THINK Global School Yearbook 2010-2011

THINK GLOBAL SCHOOL YEARBOOK

1

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 1

11/3/11 11:58 PM

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 2-3

11/3/11 11:58 PM

Favorite trimester: Stockholm Favorite city this year: Sydney Best WeXplore activity: Great Barrier Reef Favorite subject: Math (we don’t have a P.E. class) A new food that I ate: Yak Tongue Something new I have done: Sent a useless yearbook email to an uncle-in-law

Overall, i t A lot of p went much bette r than I rogress w ex as made each oth since Sto pected. Everybod er better ck y and get a not every long fine holm and all the was great. o n e e n . k j W ids got to oy Probably e know the most ed everything, ev learned new thi n e i g m r s y p b a o o n r d d t y an though always co g me in sec t few things I lea ave everything a r t o r n nd to the y e mouth (u group, yo d would be: You . se them

u a c have two cor chance a ears and nd a seco dingly), and give because one nd chanc EVERYT that’s ju HING a e, but no st silly. t a third

“In the end, it’s not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away.” - Shing Xiong

Favorite trimester: Sydney Favorite city this year: Sydney, Cairns, Dali, Lijiang Best WeXplore activity: Great Barrier Reef and Yunnan Favorite subject: Anthropology A new food that I ate: Yak tongue, yak, yak butter tea, yak cheese, yak cake– just a whole lotta yak!

Something new I have done: Accidentally explored Hong Kong at midnight! Been on an 11-hour plane ride next to a crying baby.

My first (almost) year at TGS was a lot different than I had expected – I hadn’t even expected to join halfway through! One of my earliest memories from TGS was arriving early on my first day to awkwardly greet everyone in their pajamas and then eat in the world, if you live with 14 other students for 3 months at a time, there is a good chance you’re crazy.

On a more serious note, I’ve learned that things like tolerance and empathy are great qualities to have and that being a bit of a quiet person sometimes has its benefits (e.g., never really saying anything to get on someone’s bad side). Great first year with TGS. Bring on year two!

Favorite trimester: Sydney Favorite city this year: Stockholm Best WeXplore activity: Crab-hunting, rock-climbing Favorite subject: Math A new food that I ate: Scorpion (gross but not that bad) Something new I have done: Dog-sledding!

I learned a lot. There’s a lot to mention. I basically learned every day, but the most important thing that I have learned is having an open mind, independence and humility.

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 4-5

The first year of TGS was amazing.

Even though it might sound hard to change your location every 3 months, each time you leave you just think how great the next place is going be and you just get used to it. Now I could never imagine staying in one place.

“I always tell the truth, even when I lie”

It was amazing. There were some hard times but all worked out well

at the end. Some of us have become

very close and some of us are more than just friends. It was a great experience in whole, and it’s also the best year I have ever had in my entire school life.

Favorite trimester: Sydney Favorite city this year: Sydney Best WeXplore activity: Kelly Hills Favorite subject: Global Studies A new food that I ate: Snake Something new I have done: I have to say the year in TGS was the best year of my life.

I did things I would never have done, I made many new friends and had lots of great experiences.

11/3/11 11:58 PM

Favorite trimester: Sydney Favorite city this year: Stockholm BEST WeXplore activity: Great Barrier Reef Favorite subject: Rock-climbing, diving in Sydney, fencing A new food that I ate: Yak Tongue Something new I have done: Dog-sledding!

The first year was great! It was a lot of

fun meeting new and familiar faces.

I do wish that we had a more active sports

program, though this year was a great start for TGS! The most important thing that I have learned from TGS is that flying alone is already an adventure in itself.

Favorite trimester: Stockholm Favorite city this year: All the cities have their own charm.

Best WeXplore activity: Great Barrier Reef, Great Wall of China Favorite subject: Haha, is this answer going to make anyone upset? I love Global Studies, but then Ambika’s Math classes were always amazing with her examples (Rebecca Black video, Liam’s Bathroom Schedule Graph). Spanish can’t be forgotten, especially with the Shakira dance by David and Alex. We get good books from World Literature. So...yeah, I’m going be “typical Charis” and say “I’m confused.”

A new food that I ate: Scorpion Something new I have done: What have I done in TGS that isn’t new? But I’ve never seen snow before, and my answer will have to be snow-shoeing in Åre (Sweden) with a temperature of -30 degrees Celsius.

This year has been incredible. I never would have expected to be able to do half the things we did before the idea of TGS found me, but I am so happy I came.

C RA BS FEA R M E! !

Favorite trimester: Stockholm Favorite city this year: Sydney Best WeXplore activity: Scuba Diving

Favorite subject: Global Studies A new food that I ate: Dumplings Something new I have done: Dog-sledding

Favorite trimester: Sydney Favorite city this year: Sydney Best WeXplore activity: Great Barrier Reef A new food that I ate: Shark Something new I have done: Abseiling down a waterfall

My first year of TGS was like a year of life changing. Everything I did changed me a bit and everything we experienced changed

our outlook.

Let’s say it’s been fun being the experimental hamster. When I look back, I find it amazing that I’ve formed this bond with a group of people I have never met before. I have done things I never thought I would get the chance to do. Doing them taught me to keep my eyes open for there is always something new to learn. I’ve also learned the importance of friendship and being true to yourself.

Traveling with TGS from Sweden to Australia to China was an adventure I would not forget. :) TGS_yearbook_11.indd 6-7

11/3/11 11:58 PM

Favorite trimester: Sydney Favorite city this year: Sydney Best WeXplore activity: Scuba Diving Favorite subject: Math A new food that I ate: Creepy white-filled bug cocoon Something new I have done: Touched a wild turtle I thought the first year was fully packed with ups and downs, mainly ups, though. It was full of happiness, sadness, bravery and embarrassment. For me I felt a huge game of tug-o-war between my old life back home in Vancouver and my new life with TGS and for this upcoming year. TGS has won. I think the most important thing I have learned is people are extremely different in every way and you just have to live with that whether you overlook those differences or just detach yourself from the person.

“Sssstrawberry sssstrudel.”

I thought it was a fun, relaxing start to this school!

It was an interesting year, experimenting with the academics and schedule. I really got to try to do new things (or got forced to), and with a little push (and sometimes a shove) from everyone in TGS, I found parts of myself I never knew existed, like the adrenaline junkie part of me. However, some things remained the same, such as my indifference to hiking.

I didn’t really like the first two trimesters because it was a bit unbalanced for artsy people like me, but all in all, it was a great year!

Favorite trimester: Beijing Favorite city this year: Stockholm Best WeXplore activity: Great Barrier Reef Favorite subject: World Literature A new food that I ate: Jellyfish Something new I have done: Scuba Diving

Through all the ups and downs of this school year, I’ve found that the victory is well worth the climb.

All the amazing classmates, speakers, teachers and other people I’ve met on the trips have made me realize that life isn’t all about getting good grades and being the perfect girl. It’s okay to make mistakes, just so long as you learn from them and do “better than before” next time. With all the unpredictability that’s become part of my life came adaptability.

Things might not go the way you planned, but you just have to improvise. Throughout the year, I’ve begun learning what I really want and who I am. If I had to choose one lesson, though, it is Joann McPike’s.

“Be quietly confident,” she said. “Sometimes, unspoken words give you more power than spoken ones.”

For me, that was the truest thing I’ve heard all year.

" If a man would move the world, he must first move himself. " - Socrates TGS_yearbook_11.indd 8-9

Favorite trimester: Stockholm for our unity Favorite city this year: Lijang, China Best WeXplore activity: Åre, Sweden. We were all just so close to each other, literally. I still feel the warm coziness of the lodge in my heart (corny, I know).

Favorite subject: Culture emersion, foreign communications and street smarts 101 A new food that I ate: Reindeer, jellyfish, Nomes’ amazing everything, Vegemite, yak tongue, scorpion Something new I have done: This year we’ve done thousands of new things. Many we might not have even noticed.

Living with strangers from around the world, making life friends within months, living away from my family for a long period of time, fencing, kayaking, snow-shoeing, team-building in the woods, cooking with my school in a beautiful botanical garden, kissing a Swede ;), being Ninja in a Swedish hostel, sitting in a hot tub in Åre, Sweden while it’s like 20 below, becoming a certified scuba diver, rock-climbing, canyoning, hiking, being tackled by my headmaster for a frisbee, abseiling, climbing the Great Wall, bargaining in a Chinese market, being called beautiful by total strangers, dancing in Chinese clubs, losing my patience more than I’ve lost my phone :D, cycling in a mini rave room, playing basketball with migrant children, Tai Chi, dragonboating, six-inch heels with inch-and-a-half platforms, performing to Bohemian Rhapsody. Like I said, thousands of new things I’ve done. I’ve done more this year than most people have done in their lifetime. I still can’t fully comprehend how lucky and blessed I am.

“Draw a crazy picture. Write a nutty poem. Sing a mumble-gumble song, Whistle through your comb. Do a loony-goony dance ‘Cross the kitchen floor, Put something silly in the world that ain’t been there before.”

- Shel Silverstein

“I’m so tired right now I’m too lazy to fall asleep.”

This first year with THINK Global School has been anything but mediocre I must say. Never a dull moment in TGS. In the beginning I thought TGS was the best school in the world. I still do but for different reasons.

Before I went on that plane to Stockholm I thought, I’m going to be traveling the world with new best friends at 15 without my parents. This is going to be the life! Now that this year has gone by I realize it is the best school in the world because it takes children from all over the world and drops them into the culture of their neighbors from all over. It challenges everything you’ve stood for, changes things you never realized needed to be altered and makes you grow in ways you had no idea were even here in the first place.

It’s what also makes it one of the hardest schools out there. THINK Global School doesn’t just prepare you for college and tools to acquire a job, no.

TGS teaches how to live. I think the most important things I’ve learned in TGS are that the way you view yourself will not be the same way people see you, and I’m okay with that now. I learned that stereotypes are a dangerous thing still lurking in the minds of countless humanoids. I learned how to try not taking things too seriously. I learned that people can change and turn into something ugly very quickly so watch out. I learned so many things about myself but I think the biggest one is that I realized people truly care for me and that I’m loved.

Oh, and another big thing I learned about myself is that I really like hugs :) TGS Year One was, dare I say it, AWESOME. It will remain forever a fond memory close to my heart.

11/3/11 11:58 PM

my This has been the fastest year of the life, maybe because I spent half of year flying, and the most important coming thing I’ve learned this year... well, U.S. from a small Midwestern city in the lot to you can easily infer that I had a d learn about the world. I also learne ple an incredible amount about the peo l you, who live there as well. Let me tel from Sweden and China are quite different find the U.S. in many ways. What I did love for was that Swedes shared the same nese coffee as Americans do and the Chi and agree that KFC is amazing. Count me my family out on that last comment.

Favorite trimester: Sweden Favorite city this year: Stockholm because it was easy to get around, had everything you need, very artsy and welcoming. I also enjoyed Sydney because of the extremely happy feel to it. Everyone was super cool and seemed to want to help you with anything you needed. And the tall buildings!

Favorite trimester: Stockholm, Beijing Favorite city this year: Stockholm, Beijing Best WeXplore activity: Hans Rosling, Wrists for rights Favorite subject: Creative Arts A new food that I ate: Jellyfish, Yak tongue Something new I have learned: How important empathy really is. We need empathy to be able to understand each other. We simply need it to make a good friend.

Something new I have done: Ridden a donkey

Best WeXplore activity: In educational terms, a tie between Gotland and Kangaroo Island. For fun, another tie between Åre, which was the most relaxing week of my life, and the Great Barrier Reef because it was beautiful, extremely exhausting and extremely rewarding. All the scuba diving lessons paid off for that spectacular moment!

Favorite subject: Too hard to say! This school was built to have an amazing Global Studies class as you can imagine, and Andrew is awesome! Math caught up with my expectations this year. It took a while but now we have Ambika, and she, in my opinion, fits perfectly with this school. Brad could easily get us to broaden our minds and give us different perspectives on anything that happens in this world. In my opinion he’s quite a philosopher as well. Marta has a way with teaching whatever subject she pleases. At first I thought she was only good at teaching Spanish but when she had to substitute for other subjects, I was further impressed. I have to admit Mandarin was quite fun as well. It was much easier to learn it in China, though.

A new food that I ate: Scorpion. I know you probably hear this comparison a lot

for many other foods but the

truth is it tasted like chicken.

Something new I have done:

Rappelling down a 30-meter

waterfall isn’t something

I’ve done before, or probably won’t get the chance to

do again.

Favorite trimester: Sydney Favorite city this year: Sydney Best WeXplore activity: Yoga Favorite subject: Math A new food that I ate: Every single spicy thing that we had plus a starfish, a small shark, a scorpion, a snake and fried ice cream Something new I have done: Talk to girls.

The first year at TGS was a big change in my life.

I enjoyed the whole experience of traveling and learning from each other, living as one big family so much.

We have been to the places and we have done things that most of the world could not even dream of.

I am proud of being a TGS student. A big thanks to everyone who made this year how it was.

10

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 10-11

11/3/11 11:58 PM

ay from home

Two happy girls far aw

Sweden, me

et Holland

Group photo!

(The first of 3,629)

and Baham

as

Sweden here we come Thailand

Yeah. We’re on Sw edish TV. (Unfortunately w e don’t know wha t they are saying ab out us)

has arrive

d

My new best friend

-E. -E-S-O-M -W A is d... one This ph ail that to Bra -m e Now

Apples. Ready and ripe

Look, it’s “Blonde-proofed” One happy TGS_yearbook_11.indd 12-13

Russian

13

11/3/11 11:58 PM

SWEDEN 13th SEPTEMBER - 9th DECEMBER

When I think of a Swede I would think of a tall, blond Viking that speaks gibberish. Well, the Swedes are much different than barbaric beasts.

The Swedish live in a rich culture that is based around being polite and social. They aren’t the most sensitive people, unlike the Netherlands. The nightlife in Stockholm is busy and full of life. I’d say I hear more noise outside at night than in the day. -Willem

Swedes are the people who are the citizens of Sweden. Their language is awesome, they talk in their language very fast. It’s amazing that most of the people in Sweden can speak English, because not every country can speak English. But one thing I notice about them is: if you go to someone’s house, you have to remove your shoes or sandals before entering.

Sometimes I wonder if that is part of their culture. - Mavis

14

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 14-15

.. . y a ld o o h c S t s r i F

15

11/3/11 11:59 PM

Yes, we haven’t met face to face. However, I wouldn’t be sitting here in Sweden full of expectations, excitement and happiness waiting to meet you if it wasn’t for an inspiration of love.

Yes, TGS will succeed. What comes from pure love has to be successful. I can’t think of a more pure form of love than that of a mother towards her child. Alex, this is a gift for you.

Yet, I’m also a recipient of that gift. Each one of us here is, and plenty more will be. As the years go by, hundreds will be entrusted with this gift of love to carry on through generations to come.

To the 15 young adults I haven’t met but who have already changed my life.

I always wanted six children. I really did! Life didn’t give me children that were mine. Instead, it has given me the honor to meet, and learn, from the children of others.

You all come to us for we are your teachers. Yet the reality is that you will teach us as much as we can teach you. You will lead us with your passion. You will remind us of what it is to see the world at your age. Such a privilege – the unique view of young eyes filled with hope, energy, future....

We will grow with you as much as you will with us. This symbiotic relationship will take us beyond our wildest dreams. It will open doors we never suspected were there. Together, we will find a way to bring the world together, to cherish in our differences, to develop our understanding and empathy towards every other person we meet along the way.

If we as teachers are successful, you will stop needing us and will head out on your own. Our triumph is your independence. The ability to understand that you are now capable of teaching yourselves. You will have learned there are no limits, and you will help others reach their highest potential and aspirations.

It is with deep respect and humility that I await you and prepare to show you a path. I stand with my machete in hand for our path will take many twists and turns brought by each of your unique insights and visions.

The fifteen of you are the passengers. There wouldn’t be a voyage without you.

You give meaning to what I am here to do. You are the real leaders behind this adventure we are all about to begin.

- Marta

16

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 16-17

17

11/3/11 11:59 PM

Who are we and what are we supposed to do? by Alex

The answer to these questions is not something that anybody should take lightly – the day that somebody truly has found the answer – and I’m not saying there is an answer because in all likelihood there isn’t. But if it were so that a person could happen to have an answer, he would most probably be considered to have transcended human thought. And although I truly believe that there will never be one true answer to this question, some people will always disagree and believe they have it all figured out.

