our time together! 🎡🌟

We have some incredible news to share today! Our very own Bice has been selected to join the prestigious National Honor Society (NHS). 🌟

The National Honor Society recognizes and celebrates outstanding high school students who excel in the areas of leadership, service, character, and scholarship. Bice’s achievement is a testament to her dedication and hard work.

Congratulations, Bice, on this well-deserved honor! 🎉📚🤝

This weekend was a special one at New Portena as we opened our doors to a new member of our close-knit family. Gergana, hailing from Bulgaria, has joined us on her exciting #NewPortenaJourney. Her cheerful spirit and positive energy have already lit up our home.

We can’t wait to see all the adventures and experiences that await you on this remarkable journey ahead. 🌍🏡❤️ #WelcomeGergana

This weekend, Chihana hit the field for her first game of the season in semi-professional football. Stay tuned for her journey! ⚽ #SoccerSeasonKickoff

New Portena embraces Nord Anglia’s global challenge! Our mission: walk the distance between all Nord Anglia schools worldwide. As part of Collège du Leman, we kick-started this journey with an evening stroll after our weekly house assembly. Here’s the quick rundown.

Our diverse group of girls from around the world unites for this global challenge, promoting fitness and unity.

We are so happy to watch Aliki attending her first aerial silk lesson and feeling so comfortable in doing it. This can be a great sign that she might enjoy and excel in aerial silk, an activity which can be both physically challenging and artistically rewarding, so it’s wonderful that Aliki is off to a positive start.

Saturday and Sunday are the perfect days for students to refuel their soul and to be grateful for each and every one of their blessings.
During this weekend New Portena girls chose different activities: climbing, rafting, chess club, stretching and relaxation. Jane also helped in the community service.

Yesterday evening there was also someone who surprised New Portena family: Hanna and Miss Fana made a very tasty banana cake which was a delight for the palate of everyone. 😍

Tonight New Portena girls found another way to have a great Friday night: they invited their friends for staying together and enjoying a delicious Chinese dinner! 🥢🍚🥟

Happy birthday, Paulina! 🎉🎂🎈
May your day be filled with laughter,
love and all the happiness in the world. 🎁🥳🌟

Feliz cumpleaños!

Yesterday afternoon the students welcomed their teachers in the house.
Everyone was thrilled to have them here as New Portena is not just a place to stay
but it’s where we like building a great sense of community. ❤️

This morning, Hanna, Sayuri, Bice, and Mei Mei embarked on a mission to clean up Lake Léman. Their commitment to environmental stewardship is a part of their #NewPortenaJourney. 🌊🌿 #CommunityCleanup

Yesterday, on the 15th of September, our dear Giuliana celebrated her fifteenth birthday in style. She enjoyed a wonderful birthday dinner with her close friend, Lulu, who is also a fellow boarder here at New Portena.

¡Feliz cumpleaños, Giuliana! 🎂🎈🎁
Wishing you a year ahead that’s even more extraordinary than you are! 💫🌟

This Thursday marked our inaugural “Dinner at Home” event here at New Portena, and it was a hit. This monthly gathering is all about fostering a sense of family within our boarding house.

A Culinary Treat

Our taste buds were in for a treat with lasagna, summer salad, and panna cotta on the menu. Each dish was a delight, leaving everyone satisfied and content.

Heartwarming Atmosphere

Laughter and conversation filled the room as students and staff bonded over shared experiences. These moments of connection are what make New Portena special.

Follow #NewPortenaJourney to stay updated on our adventures.

Happy birthday, dear Ashley!
May this year be filled with success, joy and new achievements.
Here’s to many more amazing years ahead!

생일 축하합니다🥳

During the last weekend, exciting activities have not taken place only in Fiesch but also in Verbier as some of the students went there to spend the mountain weekend. Trotinnetting, also known as scooter touring, as well as rock climbing, were on the agenda !  Activities that appeals to individuals seeking adventure, physical fitness and the thrill of conquering challenging routes.   This includes the zipline, a funny way to enjoy the thrill of flight and the beauty of nature.  Here are just a few of the moments that made this trip amazing. 😀

In the photo at the top right Paulina was on the highest zipline in the world.
In the photo at the bottom left Bice, Coco, Mei mei, Hanna and Sayuri were spending time together.

During the mountain weekend all the students took part in plenty of activities by learning new skills or improving existing ones. Knowing how to be able to perform a task or tackle a challenge successfully enhances self-efficacy, which is the belief in one’s ability to achieve goals. Small successes foster a positive feedback loop that encourages continued skill development.

The activities that the students have most appreciated are the rope course, a great way to test agility, balance, and bravery while enjoying the beauty of the outdoors in Fiesch, and mountain biking. Many students also took part in Via Ferrata, which offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape while providing a thrilling climbing experience.
Another breathtaking activity is hiking around Aletsch, the largest glacier in the Alps.
During the last day students had so much fun in the tennis court taking part in team games like sack race or wearing inflatable costumes, which created a whimsical and larger-than-life appearance.

One of the best gems of the resort is the swimming pool with windows that overlook a wonderful landscape view: a unique and luxurious feature which allows us to enjoy the experience of swimming while being surrounded by the beauty of the natural surroundings.
What more could one ask for? 🙂

September 7th, 2023

Last Thursday, Rin celebrated her milestone birthday in style at the Pavillon restaurant in Versoix, and what a night it was! With the stunning view of Lake Léman as the backdrop, Rin was surrounded by all her incredible friends from the boarding houses of Collège du Léman. 🌄

Here’s to many more memorable moments and birthdays ahead, Rin!🌟 #NewPortenaJourney

Last Friday some of the students left the campus to spend a weekend in Fiesch with a focus on relaxation and well-being. Fiesch’s mountain air and beautiful surroundings make it an ideal place for such an experience. The region also offers amazing landscapes: breathtaking views of towering mountain peaks, lush meadows and serene valleys.

Valentina, Camila, Rin, Ella and Yufei – First morning in Fiesch

September 3rd, 2023

On Sunday, September 3rd, the highly anticipated Sports House Competition unfolded at Concha, bringing together spirited teams from various boarding houses. Among the fierce competitors, our very own New Portena proudly squared off against Villa Du Lac, and the atmosphere was electric!

As we eagerly await the final ranking, which will include all the participating houses, we want to keep our readers informed and excited about our journey in the Sports House Competition. The final standings will reveal just how well our team performed in comparison to the others.

A heartfelt congratulations to all the girls who participated and contributed to this remarkable win. Your dedication and hard work paid off, and we couldn’t be prouder of your achievements!

Stay tuned for the final ranking and more updates on our #NewPortenaJourney. We’re excited to share our progress and celebrate our successes with you all. Until then, let’s bask in the glory of this fantastic victory!

On September 2nd, Ella turned fifteen, and it was a day to remember. She spent quality time with her family. The celebration continued the next day with all the girls from New Portena, sharing a delightful cake. In these simple yet heartwarming moments, we were reminded of the power of family and friendship to make birthdays truly special. Happy 15th, Ella! 🎂🎉

After an entire week of settling into their new school routines at the New Portena boarding house, the girls decided to make the most of their first free Saturday afternoon. Their plan? A day trip to the enchanting city of Geneva. This simple yet special day allowed them to forge new friendships, share laughs, and soak in the beauty of their new surroundings. #NewPortenaJourney continues

Diverse Beginnings, Shared Journey

Excitement fills the air as we introduce thirty girls who are part of our New Portena Boarding House family. Hailing from different corners of the world, they’re ready to embark on a year of growth, friendship, and discovery. As they settle in, friendships bloom, and personal development takes center stage. Our mentors are here to guide their academic and personal journeys, ensuring a holistic year ahead.

