The weekend that just passed was the CDL Mountain Weekend for 2024. Our younger boarders went to Leysin while the oldest went to Crans-Montana. It was once again a weekend full of fun, thrills, and joy. The students went skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, ice skating, and a lot more. Some even visited the thermal baths. An unforgettable experience was created thanks to that. amidst the beautiful Leysin landscape. Along the various games and activities we also played this Mountain Weekend at CDL was perfect.

After a challenging first week of classes, the boarders were eager to make the most of the first weekend back on campus. With assignments and tests before and after the break, they took a break from their academic routines and embarked on a weekend filled with thrilling activities, pure enjoyment, snow, and an epic laser tag showdown that would set the tone for the new semester.

The snow and cold didn’t scare the students off having fun, maybe it being our first snowy week made them more excited.

To make our first week back together special yesterday we hosted our first house dinner in Olympus eating curry, having fun, and getting to catch up with one another as the students had so many stories to share from their wonderful holidays.

The food was naan bread, chicken curry, rice, vegetable samosas, and kheer for dessert.

Our students this week took part and celebrated one of Geneva’s most significant days. The night of the 11th of December is an important occasion because it celebrates the successful defence of the city from the Savoyards in 1602. The city defended itself against the warriors climbing up its walls, hence the name “l’Escalade” which means “the climb” in French. The breach of the city started at 4:30 am in the morning of the 12th and men and women went out on the streets with the soldiers and the militia to fight. Smashing a chocolate cauldron is important because it reminds people of the courage of la Mère Royaume who scalded a Savoyard soldier with her pot of soup. The defence ended up successful and we recounted its story together before the oldest and the youngest of our students smashed the cauldron.

We had Andrè who always likes telling us his stories recite the story about l’Escalade, which our students listened to with interest.

“Ainsi périssent les ennemis de la République!”  the oldest and the youngest person in the room, have to say as they smash the cauldron.

Our students gave it their all and made a gingerbread house to take part in the boarding competition. It was a challenge as our gingerbread cookies had all been broken by the time we managed to start making them. Yet still they persevered and tried their best to connect all the pieces and make it stand proving that when you try enough everything is possible.

It may not have been the biggest house or the most flamboyant decorated but it shows proudly the student’s efforts and that makes it the best one in our eyes. Congratulations to the Olympus boarders that tried and succeded on making it stand proud.

This weekend Geneva was home to the Course of the Escalade, a big event in Geneva. One of our boarders Jamil, had been training the whole school year for it, and he was extremely excited when he ran in it this Sunday. Congrats to Jamil, may his passion for running carry him far in life.

This weekend, as usual, our students engaged in a variety of enjoyable activities. They participated in horse riding, rock climbing, chess, history club, and tennis, all of which were a hit with our boarders. A major highlight was our trip to Montreux, where the students explored the stunning Swiss Riviera city, its festive Christmas market, and its rich musical heritage.

Additionally, two of our students proudly represented our school. One in a fencing tournament and another in the Escalade race.

Wednesday night was full of Christmas cheer as students and staff alike performed magnificently and sang Christmas songs for the boarding community. Congratulations to all the students who took part in it.

This Wednesday we had 5 of our boarders take part and represent the school in the inaugural match versus our sister school Champittet where the boys had a chance to meet and get to know the students of the other school.

It was a hard-fought match and with a score of 5:5 we made it to penalties. Champittet did come out triumphant with a 5:4 in penalties but our team performed incredibly well. The boys fought hard and fair and we (both teams) are eager to have round 2 on the CDL field.

The match still left both sides full of smiles.

Once again, Thanksgiving has graced us with its presence, and we gathered to celebrate this cherished occasion. Gratitude fills our hearts for the life we’ve built here, the wonderful friends who surround us, and the unique boarding family we’ve forged. Our Thanksgiving was nothing short of delightful, filled with the savory delights of turkey, potatoes, and a delectable array of pies.

Today, as we bask in the spirit of this special day, let us take a moment for introspection and a deep appreciation for the blessings we hold dear.

@thatboardingvibe

What a wonderful Thanksgiving #thatboardingvibe #thanksgiving #schooldinner #boardinglife #celebratingdiversity

♬ Happy Thanksgiving (The Thanksgiving Song) – Vasti Jackson