But truly if there was a point to life, or even a clear outline, it would take away from the experience of being human. Being human is making mistakes, experimenting, setting goals for yourself, carving out your own path, etc. And while you cannot win at life (life is most definitely something that we all lose eventually), you can’t really lose either because if you could “win” at life and if life had a set and predetermined goal and that goal was attained, what would be the point of living once you reached that goal? What would happen once you reached that goal? Would life have a point at all any longer? Truly I would have to say that if there were some supernatural, benevolent force in the world – I can’t say what, but if such a thing existed – the reason that it has not enlightened us or given us everything that we’ve asked for is because, if it had, life would have no meaning. There would be nothing to strive for, to work for. There would be no sense of accomplishment. In general, I believe that what we are supposed to do is exactly what we end up having done once we are finally gone.

It is good to set goals for yourself. I agree we should always have something to strive for, but the amazing thing is that personal goals and human goals – not goals bestowed upon us by some greater being – are goals that can be accomplished and ones that can always get larger and more absolutely insane. Which is what I believe we should do with the school and our lives in general and as a species. We should set our own goals. We can believe in a greater good o r being – hell, I am a Christian – but, still, if we were to be given a goal by this being we could probably achieve it. We are human, but we still have to ask then what? We are humans. We apparently cannot comprehend a greater goal than one bestowed upon us by some divine force. And we can never stop moving forward, so in that way I don’t think that any of us need, or should want, a higher goal than the ones set by ourselves for ourselves. Who knows you and your capabilities better than you do or, some may argue, God?

So with this school I strongly believe that what we must do should be determined by us for us. Just like our lives, we should aspire to do something great. What that is you may decide because I cannot tell you what great is. What’s great for one person is most definitely not great for another.

And I also believe that the question, “What are we supposed to do?” is not something we should have one answer for as a species but something that we should answer on a personal basis.

But the amazing part is that the answer to the original question, “Who are we?” is what in many cases, if not all, will determine the answer to the second question because who we are decides what we are supposed to do, or in some cases even want to do. In relation to the school, this means that the goals that we make or even set for ourselves should be determined not by one person or group of individuals but by each individual person. Because the school or any idea in general is exactly what you make it out to be. An idea can be interpreted in many more ways than any of us could ever imagine. But this being said, we should also have a clear set of goals for our group in general that we set for ourselves – all of us together – because we are the school in some small way. And that allows us to set goals for the school as a whole, because the school is all of us put together. As individuals we are only small, unimportant parts, but together we truly are the school. And what we are determines what we are supposed to do, and what we are supposed to do should be reflected in what we become.

All 15 pairs of eyes are on Jens Honore as he talks about what they will be learning today. “Yesterday we saw the technical aspects of photography. Today we will talk about composition, light and storytelling.”

Together with photographer Jens Honore, I had the pleasure of spending a week with the students, the teachers and the founders. I was invited to teach and introduce the absorbfriendly young minds to the power of the visual media, and how to think conceptually when taking pictures.

Armed with iPhone cameras and curiosity, the 15 students, Jens and I entered the universe of abstract thinking and taught each other how to observe everyday objects from new creative angles. And I must say that I am impressed with their ability to absorb and understand symbolism in pictures, as well as the technical aspect of photography. Their curiosity and team spirit made it a lot of fun, and it once again proves to me that you learn faster when you’re in an inspiring environment among other open-minded and motivated people.

Yes, a good photographer is a storyteller. He or she will have one shot. It is the art of telling a story – written with plenty of words in a book, with one perfect shot that speaks for itself.

What homework do you have after learning about photography?

In pairs, go out into the world. Shoot pictures that represent beauty, power and greed for you. Come back and present them to the class.

Yes, we will evaluate the technical, but that is a tool to help you tell the story behind the picture. How does this photograph speak to us about these three vivid themes?

BEAUTY:

Yes, there is beauty in nature, and there are several shots to emphasize this point. They take it one step further and explain, “There is silence in nature, and silence can be beautiful.” Mark and Liam continue: “Yes, there is also beauty in the small things of nature, not only the big landscapes.” They both show a picture of a bee on a flower. “It is beautiful,” they point out, “because the bee is doing its job. And thanks to this bee, we can have many more beautiful flowers.” I have to agree.

Beauty, Power and Greed:

Photographic storytelling

The many meanings of Power?

The students need to accomplish this task with very little time to spare. Their schedule is full of other activities and classes. How many times as a teacher have I told my students to use their time wisely?! I have no need to remind these 15 young children to do so.

They know the time won’t be easily given to them. They must find it themselves and use it to complete their task.

We gave the students an assignment: to interpret the words Beauty, Greed and Power and take different pictures of what those words meant to them.

I was impressed. It’s amazing to see the imagination and cultural understanding teenagers have, no matter where they are from in the world. I consider myself a rather creative person, but I had no idea words could have so many different meanings. I think we covered all symbolic interpretations, from historic monuments to major fast-food corporations to modern sculptures, and the always-popular birds and bees.

As the presentation begins, I am sitting in the back of the room.

I am not sure what to expect, but I know they haven’t had a lot of “official” time to work on this project. I am about to be blown away by their “photographic stories.”

Changing the schedule

One of the things that impressed me the most is the school’s ability and willingness to seize the moment and take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves. My sudden presence in Sweden is a good example of how the school seized this moment. It wasn’t until the last minute that it was decided that I should join my photographer friend in Stockholm, and when the teachers heard that, the schedule was changed to include an art director in the photography classes. Pretty cool, if you ask me, not to mention that it makes you feel a little special. And this, I guess, is the core idea behind this school – travel, explore and learn things firsthand by making the most out of each place they visit.

20

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 20-21

This is the end of week 2, and I’m nodding my head in acknowledgement as I’m writing this. I can only imagine what is ahead for these students, the faculty and all the people involved in this amazing project. What I’ve seen them experience and learn in two weeks makes me worry that their brains will be overloaded and explode by week 40, but I guess they already prepared for that and had Apple create an external neuro hard disk that can be uploaded to their memory.

Thanks for allowing me to inspire and be inspired.

Stay curious! - Soren

Charis and Willem have found beauty in nature because it is humble.

They also point out the colors. And colors are beautiful. All the children nod in consent.

Yada and Pema are now talking about the beauty found in the harmony between nature and civilization. “Daily life is beautiful,” says Yada. “We can all relate to the beauty of everyday routine.”

I stop to think. I always complain about the overwhelming pressure of routine, but she is right. I look at her picture, and it is true. There is something so calming and beautiful about seeing people go about their daily routines.

Piron and A’ntonia see the beauty in selflessness. “The sculptor we met outside the office took the time to create something beautiful that represents love and peace. It is selfless of him to do so.”

There is also beauty in what is simple, explains David. He found beauty in the light reflected on the glasses in the kitchen. We all nod. His picture is beautiful. His group partner, Alice, adds: “I think his picture is beautiful.” I can see pride and respect toward her classmate. I think it’s beautiful the way she just openly handed praise to her young peer.

Alex and Megan remind us of something very important. There is beauty in knowledge and age. They show pictures of older people, including a picture of me quietly sitting by a church. As they all turn to look at my reaction, I hold my chest and give them a heartfelt bow of thanks. “I am deeply honored.” I am moved.

21

11/3/11 11:59 PM

Hans Rosling Event

POWER: What is power through the eyes of a 13, 14, 15-year-old?

I’m about to find out.

A picture of Brad pops up on the screen.“Someone you respect has power over you,” explain Alex and Megan. I am proud of my colleague.

Yes, the students respect him. In such a short time, we have all learned to respect Brad. All of them pause for a moment to think.

People we respect have power over us. Just like Brad and Aron, they say.

Yada and Pema explain how power can look easy in the outside, but it’s a much more complex thing. “Power is to stop and think about the future. It is powerful to be self-reflective and have the courage to look ahead,” they explain, as they show a picture of a flight of stairs.

“The stairs show movement, and they push us to think of the future.”

Am I really hearing a 13-year-old speak? Yes, she is right. It takes SO much power and courage to think of what is ahead of all of us.

Epilogue

As Hans Rosling came to the end of

his speech, all 15 of us just sit there in an awed trance, as a glaze of silence settles around us.

A few seconds later, we become clear-headed enough to remember that we were to meet Hans Rosling backstage.

And then a bubble of chatter starts again. We’re all eager to meet him. Everyone’s preparing their questions, passing the time, which seemed frozen.

All along, Jens and Soren have been giving feedback to the students.

Sometimes Jens has stopped to point out technical aspects. What has worked, what hasn’t, what could have been better. I like his approach. Sometimes we forget that children will respond well to criticism. Once again, I see the power of someone they respect.

Jens, as well as Soren, has been direct and respectful with them. I can see the students absorb the words. They are learning.

We carry our chit-chat to the backstage room where Hans would meet us. We waited for him patiently, some of us chatting, others preparing their notes on their iPhones.

That was the atmosphere Hans Rosling met when he opened the door. Another hush comes over us. Even the people who had their backs turned to the door and were talking quieted. It was just his presence, so powerful, so there. The tension in the air was almost edible. Then he started talking...and that melted away.

THINK Photo project

Photographic storytelling continued

I could see that everyone was thinking the same thoughts as I. I was still shocked and numb to the fact that I was talking to one of the most famous people in the world. I never would’ve thought that I, a small-town girl, would have had this chance. I was both excited and eager to please. I knew that every second we spent with him was precious, and I knew that I could learn much from him.

And with the pressure to be as perfect as I possibly can and with a single, brilliant question in the crevices of my mind, I raised my hand, a small candle waiting to be lit...

At 10:30 pm, all of us reluctantly left Hans Rosling and came out of the theatre, enlightened and more.

GREED: Greed is leftovers. They find them everywhere: on a dining hall table, in the trash, a half-eaten apple on a shelf at the library, on a tower of sugar cubes in overeating. They all agree that a few have too much, “and they never have enough. If they have money they want more of it.”

The church is presented by several groups. Some see the positive side. Others, like Mark and Liam, remind us of how this power is misused to justify religious wars. In other photos, we see the power in machines, fire – even the sound of a bicycle bell.

Piron and A’ntonia point out the power of advertising. We had all clearly seen it in the picture of the huge Wall Street billboard that Mark and Liam had shot. Piron shows the picture of the library. “There is a lot of power in knowledge.” All the students stop to think a bit, and then agree with him. “A library is beautiful and powerful” they say.

“See those mannequins in the store window? They look indifferent.

They don’t care about anyone; they only care about themselves,” observe Will and Charis. Mark and Liam criticize jewelry: “We don’t need at all, but we all want it.” Yes, they all say out loud. It’s SO true. What do we need “bling-bling” for, I wonder out loud?!

And so the assignment comes to an end. I sit there fascinated. We have all learned – both the children and the adults. I just came out of a gathering with peers. Except these are a little younger than what I’m used to.

Another day at TGS. What will happen next?!

Hans Rosling, Professor of International Health, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.

Rosling discovered konzo, a new epidemic paralytic disease, when serving as doctor in Mocambique in 1979-81. Two decades of research in rural Africa traced the cause to toxic ill-processed cassava roots, hunger and poverty.

Photo by Sandra Petersson

There is power in institutions such as religion and government.

Mavis, Jaydon and Cash have a couple of pictures of traffic signs.

“These signs tell us what to do or not do. They control our actions because the government has power over us.” As part of the government, Alice and David have also taken a shot of the military.

“The military has shaped our world in many ways.” I stop for a minute to think. “And they still shape it to this day.” Everyone nods their heads. We all agree.

I am surprised to see how many of them agree on the greed of commercial institutions. “Wayne’s coffee,” say Piron and A’ntonia, is like Starbucks here.” The greed of the franchise. “The stores are filled with things we don’t need,” Yada and Pema add. “It’s in technology – the internet now is full with places where we can buy things,” adds Alice.

Hans Rosling’s talks about the world are so enlighting it’s not even funny.

Well, actually it is.

- MARTA

Join the students and faculty of THINK Global School for an inspiring and engaging evening with the professor of International Health at Karolinska Institute, and Director of the Gapminder Foundation.

In his signature fashion, Rosling will talk about the changing world and focus on links between economic development, environment, poverty and health The event is open to the public and FREE for everyone.

For more information, visit www.THINKglobalSchool.org and www.gapminders.org

6th October kl. 19:00 at the Cirkus.

Djurgårdsslätten 43-45, Stockholm

A co-founder of Médecins sans Frontier in Sweden, he has written textbooks on Global Health and initiated university collaborations with Asia and Africa.

He co-founded Gapminder to “unveil the beauty of statistics by turning boring numbers into enjoyable animations that make sense of the world.”

an initiative by

(till vänster om Skansens huvudingång)

22

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 22-23

Newspaper ad

23

11/3/11 11:59 PM

I am just an ordinary girl from Bhutan. I live a happy life, and coming to TGS has definitely made my life much happier. Stockholm was just “plain amazing.”

We walked into the snow, experiencing the indigenous culture firsthand.

Viking Day was not just an ordinary day. Well, every day at TGS is just very amazing.

We became blacksmiths, farmers and cooks from being students.

Amazing stories, laughter and love were shared among ourselves in a tiny hut.

Knowledge just swept into our brains like wind sweeping through your hair.

Each one of us has something to say about this experience. “It was super cool.

Feel the cold, the warmth on the face from the fire. It was like actually feeling it, not just hearing it,” Beny says with a beautiful smile on her face and sparkly eyes.

Mark remembers everything very vividly. It’s just very warming to recall those memories.

After all the fun we experienced, it was time to head back. We are for sure used to goodbyes by now. Back at our accommodations, we shared our experiences with the others and went to bed with smiles on our faces. It was another great day.

24

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 24-25

25

11/3/11 11:59 PM

On the boat to Gotland: My failed attempt to become Pocahontas, Pema’s successful attempt at owning the two Dutchmen. I remember that I liked our tour guide very much. His name was Yahns (?). He sang to us in the church, and it gave me goose bumps.

The brooch box was used as a container for small objects. It would have been worn by a Viking woman on the island of Gotland.

The place where we stayed was a prison, so it was quite scary in the night. I remember the bathrooms being quite awkward for some of us as well.

We went to another island near Gotland called Forsland. Mavis and I had fun singing at the rocky beach there. We got to watch The Last Airbender at Gotland, too. Beny and I laughed through the whole movie and more when we heard that David apparently tried to be a “toilet paper bender” in the bathroom.

There was a day when Brad took us all up to this room in the place we stayed. I was really, really scared. Luckily, I brought a blanket, and everyone wants to stay near the person who has a blanket. We saw that bar thing, with the name of a man who Yahns told us about. It was creepy because the door was half-open.

26

Alex - The horse whisperer

On the last day, we had a biking trip. I had so much fun! The Gotland games were really fun, too. Then we took the ride home (card games), which was great except Megan felt seasick.

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 26-27

Leg wrestling Gotland style

27

11/3/11 11:59 PM

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

THINK Global School is a model of doing things differently and expecting not only different results but outstanding results. This was evident to us on our first visit to the opening of the school as guest trainers in Social and Emotional learning.

We worked closely with the students and faculty. They were open, curious and excited to learn how they can change their thoughts, feelings and behavior to create more positive experiences in their life anytime they want to. In the future, they will learn how to interact positively in all their relationships and, most importantly, how to interact with themselves.

We left TGS inspired but also disappointed. Inspired because TGS will set an example of great education.

Disappointed because the TGS students will get a world-class education firsthand and we can’t go!

- Marlene & Stan

Charis I loved doing the activities in Stockholm with Stan and Marlene. When I was feeling bad in Sydney, talking to Marlene really helped. I learned more about psychology and basically ways of thinking. It was incredibly helpful to have someone wise and listening and giving you advice.

Yada They taught me how to be calm in the face of all my teenage insecurities and how to cope with stress, which are really important skills to know. They really know what they’re doing, and all their counseling sessions helped tremendously. It lifted a burden off my chest, and in this tightly knit group, it is sometimes hard to do so, so thank you!

From the fan club:

Einstein famously said,

Liam I really enjoyed just sitting and listening to all the things they had to say. I could honestly just sit there for hours on end and just listen to all the things Stan had to say. The way he spoke and explained events really kept you interested.

Pema Marlene and Stan are an amazing couple and amazing people. I loved having them talk to us and helping us with our problems. Honestly, they have really made a huge difference in my life.

David At first I thought they were a bit silly because they were telling us that they were aliens from somewhere else.

I have a very hard time talking to people about problems, and they’re the only people that I don’t feel silly talking to.

It was actually a treat talking with them, and I was always disappointed when my time with them finished.

I also admire how they can understand how people my age think.

Mark Stan and Marlene are wonderful people who are great at what they are doing – giving advice to people with almost any kind of problem. Personally, Stan helped me to achieve what I had been trying to do for many years, and I am very thankful to him.

I learned a lot about self-control and self-confidence.

Thank you very much, Stan and Marlene.

Willem Stan and Marlene, you’ve helped me get past my fear of public speaking. Thanks so much for all the great talks we’ve had!