#NewPortenaJourney Begins

From conquering challenges to celebrating successes, this year is more than just studies – it’s a voyage of self-exploration. We’re thrilled to share in their triumphs and experiences along this exciting #NewPortenaJourney.

Presenting our two House Captains…
Bice & Manuela! 👏🏼

The girls of New Portena got their first taste of local food at the Swiss Welcome Dinner!

Collège du Léman offers a well-rounded experience for the students, providing both academic engagement during the weekdays and a variety of activities over the weekends to foster personal growth and enjoyment. This approach can help students develop skills beyond the classroom and create a balanced learning environment.

This weekend our students enjoyed different activities like horse riding, cooking, tennis and some of them also went to aquapark.

This week the girls didn’t discover only the campus but also the very tasty Favarger chocolate.

We are excited to have again with us some of the students who have been in New Portena in the last years and we are looking forward to welcoming all the other returning students.

In this photo Sayuri, He he and Bice met the new lovely students Hanna, Yufei and Xinyuan.

So happy to have all of you in our New Portena family.

Terri, Perrine, Irene and Iola

Hello and warm greetings to all our lovely students, both familiar faces and newcomers, at New Portena Boarding House! As we embark on the journey of a new academic year here at Collège du Léman, we are brimming with excitement and anticipation. On behalf of Mrs Terri from England, Perrine from France, Irene from Italy, and Iola from Ireland, we extend our heartfelt welcome to each and every one of you.

The corridors and rooms of New Portena are buzzing with renewed energy and an air of camaraderie as we eagerly await the start of this year’s adventures. To those who are returning, welcome back! Your presence brings a sense of continuity and comfort to our boarding house family. Your stories from last year have woven the threads of our community, and we can’t wait to see the chapters that unfold this year.

And to those who are new to our cherished boarding house, a special and warm welcome awaits you. The doors of New Portena stand open, ready to embrace you in a tapestry of diverse cultures, experiences, and friendships. As you step into this wonderful abode, know that you are not just joining a school – you are becoming a part of a close-knit family that spans the globe.

The entire New Portena family are here to support and guide you through every step of this incredible journey. We understand that embarking on a new school year can be both exciting and a tad bit nerve-wracking, especially for those experiencing it for the first time. But fear not, for you are surrounded by peers who share in your anticipation, mentors who are ready to lend a helping hand, and a vibrant community that will soon become your home away from home.

So, whether you’re returning or joining us for the first time, let us make a pact to embrace every opportunity that comes our way. Let us challenge ourselves, support one another, and create a vibrant tapestry of experiences that define the essence of New Portena Boarding House.

Here’s to the 2023-24 school year – a year filled with growth, laughter, learning, and countless beautiful moments. Welcome back, dear students, to the embrace of New Portena. Let’s make this year unforgettable!

With warm regards,

The New Portena Boarding House Family

Dear all,

Today marks the end of an amazing school year where we had the change to welcome 7 new girls to our house community. Although some of them are not coming back next year, we know they will always carry with them the friendships and the memories they made during these 10 months New Portena.

Saying goodbye, even if it’s only for a few months, is not easy. But we know the girls will fully enjoy their holidays and will come back with hundreds of stories and plenty of energy.

Thank you girls for an beautiful year; we couldn’t have ask for anything better.

Happy summer, and see you soon.

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna and Fana

Dear all,

Last Sunday we had one of the most anticipated events of the year: the End of Year event. For 5 hours, all of our boarders enjoyed a cloudy but warm day of spring where they participated in different activities such as a water gun fight, water slide, bubble football, and bungee trampoline.

It was a very exciting and funny afternoon were everyone ate ice cream, cotton candy and popcorns.

Later, for dinner, we enjoyed a delicious Venezuelan dinner in the Concha gardens.

video

video 2

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna and Fana.

Dear all,

On Saturday, we celebrated our Grade 12’s graduation. Some of the girls went to support and celebrate their friends’ success.

Rei did an amazing cover of “Rolling in the deep” by Adele, and made an emotional speech as Valedictorian.

We wish them all the best of luck in their future.

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna, and Fana.

Dear all,

Graduation day has arrived, and we could not be more proud of our graduating girls Cherry, Carina, Sara, and Rei.

If you cannot attend graduation, you can join them on this big day via the link below from 10 a.m.

Graduation (nordangliaeducation.com)

We want to take this opportunity to thank the girls for all the love they showed us during their time in the house and all the good memories we will always care with us.

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna and Fana.

Dear all,

Last week, we celebrated Samira’s 18th birthday. We hope you had an amazing day filled with love and laughs.

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna, and Fana.

Hello everyone,

In a momentous celebration, four remarkable young women bid farewell to their school years, marking a significant milestone in their lives. Today, amidst cheers and applause, they stood tall on the stage of their leavers’ assembly, embodying the culmination of their hard work, determination, and growth. These extraordinary graduates have left an indelible mark on their school, and we, their proud supporters, couldn’t be happier. Through countless hours of studying, extracurricular pursuits, and personal development, they have become confident individuals ready to take on the world. As they embark on their next chapter, we applaud their achievements and eagerly anticipate the extraordinary journeys that await them.

Congratulations, Carina, Cherry, Rei and Sara!!

Wishing you all the best!

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna and Fana

Dear all,

This lovely and sunny weekend was the first real spring weekend we had this year. Sun was out, temperatures were up and the girls didn’t want to waste their last free weekend before the exams in the house (but don’t worry, we can assure you they are studying).

Luisa and Roberta spend their Saturday morning in the lake doing Wakeboard. Even if it was their first time doing this, they enjoyed it a lot, had fun, and managed to stay still (at least a few times).

Ingrid went back to physical activities and enjoyed doing some climbing (she doesn’t want to admit it, but we are sure she is training to climb the Everest).

On Monday, as it was a non-school day, some of our girls joined the trip to Luna Park, in Lausanne. For those who don’t know, Luna Park is a temporary amusement park that works all around Switzerland. They have dozens of different rides and food trucks where you can have from ice creams to hot dogs or Asian food.

Darina, Samira, Sofiia, Bice, Joslyn and Rin had lots of fun; they ate a lot, had slush and went on some rides (or all of them if you ask Samira).

But it’s Monday night and we are back in the house, preparing the coming week and studying for the final exams. Only 3 more weeks of school!!!

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna and Fana.

Dear all,

Last Thursday we celebrated Ana Karina’s birthday🎂! Although we didn’t see her as she spend her day with her family, we are sure she had a lovely day full of joy and love.

Lors of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna and Fana

Dear all,

This long weekend we had in Switzerland was the perfect excuse for most of our girls to go back home or to travel somewhere in Europe and enjoy the good weather.

But this didn’t stop the girls who stayed in the house from enjoying themselves to the max.

Bice, Sayuri, and Rin had a lovely time by the lake with Miss Bea on the Banana Boat activity. Despite the bad weather from the last couple of days, Saturday was sunny enough to allow us to enjoy some water activities. We have to say, the girls were not convinced at first as the water was cold. But the night before the activity the excitement was visible around the house. As you can see, they had LOTS of fun and can’t wait to do it again.

