L ELAORBNAI LN C G GI T I Z E N S H I P
FOREWORD
A
s a proud attendee of every Bangkok Patana Residential, from the Year 2 sleepover to the final bittersweet Year 12 Residential, I can confirm that my school experience would not have been the same without them. We measured time by thinking of it in relation to the eagerly anticipated trip of the year: a way to have fun with friends, both old and new, in adventurous new settings. Because of this, Residential Visits have never failed to include memories that I’ll cherish, long after I graduate from Bangkok Patana. I remember the hustle and bustle of packing for my Year 3 Residential, fingers anxiously clutching a well-worn packing list. The weeks of excitedly deciding on roommates and allocating lists of who was going to bring which snack culminated in a uniquely unforgettable experience. The annual inevitable goodbyes to parents were hard at first but learning how to be independent is integral and Residentials are the perfect environment to cultivate this skill. As the years passed, though the number of Residentials experienced increased, the palpable buzz of anticipation never faded and the lessons I learned never ceased to fulfill me. Residentials also challenge you to push your limits, encouraging students to form new friendships in opportunities they wouldn’t have experienced elsewhere: as eagerly told in the following pages of this magazine. It was on Residential that I swam under a waterfall despite its daunting thunder, learned how to compost, took my first sleeper train ride and embarked on my first camping trip. I found that these moments, becoming friends with new people and coping with unexpected moments, shaped me as a person, moulding me into someone who constantly strives to better themselves by taking risks.
643 Lasalle Road (Sukhumvit 105) Bangna Tai, Bangna, Bangkok 10260 Thailand Tel: +66 (0) 2785 2200 Fax: +66 (0) 2785 2399 Email: reception@patana.ac.th www.patana.ac.th
Ling Ling on her Year 6 Residential Visit
Looking back on it all, every Residential holds fond memories and I can honestly say that it has, in addition to Bangkok Patana’s enriching academic program, broadened my perspectives. – Karnsiree (Ling Ling) Chen 13I
Editor: Shana Kongmun Tel: +66 (0) 2785 2200 Email: shkn@patana.ac.th Advertisement: Finn Balslev Tel: 081-866-2577 Email: finn@scandmedia.com
Design & Production: Scand-Media Corp., Ltd. Tel: +66 (0) 2943 7166-8 Fax: +66 (0) 2943 7169 www.scandmedia.com
Bangkok Patana Magazine is the termly publication of Bangkok Patana School published three times per year and distributed to 2,000 members of the School community. Reproduction of articles, artwork and illustrations by written permission only. 6 6
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