28

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 28-29

29

11/3/11 11:59 PM

30

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 30-31

31

11/3/11 11:59 PM

Tobias Rawet is an exceptional man in the truest sense. He went through hell and came out able to laugh and dance. His memories, and his story, are as inspiring as they are painful.

They had only three portions of food every day. One portion was not enough even for one person, but they shared it.

It was the only way to survive. Finally, 44,000 people died in Getto, a town in Poland, because of hunger. Only 1 kid in1,000 survived. There were 60 kids in Getto at that time.

When he entered the room, you didn’t truly notice him at first, a somewhat unremarkable man who seemed to just go about his business. But it was when you truly looked at him that you gained a sense of what he had gone through and what he had become. You just knew that when he told his story, we would be very honored to hear it. No words needed to be spoken, but when he started to speak, he spoke with such passion remembering the horrific times he had undergone. This man, although old, was still fit and full of life. You immediately understood that he had gone through more in a few years than any normal person goes through in a lifetime.

He told us countless stories about his time during the holocaust – whether it was hanging down the hole in the outhouse inside of a bucket all day or sitting in an attic for over a month. You truly got a sense of the despair that he had felt, something that you can never get from a documentary or video. This was a story of an old man talking about his childhood where at the age of four he was marched into a ghetto to live without a toilet and to sleep in a concentration camp. He told us of taking bugs out of his mother’s hair, not knowing where his dad was or when his next full meal would be, or even if he would ever get one.

It is people like Tobias who will hopefully make a difference in the world. We have to count ourselves as extraordinarily lucky. We are, in most cases, the last generation that will be able to talk to, to meet and get to know the people who managed to survive this tragic period in our history. Which makes it our job to learn as much as we can and do our best to not forget what has happened, or history is doomed to repeat itself. Ten-thousand people survived in the ghetto where he was from – 10,000 out of 260,000! That’s less than ten percent of people who survived, and out of these ten-thousand people, only 65 had been children, and we got to meet one of these 65! Sixty-five people who were children during the holocaust in his city are alive today – less than one percent of the population of the ghetto before and at the beginning of World War Two, and we got to meet one of those 65! Is that not truly magical in itself that we got to meet a man who by pure chance survived, whose entire family of about twenty had died with the exception of his mother and father, whose cousin had been gassed in a truck and dumped in the woods? He was able to talk to us, to explain what truly happened, and he is doing his best to ensure that it never happens again.

He is someone we should aspire to be more like. We have to be able to look at past misfortunes, learn from them and try to not bloody well repeat them again....

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 32-33

When I came to this lecture I had no idea what it was about. I started taking notes, but that seemed like an autobiography. Notes were like this: Was born in Poland. Parents were Jews. When Poland was attacked by Germans, he was 3.5 years old.

Stop.

At that moment I realized that his speech is about his life during World War II. USSR took part in the war and won it, so since I was a kid, I’ve met many old people who lived during it. I had been taught to respect those people and listen to them carefully. Tobias told us about his childhood. He was hidden on the roof for one month and 20 days because Germans threw out all people who were younger than 10 years old, older than 65 and those who were ill. Just imagine how cruel and inhumane it was. If you were older than 10, you had to work. His family consisted of six people; three worked and three did not.

Fantastic post, Mark. Well-done. I think your line “USSR took part in the war and won it” is terrific and shows us we are at a truly international school. Whilst Hollywood focuses on Saving Private Ryan and American heroics, it’s easy to forget that an awful war existed on the Eastern Front. There have been some films (Enemy at the Gates is the one that comes to mind), but none could portray the way it was in Stalingrad. Make sure you continue to bring your Eastern European perspective to class. - Andrew

Then most of the people were taken by train to a concentration camp. Wagons were for animals, but in that time Fascists thought that all other people were animals. That was scary – more than scary. People died and others just sat or stood on them. After an unknown period of time they arrived at a concentration camp. Tobias and his mother had a symbol on their clothes: a red triangle. After the war, Tobias knew that it meant political prisoner. Five years old. Political prisoner. Life in Getto was heaven compared to the concentration camp. Every day they woke up, four people in each bed (if someone died during the night, they threw him out of the bed to get more space), had a cup of “coffee” – cold water with a couple of old coffee corns – and went to the forest to cut trees. For lunch they had soup – cold water with potato shells. Also, they had a tiny piece of sausage, no more than a meatball, and Tobias always had two – his and his mother’s.

And that was every day. That was hell.

One day they woke up by themselves and they were scared they wouldn’t get any food. That was the main problem. The next day, gates opened and there were Russian soldiers. They were told that the war was over and now they were free and could go anywhere. Tobias and his mother decided to go home – everyone who was alive would go home. There was a chance to meet a family and, after awhile, the whole family was together. And that was happiness.

“Take care of each other,” said Tobias, and the lecture was over.

11/3/11 11:59 PM

34

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 34-35

35

11/3/11 11:59 PM

36

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 36-37

37

11/3/11 11:59 PM

ÅRE and all its

awesomeness

by Charis

I had so much fun in Åre. It’s not just because I went snow-shoeing or dog-sledding in the first winter I’ve had with snow. It’s more than Guitar Hero, meeting the reindeer and the hike. The highlight of my trip to Åre would actually be me getting to appreciate nature.

Just looking outside the window in the train – that was beautiful. I’ve never seen snow until this trip to Sweden, and I wasn’t that impressed in Stockholm.

But now that I’m outside the city, I get to see soft white snow everywhere. Everything is covered in snow. That was something I’ve never seen, and I was awed.

I enjoyed the views everywhere – especially when we were dog-sledding. It was awesome! Seeing the big mountains and the wide white plains, I’ve learned to appreciate the world more. I got that feeling that the world is a big place and you’re not stuck or trapped in one place. If you’re trapped, you’re just trapping yourself. I think it’s a great way to start the day. When you see this view, you also love your life more – at least that’s how I feel.

38

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 38-39

I just feel so grateful for every single thing, and it gives me this peace. So what? It’s important to realize how precious your life is and how beautiful the world is.

I had a thought about those people who commit suicide.

Wouldn’t it be great if they could look at this? I wonder if they would still be able to appreciate it.

I hope so. Is it possible that they would be able to get out of that darkness once they’ve seen the view I saw? I imagine that if I was thinking about killing myself and I saw those mountains, I would probably realize my life is too precious to let go. The world is amazing. I would realize that I can move on.

Why do I need to realize that? It’s because people die because of these things. I’ve seen people go through big disappointments and they couldn’t stand it. They kill themselves. One of the man things I’ve found I’ll think

more about from Åre is the thought about helping depressed people. Me going to Åre and seeing all this “awesomeness” – I want others to see it too! I want them to feel that feeling, the hope, and love their lives. It’ll help so many people. Depressed people might be able to be happy once again. What happens when depressed people become happy? What happens if people love our world and each other? Our world is going to be a happy place. Imagine if Hitler realized that nobody is supposed to control the world. Imagine if people are inspired by the purity of nature. If they could get to know themselves, that would be beautiful.

I really hope that when people get to fully appreciate nature, they would love our world and realize things, such as helping to stop pollution.

Stopping pollution would help us all. God gave us this world and this life. I know that not everyone believes in God, but I’m sure we don’t want to kill this planet we’ve lived in. Shouldn’t we take care of Earth?

Why are we cutting off trees? There’s a really bad case of deforestation in Thailand. I am glad, though, that Sweden has rules against this. I would be really sad if I come back to Åre one day and all I see are skyscrapers and cars.

How can I share that feeling I had when I was lying down in the snow looking at the mountains? I still remember the picture. There was this tree at the right.

Its branches were covered with white flakes. It was sparkly. There was a frozen lake dividing us and the mountains. It was a big, majestic mountain. There was this line of fog across the mountain. The sky was beautiful – wide and endless. Every now and then, I would see this black bird soaring over the white trees.

I could take pictures of it with the best camera ever.

I could describe it to a person with every word I could come up with to describe it. I could even take a VDO of it. That person would never get that feeling, though, if he/she weren’t there.

Today I still remember the feeling I had then. But I’m not sure if I’ll forever keep it. I hope I do. It’s a hopeful and peaceful feeling. This also makes me realize how technology doesn’t replace nature; 3D photos of nature don’t replace actually being there. I hope people don’t forget nature.

I’m so grateful I went to Åre. It was an amazing experience. One day, I hope to go back there again and still see that tree covered with the white flakes.

39

11/3/11 11:59 PM

Åre is a very nice place but so cold that I can’t even feel my toes or my finger-tips. During my three days there, I experienced many things I didn’t expect. Dog-sledding is the best ever. The dogs were barking and I thought they would bite me, but they didn’t. Actually, they were so happy.

I’ve never seen such happy dogs before.

Dog-sledding was so much fun, even though I was crying because of the cold - and I fell twice, but I was still enjoying it and enjoying having fun with both the teachers and the students.

Unfortunately, I didn’t experience snow-shoeing. But it’s Okay. I have the feeling I will some day. Åre is the coolest place, but I can’t stay there for more that a few days I’ll freeze to death. But I really liked it and hope I’ll go back one day. - Mavis

40

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 40-41

41

11/3/11 11:59 PM

Thank you again, TGS – you’ve supplied me with the answer to the “What” in my life.

42

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 42-43

What am I going to do? Help the world. Now maybe within the rest of the time I spend with you, you can provide me with the “How.” :D Until then, love you all

Andrew McLean, Global Studies

It’s an interesting thing...time. The three months I spent with all of you amazing people seems like it only lasted for weeks.

But it feels like we have been together for years.

I look back and I think never would I have expected to be going to the world’s first mobile global high school. Never would I be going to these amazing places with truly phenomenal people. Never would I create bonds with these people that I truly felt would last lifetimes. Never would I share moments with strangers that would turn into the milestones that would define our already familylike dynamic. And never would I truly ever feel that I belonged to something. When I think of the person I used to be and the person I am now, and all the “nevers” that have been turned into everyday occurrences, it makes me extremely hopeful. Hopeful for the future, my future and yours, and all that it holds. If all my “nevers” were turned around in a matter of months – and, in many cases, weeks – then why can’t yours? the world’s? It might take a bunch of good ideas and good people to do it, but I’m willing to try. I want to try. I will. After going to THINK Global School, even though it was only for three months, I don’t think I’ll be able to do anything else except heal the world. In some way or another.

“Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it.

Be outrageous. Go the whole hog. Make sure everything you do is so completely crazy it’s unbelievable....” Matilda by Roald Dahl What an outrageous idea TGS is. It is completely crazy.

It is unbelievable. But somehow we all managed to make it work. I think Matilda has it spot-on here.

There were plenty of special moments this year that I will cherish for a long time. Diving on the Great Barrier Reef, watching the sun rise on the Great Wall of China, dogsledding through Åre and the Tiger Leaping Gorge were all spectacular. But it is also the small pleasures one gets from working at a boarding school. The conversations on long bus rides, playing guitar and spending time with students outside the classroom.

Global Studies this year has been a delight to teach. My favorite start to an essay was from Mark. “When Russia won World War Two...” it began. Brilliant. Having taught for five years, I have never once seen that, and it was a reminder why I enjoy teaching in an international environment.

Everyone contributed well, bringing in comparisons from their own culture and hopefully gaining a deeper insight into the cultures we studied. The questions that students were beginning to formulate showed deep thought and understanding, and as a teacher there is nothing more satisfying.

There is a Maori proverb “He aha te mea nui o te ao?

He tangata! He tangata! He tangata!” which translates to “What is the most important thing? The people! The people! The people!” Our most valuable assets at TGS are our people. Each has brought something different and, in turn, made us all a little different.

It’s been a great year, and I look forward to the adventures that will take place in the future.

43

11/3/11 11:59 PM

Feel this.

Biting fall air.

We’re packed into a room warmed by our stoves, fragrant with thyme and fresh bread and tomatoes that actually smell and taste like tomatoes.

Everything so ripe with colour and flavour that it’s almost more than the senses can bear.

And it’s time for Monday evening

grace.

Willem speaks.

He speaks of gratitutde and humility and his family...then his new family.

All of you. All of us.

We hold each other’s hands.

In silence. As families do.

I don’t remember when I became a “man.”

It wasn’t when my religion told me that I was a man – on the day of my 13th birthday.

It was at some point much later.

As a result of some thing, some event, some moment captured and never lost by time.

At some moment like last night.

- Aron

Alex gets to play the pipe organ at Stockholm’s Storkyrkan. We are all a bit closer to God.

44

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 44-45

45

11/3/11 11:59 PM

Art isn’t just squiggles and dots. It’s not only just sketches or even the Mona Lisa. It’s not about perfect drawings of temples and emotionless pictures of squares and circles. It’s not about competition or stress. It isn’t just about uncannily real-looking sketches of things. It isn’t being trapped inside a box, pressured to make it beautiful. Art isn’t just something you can stereotype or judge. Art isn’t all about that. Art is about breaking free, about releasing who you really are inside. It’s to let your emotions burst out in creation for all the world to see. It’s all around us, from ballerinas to photos to the trees in front of our house.

It’s the small doodles of a child to the portrait of a woman. You can see it flowing out of beautiful speeches, out of the chops of martial artists.

Most of all, art is not only the masterpieces that we make but a way of living. Art simplified to its core.

Art isn’t just about drawing, painting, taking pictures. It’s not about how beautiful your sketch is; it’s not about how amazing your pictures are. It’s not about being famous; it’s not a laughing matter; it’s not just a pen and a paper. It’s not about how to draw or how to color or how to write. It’s not about being popular in your school to fit in or to show something beautiful. Art isn’t about sitting on a chair drawing something or going out taking pictures, and it’s not about having nothing in your mind. Art just isn’t about that. But art is about expressing your feelings. It’s about what you think. It’s about happiness, being yourself and doing what you love the most. Art is about showing people how a single thing can change a person’s life. Everybody needs inspiration, and that’s art. Art is all about inspiration. It’s about what you feel and what you think. It’s about creating your own world. It’s about imagination.

Most of all, it’s all about feelings and gathering your thoughts together.

This is what art is all about.

46

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 46-47

47

11/4/11 12:00 AM

LIAM: Art isn’t about making something look nice. It’s not about how much more money you got for selling something or how many people think your piece is amazing. It isn’t about who painted it or what kind of canvas it was painted on. It’s not about how exact your details are or how perfect the contrast is. Art isn’t about showing off or making other people feel bad. It’s not about how skilled the artist is or how well-known he or she may be. Art just isn’t about that. But art is about the story it’s telling. It’s about how the artist is expressing him- or herself and the passion that’s put into their artwork and the pride in knowing that it’s the best they could ever possibly do. Art is about sharing happiness, sadness, love or hate. It’s about doing what you love, whenever you want to do it. It’s a way of life, something that shows who you are inside to the world around you. Most of all, art is about you.

GIJS: Art isn’t about the most paintings. It’s not about how many you have, and it’s not what you painted or what you’re painting or what you want to paint. It’s not about your paintbrush or your drawing sheet or the color of the paint or where you sell your paintings. In fact, it’s not about who’s better or who drew the Mona Lisa or what they think of your painting or what company will buy your artwork or not. Art isn’t about drawing the biggest painting or using the most colours.

It’s not about using black or white. Art just isn’t about that. But art is about what you feel like putting on the paper. It’s about what you love. It’s about working together with your paintbrush and paint to make a masterpiece. It’s about anything and anywhere you want your painting to be.

It’s about being able to be proud of what you have done even if people think it’s bad. Most of all, art is about making anything that sets your mind to “this is hyped-up, man.” These choices are what art is about.

CHARIS: Art isn’t about competing for the best picture prize. It isn’t about who gets less criticized.

It doesn’t matter if your picture isn’t in a gallery or if no one appreciates your melody. Art isn’t about worrying what others think and saying that a flamingo is always pink. Don’t stress yourself to be perfect in every single thing you do ‘cause art just isn’t about that. But art is about getting your feelings out of your heart. It’s about letting your creativity and imagination flow endlessly.

It’s about not being scared to have a new start ‘cause it’s worth it to let free the things you keep inside. Art is love, passion, inspiration and a point of view. Art is a world of emotions, music, colors, lines and words. Art is about what you really think is true. Most of all, art is about you.

48

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 48-49

PEMA: Art isn’t just about drawing, painting, taking pictures. It’s not about how beautiful your sketch is; it’s not about how amazing your pictures are. It’s not about being famous; it’s not a laughing matter; it’s not just a pen and a paper.

It’s not about how to draw or how to color or how to write. It’s not about being popular in your school to fit in or to show something beautiful. Art isn’t about sitting on a chair drawing something or going out taking pictures, and it’s not about having nothing in your mind. Art just isn’t about that. But art is about expressing your feelings. It’s about what you think. It’s about happiness, being yourself and doing what you love the most. Art is about showing people how a single thing can change a person’s life. Everybody needs inspiration, and that’s art. Art is all about inspiration. It’s about what you feel and what you think.