Miss Sarah, as lovely and sweet as always, baked some Banana muffins and Blueberry muffins for the girls. If you were not here this weekend don’t worry, we are sure Miss Sarah will bake again soon (right, Miss Sarah? 😉).

But this weekend is sadly over, the girls are back in the house, getting ready for the week and studying for the coming exams.

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna and Fana.

Dear all,

Today we celebrated Sally’s birthday as soon as she was back from the weekend, where she celebrated her birthday with some friends and her family.

We hope you had an amazing day full of happiness and love.

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna and Fana.

Hello everyone !

Despite being in the midst of the exams the girls managed to include in some exciting leisure activities last weekend, such as go-karting and golf, aside from their usual activities like baking and body shaping!

Love,

Tarri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna and Fana

Dear all,

Summer is approaching in the beautiful city of Geneva and the girls took advantage of the sun and the good weather. Some of the girls attended their beloved Saturday morning activities: tennis and cooking, where they prepared Bolognese pasta; before heading to Geneva.

But the surprise arrived Saturday afternoon when we received THE call. Mr. Usher, our Head of Boarding, was looking for 6 students to go on a speedboat ride after lunchtime. Sara, Bice, Rin, and Cherry called Coco and He from Villa du Lac and they all headed to the lake to enjoy the good weather on the boat (they loved the speed).

From all the pictures we received and the big smiles on their faces when they came back, we think they really enjoyed it. (Mr. Usher, if you are reading this, they are looking forward to the next boat ride!!).

But unfortunately the weekend is coming to an end and the girls are back in the house getting ready for the start of the weekend.

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna and Fana.

Dear all,

As exam season is coming, we want to make sure our students stay active and are taking breaks from time to time. For this, Mr. Rob and Mr. Rodrigo have created the May Fitness Challenge, where every day there is a different challenge you can complete. Boarders and House Parents from all houses have been participating since the beginning of the month, challenging themselves to improve every day.

We can proudly say Defne I. won Friday’s challenge as she managed to do 23.881 steps in a single day 🚶‍♀️🚶‍♀️. Congrats Defne!

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna and Fana.

Dear all,

This week we celebrated two birthdays in New Portena.

On Wednesday, Bice turned 16 years old; on Thursday, Defne A. turned 17.

We hope you had an amazing and lovely day surrounded by friends and family!

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna and Fana.

Dear all,

Exam season is coming and our grade 12 girls Sara, Rei, Carina, and Cherry are getting ready for their final step in High School.

We wish you the best of luck, we are sure you are going to do amazing. We are really proud of you ♥️

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna, and Fana.

Dear all,

This weekend, some girls had the chance to go on a day trip to Lyon, a city in the south-east of France. Lyon is well-known for being at the junction of the rivers Rhône and Saône, its Roman history, and its beautiful architecture.

The girls had an amazing time traveling to Lyon by train, exploring the city, and doing some shopping.

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna and Fana.

Dear all,

Last Wednesday we had the pleasure to discover a new cuisine. Albanian gastronomy is a delicious blend of Mediterranean, Balkan, and Ottoman influences, resulting in a diverse and flavourful culinary experience.

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna and Fana

It’s never too late for wishes!

During the Easter holidays, Sayuri (April 10th), Zoya (April 11th), Darina and Yvonne (April 16th) had their birthdays! And today, we celebrated Ingrid’s birthday!

Wishing you all the best!!

Our weekly meeting also allowed us to prepare something for the girls!

Adults had fun, too, preparing a fruit salad…

Love,

Terri, Sarah,  Maria, Ioanna and Fana

We hope everyone enjoyed their holiday!

We are very happy to have the girls back at the house.

This has been a lovely welcome back weekend, the girls are happy to be back and so are we!

   “It’s the first week of April and the start of the spring holidays! The girls have left for break, which they will all be spending differently, some with friends while others return to their homes to relax and enjoy spending time with their families”. 

Zoya (IB1 student)

New Portena wishes everyone a lovely spring holiday!

Enjoy your Easter break!

The boarding house will be open again from Saturday, 22.04.

See you soon!

Best wishes,

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna and Fana

Dear all,

The Wellbeing Pillar 4: Scams, Security, and Identity Theft has come to an end. Our girls have learned multiple things about online safety and the importance of staying safe in the digital world.

It is extremely important to make sure we are safeguarding our personal information, our identity, and our digital devices. We must be mindful of who we interact with on social media, the sites we visit, and the information we share.

For this, our girls created this TikTok to share with everyone some tips on how to stay safe.

Best,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna

New Portena is a place where our girls can develop their creativity to the maximum and decide what they want their future to be like. It is home to 28 women, but has been home to thousands more. We are proud of each one of them and the people they are becoming.

Thank you for creating a home in which to share experiences, a home full of laughter, emotions, and good times.

New Portena is home, today and always.

Best,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

Hello everyone,

             

 

In last night’s house meeting, the girls were encouraged to discuss kindness and how it can be a superpower in life. The girls were given a list of qualities such as empathy, integrity, popularity and public image and were asked to organise them based on what they found most important. 

Kindness and loyalty were among the most common words found on top of the girls’ lists, and some have shared why exactly these qualities were so important to them. Our House Parents then explained just how far someone can get with kindness as it allows this person to express all of the other attributes we’ve seen. 

Zoya IB1

New Portena

The Sandwich Club made a come back this weekend with some delicious chicken sandwiches.

We got to spend quality time with the girls while enjoying these delicious treats.

More than 10 girls attended the club this weekend!

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna

Dear all,

After a lovely, sunny, and warm week, the weekend started with lots of rain and cold, but this weather didn’t stop our girls from enjoining their free time and attend their weekend activities. The girls attended plenty of activities such as Badminton, Ski Club, Bodyshaping, Chess Club or Stretching and Relaxation.

Despite Saturday’s afternoon rain, our girls went to Geneva to do some shopping, have lunch or enjoy the views. Just one more weekend before the Easter break 🥳

Best,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

Dear all,

Yesterday we celebrated Skyler’s 16th birthday!

We hope you had an amazing day full of happiness and gifts 😉

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

Saturday night can be very quiet in New Portena. Some of the girls may be studying, watching TV or walking around campus with their friends.

One of the girls favourites activities is pancake night! They always ask Miss Sarah for pancakes (the best one we’ve ever tried, to be honest) and we spend a really good time chatting and enjoying each other’s company.

Have a lovely Sunday,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

Dear all,

New Portena is well known for the amazing classic piano we have in the living room. The girls love to sit around the piano and practice, either for entertainment or for study.

Tonight Joslyn played some songs, enjoy!

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

Dear all,

As every week, we discover a new cuisine during our international dinner evening. This week we celebrated Nowruz with our students to welcome the new year.

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

Dear all,

Last Tuesday we had the pleasure to participate in the Boarding Talent Show. Our girls, Manuela, Venüs, Defne I, Sayuri, Bice, Raquel and Roberta, did an amazing performance with lights and a choreography by Miss Terri.

No wonder with this talent we won 5th place!!

Congratulations girls!!

Best,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

Dear all,

This month we celebrated two birthdays, Defne I on the 3rd and Coco on the 19th!

