By Karim Azhari, Y11
The idea of going to a new school had never crossed my mind. I had always pitied the “poor” people who had to go through this terrifying change but never really thought of it further than that. Last summer, my parents announced that we were going to move to Switzerland; I was hereby confronted with these ideas which I had never thought of.
The change was sudden and unexpected. Leaving my home, friends, and country behind was awful, but the idea I dreaded the most was attending a new school with people I had never met. To be completely honest, the first day of school was terrifying. My heart started pounding every single time I had to enter a new class. It might have been my mind playing tricks on me, but I had the impression that everyone was staring and talking behind my back. As the days went by, however, I started getting used to being with all these new people, and I tried engaging in class conversations. After having been in the school for a few months, I noticed a few great things about LGB and some that were more challenging to get accustomed to.
To begin with, this school is extremely inclusive. Every person I met has different backgrounds, which I find very interesting and enriching; most people respect these various cultures from what I have seen so far. As a matter of fact, this was one of the main reasons I chose to attend this school. In addition, I was positively surprised by the way students and teachers interacted. I feel that teachers try to support students and have conversations with them rather than impose their authority. Lastly, the school offers a variety of extracurricular activities and clubs that we, as students, are welcome to take part in. This factor plays a major role in creating bonds, forging friendships, and bringing a cheerful spirit to the school community, which is why I instantly took this opportunity to sign up to a few clubs, including the LGB Express.
On the other hand, coming from the French Bac program, I thought that the IB was going to be an easier and less stressful system. However, I was shocked to find that the amount of tests and assignments we have to complete weekly is overwhelming and exceeded my expectations. I quickly discovered that time management is the base of success within the school, and that dedication, organization, and having a driven mindset are essential tools that are required from students.
In conclusion, the positive aspects of the school environment, which include the diversity of the school, the student-teacher relationship, and the wide range of extracurricular activities, attenuates the challenging curriculum that requires a significant amount of work and effort as well as the overall rigour of the program. Retrospectively, I realize that moving schools, although challenging, will in fact be a great opportunity; a chance to build new friendships in a new environment and learn from this new experience.