It’s about creating your own world. It’s about imagination. Most of all, it’s all about feelings and gathering your thoughts. This is what art is all about.

YADA: Art isn’t just squiggles and dots.

It’s not only just sketches or even the Mona Lisa. It’s not about perfect drawings of temples and emotionless pictures of squares and circles. It’s not about competition or stress. It isn’t just about uncannily real-looking sketches of things. It isn’t being trapped inside a box, pressured to make it beautiful. Art

isn’t just something you can stereotype or judge. Art isn’t all about that. Art is about breaking free, about releasing who you really are inside. It’s to let your emotions burst out in creation for all the world to see. It’s all around us, from ballerinas to photos to the trees in front of our house. It’s the small doodles of a child to the portrait of a woman. You can see it flowing out of beautiful speeches, out of the chops of martial artists. Most of all, art is not only the masterpieces that we make but a way of living. Art simplified to its core.

MARK: Art isn’t just music, literature, film, photography, sculpture or paintings.

It isn’t about how well-done it is or how much time was spent doing it. It isn’t about which colors were used or which notes. Also, art isn’t about other people and what they think about it. It doesn’t matter... art just isn’t about that. But art is about how well you have been trying to do this and how much of your soul you put into it. It is about your feelings: happiness, sadness, love, hate, curiosity, beauty, greed, wisdom, spirituality, tranquility, unity. It is about how you think and what you think. It is about telling a story. Through art you should express your thoughts and yourself.

The most important thing is that art should be a part of your life and you, and you’d never forget about it.

49

11/4/11 12:00 AM

MEGAN Art isn’t about what others are doing. It isn’t about who drew the best or who was the nicest in the room. It isn’t about whose feet were pointed the farthest or who was the most graceful. Art isn’t about the best painting or even the most valuable painting.

It isn’t about color or shapes or technique. It isn’t about the prettiest clothes or the nicest hair or even the best smile. It isn’t about the design or the style. Art just isn’t about that. But art is about life and emotion. It’s about feelings and love. It’s about doing what you want to do and not caring about what anyone else says. It’s about happiness...and hate. Art is about sadness and joy.

It’s about knowing who you want to be. It’s about having opinions and telling people your ideas. It’s about showing your emotions to the world. Art is about soul and heart and meaning. It’s about belief and hope. That’s what art is about.

DAVID Art isn’t just about the outer shell that all the boring and bland people see. It’s not about the dumb paint or the scribbles you see on a canvas, the music you hear on elevators, the clay figures you pointlessly try to make sense out of. It’s about the meaning hiding behind the canvas that inspires emotion. When I look at a beautiful marble statue, I’m not only seeing the statue.

I’m seeing the pieces of marble that were chipped off long ago, unattended to. But that’s just the creative arts. What about nature itself as in the mountains that sprouted out of the ground millions of years ago? Or the human mind?

PIRAN Art isn’t just about making a picture good-looking. It is about the story in the picture and how the story is told. That means that every painting tells you a story, and a drawing helps you a lot of times because you can let your emotions out by drawing them out of you. Art is everything you want it to be.

50

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 50-51

ALEX: Art isn’t what you think it is. It isn’t paintings, graffiti, sculptures. It’s not music; it’s not self-expression, design, or still life. It isn’t always what the public wants. It isn’t riches, gold, fame, money, recognition, love, adoration, interest. Art isn’t happy, sad, beautiful or ugly. Art doesn’t have to be said or heard. Art isn’t about the tools used, the skill involved or the emotions felt. Art isn’t the creation process; art isn’t the artist’s views. Art isn’t everything to everyone. Art isn’t just one thing, nor has art ever been fully classified. Art cannot be understood by everyone.

Art can’t be interpreted the same way every time. Art cannot be fully understood. Art isn’t how many paintings you paint, sculptures you sculpt, carvings you carve or lyrics you write. Art isn’t the time spent practicing because art simply can’t be learned. But art is all about you. How you interpret it, what you believe is the message being sent. Everything you experience could be interpreted as art.

There is almost nothing that could be considered as “not art” by absolutely everyone. Art is doing what you believe.

Art is sending a message...either bluntly or subtly. Anyone can be an artist; everyone is an artist. While not everyone will always understand the message you are trying to put across, art is never without a message. But, most of all, art is life. Art is nothing and art is everything. Art is quiet and loud; it is dark and it is bright, happy and sad. Art in the truest sense should have no definition because it is a word almost without meaning. Art is basically the word to describe somebody’s views on life.

51

11/4/11 12:00 AM

A’NTONIA: Art is not about how many people see it.

It’s not about how many people want to see it. Art is not at all about who likes it. It isn’t about how much money you get from selling it. It’s not about getting anything in return. Art isn’t about how pretty you can make it or how many compliments you receive from it.

It’s not about the colors you use or the precision of the lines you draw or how well you can follow the rules of creativity because art is most certainly not about following rules. Art just isn’t about that. But art is about the people who do see it. Art is about the people who do like it. It’s about why somebody cared enough for what you made to buy it from you. It’s about understanding that you don’t need anything in return because art is meant for you to express yourself, and why should anyone else have to be involved in that? Bless the people who feel your work’s emotions with you, but good riddance to those who didn’t understand. Art is about making something and not caring about it being pretty. It’s about showing a side of yourself that isn’t pretty in a conventional way but beautiful on a whole other level.

It’s about using a whole array of colors you feel, whether or not they’re the colors other people want to see, and not coloring in the lines and breaking every rule out there. Because art is about expression, which barely comes with guide lines. Most of all, art is about being yourself no matter what others may think.

52

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 52-53

JAYDON: Art isn’t just about perfection. It also isn’t about straight lines and direction “You’re so ugly you could be a modern art masterpiece.” -Full Metal Jacket.

The Mona Lisa isn’t perfect...why should we be? “Modern art is a piece of crap you can’t flush.” -Unknown. It’s not something you should do to fit in. Art just isn’t about that. But Art is about being creative. Art is a great way to take out your emotions like anger, sadness and jealousy.

Art has no bounds. Billions of people could view your art but only the artist fully understands what he’s trying to say. Most of all, art is about emotions and creativity.

WILLEM: Art isn’t just a blob of paint thrown onto a canvas.

It isn’t just a statue that represents a being who is no long among us. It is not a piece of music. Art isn’t just entertainment. That’s not what art is about. But art is an image that stays in our head. A statue is a representation of power, sadness, happiness and any other thinkable emotion.

The paint on the canvas says something: freedom. When I think of art – and I mean true art – I think of a painting that made me think, a song that flies through my head and a building that makes me feel like I’m home. Yes, a building... even an apartment is art in some way. Most of all, art is about making us think what a wonderful world we live in.

ALICE: Art isn’t about meaningless squiggles and dots, nor is it about splashes and spots. Art isn’t about playing with clay or about randomly writing a play. Art is about a full picture with beauty in details, as well as not following the trails of others. Art can be about musical beats and it can be the graffiti in the streets. Art is about telling a story, showing up in all its glory.

53

11/4/11 12:00 AM

54

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 54-55

55

11/4/11 12:00 AM

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 56-57

11/4/11 12:00 AM

58

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 58-59

59

11/4/11 12:00 AM

If I were a parent, what values would I like to pass on to my kids?

I’ve always thought of myself as a motherly person. I care for many people and would put their needs in front of mine in a snap.

That is one of the values I would dearly love to pass on to my children. The capacity to truly care for people and a selflessness to wish good onto others even if your for tune is not as great. I want my children to be able to love deeply and be open to as many people as possible, no matter who they are. If my kids can care about someone on the other side of the globe without even meeting them before, then I would feel success in my duty as a parent. Trust is another big one. I want my children to be trustworthy and for them to value trust in others very highly. It would be amazing if my children were able to take accountability for the things they have done, good or bad. They should be responsible and understand the consequences otherwise. My children must be open. I really hope that is a quality I am able to develop in them. The diehard spirit of going with the flow, the willingness to get lost, the lack of need to have a structure or a plan. Adaptability is key. Most of all I would want my children to be happy. If my child can feel gratitude for what they have, who they are, where they have been and who they are with despite the good or bad circumstances they are in, then my responsibility to teach my children how to live would be fufilled. - A’ntonia

I had an old English teacher who told me an old saying that goes something like this: “School was tough.

It was hard getting there since it was all uphill going to school and back.” Now, if you think about it, it would be impossible for both directions to be uphill. This saying reminded me of the climb today. I have a fear of heights and for me when I was going downwards it really felt like I was going “uphill.” Every step higher that I took up the bridge my concentration grew more and more on the hats of the people in front of me. I actually think that during this whole climb I turned lighter instead of getting a tan!

Once at the very tippy-toppest and center-most point that I could possibly think of on the bridge I just only wanted to say one thing to the guide: “SHUT UP, JUST GO!” I didn’t, though, since that would be rude. At the center of the bridge I was frightened to death, and if you take a look at the picture that our group had you could see that I was closing my eyes!

As well as going higher I could feel the wind blowing me harder and harder, and it felt as if I were going to fly off into the nothing of the ocean. Or maybe the bridge would wobble from left to right.

I am glad to be off the bridge now but also happy that I did it. But next time I would rather walk over water than over cars.

61 60

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 60-61

61

11/4/11 12:00 AM

It was very windy on Saturday. We had a nice sleep-in before leaving to go to Flinders National Park. This park is named after Matthew Flindus, the English explorer who founded Kangaroo Island. We sat in the bus looking out while Rob told us about the big bush fire this park had.

It was very windy on Saturday. We had a nice sleep-in before leaving to go to Flinders National Park. This park is We stepped out of the bus to walk to the Remarkable named after Matthew Flinders, the English explorer who Rocks. The way there was really nice. We could see founded Kangaroo Island. We sat in the bus looking out bushes and trees beside us. The Remarkable Rocks while Rob told us about the bush fire which had burned were indeed remarkable. It looked majestic and actua big piece of land in this park. We saw the land that was ally reminded me of Pride Rock from Lion King. When covered with brown grass. It was more obvious than the you’re standing on the rocks, you basically felt everyfirst piece of land we saw, which has re-grown quite a bit. thing. You could hear the waves, wind, leaves rustling, etc. of ustojust stood stillRemarkable with arms wide We stepped out of Some the bus walk to the open take was in everything. of ussee enjoyed climbRocks. The waytothere really nice.Some We could bushes the rocks.

Morning tea orRocks coffee were and pie was nice and treesing beside us. The Remarkable indeed as usual remarkable.

It looked majestic and actually reminded me of Pride Rock from Lion King. When you’re standing on Our next stop was Cape du You Couedic Lighthouse. the rocks, you basically felt at everything. could hear This lighthouse proved etc. me Some wrongof about things. the waves, wind, leaves rustling, us justfew stood seentoantake oldintower with dim light in the still withI’ve armsalways wide open everything.

Some of us enjoyed climbing thestormy rocks. nights Morning tea was niceofasausual – middle of when I think lighthouse. coffee (orIttea) andbe pie. might because of the movies I’ve watched. Cape du Couedic Lighthouse wasn’t like that at all. It had a Our nextcreamy stop was at and Capethe dutop Couedic Lighthouse.

This color was painted red and white. lighthouse proved me wrong about a few things.

I’ve always It was really cute, actually, great sight for taking phoseen an old tos.tower with dim light in the middle of stormy nights when I think of a lighthouse. It might be because of the movies I’ve watched. Cape du Couedic Lighthouse wasn’t like that at all. It had a creamy color, and the top was painted red and white. It was really cute, actually. It was a good sight for taking photos, as Rob said.

We went to the Admirals Arch next. The pathway had curves to allow us to look at the sea at different angles.

We were allowed to explore around.

The seals were hard to spot at first – their brown color blended in well with the rocks. But when you spot one seal, you’ll be able to spot the others easily. There were lots of cute seals playing around. We went closer and came to something that could be called the seals’ lounge. The seals were relaxing everywhere. You could see them playing with each other in the water, and some were just sleeping on the rocks. This place had a rock roof which protected the seals from the sun. Rob told us about the differences between these seals and the sea lions we saw earlier. Seals mostly live among the rocks, while the sea lions live on the sandy beaches because of the form of their flippers.

Lunch was at the Visitors’ Center. We walked around the center while Rob prepared lunch.

The “koala hunt” was held at a place with lots of eucalyptus trees. It was really shady and made me think about how amazing trees can change things. We walked around for a bit and took the bus to go to our last stop. On our way there, we also saw wallabies and a kangaroo!

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 62-63

Our last stop was the Little Sahara Desert. It was indeed like the Sahara: all sand and sunny. We took off our shoes and walked to the big mound of sand. My first thought was that this was going to be extremely hard, but I have to go up to see what it looks like! So I walked up the hill with Pema. It’s hard to try to climb up something when the things you hold on to just slide down. That could be a life lesson, too, I guess. Sometimes, when we’re climbing up, we depend on others. Lots of times they let us go and we fall down. But we’ve got to hold on to ourselves and keep moving up. When I finally got up, it was worth the struggle. You could see everything. There was sand everywhere in contrast to the other places in Kangaroo Island when all you could see was trees. It was a nice difference, though.

Going back down was fun. A lot of us were sliding down the hill. They were adding cool moves to it such as back-flips and rolling down. I was just sitting on the top enjoying everything. Mark was very nice and took a photo of us even though he hadn’t been up the hill yet. My first attempt to slide down the sand hill failed, but I tried it again and totally jumped for it. I rolled down the sand hill. It was a lot of fun. You could feel yourself speed up faster and faster while you’re rolling. When you get to the bottom, you stand up and everything’s spinning really fast. It was amazing.

We spent the rest of the evening just relaxing at the Seaside Inn. Dinner was great. That night was the first night that I just sat down in front of my room and looked up at the sky. The stars were beautiful. It was a great ending to our last night in Kangaroo Island.

11/4/11 12:00 AM

I would walk 500 miles (or not) By Alice I would lie if I told you that the best moment of today’s hike from hell was something else jumping into the water afterwards (that, by the way, must have been at least 20 degrees Celsius).

Although I did not really enjoy walking for what felt like an eternity with blisters on my feet, being so hot and exhausted that I thought I was going to collapse any second, it was a really healthy experience.

What I did today showed me that in a way I can do anything if I tell myself to do it.

For the last 500 metres of the walk I did not have any power left at all, but I knew that if I sat down I wouldn’t be able to make it. Then I saw the miracle.

Water. Sea. I felt a slight breeze brush against my face–which was drenched in sunscreen and sweat–and I must say that it was the most beautiful breeze of my life.

With nothing but the knowledge of the ocean being so close driving me farther, I walked with new power. It was not a positive power; it was more like how a star will go brighter and bigger when it soon is time for it to die.

When I was on top of the sand dune I took off my shoes and my socks. I did not care that I got sand in all the blisters. On the way down I threw off my clothes because, luckily, I was wearing my bikini underneath.

I used the last breath I had to fall on my stomach into the water. I could breathe now.

Of course, everything was just running around like Usain Bolt setting the world record, but I now had a feeling of what was up and what was down. I then saw that I almost threw my clothes on an old couple solving crosswords in the sun.

The rest of my stay at the beach was probably the happiest beach visit I’ve had in my life. I realized that the reason for this probably was because I was so unhappy at first, and the ease and the contrast made me realize how much comfort is worth.

P. S. This was also the first time I ever went into the Australian waters by my own will.

64

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 64-65

65

11/4/11 12:00 AM

Being fully immersed in another culture is one of the best parts of being a student at TGS. Getting to fully understand another culture’s way of life by experiencing that life firsthand is so much more meaningful than looking at what life would hypothetically be like from a textbook.

You can’t believe how much a few thousand meters can change, especially if those few meters are vertical. Down a steep flight of stairs, you hit a whole different world. The catacombs, the world that lay beneath our feet. Also known as the Kelly Hill caves, one of the many caves in Australia. The air is so much cooler, and the sky and the familiar bush are nowhere to be seen. But some things remained – like lights and the concrete pathway – and the informative tour guide, of course.

I felt my body being attracted to the little crevices and ledges in the caves, as if it was somehow pulled by string! The pathways where water once flowed quickly was where my mind was, although my body stayed with the untouchable cave. I was seriously puzzled by the quietness of the people surrounded by glowing, neat crystals and white cave. In other cases, we girls would’ve been singing our lungs off and the boys would’ve been showing off their skills, but our behavior was quite muted. The cave was almost like it was a movie set; it didn’t seem a natural beauty but a beauty enhanced to the point of un-touchableness. And so we treated it as such. I have yet to find an answer to this, though, this connection of cave and library.