We hope you had a lovely day full of presents 😉

Best,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

Dear all,

Today our Iranian, Persians, Albanian and some Turkish students will celebrate Nowruz, the New Year following the Iranian calendar. In this day, it is a tradition to visit friends and family, do some shopping, clean the house and prepare dinner for the celebration.

We wish everyone celebrating this day an amazing evening.

Best,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

Dear all,

Last night our amazing kitchen staff cooked some traditional Portuguese dishes. We have to say the kids loved (a lot) the dessert, pastéis de Belém.

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

This weekend our girls participated of a national Volleyball Tournament, they won the third place!! We are very proud of them, as they put so much effort into going to practice and giving their best out at the court. Congratulations to Defne and Luisa for their well deserved medals!!

Our girls also had the opportunity to participate of a day at the SPA, as well as many more activities offered by the school.

 March 8th          Happy international women’s day!

We are so proud of our inspiring young women!

Love,

New Portena team

Hello from New Portena!

The first week after the mid-season break has already passed. Our girls gave us moments of pride and reflection at our previous boarding assembly. The assembly started with Rei’s enchanted performance on “Skyfall”. Defne A., Defne I., and Venus are leading a Charity Event to raise funds for the Turkish-Syria earthquake victims and presented an overview of the disaster, and how we can make a donation. You can visit the TRENDYOL site as well as the web pages of two Turkish organizations, AFAD and AKUT. Finally, Sara shared her experience as a Prefect and how the Prefect role could contribute to the school community.
This weekend some of our students travelled to the cosmopolitan city of Barcelona. They had the opportunity to visit some of Gaudi’s masterpieces, such as Sagrada Famíla and Güell Park and, of course, the Camp Nou football field. For Those who chose to stay here for the weekend, there were plenty of activities such as badminton, ski, cooking, baking, and music club, to name a few. Here are some photos and Rei’s performance video!

https://blogs.cdl.ch/newportena/files/2023/03/IMG_4834.mov

Love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

Good morning!

Enjoy this mid term break! We will see you again on February 25th!

Love

New Portena team

Hello everyone!

A few days ago the students had to take a photo that would reflect international friendships. The girls won the first place by presenting internationalism and friendship … hand in hand.. With this photo they created a wonderful memory of their time at CDL!

We are always proud of you

New Portena team

Good evening everyone !

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

Lots of love,

New Portena house!

Dear all,

Last night a few of our boarders had the opportunity to attend the concert “Grand Choeur et Orchestre de L’HEMU” at Le Rosey.

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

Hello everyone!

For the cold nights of February, nothing better than sweet potato and tomato soups from Ms Fana!

Thank you Ms Fana!

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria, Ioanna and Fana

Dear all,

Tonight we had a thrilling house competition about Switzerland. A few months after the beginning of the school year, it was finally time to test our boarders’ knowledge about this beautiful country.

Thank you, Manuela, Bice, Sayuri, and Defne I for representing New Portena!!

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria, and Ioanna.

Dear all,

Tonight, for our weekly international Wednesday dinner we were delighted with Japanese food.

We are sure our girls enjoyed this dinner🤩

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

At Collège du Léman we like to be able to help those who need it most; at the beginning of the school year we collaborated with the food collection at COOP supermarket and, just before Christmas, with the gift box appeal.

This February, from the 6th to the 14th, we are supporting Partage food bank, a hunger-fighting charity which supports thousands of less-fortunate individuals and families each week.

From New Portena, we encourage our girls and everyone who wants to donate to participate in this campaign to help those who need it most.

https://mailchi.mp/cdl/22-23-partage-from-pfamads

Partage_Feb2023_poster_digital

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

Good afternoon everyone!

The second edition of the Boarding Newsletter is out. During the weekend you received via email the full version but in case you didn’t see it, here you have a direct link:

https://img.nordangliaeducation.com/resources/europe/permacache/a25/e04/700/e705e834cdac52ba6acd46a3cb55b93e.pdf

We want to give a big thank you to Defne A. and Anna; both of them helped contributing to this amazing project with articles and editing.

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

This weekend we had the privilege of enjoying a wonderful weather at Fiesch!

A ski resort with amazing slopes and the opportunity to admire the most incredible views.

We not only had 1, but 2 days of sun on the mountain.

The girls had the opportunity to make new friends, explore the mountain, spend time with their friends, and improve their skiing/snowboarding skills.

We hope you everyone enjoyed their weekends as much as we did!

Wishing you all a lovely week!

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

Welcome to the third pillar of our well-being programme.

This pillar is a short pillar, however it is a topic that is at the forefront of our student’s progression and development.

The Takeaway point for this pillar will be:

• What are the benefits of an international friendship?

There are several options to discuss with our students:

• How does the boarding house support and encourage international friendships, give examples
• What advice would you give future students coming into an international school environment
• Can you think of some examples of famous international friendships?
• Self-Reflection – Do you embrace the international community, or do you prefer the convenience of building friendships within your own culture and language?

International Friendship Day – YouTube

Good afternoon everyone!

This weekend, our boarders went to Fiesch, a little town in the Swiss Alps. There, they discovered the alpine landscape that characterises this country. They had the opportunity to do plenty of activities such as skiing, snowboarding, a visit to Brig and the thermal baths, playing bowling or enjoying some free time.

While the girls are looking forward to their return to the mountains next weekend, here are some photos of the beautiful Fiesch.

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Ioanna and Maria.

Good evening!

Tonight during our weekly international dinner we celebrated the Lunar New Year. This day will officially be celebrated on the 22nd of January and it indicates the beginning of a lunar calendar.

We hope our girls enjoyed this delicious meal!

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

Good afternoon everyone!

Last night we got delighted with a piano concert thanks to Darina. She played “Someone like you” by Adele and Rin sang along to it. Darina has been practicing a lot over the last few weeks and it is always a pleasure to listen to her.

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

Good afternoon everyone!

Today Defne came back from school with this amazing art work she did in class. We are extremely proud of our talented girls!

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

Hello everyone,

After a long Christmas break the girls are back on campus with their usual weekend activities.

Within the wide range of activities to choose from, most of our girls opted for sports such as Tennis, Bodyshaping, Fitness or Stretching and Relaxation.

Others, like Venüs and Defne, cooked couscous with meatballs in Cooking or a chocolate cake in Baking as Skyler did Skyler.

As it was the first weekend back, most of our girls spend their afternoon doing some shopping and enjoying our wonderful Geneva.

We hope they did all their ski shopping, cause next weekend we are heading to Fiesch ⛷☃️

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

We are very pleased that we welcomed our girls back home. The house has been quiet without you..

Love,

Terri, Sarah, Ioanna and María

We would like to wish you happy holidays and a year full of health and joy!!

Enjoy your break and your beloved ones. See you in January!

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna

Good evening,

Last Saturday we celebrated our annual Winter Dance with all of our Boarders. They enjoyed a lovely dinner full of joy, laughs and music.

Rei, prefect and head girls of boarding, did an amazing speech we she talked about the importance of knowing our strengths and ourselves.

To end the night, the students showed their best moves on the dance floor and they spent the last weekend together before the winter break.

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, Ioanna and María.

In 1602, Geneva was coveted by the Savoyards. Chales-Emmanuel I intended to make Geneva his capital north of the Alps.

