We enjoyed another opportunity to eat together in our Olympus Boarding House. It is a great way to bond and create a sense of community. Sharing dishes family-style encourages conversation and fosters a welcoming atmosphere. It’s an opportunity to try new foods and discover different cultural cuisines which this week was Thai. The social aspect of this communal dining makes it a highlight of the month.
In this weeks assembly we questioned the boys on whether they had friends from different countries. All the boys thankfully stated they had. This is an important part of being in a Boarding Community and making friends internationally.
“It is easy to make friends with people from the same place”
“Making friends with people from other countries has opened my eyes to different cultures”
“I came here to make friends internationally”
“My friends here, have become like my brothers- it doesn’t matter what country they are from”
“Its a waste of an opportunity to only stay with a group from your own country”
“It’s helped me improve my English”
Boarding schools are unique environments that offer students the opportunity to live, learn, and grow alongside their peers from all over the world. This diversity of backgrounds and cultures can be incredibly enriching for students, as it exposes them to new perspectives, ideas, and ways of life. However, in order for students to truly benefit from this diversity, it is important for them to actively seek out and form international friendships.
One of the most obvious benefits of international friendships is the opportunity to learn about different cultures. When students form friendships with peers from other countries, they have the opportunity to learn about their customs, traditions, and way of life. This can be especially valuable for students who may not have the opportunity to travel abroad or experience different cultures in their own communities.
Additionally, international friendships can help students develop important skills such as communication, empathy, and understanding. In order to form and maintain friendships with people from other cultures, students must learn to navigate linguistic and cultural differences. This can be challenging, but it can also be incredibly rewarding as it helps students develop the ability to communicate effectively with people from all over the world.
Furthermore, forming international friendships can also help students build a sense of global citizenship. When students form friendships with people from other cultures, they begin to see themselves as part of a larger global community. This can help them develop a sense of responsibility and empathy towards people from other cultures, which can be a powerful force for positive change in the world.
In conclusion, boarding school is a unique opportunity for students to live, learn and grow alongside their peers from all over the world. Making international friendships is a great way for students to benefit from this diversity and learn about different cultures, develop important skills and build a sense of global citizenship. Encourage students to actively seek out and form international friendships and make the most of this unique opportunity.
As we dive into Semester 2 we are all excited about what is to come. This week in our Welcome Back assembly we shared with the students all the opportunities open to them this upcoming semester. With everyone refreshed after the holidays, many have come back with new motivations and ambitions. We want to capitalise on this and help the students achieve their goals.
Every weekend we will of course have our normal multitude of activities available for the boys to choose from and we will continue to share this schedule with you each week so you can help motivate them.
We will also be having our two Mountain Weekends in Fiesch which is a new location for us and the weather promises some good snowfall before our arrival.
We had another House Dinner this week in which we got to enjoy some Indian food and ate together in Olympus.
Each week we will also continue to have our International Dinner to celebrate a different country and the diversity in our community.
We also have the trips to Barcelona and Rome this month and next.
This week also started us on Pillar 3 of the Wellbeing Programme where we will be focusing on Positive Friendships.
There is plenty to keep everyone entertained and active and we look forward to 2023.
This week Olympus came together to make a video on Pillar 2. There is a lot of diversity among us in the House. We come from a range of different countries and backgrounds. This gives us a variety of different beliefs, morals and values. At the beginning of the year, sometimes the differences between us are what are the most obvious. It takes time for us to get to know each other, show tolerance and openness. Once we do, we see we have similarities and things in common despite our differences.
We wanted to demonstrate this in a video to highlight how among Olympus there are still things we share in common and shared goals.
We continued the fun of the House Competitions with a Ginger Bread House Build.
From Olympus we had Nikita, Boris and Adam constructing ours. While all the other houses went for the traditional cottage build we wanted to go above and beyond and created a Mansion.
@thatboardingvibe Ginger Bread House Competition #thatboardingvibe #gingerbreadhouse #gingerbreadman #gingerbreadhousechallenge #boardingcompetition ♬ The Gingerbread House – Teresa Brewer
This week we had our Boarding Award Ceremony to celebrate some of the achievements made during 1st Semester. We acknowledged those in each House who showed outstanding enthusiasm, motivation, and involvement in the Boarding Activity program. We also had an award for Boarding Life, for those who exhibited all the qualities we would wish for in a global citizen and who are good role models through their actions within the boarding community.
Winning the Boarding Life award were James, Louis, Billy and Otabek. These boys are polite, respectful, and courteous to both their peers and staff. They are held in high regards within the House. They are happy and willing to assist the House Parents and often take on extra responsibilities within the house. They also willingly volunteer their time to help others and to participate in the Boarding House events.
From Olympus, winning the Activity Awards were Tim, Alexandre, Temur and Maksim. These boys enthusiastically participate in the afternoon activity schedule along with enjoying the sports facilities on offer during social time in the evenings. They also eagerly participate in the weekend program, taking advantage of the trips on offer or the activities offered.
We also acknowledged those boys who have done well academically this year and were proud that so many from Olympus were represented. Well done to Wenyan, Kaishu, Guanchen, Bruno and Adi
This week the students were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go to Europa Park. It is a very fun and magical place but even more so when decorated for Christmas.