The main event of the tour was when the tour guide turned off all the lights and told us to be quiet to see how terrifying the caves could be. Standing completely still in the darkness, I too pondered why the dark made humans so fidgety. Although I think that Alice’s statement is very valid, you can’t really blame us humans fearing the dark, in the same way you cannot blame a poor cow running away from an approaching human. It’s not really that fear, actually. I think the real fear is the fear of something neutral.

Something unpredictable. When you thrust a human into his/her fear of neutrality (whether illusional or real), the only thing that they can resort to now is their animal instincts.

Way back when the cavemen still roamed and hunted wild animals, humankind tended to stick together in tribes and families, and in times of fear cornered cavemen would lash out in a last attempt or try to be as loud as possible so that they would be noticed and maybe rescued. Sometimes they fought over things, seeing who was dominant. We’re still the same cavemen – just decorated and polished a wee bit – and, of course, maybe our animal instincts are a bit less extreme.

66

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 66-67

I was curious, though. What separated me from the masses that were talking and chatting away in the dark was that I met fear with fear spawned out of my greatest strength. I’ve known about this human weakness for a long time, and I’ve sought a way to cage my animal instinct. I met this fear of neutrality with the fear of the explorers who discovered these caves. When the world turned dark, I became the explorer in my mind’s eye. Hands slipping through the rock, trying to find relief. Sweat pouring throughout my whole body, trying to compensate the strain of seeking light and input. In short, I linked my mind with the extremely animal instinct-ruled explorer. And that was when I turned to the little match the tour guide carried.

I’ll try to explain to the best of my ability how this helped me. It was by joining (or trying my best to join) my fear with an animal’s did I see that we were scared of the same thing, and that there was nothing to be scared of, at least not in this situation. The dark was the dark. Nothing more; nothing less. And irony had it that I had this realization in a place that was discovered by a slip of a horse and one lucky man.

Yesterday’s trip to Chinatown gave me a glimpse into what our life in China will hold, and it excited me to experience a culture so different from my own. I appreciated the language immersion because, even though I didn’t understand much that was being said, this made me think about the fact that we are all similar in that we are humans on this earth but that each country has its own unique way of life and language and is ultimately a portal into this way of life.

The tour around Chinatown helped me to see from another perspective, thinking about the struggles early Chinese immigrants faced when building a life in this country. It surprised me that the marketplace – and buildings surrounding it – had been completely built by the Chinese people and that it had been there for over 100 years. I hadn’t realized that the Chinese people had been here for as long as they had, especially since the British have been here for only 200 years. I admired the perseverance of the Chinese and their courage in creating a new life so far away from their original homes.

Eating at the Chinese restaurant was a unique experience for me, as I wasn’t used to having a live musician play or such a small restaurant to eat in. The food was quite new to me as well. I have tried Asian cuisine before, but I hadn’t tried the dish I chose. I also enjoyed trying the food of my peers and seeing the difference in food from my culture and Chinese culture.

Listening to Brad’s talk was a great way to end the day. I enjoyed hearing his point of view, and I was surprised by his openness and willingness to answer our questions. If I were to look back on my life in the way Brad did and find qualities I would like to pass on to my children, I would say “empathy,” just as Brad did. I believe that being able to put yourself in another’s shoes is the foundation for building strong relationships and gives you a wider perspective on the world around you.

67

11/4/11 12:00 AM

68

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 68-69

69

11/4/11 12:00 AM

70

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 70-71

71

11/4/11 12:01 AM

72

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 72-73

73

11/4/11 12:01 AM

Working and goofing around with the parade organizers was amazing. It was fun pushing the stands and holding the bamboos, acting cartoonish and being idiotic. I would say that is my thing.

I like goofing around and being stupid all the time. It’s so fun. Dancing is not really my thing, but during this rehearsal it just became my favorite, but honestly it’s still not my thing to do.

We got to move in slow motion, do some kung fu, roll on the ground and act like wild animals.

In whole, the rehearsal was fun.

I found out that the rabbit year symbolizes peace and happiness.

Taking part in the parade is going to be an amazing experience for me since I have never done it before. The costumes and all the other parts are intense. If it turns out to be the way they told us it will be, I assure you this year’s New Year’s festival is going to be amazing. I am not going to get very excited about it. Usually bad things tend to happen a lot when you’re crazy and goofing around.

One thing I really want to see during this festival is Jackie Chan performing stunts. If he does that, this will just make my year and

it will just be

74

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 74-75

Overall, I found our time working with the parade organizers quite fun. We did plenty of activities, learned about what they want to do with our parade section and practiced pushing around these stands. I learned that the rabbit, this year’s animal, means peace and happiness.

I personally think that our float should be more formal and serious. I kind of like what you see on TV during the Chinese New Year where they have cool animals and it’s very serious and elaborate. I don’t really like how we are trying to modernize it and add cartoon characters to it. I’m more of a traditional kind of guy when it comes to this.

The first rehearsal went by just like that.

I was astonished on how well we were taught everything in what seemed a very short time.

I learned that this year is the year of the rabbit.

This year signifies happiness and peace. Last, but not least, the thing I would like to see in the parade is Jackie Chan’s performance.

“YAY LIFE!! WOOT WOOT!”

75

11/4/11 12:01 AM

Time Time. It’s a burglar that never sleeps.

But it’s equally known as philanthropist.

It’s one of the many factors that make you who you are.

You always want more of it, no matter what age.

It’s around you, in you, but cannot be seen.

Although there are windows which man can use to better understand it. we will always be slaves to it, to which no rebellion can be made.

It can be considered cruel, but you can only learn to live with it.

But on a happy note, it’s your decision on how to use it and what paths you make and take.

I hope you spend it wisely.

- David Navarro

Nick Sagar, rock-climbing expert, visited TGS to work with students and train them in climbing. As Nick describes below, he was teaching the students...but the students were also teaching him.

Halfway around the world to visit 15 kids and show them climbing??? Why? Not just any kids. These are TGS kids. All have stepped up to the challenge of another road, a different path. One less taken, or never ever taken before.

A small but important choice but one that defines them, in my opinion, as fundamentally different and not just “any kids.” Not only does this choice define them, at the same time it bonds them. A closer class of students I have never experienced.

So after one week, what can I say? Amongst the climbing lessons of how to high-step, back-step and twist, I will be the first to admit that I, the teacher, had become the student.

An open mind is a beautiful thing and is hard to ignore when so obviously presented. The students’ quest for complete knowledge was remarkable… it was if the TGS student was a cup that never filled. Who, what, where and when started most of their speech, and “????” always ended them. This overwhelming thirst for knowledge challenged and forced me to question myself. “Do I do that?”

Climbers have a name for information. It’s called “beta.” Beta is key information on a climb. The giving of a secret to unlock the riddle or an inside tip on stock can be described in climbing terms as “key beta.”

Beta on a route can make the difference between doing and not doing it.

The TGS student is on a quest for the beta...the quest for knowledge through experience. And in this pursuit I have decided the TGS student will become – if not already – in one word…wise.

In conclusion, I ask you to ask yourself, as I have been subtly forced by the TGS youth, “Do I have a truly open mind? Do I ask the questions that I need to in search of knowledge and beta? Am I on the path to wisdom?”

Hmmm... Let me THINK about that. - Nick

76

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 76-77

11/4/11 12:01 AM

78

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 78-79

79

11/4/11 12:01 AM

“Come on, you can do it!” My body is frozen. My legs are feeling weak. I am paralyzed with fear.

I need to jump on my back into a pool inside the canyon. I’m standing on a rock only 2 meters up, but it might as well be 50. I look at the faces of the students in my group. My colleagues are also there encouraging me on. I keep saying I can’t. They keep insisting I can.

80

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 80-81

81

11/4/11 12:01 AM

The owe their name to the blue haze created by the oil-bearing eucalyptus trees. We are going on an overnight excursion. Beyond the academic purpose of the trip, the students will also work on self-reliance, group work, and physical and mental challenges. Nick Sagar is with us. He will assist the group in rock-climbing. We will also be learning to rappel, and we’re going “canyoneering.”

The morning starts at 4:30 a.m. We need to be on the bus by 6:15 a.m., and some of the students want to go for a quick swim before we leave. Brad happily obliges. We arrive at Katoomba train station at around 9:30 a.m. Our guides are waiting for us, and we begin our intense journey with a lesson on rappelling, or “abseiling.” There are fears to be conquered. A few of the students are afraid of heights.

Amongst cheers of encouragement, and some tears of uncertainty, they all accomplish to rappel down a 5- and 10-meter rock wall. We have a quick lunch and then head to the rock-climbing site.

I don’t want to jump. I can’t jump. “Just let go!

Fall flat on your back!” They all encourage me. It should be the other way around ... I’m the one who is supposed to be down there telling my students to move ahead, to trust themselves and us. What has happened? I used to be the kid who was daring and never-fearing. Where is that girl right now? No, they don’t get it ... this is for them. They are the ones who need to overcome their fears. I’m not supposed to be here. Where is my classroom? I miss my walls....

Nick climbs with the students. There is a big difference between indoor and outdoor climbing. For one, there are no pre-designed holds. It’s just the rock and you.

As our students found out, sometimes the crevices are inhabited by local insects that can throw you off your game in a second! The heat and sharp rock edges can break a lot of spirits as well. We split into two groups and have a total of six different climbing routes. I sit, watch and encourage the kids throughout the three hours we are there. I’m their teacher, mentor, dean and living “parent.” I’m here to help them overcome their fears ... teach them to be supportive of one another ... work with them to develop group skills.

I am a firm believer that the future of our world depends on how creative we become at working as a team. At our campsite, as soon as we arrive, the students are asked to keep silent as we walk up to the top of a ridge. As a reward, they get to see kangaroos at a distance. It’s exciting! That night, we all sit around a campfire and share gasps of excitement as we see falling stars, hear stories of the Outback and share the personal accomplishments of the day. Close to midnight, we all head back to our tents. Tomorrow, I hear, we’re going canyoneering through Empress Canyon at Wentworth Falls and abseiling down a 15- to 20-meter cataract. I’m not worried. I’ve walked in rivers before, and I had a great time rappelling today. As I lay in bed, it’s hard to fall asleep. I don’t want to give up the view of the night sky. However, the sun and activities of the day finally force me into a deep slumber.

I’m not sure how I do it, but I jump. As I look up, I see the beautiful canyon walls. I hear my students cheering. My colleagues are there for me. I sigh ... it’s over... I’m smiling. We keep walking down the canyon A few meters away, there is another pool.

This one is taller. We need to jump into a narrow space of about a meter wide before it opens up into a pool. This time we must leap into the water. I’m done. There is no way I am jumping in. I am sure I’m going to cry.

82

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 82-83

In the morning, I’m one of the last ones out of bed. Some of the students have already been walking about and are sitting down for “brekky.” I join in, and we talk about what will happen today before we head back to Sydney. We are going canyoneering! We stop in town to pick up wetsuits and our rappelling equipment. I’m excited! I loved to walk in rivers when I was a kid. As we get ready to head down the canyon, we are split into three groups. I’m in the last one. There is a total of nine people counting two guides. We start our steep descent to the bottom of the canyon. At the top, the Blue Mountains prove to be as grandiose as expected. Once inside them, they embrace us as we go deep into the canyon. We start walking in the river.

The second jump of the day. I’m facing everyone this time. Not again, please, not again ... I can’t do it this time. They are all cheering. “We know you can do it! We know you can! Come on, Marta, jump! You’ll be so happy when you do it!” Are they insane? How can I be happy? I’m terrified! And then I remember that some of my students aren’t great swimmers, and they’ve all jumped. I have to do this. No... my head is spinning ... I want my classroom ... I want my walls. I see all of them looking at me with huge smiles. The next thing I know I’m in the water. I’ve jumped! I can’t help but smile big and wide. I did it! There are cheers, hugs, high-fives all around! I turn to Karla, our Residential Life Director. “Thank you,” I smile at her. She calmly replies, “That’s why I’m here – to help you do all the things you think you can’t do.” I look up and feel embraced by the canyon walls above me. These are my new walls.

The cataract awaits our last challenge of the day. Once more, the kids rappel down to hugs and cheers of success. Later, Mavis and I are sitting underneath a tree. I know this has been a particularly challenging day for her. “So, Mavis, how was it?” She laughs. “I cried several times! I was so scared!” I look at her and I confess. “I also wanted to cry....” We look at each other and burst out laughing! We did it!

At night, we are back in Sydney. Nick shares with us his passionate voyage into the community of rock-climbers. He will leave us the next day. We’ll miss him. He has quickly become a member of our community.

After dinner, we all sit down to talk about the trip. I look at all of my students.

I feel so proud of each and every one of them. I raise my hand to speak, and I share how important it was for me to overcome my fears. They were my teachers that day. They taught me about courage ... about not giving up ... about trying things even when they look scary and impossible to achieve.

They supported me with their patience, cheers, hugs and high-fives.

As Joann later reminds me, “That’s the TGS way!”

83

11/4/11 12:01 AM

TGS students recently had the opportunity to work with Nick Sagar, a well-known rock-climbing expert and independent rock-wall design consultant. Marta Guevara talks about meeting Nick ... and learning how to follow your passion.

Nick Sagar steps into the indoor climbing facility. “Look at him,” whispers Brad. “I love to see an expert walk into their element. They see things we can’t see.” Brad is right. Nick walks around the climbing facility.

It takes his professional gaze just a few minutes to know what he should do. Now he is ready to observe the kids. “I need to see what they can do,” he had explained to me the day before.

I am stuck for a minute on the word “element.” Andrew and I have just returned from the Inspired Impact Conference in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Sir Ken Robinson, the keynote speaker, tackled three main themes facing education today. The first: We are in a revolution. We are living in unprecedented times.

Technology and population growth are changing the planet at a rate we’ve never experienced before. This leads to the second theme: the crisis of human imagination. Our schools are still obsessed with only a certain type of talent, creating a terrible waste of all other types of talent. The third: We must do something about it. His proposal: Creativity should be at the heart of all our education systems.

Nick could be one of the examples found by Sir Robinson’s latest book, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything. It did change everything for Nick. “I was 16,” Nick begins his story. “I started to work at an outdoor retail store. I started climbing, and for the first time in my life I had found an outlet.

Since I was a kid, I would climb everything I could: trees, doors, etc.” He smiles. “When time came to go to college, I was accepted at several schools. I told myself I would hold off my education and go around the world climbing for a year.” Here his eyes brighten up, and he sheepishly admits, “A year turned into eight!

I’ve climbed rocks all over the world.”

I listen to Nick give instructions. The students are excited. For a few of them, their love for climbing has only been a recent discovery. They know Nick is one of the best. They are aware they’ll have only an hour-and-a-half with him this morning before the rest of their academic day begins.

84

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 84-85

“Climbing is all about hanging off holds and the movement between holds. There are three main concepts you must remember: hips in, balance, and straight arms. These three concepts then tie together to have movement.” I see him get up on the wall, and as he continues to instruct the students on the body mechanics I watch amazed as he glides…no, he dances... up the wall.

Later, I question him about it. “Yes!” he agrees, “It is a dance.” He continues with the metaphor: “It’s a vertical dance. The rock dictates your moves. Every place I go to has its own unique dance that one can perform and experience.” His eyes look deeply into mine, “The top [of the rock] gives you a feeling of empowerment… to get there you’ve had to dance with the rock, and some rocks are built to be climbed. It’s incredible! Some rocks have all the holds in exactly the right places. No hold is missing, and there are no extra ones.” For a moment, as I let his enthusiasm lead me, I’m transported to the top of the rock. I can see him gliding in his vertical dance floor. .

Nick looks behind him at the kids. “They must learn to focus on smaller pieces. However, right now they are very tempted to look at the top. They need to focus on the here and now. By doing that, they will develop the tool set to get up there.” He smiles and points to the roof. Just a little while ago he was moving through a roof with the agility of Spiderman.

After his eight years of travel, Nick now has focused on finding a way to keep in touch with what he loves.

“I realized that a lot of climbing facilities needed help setting up. Now I’m a climbing-wall consultant.

Luckily, there aren’t a lot of us!” He laughs. I admire his ingenuity. He looked and found a way to make a living doing and sharing with others what he loves.

Yes, Nick has found his “element,” and that changed everything. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to talk to him. I know he will teach our students a lot more about life than just how to climb a wall.

I think about the wall…. Yes, TGS is a school without walls, but maybe TGS is a school full of climbing walls!

85

11/4/11 12:01 AM

86

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 86-87

87

11/4/11 12:01 AM

It had started out as a bleak day, the clouds cast an ominous light down from the sky as we piled into the bus.

Fifteen kids off on yet another excursion into Cairns.