On the night of 11-12th December 1602, one of the darkest nights of the year, a troop of 2000 soldiers launched a surprise attack. Arriving in Painpalais, the mercenaries climbed the walls surrounding the city. That is why the commemoration is referred to as “l’Escalade” (which means “the climb” in French).

The alarm was sounded at 4:30 a.m. by a watchman firing his harquebus. La Clémence, the bell of Saint Peter’s Cathedral, rang the alarm supported by all the bells in the monuments.

Armed with nothing more than courage and halberds, the citizens of Geneva, men and women alike, ran out of their houses to defend the city alongside the bourgeois militia and the city’s soldiers. They fought off the enemies using any means to hand.

A number of stories recall the courage of La Mère Royaume, who scalded one Savoyard with her pot of soup. Since 1881, chocolate cauldrons decorated with the coat of arms of Geneva have been sold and eaten at this time every year in honour of the bravery.

The enemies withdrew empty-handed, leaving 54 casualties behind.

To celebrate this tradition, each year, the youngest and oldest person in each houselhold smash a chocolate ‘Marmite’ and recite the following sentence:

“Ainsi périssent les ennemis de la République”

IMG_0497

*Click on the link above to see a video of Cherry and Amaliya smashing the “Martmite”.

Good evening!

Last night we celebrated the first Boarding Award Ceremony of the year.

Sara, Manuela and Luisa received the boarding life award.

Skyler, Defne and Darina won the boarding activities award.

Manuela and Amaliya won the grade 9 academic award.

Bice and Skyler won the 10th grade academic award.

Anastasiia won the Première Maturité academic award.

Rei won the IB2 academic award.

We are really proud of all our girls, you are doing amazing 🤩

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Ioanna and María.

Good afternoon!

Last night Darina, Defne A, Defne I, Luisa, Manuela and Amaliya joined forces and built this beautiful gingerbread house for the House Competition.

You did an amazing job; let’s see the results of the voting 🤞🏼

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, Ioanna and María.

Good evening!

While some of our girls when to Europa Park, the rest stayed here in Collège du Léman and attended different activities during the weekend. On Saturday they made the most of the good weather and enjoyed some shopping in Geneva.

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Ioanna and María.

Good evening!

This weekend Luisa, Manuela, Defne I, Defne A, Venüs, Rin and Amaliya went on a trip to Europa Park, in Rust, Germany.

They enjoyed the beauty of the different European countries being represented in the park and also the rollercoasters (they lost count of how many times they went on the Silver Star ride). They had plenty of food and did some shopping for Secret Santa🎅🏼

Enjoy the lovely pictures they took 🤩

Terri, Sarah, Ioanna and María.

Good evening,

Last week we celebrated Nastia’s birthday with all the girls from the house. We hope you had an amazing day full of joy❤️

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, Ioanna and María.

Good afternoon!

Yesterday Raquel, Roberta, Joslyn, Defne I, Venüs and Taisiia participated in the High School Drama Showcase. Well done girls, thank you for showing the world your talent🤩

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna

Good evening.

Last week we started the 2nd pillar of our Wellbeing Programme.

Take away point 1 – Integration and diversity are part of the international agenda of the world’s most important institutions.  

We talk about it at a lower level, at schools, work and public places. However, that topic is at the heart of the identity of all the major international organizations and that is something that sometimes we overlook to consider diversity something to think of at an individual level. Beyond the political message on the importance of diversity, institutions like the UN have a policy of promoting diversity in their work force and enabling all types of people to access job position within their ranks and therefore setting the example on integration and teamwork.

During our house meeting we asked the girls to celebrate diversity by creating a project where we could identify each girl and the country they are from.

The final idea is to have all the girls do something that represents them and decorate the house with this art.

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Ioanna.

Good afternoon!

We are pleased to introduce you to our new House Tutor Ioanna. She comes from Greece and she is looking forward to meet the girls and get to know them!

We are really happy to have you in our team!

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah and María

Good afternoon!

The weekend was full of activities for our girls! Between Saturday and Sunday, the girls divided their free time between tennis, meditation, sandwich club and a trip to Montreux’s Christmas market.

Much love,

Terri, Sarah and Maria.

Good afternoon,

This weekend Amaliya went to Paris to visit the Mona Lisa and The Louvre, enjoy the views from the Tour Eiffel and eat lots of Pain au chocolat.

À bientôt 👩🏼‍🍳

Terri, Sarah and María.

Christmas is the best season to give back. We are aware of how privileged we are and we want to help those in need. This year we are bringing joy and happiness to children in Ukraine and Moldova.

Thank you to everyone who donated and participated wrapping the boxes.

Much love,

Terri, Sarah and María

Good afternoon!

Last Wednesday Luisa, Defne and Darina participated in a volleyball tournament in Leysin. They finished in second position. Congratulations 🥳🥳

Much love,

Terri, Sarah and Maria.

Good afternoon everyone!

Another weekend has passed by and our girls have enjoyed different activities.

Coco, Bice, Sara, Sayuri and Rin enjoyed a lovely Friday afternoon playing Badminton; Amaliya attended horse riding on Saturday; and Sofiia, Anastasiia, Samira, Anna and Yvonne did some Tennis.

In addition, this weekend we had the chance to do a very different and funny activity: laser tag. Skyler, Sally, Joslyn, Ingrid and our House Tutor María had a lot of fun playing against some of the Villa du Lac girls (and we won!!).

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah and María

Good morning everyone,

On Wednesday we celebrated Rei’s birthday with all the girls in the house. In exchange, Rei bought the girls some chocolate to enjoy during the house assembly.

We hope you had an amazing day xx

Much love,

Terri, Sarah and Maria

Good evening everyone:

The girls spent this sunny but cold weekend doing some activities around campus, before going to Geneva on Saturday. Most of the girls attended Sandwich Club, where they ate some delicious sandwiches made by Miss Sarah.

Our two Prefects, Rei and Sara, did a escape room with the rest of the Prefects and Justin Usher, the boarding director.

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah and María.

Good evening everyone!

Yesterday we celebrated Halloween with a particularly spooky dinner and costume party, where our girls let their imagination run wild and chose some amazing costumes!

Darina and Rin dressed up as two sad girls looking for some candy.

Defne was wearing a costume inspired in the movie “The great Gatsby”

We were honoured to have Mr and Ms Bieber in the house last night portrayed by Roberta and Raquel.

Rei had matching costumes with Sofya from Vila du Lac and they’re dressed as Steve and Robin from Stranger Things.

And finally, Ingrid had an amazing vampire costume and also a really scary Raven named Edgar.

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah and María.

Good afternoon everyone!

We are very excited to welcome back our girls after the October break. We hope you had a lovely week and are ready for the second half of the term!

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah and María

We want to wish everyone a lovely October break!

Make the best out of the last bit of summer and look forward to the lovely autumn colors.

See you in one week! Enjoy your well-deserved holidays!

-The New Portena Team

Good evening everyone!

This weekend the girls have been doing lots of activities!

Coco, Bice, Sayuri, Skyler, Sara and Rin did some badminton, Darina played volleyball and Taisiia, Nastia, Sofiia and Samira had an amazing tennis game.

In the afternoon some of them went to Geneva and, as well as doing some pre-Holliday shopping, they also visited an art gallery.

Much love Terri, Sarah, María and Marie.

Good morning everyone!

On Saturday, Roberta Luisa and Rei went on a day trip to Fribourg, where they visited the Art and History Museum. Once the visit was over, they had a few hours to explore the city and do some shopping (and even climb a hill).

Much love Terri, Sarah, María and Marie

Boring Thursday night? More like board games night!

Last Thursday we had an incredible Monopoly game going on in New Portena where Ingrid, who was slowly building a huge hotel empire, won the game for no one’s surprise.

Much love Terri, Sarah, María and Marie

Good evening!

Today Darina, Luisa and Defne participated in a volleyball tournament and guess what… Their team won both games they played! We are really happy and extremely proud! Congrats!

Much love Terri, Sarah, María and Marie

Good evening everyone!

This weekend, Roberta, Amaliya, Defne I, Manueala and Darina went to Disneyland, the weather was amazing and so were the rollercoasters!

Bice and Coco went to Annecy and meanwhile, back at the house, a lot of cooking and baking happened, we made an art collage and the girls joined many activities including baking, cooking, stretching, bodyshaping and the club the Sound of Soul

We‘re looking forward to next weekend!

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, María and Marie

Hello everyone,

Yesterday we celebrated Venüs’ birthday with all the girls in the house. We hope you had an amazing day xx

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, María and Marie

Hello everyone,

Today we had the pleasure of welcoming some of the girls teachers to the house. They had the opportunity to get to know the place where they live and study, meet their housemates and chat a bit (and even play some board games as Jenga and Uno!)

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, María and Marie

Good evening everyone!

This weekend, our girls attended a myriad of activities. Darina and Defne did Volleyball, Sally, Skyler and Carina attended the cooking class, Samira, Sofiia and Anastasiia baked macarons, Ingrid went climbing and Amaliya did horseback riding.

Grade 10 also attended a 5 minute night time meditation for the well being pillar healthy bodies healthy minds.

much love,

Terri, Sarah, María and Marie

Today we were informed that Rei has been accepted into CDL‘s National Honor Society (NHS), we are extremely proud of her!

-Terri, Sarah, María and Marie

This Wednesday and Thursday, the New Portena team organised another cooking activity in the theme of the first pillar « heathy bodies, healthy minds »

We made egg sandwiches, carrot soup, granola bars and smoothies.

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, María and Marie

Hello everyone,

Last night we enjoyed a lovely pancake night made by Sarah. The girls were really excited as they got to spend time together eating and chatting.

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, Maria and Marie

Hello everyone,

As every weekend, we had lots of activities to enjoy!

Amaliya joined her weekly horse riding lesson; Coco and Sara attended the Munich Philarmonica Orchestra’s concert in Geneva;  Rei, Ana and Coco did meditation; Luisa, Yvonne, Anna, Sofiia, Samira and Anastasiia baked apple pastries, and many of the girls visited the rainy Geneva on Saturday for some lunch and shopping.

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, María and Marie.

This weekend we celebrated Cherry’s birthday.

After a lovely lunch in Geneva, the girls came back to surprise Cherry with a cake and all the best wishes!

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, María and Marie.

Hello everyone!

Tonight Luisa and Manuela got the chance to try a traditional Portuguese dish called “Bifana”, made with pork, onion, tomato sauce and bread.

Next week, we will be cooking Italian food!

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, María and Marie

A nice relaxing evening playing a variety of card games in our cozy living room.

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, María and Marie.

Hello everyone!

Tonight we had a small cooking session in the theme of the first pillar “Healthy body and mind”. Together we made granola bars, avocado on toast and banana/avocado smoothies!

We ended the night with a 5-minute meditation session to ensure a good night rest zzz…

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, María and Marie

We are now approaching the third week of delivering the first pillar of our wellbeing programme in our Boarding Houses – ‘Nurturing Healthy Bodies and Minds’. 

Throughout this pillar we will be ensuring our students understand the importance of taking care of our bodies and our minds in our day to day lives. Furthermore, we will be highlighting sport participation, sleeping patterns, nutrition and relaxation methods, as sub topics. With the students, we will discuss and discover how all these could play a key role in maintaining a healthy balance.

This week we will be asking the students how a healthy balanced diet can help with sports performance, as well as academic performance, brain development and growth. We will show the videos below to the students.

Timur and Antoni are the student wellbeing advocates for our Boarding House and they will be presenting in our wellbeing session again this week. They will be sharing their experiences and answering a range of questions regarding the importance of good nutrition for sports and everyday life.

Nutrition is key to sports performance | Ohio State Medical Center – YouTube

Nutrition for a Healthy Life – YouTube

Here our some recent photos of some healthy dishes that we have served to our students in the Dining room. Please feel free to visit the Dining at CDL Blog Page following this link: https://blogs.cdl.ch/diningatcdl/

Hello everyone,

As always, the weekend was filled with activities. Cherry and Luisa joined the lake cleaning, Venüs, Anastasiia, Samira, Sofiia and Anna baked muffins, Rei joined the running club and many of our girls visited Geneva to do some shopping and enjoying amazing meals.

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, María and Marie

Hello everyone!

Our 11 and 12 girls went to Verbier to enjoy a sunny and funny weekend in the mountains.

We arrived on Friday, and our girls had some free time to have dinner and discover the city.

Today Skyler, Sally, Joclyn, Roberta, Ingrid and Amaliya visited Lausanne as it was a bank holiday in the canton of Geneva. It was a lovely sunny day and the girls enjoyed some shopping and the amazing food Lausanne had to offer!

Happy birthday Sara and Rin! <3

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, María and Marie

Today was House Competition day, the day we discovered our girls’ competitive side 😀

It was a close call, but unfortunately Villa du Lac won by 3 small points, however, it is safe to say that is was a win regarding team spirit!

  Continue reading →

Good afternoon everyone,

The weekend isn’t over yet, but our girls have attended many activities already!

On Saturday, Amaliya went horseriding, Luisa joined the running club, Ingrid went climbing, Skyler played beach volley,  almost half of our girls joined us baking cheesecakes and Joclyn made some beautiful pictures during the photography activity.

Most of the girls also visited Geneva yesterday which included a lot of shopping and delicious meals!

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, María and Marie

Good evening everyone,

Last Wednesday we had a formal dinner, the food was delicious and the girls looked amazing!

Tonight, some of the girls cooked their own food and afterwards we had a movie night with popcorn! We’re looking forward to the weekend which is filled with all sorts of activities and … the first house sports competition of the year!

Much love,

Terri, Sarah, María, Marie

Thursday night is games night!

During Scrabble, one of our competitive girls Ingrid ended up in a rather challenging position…

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, María and Marie

All of our girls arrived!
Last night we had our first house meeting during which we did a small quiz to break the ice and get the know each other.

Today, they had their first day of school and some of the girls will join their first activity tonight!

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, María and Marie

0Tubing video

Today, Luisa, Roberta and Skyler joined us for some lake (and on shore) activities, the day started cloudy but thankfully skies cleared up after the girls came out of the water! Afterwards, we had a lovely brunch with the whole boarding family 🙂

(Click on “tubing video” to see one of the lake activities)

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, María and Marie

Hello everyone!

It has been a pleasure to welcome all of the new girls.

This weekend’s focus has been on getting to each other and the surroundings of the school. Our new girls Skyler, Ingrid, Luisa, Roberta and Amaliya have attended many activities including visiting Versoix and the chocolate factory Favarger, a movie night and a wonderful tour in Geneva this Saturday.