As the bus tumbled down the road bouncing over every pothole, flying over every bump, the sky finally began to clear. So much so that even on the inside of the bus kids were starting to put on sunglasses. Those of us who had worn jeans instantly regretted it. Finally we pulled to a stop, and the somewhat uneventful bus ride had left us both tired and relaxed. A far cry from our aboriginal guides who instantly had us launching spears into coconuts. Unlike any other hunting experience I had gone through before, here there were no rules. We were hunting the rare Australian leaping crab. Growing up to a foot in diameter, some of them could jump a clean twenty yards through the air to catch their prey, usually low-flying birds.

Once the instructors let us loose many kids broke rank, sprinting off in a mad bloodlust in search of their prey.

Spears flew across the shore and far into the mangroves as the kids fanned out across the mudflats. I was one of those kids.

It was merely fifteen minutes later when it hit me, once the mad thrill of the hunt had passed. The heat. It was immense. The sun seemed to beat down on me, a burden that seemed as if it would never be lifted. Until I saw it. It was a baby one, only half the size of a full-grown leaping crab. Sitting there. It was facing away from me but we locked eyes. Its small eyes on spindly stalks rotated towards me, as if making contact with an alien from another planet. And in that same moment it leaped.

A flash of steel and a loud roar ensued. The crab had flown towards me almost ...ALMOST... faster than I could have seen. But in that same moment, on edge I had leapt as well. Two creatures flying towards each other in the deadly dance that is the hunt. Until we collided.

The spear flew right through it, a body shot. There was no regret, no mercy.

And in that moment it was over. Both man and crab, flying towards earth together. Man had triumphed, and the rest of the group cautiously approached.

Congratulating me, but there was nothing to applaud.

I had done what needed to be done, just as any of the others would. That night we would not sleep hungry.

88

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 88-89

89

11/4/11 12:02 AM

The didgeridoo.

A wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians of northern Australia around 1,500 years ago

90

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 90-91

91

11/4/11 12:02 AM

92

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 92-93

93

11/4/11 12:02 AM

The reef’s just so beautiful. I couldn’t resist its beauty. My ears were hurting so bad but that couldn’t stop me from going into the water. When will be the next time I will dive in the Barrier Reef? Probably not anymore. I am really glad that we had a marine biologist with us during the trip.

Maggie is an incredible woman.

I am wickedly impressed with her knowledge. - Pema

On my last dive in the Great Barrier Reef I saw how special the reef really is.

After some of the divers ran out of air and came up the instructor took me out to a special part of the reef alone. We managed to get through a small hidden cave, which brought us to the most beautiful coral cove.

The diversity I saw at that part of the reef was so grand. I saw blue starfish and sea turtles. It was truly an underwater utopia.

- Willem 94

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 94-95

The morning dive was amazing!

I Swam with a turtle and the fish were especially vibrant that day. Also, the night dive.

Our group was the only group to see a shark and it was super exciting. - Beny

I was really one with the sea.

I finally found my passion (other than the arts) – scuba diving! I loved swimming after turtles, getting confused over the scuba diving suits and basically living the life!

- Yada

I like fish and I like breathing under water. It was very interesting, but I expected more. But overall I liked it a lot, specially the night dive! (I didn’t know you can kill fish with light.)

P.

I learned so many things and diving underwater, honestly, reminded me of the times when I was young and I dreamed of being a mermaid. It made me a lot more environmentally aware. Our guide was indeed a walking encyclopedia.

It was also my first time sleeping on a boat and I fell in love with it. - Charis When you jump into the water, the rush of bubbles is quite soothing. A deep breath, and you are transported into another world. Our class has been around the reef for the past few days, diving and snorkeling, and there have been a few moments where I have wondered, “What if I am the last generation to enjoy this place?”

- Megan

The Great Barrier Reef is a rich ecosystem. It is the home to thousands of fish, underwater plants and lots more organisms. As I dived in the Great Barrier Reef, I got to see the schools of fish swimming – lively bigger fish chasing smaller fish – and different types of corals.

It’s a place with so much life.

- Charis

Stretching across the Pacific, a scattered two-thousandfive-hundred reefs dot the horizon.

Teeming with fish, and holding the title for highest biodiversity, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef seems invincible. But these immense structures are seated on a fragile base and the decisions we make in the course of the next few years can either destroy these wonders forever or save them for ourselves.

- Alex

Even though I was just snorkeling it felt like flying on a helicopter above New York City, while others were “walking” on its streets. - Mark

95

11/4/11 12:02 AM

The sounds of six people breathing pounded in your ears, joining the orchestra of other little noises, just out of your reach of recognition. Little bubbles floated above you, floating all the way to break at the surface, which was where you wanted to be right at this moment. You couldn’t do this; it’s not in human nature to breathe and be underwater!! You were surely going to drown!! Everything was intensified; you couldn’t focus. You stop breathing for a second, your mask filling up with water.

You signal to your buddy that there’s a problem, but she doesn’t notice. Just as you were going to make an emergency ascent, the instructor grabs you by the shoulders and, looking deep in your eyes, tells you to breathe slowly. He holds you until you stop shivering compulsively.

Being in that position forces you to do things, but you know that many people are going through the same thing. We all

96

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 96-97

signed up for the challenges, and while in Sweden, it was more about adjusting to the day-to-day life at TGS. In Sydney, the changes were more about being encouraged into good virtues (persistence, hard work, etc.). At first glance, the challenges were very physical: rock-climbing, abseiling, scuba diving, canyoneering ... we really took every opportunity to reap the gold the land has to offer.

However, many small changes can lead to larger ones, and that stayed true throughout the trip. Many of us had a fear of heights, so when we were forced to climb the Harbor Bridge in Sydney, we were forced to overcome it. We were expected to change and conquer our fears in so little time – that was the biggest challenge. I guess we were a little like The Green Lantern, defeating fear with will (I just had to put that in).

There were a few obstacles to leap over (personally), though. First off, Sydney is NOTHING like Chiang Mai. Australia is a very varied country. There are deserts, bush land, rain forests ... you name the landscape!

The balance of nature to human civilization is very extreme. For example, a few steps from Darling Harbor you are faced with just a wall of huge skyscrapers and concrete covering every inch of the city. However, if you turn to face Darling Harbor, you see a crystal-clear expanse of water. I guess Chiang Mai’s balance is more mixed and evenly spread out.

I think that, in a way, a traveler is like a drum player. Each city and place has a different rhythm to it, even though they are all still essentially drums. A good global citizen must be able to learn and handle each rhythm. What shocked me the most about Sydney was that although everything was still so relaxed, there was an unspoken urgency in the air, like the holiday was going to end, or maybe that there was a pressure to stand out from the crowd.

Sydney was not at all like I’ve read. From the media, I had come to the conclusion that everything in Australia was trying to attack me and that I would see kangaroos hopping around.

When I actually came here, I was forced to clean the glasses that had once been so contaminated by stereotypes. In the same way I dealt with all the other changes. I can’t say I adjusted to those changes; all I did was erase myself, to be filled with updated information. To change in a world that never stops to rest, all you have to do is start a new page.

Sincerely, Yada

97

11/4/11 12:02 AM

Reflection by Yada I was called downstairs for a “reflection,” but what awaited me shook me to my core...

I skipped downstairs to the smallish lounge, with a book under one arm and my laptop under the other, my mind churning with thoughts of homework and preparations for Halloween. I braced myself for the chitter-chatter and noise that usually went on in the room. The door swung open, and I was met by a wall of silence. An eerie silence that made every breath in the room seem louder than lightning, a silence that dared us to break, a silence that was living.

All the people – whether they were talkative, playful or not – were sitting around the room. All with the same expression, all with their eyes bowed down, all in their own little world. Every trace of play was gone. A flicker of light caught the corner of my eye, and then I saw it. A single big candle, surrounded by so many little candles, all in the shape of a heart. They danced and quivered, burned low and high, to the rhythm of my mind. I was caught within the flames; I couldn’t get out! One part of me was scolding me for my childish staring, but that part was too quiet to be heard.

Nangsal gave me a candle and I lit it. As the little dry wick suddenly sprang to life, I was reminded of creation. Flames were a parallel of life. All the candles were lit by the center one; all of us humans and all that lives borrow some of the earth’s and the Higher Being’s power and flames from the moment we are created to the moment we die. And when we die, we give them back, to fuel the flame of life. We humans were little candles, so easily blown away by the wind, so easily killed. Although we like to think of ourselves as unwavering and all-powerful, like the reflection of the candles in the table, we’re not like that. I, as well as my classmates, were being kindled by the wind, raised to show the world our potential. We can cause so much damage by getting carried away, yet we can also die in the snap of a finger.

People trickled in, and one by one all my classmates and I sank into a state of calmness. We closed the doors and turned off the lights, and suddenly the air became stuffy and I was reminded of the temples back home. Nangsal began the reflection...the reflection of death.

The cold breeze thrashed against the windows, but inside the warmth and heat of the flames merged with the intensity of the ritual. Tears dropped and subtly, but surely, we were connecting.

Connected by the sadness and the trauma of the death of the dear, we were stripped naked. The rocks within all of us began to crack, and the pieces that broke whiffed up into the air, with the flames, to become part of the room. And the silence and stifled sobs were replaced by a faint sound of the waves as this vessel of memories and messages sailed to the forbidden land... Nangijala, Heaven, the land of the dead.

Our tears and our sorrow fed the center flame as the evening wore on.

And then it was all over, the flames distinguished, the roaring

of the sea fading away....

98

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 98-99

99

11/4/11 12:02 AM

THINK the exhibition A photographic journey to inspire mind and soul.

In 2008, Joann made a 350-page coffee table book with her photography from around the world. It combines pictures and words to reveal that multiple layers of meaning can be found in every moment. She hopes to inspire deep reflection in the viewer and encourage tolerance and global understanding - sounds familiar!?

The exhibition is based on the photography in the book. Pictures and words are enlarged on 16 triangle displays (2.40 x 1.10 meters) and were placed in public areas in Stockholm and Sydney where passersby can enjoy, immerse and reflect over the photography free of charge.

100

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 100-101

101

11/4/11 12:02 AM

102

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 102-103

103

11/4/11 12:02 AM

Nature’s Feel by Willem

Tan Le

Entrepreneur and co-Founder of Emotiv

Thoughts on the Mosque

By Bailey The first thing I was struck by when we entered the mosque was its beauty, but more than that, the complexity of how its beauty was portrayed. Every decoration had a meaning– the calligraphy, colours and shapes all meant something and all came together to create a place where Muslims could collectively pray.

The next thing I realized was the complexity and beauty of the religion itself. All the facets of the religion came together to create one beautiful and complex way of living. Many of the ideas that go into the Muslim way of thinking would be shared by many other religious or even non-religious groups of people, but along with these commonly shared ideas were the integral parts of the religion, the things that separate it from anything else. One example of this is the language in which the Muslim teachings are spoken. No matter where a Muslim is in the world, they must learn to read the scriptures in Arabic. This stood out as a special and important part of the religion to me because it creates a point of similarity between everyone in the Muslim religion, creating something that they can all connect with.

Majority of the day covered in my blogpost about Tan Le. When students testing the headset were calibrating commands, the room was dead silent, as everyone watched on in amazement.

Mark tried the headset first. Live data of his neuro-electrical activity was represented on screen in a line graph and four 2-D brain charts showed activity at different wavelengths. Everyone was silent and amazed witnessing the inner workings of Mark’s mind. When he talked, the lines on the chart would jump. Someone called out, “Mark, think of Emma” (his crush), and the lines jumped also, which made Mark and everyone else laugh. Tan Le said about the wavelength charts that Mark had a very active mind. All three waking sectors were mostly active (red) for the majority of the time.

Next Jaydon tried it. Everyone was just as fascinated. Because the beta wave chart was almost always active, Tan Le said Jaydon was very engaged. He tried consciously to calm his mind and the wave charts slowly shaded blue. He was very good with command accessing.

Alex went after Jaydon. Once he was wearing the headset and his mental activity was live on screen, Piran (with Alex’s permission) showed him a picture of a spider on an iPhone. Alex’s neuro-electric impulses jumped, 104

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 104-105

and then returned to normal after Piran sat down. Tan Le commented on how quickly his mind became engaged, with rapid shifts between calm and activation at all three wavelenghts. Alex had the idea to experiment with different techniques of command calibration, thinking of nothing during the calibration period, which in turn became a command.

Then, when he zoned out and tried to blur his mind, the projected square would spin.

Yada went last. Tan Le was surprised by the blue at all wavelengths of her mind. We, too, observed that all charts were blue significantly more of the time than the other students. This resting state is often associated with sleep or meditation. Yada was able to calm her mind the most completely. It was amazing to see the different wavelengths shutting down as she did so. Everyone can bring their mind to this state of rest, but people who meditate regularly, studies have shown, can access it more quickly.

The students talked a lot about the presentation on the bus ride home.

Tan Le also gave a lot of good entrepenurial inspiring advice to the students. They recognized her intelligence, and met by being engaged listeners and asking good questions.

Of course, I did not agree with everything that the religion encapsulated, but that comes naturally with most things. We should not expect to always agree or relate to the things we encounter.

You stop to take a breath.

You’ve just walked fiftythree miles.

This is where you start to feel the weight on your feet.

There’s a heavy pack on my back.

I let it slip off.

I start to feel the forest.

I don’t know how to explain such a feeling.

A slight breeze feels like a hurricane now.

My body is weak but I still feel one with the ground.

The trees move at such I pace my eyes cannot follow.

The streams have a sad slope that droops the water over the ground.

I finally found it.

True peace.

I’m alive.

105

11/4/11 12:02 AM

106

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 106-107

107

11/4/11 12:03 AM

We went to one of the malls called The Village, which is a five-story shopping mall where everything can be bargained down 70%. Now I expect that my Mandarin will help me bargain in the future when we progress in it. I can see that these next few months that we are here in China will be eye-opening and will be very different from what I had expected days before my arrival.

- Willem

A loud, noisy city with a thick fog of smoke covering the skyscrapers was actually the picture I had of Beijing. I thought there was going to be little, crowded streets everywhere with honks from cars and shouts from the Chinese people. The smell was going to be of smoke, dumplings and also the incense from Buddhist idols.

- Charis

China is the complete opposite of my world.

All the life rules and manners have been completely switched around. Here it’s normal to stuff your face, to spit and burp where you please. - Liam

108

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 108-109

APRIL 11

JUNE 30

109

11/4/11 12:03 AM

Let me preface by saying on the night of the lock-in I calculate I played sports for nine consecutive hours.

The concept is this: sell high-sugar snacks, coffee and pizza to fuel hundreds of teenagers on an all-night sports, gaming, movie-watching social extravaganza.

Chinese Expectations By Bailey Although I try to always keep an open mind, when I think about China one of the first things that pops into my head is “people.” Not just the mass of people in China, but the diversity of these people. I think about the complete contrast between New Zealand culture and Chinese culture, as I look at China as a place with very ancient history and beliefs, whereas New Zealand is only just beginning to write its history. When I think of China as a place of ancient history, I also recognize their advances in technology and their imminent takeover from the West where technology is concerned.

I have two very different pictures that I form in my mind when trying to imagine what life in China would be like. One is rolling green fields, dotted with trees and ancient buildings, people living off the land and very distanced from modern technology. The other is set in the city, with block after block of high-rise buildings, cars constantly streaming past on the streets below with many horns blaring and near misses.

I can imagine a very strong aroma of Chinese spices and cooking smells, an array of unique food products – perhaps scorpions on sticks, insects in peanut sauce or something even stranger! I am more than a little apprehensive about this food and eating with chopsticks, although at the same time I am excited to try these unique flavors, to be able to go back home and horrify my friends with what I have eaten.

Things kicked off with a TGS vs. BISS (we were outnumbered about 5:1) soccer game. Amazingly, due to acts of valor and general prowess of TGS students, we lost by only one goal over the course of an hour.

Next, a TGS water fight that consisted mostly of students mercilessly targeting Ambika, who responded with due treachery. Not everyone got wet. But she certainly did.

Then basketball outside. Then basketball inside for hours.

At 2 A.M., dodgeball kicked off in the auditorium and went strong for about 3.5 hrs. I love dodgeball. Few games are more satisfying to me, especially when I have the opportunity to prey on younger opponents.

Things whittled down. Everyone meandered a bit before going to bed: last-minute gossip, brownies.

We drifted into restless, sports-filled dreams on the hard carpeted floor of our normal classrooms, exhausted and thoroughly satisfied. New friends made, goals and baskets scored, little kids sent wheeling through the air with a well-placed throw.

The morning was rough. Many grabbed less than an hour of sleep, with little shuteye the previous night also. But the experience was well worth any discomfort and will go down in the history books.

I also imagine going to a country where I will be seen as the foreigner, rather than being at home in the culture and language. I know I will be pushed outside of my comfort zone and will have to brush up on my rather rudimentary Mandarin skills.