Lots of love,

Terri, Sarah, María and Marie

Welcome back to those who are returning and a very warm welcome to those who are new in this adventure!

We are very happy to receive you in your home away from home.

Within our team we have two wonderful House Tutors, two House Parents and an activity leader who will come every evening to organize different activities with the girls.

Together with the entire boarding community we are looking forwards to this wonderful year ahead of us.

Welcome to the New Portena family!

With love,

Terry, Sarah, Maria and Marie.

The girls are gone and the house is closed, Thank you all for being part of the New Portena family this year it has been such a wonderful journey!!

best of luck next year and have a great summer holiday!!!

lots of love,

The New Portena team

xxxxx

Everybody in the house had a lot more fun than they thought they would at our super fun end of year party in concha. All the boarders were there, we had ice cream, laser tag and a variety of fun water and inflatable activities.

It was a lovely way to cool off in the heat and take a well deserved break from all the studying that has been happening over the weekend.

lots of love,

The New Portena team

xxx

Happy Birthday to this legend, we hope you have a lovely day and year

lots of love,

The New Portena Team

xxx

Tonight we held the final house meeting where everyone would be present. We wanted to make it a special one to remember. Ms. Emily created a video collage of some our best moments. We also asked parents to send a little message or video for the students to say thank you for the year. It was very nice moment and any tears were shed.

We hope we enjoy our video collage.

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Lots of love,

The New Portena Team

It was a quiet weekend here at New Portena the majority of our girls were away for the long weekend including Maria, Defne and Venus who joined me on the school trip to Copenhagen which was very busy and a lot of fun, we saw the little mermaid, the Palace and Tivoli to name a few.

Some of the girls who stayed enjoyed a trip to Montreux and activities such as biking and Tennis.

Lots of Love,

The New Portena Team

xxx

Happy Birthday Samira!!!

I hope you had a lovely day sweetheart!

lots of love,

The New Portena Team

xxx

We threw a water fight and ice cream party. The girls had a fantastic time and cooled off on the hot summer day. Here are a few captured moments from the day. Enjoy!

Lots of love,

The New Portena Team

xxx

With the temperatures rising and the grey skies clearing our lovely ladies have been doing their best to stay out of the sun and in the shade of the trees.

We had some fun activities like nature walk, baking, sound of soul, art club and molli did a 10k run! Carina participated in the community clean up, thankfully there was shade!

Lots of Love,

The New Portena Team

xxx

During our weekly house meeting today we spoke to the girls about binge drinking  the dangerous effects of  alcohol. We played this informative video and would like to share it with you.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_N24LAHcu1I

Lots of love,

The New Portena Team

xxx

Really pleased I got to see Maria, Defne and Zoya in action playing volleyball against Old Portena today!

The girls boarding beach volleyball tournament has begun now that the weather has started to get warmer and the sun is shining and I’m happy to say New Portena won their first game.

Old Portena played a very good game there is lots of talent and I can’t wait to see how the tournament unfolds!

Lots of love,

The New Portena Team

xxx

A lovely sunny Sunday nature walk with some lovely students by the lake.

lots of love,

The New Portena Team

x

Some of the girls went on a lovely boat excursion this weekend to Yvoire and had a lovely time.

lots of love,

The New Portena Team

xxx

Happy Birthday to our lovely Defne we hope you have the most wonderful day!! You are such a gem to have in the house and we really appreciate your presence.

lots of love,

The New Portena Team

This weekend our girls participated in a range of activities like tennis, badminton, nature walks, art and baking.

A few of our girls also volunteered to take score at the volleyball tournament held in CDL this weekend.

Lots of Love,

The New Portena Team

xxx

Coming back from the holidays, we were all tired, but happy to be home. I had a great time in Paris with some friends and visited a few museums. We went shopping and spent a lot of time walking around the city. Even though, as an IB student, I had a lot of work to do for school and a few exams, I still tried to have some fun before going back to studying. I’m a bit scared, but happy to be back at the boarding house and at school.

Sara Slaj, IB1

Boarding is officially open!

We’re excited to welcome back our girls and hear all about their holiday adventures.

Lots of Love,

The New Portena Team

xxx

All the girls are off on their holiday adventures and we hope that you can all enjoy spending time with your family.
See you all in two weeks after the spring break !

lots of love,

The New Portena Team xxx

Happy Birthday to our lovely Sofiia, dance icon and future fashion designer.
19 is a big age and we are so proud you go into your first choice university to do an art foundation!!

lots of love,

The New Portena team

xxx

Our girls participated in a variety of activities this weekend that they really enjoyed.

There was a relaxing visit to the spa.

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A few girls went to the chocolate festival and sampled some Swiss chocolate.

Other girls went on a beautiful nature walk.

Lots of love,

The New Portena team

xxx

Happy Birthday to out resident superstar, we hope you’ve had the most amazing day !!!

lots of love,

The New Portena Team x

The girls had a lovely weekend where they went to Chamonix ice cave, Nature walk, tennis and cooking.
They were also able to enjoy the warming weather to study outside for the warming spring season.

lots of love,

the New Portena team xx

This is a picture from the exhibition of art for grade 12. The artworks that are showcased and which I am working on in AP are focused to portray childhood and telling a story of my brother living with an invisible friend. I was able to work with different mediums and techniques like digital art apps, charcoal, and monoprints and that made the overall process exciting.

I see art as a great way for people to express themselves, that is why I decided to take up this AP course. It also was a great opportunity for me to make my ideas real and create anything I wanted.

When my artworks were showcased I was worried if they would look good enough in front of others, but it made me realize how everyone is different and tells a unique story which makes it more interesting. I was also proud of having the opportunity I haven’t experienced before.

In the future, I am planning to do many more artworks using other techniques as well as and I am very excited about that.

Lots of love,

Sofiia Baran

Our lovely Sofiia had her AP art show this evening with some pieces about childhood and imaginary friends 🥰

We are so proud of you Sofiia and I had a great time at the art show.

lots of love,

The New Portena Team xxx

Pillar 4 Online Safety- Think Before You Post youtu.be

Our lovely Sabine and Sara led our meetings using the above video and poster

A few of our girls were lucky enough to receive tickets for a lovely classical concert on Friday evening, with the lead solo violinist from Ukraine and with the artistic leadership of the world-renowned violinist Renaud Capuçon. The concert took place at Victoria Hall in Geneva.

The girls said they had an amazing time at the concert and treated themselves to some Starbucks.

Lots of love,

The New Portena Team,

xxx

Mary competed in a badminton completion this weekend and came in 3rd place.

We are incredibly proud.

Lots of love,

The New Portena Team

xxx

We had a fantastic game night this week. A couple of the girls brought out different types of cards and taught each other how to play different card games from different countries.

Lots of love,

The New Portena Team

xxx

Happy Birthday Defne!

Lots of love,

The New Portena Team

xxxxx

During the boarding assembly this evening Kate and Kseniia gave a powerful presentation about the importance of peace and friendship regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Kseniia’s photograph featuring Kate is a collaboration between two friends urging everyone to come together, portrays the media silence in Russia and shows the connection between the two countries.

We are very proud of these two girls and they did an amazing job.

lots of love,

The New Portena Team

xxx

Our first international dinner after coming back was a delicious Senegalese meal, thank you so much it was wonderful!

Lots of love,

the New Portena team

xxx

After a lovely week of rest and skiing for some we’re happy to welcome the girls back to the house!

We are so excited to have everyone start coming back and can’t wait for the house to be full again.

lots of love,

The New Portena team x

Our next pillar is online safety below are the takeaway points for this pillar

1) Cyberbullying

The word “addiction” has a big meaning behind it. Research is inconclusive on whether it’s truly accurate when it comes to digital device use. What’s certain, however is when we use our apps, the companies are profiting from it. Most of the apps we use are designed to keep us hooked. What is the right balance?

lots of love,

the New Portena team xxx

As part of our friendship wellbeing pillar, a few girls painted some rocks to symbolise what friendship means to them.

“In the cookie of life friends are chocolate chip”

Have an amazing break and gets lots of rest.

Lots of love,

The New Portena Team

xxx

The beginning of crochet art club at new portena joined by some of the kids from champs des bois.

we had lots of fun painting and relaxing as well as finding out Carina is a natural at crochet !

lots of love,

The New Portena team xx

Our girls participated in a range activities this weekend.

Coco, Defne, Sara and Sabine had an amazing day on the slopes.

Molli and Rei enjoyed a lovely nature walk and a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Carina, Maria and Samira learned how to make frittatas in their cooking class.

Lots of love,

The New Portena Team

xxx

The Power of a Balanced and Healthy Friendship

Friendships are vital for our wellbeing and in them we create some of the most powerful bonds we can experience throughout our existence. But with that term, which is friendship, there come many broad meanings to it, that can mean different things to different people. Our overall being can impact the way we view and experience that friendship. Most of the typical friendships are formed through:

• People you know and with who you have a mutual affection.
• A sense of connection, companionship, support, and understanding.
• Sharing time, experiences, and confidences.
• Give and take such that sharing is, perceived to be a two way street.

Benefits of Healthy Friendships

Connecting with other people is one of the most urgent impulses of us humans. With examples of life experience and research, having a life with the inclusion of friends helps makes us better adjusted in life. Having healthy friends helps to deal against negative mental health outcomes. Friendships improve our confidence and self-worth, help us cope with serious life events or trauma like break-ups, illness, or losing a job, improve our feeling of belonging and encourage us to avoid unhealthy behaviors or change them when it comes to numeros things in life.

Toxic or Unhealthy Friendships

While close friendships often serve in order to bring usz positive, protective, and healthy feelings, some friendships can have the opposite effect causing antagonism, conflict, and inequality in ourselves and the overall friendship. These relationships are considered toxic, unhealthy for our us. Examples of toxic friendships include:

• Encouraging harmful behavior.
• Having an unbalanced relationship or a relationship that’s a one-way street (all give, no take or all take and no give)
• Continuing to think and repeatedly talk about shared worries, wounds, or challenges, with no solution or alleviation.

Tips for Supporting Friends

• Connect Regularly ( message or even a simple call)
• Share your own struggles in order to make them like they have someone.
• Know when they need help
• Take care of yourself ( Don’t forget to also take care of yourself while supporting your friend)

NOURISH YOUR FRIENDSHIPS !

The boarders all went to Crans Montana this weekend for a lovely little getaway.
The girls had fun skiing and snowboarding, they enjoyed the town of Crans Montana and the city of Sion as well as an escape room!

we can’t wait to go back in March!

lots of love,

The New Portena Team x

We are now in the second week of our third well being pillar which focuses on boundaries.

Our girls enjoyed a range of activities this weekend.

Taisiia and Kate played a few rounds of tennis.

Zoya enjoyed a game of volleyball and her skills are very impressive.

Carina went to an escape room and was doing equations without a calculator.

Maria and Molli had an amazing time on donuts in the snow.

lots of love

The New Portena team

xxx

Rei, Sara and Sabine all received academic awards for having achieved high honours for the last semester.

 
We are all very proud of them.

Lots of love,

The New Portena Team xxxx

After a long week of school we are all incredibly excited to welcome everyone back for a new year and semester.

Everybody enjoyed their fun weekend activities from skiing to wood crafting.

lots of love,

The New Portena Team

x

We are very happy to welcome a new addition to New Portena house. This is Maria-Clara and we all look forward to getting to know her.

lots of love,

The New Portena Team

xxx

We can’t wait to welcome our girls back and hear all about their holidays.

lots of love,

The New Portena Team xxx

Happy Birthday to our resident photographer! We hope you have the most amazing day!

lots of love,

The New Portena Team x

From all of us at New Portena we wish you a happy holiday season and a refreshing holiday and we look forward to welcoming you back in the new year. It has been a wild year filled with lots of learning and joy ❤️
We will miss you girls a lot and hope you enjoy the time you can spend with your family and friends!

lots of love,

The New Portena Team xx

Bice, Sara and Sabine enjoyed a well deserved day of relaxation at Le bains blu spa.

We got all dressed up and attended the annual boarding Christmas dinner.

The venue was beautifully decorated and the dinner was great.

We had a great time and can’t wait to do it all again next year xxxx

At new portena we love playing UNO after school to unwind. It’s our favourite game to play together and reminds us of when we used to use UNO to get to know each other at the beginning of the year.

lots of love,

The New Portena team x

We had our annual Christmas dinner and exchanged some gifts.


We all ate and were merry xoxo.

Shout out to our New Portena Super stars who received awards tonight Sayuri, Rei and Zoya for boarding life. Sakura(not pictured) Cora and Coco for their participation and effort in activities. Rei, Bice and Nastya for their hard work at school and their excellence in academics.

Lots of Love,

The New Portena Team x

Ms. Rym came to the house this weekend to give us a healing sound bath and a chance to relax.

Thank you! We and the girls are all very grateful!

lots of love,

The New Portena Team

x

Bice gave an astounding performance at our monthly Boarding Assembly.

We are so incredibly proud of her.
Lots of Love xxx

lots of love,

The New Portena Team x

Our lovely volunteers enjoying some hot Chocolate after decorating the Christmas Trees!

Lots of Love,

The New Portena Team x

It snowed this weekend and the girls were very excited.

Coco and Cora visited Gruyeres and the Cailler Chocolate Factory

Fun fact Coco is a descendant of Daniel Peter who is the inventor of milk chocolate at Nestlé.

Rei and Yvonne enjoyed a nature hike.

Happy thanksgiving from our New Portena family to you all.

Tonight we were all thankful for the chefs who prepared an amazing thanksgiving dinner.

Congratulations to our football champion Joelle !

Her team received 3rd place after a tournament in Lausanne today, she is really pleased and the trophy is on display in New Portena!

lots of love,

The new Portena Team

x

 
Lots of our girls were in Paris this weekend and having so much fun and we had some incredible painting with lights and nature walks with the others! Another fun weekend at New Portena!

lots of love,

the New Portena Team

This weekend was packed with fun activities.

Taisiia played some tennis on Saturday morning with a friend.

Bice, Joelle and Defne made some delicious tiramisu which they kindly shared with the house.

Sabine, Sara and Sayuri baked some delicious white chocolate chip and strawberry muffins with the Champs de Bois kids.

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happy Birthday Rei!!! Hope you had the most amazing day !

lots of love,

the New Portena team x

better together!

lots of Love,

The New Portena Team x