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

After being in Beijing for a few days now, much of what I had pictured has been true. There have been masses of people, masses of cars, with horns blaring and many near misses, but there have also been areas of calm. I have found our apartment buildings very quiet and have enjoyed looking out my window, watching the world go by. I’ve seen many people in uniform going about their duties; both kids and adults on bicycles; father and daughter playing basketball; and even a couple of my classmates sitting, talking and laughing together. I feel much more relaxed in this culture than I thought I would. It feels almost like a second home, even with the major cultural differences.

For me, one of the biggest changes is with food practices. I have found it rather amusing to try (and often fail) to use chopsticks. I have been amazed by the food, especially the meal we had last night, and the complete changes in what Chinese culture views as polite compared to my own culture.

110

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 110-111

111

11/4/11 12:03 AM

By Alice

Our trip to Xian was very interesting, but not in the way I expected it to be.

You see, what I remember most about the trip is the train and waiting at the train station. The train station was probably the most crowded train station I’ve ever been to (and that says a lot; I’ve been to quite a few). There were people rushing everywhere, and it was really big. I saw a McDonald’s, walked 50 meters and saw another one. When we sat to wait, I had a fun time peoplewatching and guessing where people might be from.

When we got on the train, it was great to see how well the train was taken care of. The train itself was pretty old, but the service was great and the cabins were larger than the ones we were in on our trip to Åre – only four people per cabin. On the train we met some really cool people that also travelled in a group and spoke some of our languages.

When we arrived, I thought I was going to faint, that’s how tired I was. I had a hard time falling asleep, and then walking in Chinese summer heat as a Swede was not too pleasant. We went to the Terracotta Warriors, and it was really interesting.

The tomb was massive, and it was hard taking in how big it must have been, and how long it must have taken to dig it nonetheless making it.

It was quite funny... the woman who was our guide for that day said they had planned stops during the tour for us to take photos, while the TGS students were much more interested in learning about the actual sight.

The mosque was really interesting as well. It was interesting to see how the Taoism had affected it, while it still was a Muslim mosque.

First time I heard about the Terracotta Warriors Army was in Stockholm when we went to the museum.

Personally, I liked it. Looking forward to seeing the real thing in China.

In the museum in Stockholm there were figures of all sizes, and in China we saw only big ones. I did not know much before coming to Xian, so I was not quite sure what to expect besides seeing about 8,000 figures there. I was impressed with the size of the whole thing. It was divided into three huge sections, and it was very crowded there. In the first building, which looked like a giant aircraft hangar, all the warriors were facing one way. It was quite fascinating and frightening to see that. There was sort of an illusion of them staring at us, ready to fight.

We learned a few things about the Terracotta Warriors: they were not actually made of terracotta, there are no “twins” (each statue is unique) and the buried army was actually found by an old Chinese farmer on his farm.

I would recommend this to people who have enough time in China if they are interested in old Chinese history or architecture.

During the trip, I learned more about myself than about the actual Terracotta Warriors. I realized that train is the way to go, and that if I ever go travelling when I grow up, I want to travel by train. You meet so many interesting people and you get to actually see what is happening outside your window.

112

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 112-113

113

11/4/11 12:03 AM

You are invited to an evening with professor

Wednesday, 25th of April, at the Canadian International School of Beijing. Admission is free.

In the eBook, Catching Up or Leading the Way, Part I: Globalization, chapter 6, Professor Yong Zhao explains and brings light to a very important and ever-growing cyber world. He explains how Anshe Chung makes millions of dollars selling virtual property in the video game “Second Life” and how Julian Dibbett made $47,000 gold farming. Gold farming is a hobby many game nerds take on to get money. In many popular online video games people like to earn gold and sell it to other people for real money. He talks about massive billion-dollar companies like Google and Facebook, which both accelerated in worth in a blink of an eye. But he also asserts there are problems like cyber wars and terrorism. His conclusion is that the cyber world isn’t just fun and games.

-David In his speech, global entrepreneur Yong Zhao, a professor at the University of Oregon, claims that schools are not teaching students to be creative but rather to become the working class. He supports his claim by showing that Apple, the second-most-valuable company in the world, got to where it is because of innovation and creativity. Zhao’s purpose is to recreate education so students are prepared for the 21st century. He establishes an urgent tone to educators and the pupils of THINK Global School.

-Willem 114

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 114-115

115

11/4/11 12:03 AM

Julian’s studio, a short distance from Beijing’s famous 798 art district, provides a fantastic work space for the students. More than the room itself is the enormous autonomy students have within Julian’s high-ceilinged, airy concrete studio. As he puts it: “Here there are no rules,” before hastily reconsidering and putting just a few in place. Except where students’ safety is concerned, Julian has a laissez-faire attitude about the studio; he encouraged students to take apart and destroy the strange artifacts scattered around, and he took the controlled chaos and constant demand for his attention in full stride.

In one corner of the studio is piled scrap metal from rusty bicycles, old fans, chassis and many unidentifiable sources. From the ceiling hang two abstractly human forms, welded together from an assortment of metal objects; one looks to be vaulting and the other is somewhat sprawled. The students thought of a personal or group art or construction project. The only constraint on their project was the relatively short five-hour work time (which has since been extended).

Alex is building a portable table-mounted slingshot. Mark is making a unicycle from a bicycle, which is much more difficult than it sounds. Some students made small sculptures.

David tore apart his shoes to make homemade roller skates. Yada made a diorama of random objects from the studio. Piran and Pema are making a scooter.

The students love the free-creative feel of the studio and thrive in its creative freedom.

Piran, who initially balked at the idea of an artistic weekend, notably found a love for welding and the immense constructive (or destructive) power it enables.

Both days, before heading to the studio, the students had a chance to explore the 798 district, which is filled with galleries of all sizes and a smattering of interesting shops. Yesterday we headed from 798 to Julian’s studio for an introduction, then we were off to a nearby materials market for project supplies. It was fun to buy big sheets and bars of metal, and marvel at how much the cramped space of one shop actually held. Today the students were sent into 798 with money for breakfast, and they had a couple of hours to eat and wander on their own.

The students really stepped into the responsibility they were given, and the work time zoomed by with energy, fun and productivity.

A really great last two days. Cannot wait to head back to the studio to continue working (playing?).

116

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 116-117

117

11/4/11 12:03 AM

118

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 118-119

119

11/4/11 12:03 AM

its limits – limits that we artificially create to this day: nations, states, cities, towns, homes, rooms and, ultimately, in our hearts.

Look, look up there, I can see it now. I don’t turn around. I want the Wall to find me, and not vice versa. If it’s as big as they say – well, let it impress me by showing itself. I keep still in the bus, looking out the window. I’m close to the front since I get dizzy in the back of the bus. About 15 minutes go by.

More sightings are shared amongst the students.

I’m stubborn and refuse to look.

Embracing the challenge I have set for it, we turn around a corner, and there it is in front of me. The mountain chain, and at its top: the “old dragon.”

It curls its sleek body up and down the outline of the mountains. It lies there quiet, imposing and grandiose.

My breath is gone. For an instance, I feel embraced by its enormity and beauty. And then I feel the terror of its challenge. “Climb me,” it says. “Come and walk on my back. I dare you to.” I am in utter silence. I can’t even turn to the students to tell them I see it. I now understand their excitement. “I am made from the tears and sweat of thousands. I come from the limitless imagination of the human mind.”

“What is the Wall?” Brad will later ask the students.

The Wall is human’s limitless vision of creation. It is a living monument to anyone who dared to utter the word “impossible.” It stands there… defying reason.

It mocks the trip to the moon, the exploration of space. It reminds us that the true frontier is the one that lies deep inside each of us. The voice in our heads that makes us doubt ourselves and what we are capable of accomplishing. THAT is the real Wall we are all called upon to climb in our lifetime.

Tomorrow morning will be my turn … will I be able to climb to the Wall?

We arrive to meet William Lindsay. These are the true people who make TGS unique. We are so lucky to constantly meet people who have found their “element.” For William, the Wall is a living and breathing thing. He has explored all of its sections ... knows its history that expands from early years B.C. to the middle part of the 17th century. He knows it’s not just one Wall; it’s a series of imposing monuments … testaments to the human spirit to protect what it defines as theirs. It reminds us of our need to own Earth and to feel secure within 120

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 120-121

We wake up at 3:45 a.m. My heart is pounding. The day looks grim and rainy. I pay no attention. I have only one thing on my mind: Will I be able to reach the top? It is a 10k hike, most of it uphill through mountain territory. We will also walk on the Dragon’s back while being up there. We quietly head out into the night.

TGS e r e h as w

The road curls … up, up, up it goes. I stop many times to catch my breath. I dare not look up, but I can’t resist. There it is closer… closer… and finally one last sprint. “I am here! I come to learn from you. I have listened. I stopped thinking about what I couldn’t do, and I am now relishing in the joy of what I have accomplished.” And so the lesson begins…. What is the Wall? We will each come up with our own definitions by the end of the day.

There is something else I see … the Wall is crumbling.

It’s being beaten by the passing of time. Mother Nature is claiming it for herself. Roots are tearing apart the blocks that took thousands of men and women to build. Once more, I hear the Wall speaking to me. “Yes, it doesn’t matter how grandiose we look.

It doesn’t matter how arrogant we might feel about our own accomplishments. Ultimately, nature will take us back to where we really belong. It is our life cycle to embrace and rejoice.”

In the evening, we all sit around sipping warm drinks before jumping into our sleeping bags. All of us will be camping for the night at the foot of the mountain. We are listening to William tell us a story about how the desert almost took the lives of the National Geographic filming crew as they went looking for another part of the Wall. It is a tale that goes along with the one the Wall told me. At the end, Nature will always have the last word. I’m not surprised that both William and the Wall shared a similar story with us… they are both one.

I look up at the outline in the night sky. I see the faces of our students hypnotized by William’s natural storytelling abilities. I look up to watch the International Space Station circle past us. I smile at the lessons our students are living: Dream, create, envision, build, be limitless both inside your hearts and beyond the confines of our Earth.

121

11/4/11 12:03 AM

By Yada I realize how easy we have it – us, this new generation. Even the factory laborers in China, compared to what they had to go through before the development of machinery and technology. We almost take things for granted, since we only have to do so little to get what we want, and so in that sense we have lost our sense of gratitude, of accomplishment, and of acknowledgement and priority. You never really know what is worth what until you have to go through a struggle to get it.

This trip was a struggle for many, waking up at 3:30 a.m. in freezing cold weather to a 10 km hike. What would be worth it?

That was the question in my mind on Thursday morning.

I for one didn’t like physical activity any time before 9, let alone hiking. For other people, it was more about the wake-up time. I remembered that day – rising up, feeling extremely grumpy, and packing my bag and hurriedly eating my cold pastry and hot chocolate. My brain was still foggy and my muscles not yet awake.

When we set off on the stone and dirt-paved road leading to the near nonexistent mountain trail, I was reminded of a herd of donkeys. Being nudged to go a certain way, to do a certain thing and having a push when a donkey’s being a tad bit too slow.

If we had the choice for this particular hike, many of us would’ve said no, and many would consider it. However, we weren’t exactly forced or encouraged by the owner, or anything like that. We pushed each other – to determination and success. To the top, step by little step. And sometimes I wanted to drop or just rest and let others pass, but I didn’t. The person in front of me taunted me to follow, and Stefan and a few other people high-fived us and cheered, even for the people who were red-faced and puffing.

I must admit that I was one of those people, and there were a lot of times when I fell behind. There was always someone to help me go forward, though, even when I was venting with frustration (especially on Friday when we had to walk up an extra hill when we were returning to camp). I was really impressed with everyone on this trip. We quit complaining early on, seeing that that didn’t help, and so helped each other to the summit, to the majestic view, and we made it together. Instead of rushing ahead just because one could, we waited for each other and helped lift each other. And that’s what a community is, isn’t it? People trying to make life easier and goals more achievable for everyone else. And we made it.

As daybreak came that Thursday morning, the sunlight struck the Great Wall, and I was quite surprised when it didn’t fall.

It just looked so fragile and delicate, crumbling at the edges and down on its hands and knees, yelling for attention and help.

Mountains misted into nothing on the horizon, and we could just see the forest we just came from. It was drizzling lightly, but that didn’t matter. We just hugged each other, warmed by the body heat and the golden sight in front of our eyes.

122

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 122-123

11/4/11 12:03 AM

...and you wonder why the rest of the world needs to learn Mandarin?

124

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 124-125

125

11/4/11 12:03 AM

126

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 126-127

127

11/4/11 12:03 AM

O Praying O Napping O Yoga

You have no clue what I’m saying, do you...?!

128

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 128-129

129

11/4/11 12:04 AM

To the Students of TGS. I think often about the person I am, and the person I want to become. My biggest hope is that as an old man I’ll look back on my life and find not an absence of mistakes and regrets, but rather an abundance of passion, discovery, failure, love and beautiful people, and that I’ll laugh heartily at the whole thing before kicking the bucket. Recently, I’ve been satisfied to see my ideals and actions shift into greater alignment. I’m just exploring the beginning of this harmony. I try to improve myself so that I may live as fully as possible at the peak of my capability and so that I may have a better chance of realizing my ambitions. Here are a few of the ideals that I’m striving towards that you also might consider:

Say what you mean, do what you say. Don’t give people your word lightly.

If your friends can’t trust you, no one can. Take care of them.

Be physically fit. Physical fitness correlates with mental acuity.

Look people in the eyes as you listen and speak. Don’t interrupt. Blink and look away occasionally so you don’t look like a crazy person.

Don’t let fear of embarrassment stop you from doing anything that’s true to you. Embarrassment simply isn’t a worthy barrier. If people scoff at your ambitions, ignore them. Only you know what you’re really capable of.

The food you put in your body has a profound effect on your mental sharpness and stamina. Eat healthily for a week to understand the difference.

Find people who inspire you and model them. One person cannot be your mentor in all areas. Gather many mentors and learn from all of them.

Thank them for what they show you. Mentors need recognition, too.

Realize that your parents made you. From nothing. For that you owe them everything.

Write and read often.

Place others before yourself. People will recognize this prioritization.

Patience is one of the greatest acquired skills you can carry.

Train yourself to stay calm and rational in disagreements.

Stop procrastinating. Do the consequential things first.

Be persistent, be stubborn, be a fighter.

Extend to everyone the openness you’d show if you were meeting them for the first time. Eventually, if you keep giving them chances, everyone will show you their good side.

Stay in the moment. Have the patience and receptiveness to appreciate the beauty hiding in the instants all around you.

No good ever comes from talking bad about someone behind their back.

Do things that make you lose track of time.

Do the right thing. The world has a mysterious way of rewarding you.

Be genuine, be kind. If you’ve wronged someone, apologize. It will lift a great – even unrecognized - weight from both of you.

By challenging yourself, even on a small level, you start to expand the boundaries of your capability.

The most important thing you can do is explore your mind. It’s at the core of everything you experience in the world. Take care of it: exercise it.

Never be afraid to ask questions, but don’t ask questions you could find the answers to yourself.

Write a manifesto of things you truly believe in (this is an abridged version of my own). It will help you to understand who you are now and what you’re striving towards. Update it. Write a new one annually.

Try each day to develop yourself. Learn a new skill, facts on a new subject. Talk to someone who expands your perspective, become fitter, face something that’s uncomfortable.

130

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 130-131

I don’t maintain that these are original ideas. Most are simply gathered snippets of wisdom that rang true to me.

131

11/4/11 12:04 AM

132

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 132-133

133

11/4/11 12:04 AM

Ambika teaching math the “Angry Bird” way

class at B.i.s.s. beijing

Innovative teaching

134

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 134-135

135

11/4/11 12:04 AM

Yunnan is a province of the People’s Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately 394,000 square kilometers. The province borders Burma, Laos and Vietnam.

Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with high elevations in the northwest and low elevations in the southeast. Most of the population lives in the eastern part of the province. In the west, the relative height from mountain peaks to river valleys can be as much as 3,000 m.

Yunnan is rich in natural resources and has the largest diversity of plant life in China.

136

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 136-137

137

11/4/11 12:04 AM

138

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 138-139

139

11/4/11 12:05 AM

Before I came to China, I had visions of streets filled with beautiful Oriental buildings lining market streets. Rice patties with farmers would outline the towns.

Cities would display neon signs on street corners. Bustling colorful crowds would constantly be on the move, with Chinese music floating through your ears. This was the China I learned of from films and books, and I couldn’t wait to dive into a country of such ancient tradition and history.

My imaginary world was shattered somewhat arriving in Beijing when I found that the buildings I hoped for were tall and gray, the crowds were not dressed in traditional garb, and I felt like I was playing Frogger trying to avoid wild taxis when crossing the road. Where are the carts filled with fruit being pulled in by farmers from afar? Where are the temples? And, more importantly, where are all the Hello Kitties?

Oh, never mind, that girl has a Hello Kitty wallet... that… that’s one of our students! Never mind.

Suffice it to say Beijing was a little different from James Fletcher’s ideal film set.

My faith in imaginary-movie China was to be restored, however, on our final trip to the Yunnan Province. The journey started off with a flight to Kunming, then a commute to Dali. We took eventful cable car rides to the top of Zhonghe Peak to visit Zhonghe Temple (eventful if you shared your car with a very musical Willem). Built in the Ming Dynasty, this Buddhist temple was quite a spectacle. “Who can tell me what makes the architecture distinctly Chinese?” Andrew asked. The students scrambled to answer: “The interlocking wood that makes up the roof – there are no seals holding it together.” They were right, too.

The roof was a huge man-made puzzle of detailed wood. We then took turns going up and touching a lucky stone. “That sounds trivial!” I hear you say. Well, not when you must close your eyes and spin in three circles, metres away from the stone, before you can search for it as though you’re trying to find the door of your bedroom in the dark. The lucky ones gained more luck as they found the stone, and the unlucky ones who needed it most walked into nearby bushes and/or students. What struck us all about the temple was the serenity and the presence of ancient Chinese culture. While the temple is a main tourist attraction in Dali, there were very few people apart from our group there.

After a night out at dinner in Dali, we transferred in the morning to Lijiang. Our first stop was a walk around Black Dragon Pool; however, the highlight of the day was learning the symbols of the Naxi People and painting our own designs onto T-shirts. With the help of our teacher, any phrases we wanted to add onto them were translated for us (several Me Gusta faces were used, not to name anyone).

In the evening, we were free to walk around the town of Lijiang.

If I had any image of what all of China was going to look like, it was this place. Sloping roofs, bobbing red lanterns, narrow cobbled streets – this was the place I had heard tales of. In true TGS flash-mob style, we ran into a dance club and danced our hearts out for one song, much to the delight of the Lijiang public, and then dispersed back outside just as quickly. We split up into groups and covered as much distance of the town as we could, experiencing the shops and the sights until it was time to head back to our hotel. I would have loved to stay here for three months!

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 140-141

11/4/11 12:05 AM

Yunnan continued

The next section of the trip was the part we were all looking forward to or dreading: THE HIKE! Two glorious days of heat, walking and a very, very frustrating guessing game. By the way, Liam, John Crapper did NOT invent the flushing toilet.

A long bus ride, where my iPad became hot property, took us to the path leading through Tiger Leaping Gorge. The famous gorge took some walking along a path that hugged a green mountainside where you could see the rock in the river where legend says tigers leapt onto to get across the water. Excitement gripped us when Beny used her Boston survival skills and managed to track a rare red panda in a bush. Upon further investigation, it turned out to be a chicken. It’s more about the hunt though, right? The hike to our first rest stop covered in decorative sweet corn was not so bad, yet the real trek was about to begin.

There will always be a special place in our memories for the 28 bends. It was lucky we had donkeys following us up, as they were quickly utilized to carry some excess baggage. Quote of the day went to Joann when commenting on the weight of her cameras: “I never knew megapixels were so heavy.”

142

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 142-143

Strange footprints on the walls of some rooms aside, everyone seemed very pleased to reach our stop for the night.

A brilliant sunrise view of the mountains greeted us in the morning as we left for the final part of the hike. We braved the perils of log bridges, waterfalls, mountain goats and Avi’s business advice to arrive at our bus, waiting beside a foodfilled restaurant, to be fed and taken far, far away… to Tibet!

And go to Tibet we did. The town of Shangri-la had no chance to prepare for our sudden arrival. We wasted no time in roaming the streets chasing after yaks and turning prayer wheels. I and some other brave souls made a good solid attempt at traditional Tibetan dance in the village square. While we were mostly terrible, our practice was unknowingly soon to pay off….

The night ended with a dinner of pretty much every yak body part you can think of. Some attitudes did change a little when they were told that their mouths were in fact filled with yak tongue.

The next morning, we were taught the Tibetan alphabet and how to draw parts of Buddha. The language was a hard one to grasp, which added to our shock when Nang started casually conversing with the teacher in Tibetan! Also, it turns out that the measurements of Buddah drawings are serious business and must be exact. We were shown examples of Buddahs with corresponding drawing guides splayed across the pages that were to be followed precisely.

Finally, our new Tibetan dance skills were to be put into practice when we paid a visit to the children of Tendol-Gyalzur Orphanage. They performed a song for us before inviting everyone up on stage to have a dance. Obviously, this got some of us very excited due to our evening practice. We even recognized a few songs. If there’s one way to bring cultures together, it’s dance. It’s a universal way for everyone to have fun, and you could see by the looks on everyone’s faces on stage fun was definitely being had.

Finally, TGS donated a collection of sports equipment to a very grateful group of children at the orphanage, before we said our goodbyes.

The last stop for TGS was dinner at the house of a group of Tibetan villagers. We were greeted at the gate with scarves that the ladies of the house had woven themselves. For dinner… more yak meat! Seriously, though, yak meat was a favorite among the students, especially the marinated type mixed in with noodles that was served that evening.

Another opportunity to dance arose again after dinner, which saw everyone in a circle around the room. Piran made a small energetic friend. To repay the families for their hospitality, TGS displayed their singing and dancing talent. To name a few, a solo by Mavis, a slightly dangerous jump-style dance by Cash and a group salsa led by Marta. It truly was a great way to end the trip.

What did we gain from this trip? That yaks are cheaper than cars in Tibet. Also, we all saw a side of China that we needed to see. It’s a huge place, and while TGS spent most of its time in Beijing, it’s not representative of the whole country. Visiting Yunnan was important not only for the cultural education aspects but for the appreciation of another side of life in China.

What did I gain personally? Well, I’ve found some rather good movie locations.

143

11/4/11 12:05 AM

144

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 144-145

145

11/4/11 12:05 AM

146

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 146-147

Y YAK is a registered Yakmark of THINK Global School

147

11/4/11 12:05 AM

148

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 148-149

149

11/4/11 12:06 AM

When students talk to themselves...

Assignment: Jump in a time machine, travel one year into the future, write a letter to yourself and come back.

150

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 150-151

151

11/4/11 12:06 AM

Dear Charis, You have no idea how great everything’s gonna get. Everything just gets better and better, and so many new things are introduced. Not a single day is repeated. So don’t worry – the excitement is still here after nine months.

I’d like you to value your friends and teachers. You would find yourself asking them for their help and receiving more than you’ve asked. You’ll find yourself laughing hard about an inside joke. You’ll find yourself getting over arguments. Then, in no time, you’ll find yourself crying because it’s time to say goodbye.

Dear Past-future Alice, I have learned so much this year. First of all, my English has improved a lot. Secondly, technology has started to like me a little more. Remember when you got the iPhone and nothing worked? Now everything works. We’ve also come much closer to each other as a group – the tension between the guys and the girls is completely gone.

I’ve learned much about how different people think and about the different values in other cultures. I’ve also learned a lot about how important different ways of communication has been through history.

I’ve really gotten to know and understand what world globalization actually means.

It’s been really interesting to see that, though most of us speak the same language fluently, there can be much difficulty understanding each other.

In the end, though, we are all of the homo sapiens species and therefore have the same types of feelings. When we’re mad, we want to punch stuff; when we’re sad, we cry; and when A’ntonia karate-chops wine glasses, we laugh.

Hope you had an awesome (that’s 5 pushups right there!) continued year and hope you don’t get kicked out.

152

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 152-153

- Alice

Stockholm, Sydney and Beijing are three incredibly different places. You’ll find yourself having adventures to last a lifetime. The lessons you will learn are things that can never be achieved or described by books.

In Stockholm, remember the first week – the thrill of realizing that, “This IS happening.” Keep the feeling of meeting new people in your heart. It’s amazing to think that these people would be your family.

In Sydney, take pictures that express the brightness and sunny side of the beaches.

It’s just like the feeling of coming back to meet your friends. You know each other better now and are ready to face waves that could crash in.

In Beijing, survive the bustling streets.

Hold hands tight and be sure not to let anyone get lost. You guys have come to the journey this far – it’s just a little while longer.

Take lots of pictures and treasure this adventure that’s beginning. Keep your eyes wide open for the smallest lesson because sometimes the smallest thing makes the biggest changes. Love everyone. Laugh with them.

LIVE with them. And, in the end, be thankful that you guys have come this far together and now know how to think globally.

153

11/4/11 12:06 AM

Dear Willem, The places I’ve been. The things I’ve seen.

The people I’ve met. It was amazing.

Every day I woke up awaiting the next adventure.

David, you have done and will do many great things this year.

You will have explored much of Stockholm. You will see the Vasa and many great museums. You will have a great time in Gamla Stan and experience more than ever before.

In Australia, you will swim on the Great Barrier Reef.

You’ll go on hikes through exotic forests and see some of the coolest animals that have walked this earth. You’ll see many popular urban monuments such as the Opera House.

In Stockholm, we would make lunch while jamming out to music. As I had hoped, I ate reindeer heart! It had much more taste than I thought. We ate tons of those “French hot dogs,” which are delicious. I can’t wait to see next year’s first city!

In Sydney, I saw friends who moved there. The Opera Hall was as amazing as in the pictures.

The food was great and the people were so nice.

Diving in the Great Barrier Reef was life-changing.

In China, you will see rich agricultural history. So much has happened there. You will learn to speak Chinese and all your friends will as well.

In Beijing, fried scorpion was “experimental” but delicious. Living there made Chinese class so much easier. I loved it!

I don’t want to tell you too much about your year at TGS, so I will let all the surprises unfold for you!

All this year I’ve grown into another person.

You should apply to this school!

Sincerely, Other Willem

Sincerely, David Navarro

Dear Gijs

Dear Jaydon,

The first year at THINK Global School has been one of the world’s greatest experiences that anyone could imagine. I’m off to 10th grade now, but reflecting back to 9th grade, it will be different.

I never knew so much about our world, the people around it and their effect on me. I have realized that size doesn’t matter – all that matters is that you’re having fun.

Stockholm is fun but my favorite place is Australia.

When we got to go meet our base school I was always excited. China and Stockholm are beautiful and interesting but strangely different from each other.

I can remember when I first got to the school. I was sort of nervous but the kids were nice and it turned out to be fun.

From Jaydon

A classroom can be used in many different ways. For example, a movie studio or a dance room.

I learned that it’s much easier learning something while using it. Like practicing Mandarin with your friend instead of learning it by reading a book.

School was made to be fun, but over the years that has changed. Now fun is back!

Let this year be the same as last year!

Sincerely, Cash

154

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 154-155

155 11/4/11 12:08 AM

Dear A’ntonia, I am extremely sad that the school year has come to an end. So much has happened and I’ve become so used to the people I’m with, the experiences I have every day and the constant toil my mind is in.

This year has literally been the year of dreams.

I have made friends for life and all of them appreciate who I am, who I really am.

Everyone is the kind of person I want to be, want to hang out with, want to live with but, most importantly, the kind of person/people I want to live with.

The teachers here couldn’t have been a better match for me. All of them teach in the ways I want to learn, with visuals, mind-probing discussions and questions, not to mention the amazing field trips we go on.

TGS does not feel real – it can’t be. School is not supposed to be this much fun. I’m so happy my family has become used to the kind of person I am now. Even though I was already outgoing before, I talk so much more now in the way I want to talk. I’m constantly myself and no one else can make me change that. I am who I want to be and I have even more courage than I did before to do, be and live the way I want. I want to sing random songs all the time, laugh with my best friends a lot, dance when I hear music and simply just to be all that is A’ntonia. Funny, loving, happy, easygoing, patient, hardworking, queer and A’ntonia.

With love, A’ntonia

Dear Alex, I remember back when my mom made that speech on the first day with my dad. That was the first trimester when we were in Stockholm.

It was fun there. Everyone was new and were just starting to get to know each other. We had some great times walking around and in the hostel. We always had fun, even in the classroom.

But soon it was over. We were all sad and happy at the same time.

We got to go back home, but we would still miss school. But we would soon meet again in Sydney where we really started to have fun.

Whether it was with our friends at the host school or just us walking around. It was challenging at first with all of the spiders and the many things that could kill you. But eventually I got into a rhythm and stuck it out. Piano was tons of fun throughout the year. I got in trouble a few times but nothing serious.

But as I sit here writing this letter I wonder and hope that this year will turn out as great and as fun as last year. I hope to try new things and visit new places. I hope TGS succeeds and that I will still be here with my new school.

Alex

P.S. I love EVERYONE and I wish them a wonderful summer. Goodbye :)

156

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 156-157

157

11/4/11 12:08 AM

What an amazing year. Who knew that this adventure would be so full of fun, hardship and challenges?

Although the beginning was tough – missing the feeling of home, friends and family – later on you realize that it’s such a big deal and you have so much ahead of you that will make your life the best it can be.

Experiencing all those new people, places, cultures and habits really shows how the world is an absolutely amazing place. You get to see how different people react to things differently to how you would. You learn to not judge someone about what they believe because you’ve been able to see why they believe in what they do.

Dear Piran, I believe this year I learned more than I have learned my past 8 years. All the different cultures taught me to think about and see things differently.

To be able to see things in new ways makes it easier to understand the different cultures and people. Another point is that I learned to be savvy in things I do, such as meeting new people, finding new friends and learning in school.

The most fun thing was doing homework at sea on the Great of China or in “Old Town.” I will remember all those experiences my whole life together with all those new friends I found.

They will never be forgotten because we had to go through happy as well as tough times. These moments put people together and hold people together.

Until the end of all I will remember TGS because TGS made me think!

Dear Mark, Hello. Hope you are fine. I’m in Beijing now.

Tomorrow I’ll go back home. I want to say that you’re lucky to study at THINK Global School.

It’s really cool. I think you are now worried about your English, but I promise you that in 2-3 weeks you will be speaking to others with ease.

I think you will love Stockholm by its beauty, Sydney by its nature and Beijing by its uniqueness. You will make friends with all the students, all the teachers and all the people working in TGS. You will get a great experience by learning different cultures, something new… and you will learn how to play the guitar :-) So you will enjoy this school year. It will bring you lots of knowledge, many new friends and lots of fun….

Hope to see you in TGS next year… =) Best wishes, Mark who is in the future

Piran

This year opened countless doors of opportunity for me and my life ahead of me. I’ve made new friends and connections around the world, which will serve me extremely well in the many years to come. I’ve learned to be independent and social when the time calls to be, and have learned many more things.

This has only been one year, but I have learned more than I would have in 5 years of normal school. I didn’t just read about new places in textbooks; I’ve lived them and experienced them for myself in a new way that very few people will have the chance to in their life.

I am very glad to have taken this wonderful opportunity and would do it time and time again.

Sincerely, Liam Annis 158

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 158-159

159

11/4/11 12:08 AM

Dear Mavis, Dear Pema,

There are many things to learn about, but the things I want to learn most are other countries, their culture and their food. I want to try their food and know how it tastes. I also want to learn how to study. I want to know about other countries’ taboos, because I don’t know if I could commit a taboo.

Being brought up in a landlocked country for 13 years – where I didn’t get much exposure to technologies – and then suddenly have traveled 12 different countries where I had the chance to interact with technologies, culture and people makes me feel really proud about myself. It’s like fulfilling my dreams.

Also, I want to study many subjects. For example, I want to study more about science because science talks about all the things in the world. I also want to know about how we are going to behave in school. I want to study many subjects like math, science, creative arts, social studies and French.

I want to know how they celebrate their Christmas, how they welcome visitors and also whether they have kings or not. If yes, then how did they think of them? I want to know the kinds of foods they eat.

I will probably use these experiences to show people how much they can learn from seeing, experiencing things and being true to themselves.

Math and French are the hardest things for me to learn because at my school back home we didn’t have a math teacher, so when it was time for us to do a math examination, it wasn’t prepared by our teachers. Instead, they would collect other schools’ examination papers and photocopy them for us, so we found it difficult to do the examination because they don’t teach us math but gave us math examinations anyway. Also, French is another hard thing to learn because they don’t teach us French.

In Bhutan, most people have never heard about THINK Global School, but in 4 years they are going to see a Bhutanese student from this school. So I will probably tell them that “we must always be humble.”

I will like to understand everything they say in school, so I want the teachers to talk slowly and clearly for me to understand. - Mavis

I will be really happy that I have become a different person. A person my parents never expected me to be...and a better one.

Dear Megan, Year One is done! It was hard to begin with, but we did have a great time in Stockholm.

But the highlight was Sydney. The scuba diving was lots of fun, especially in the heat. At least you learned how to take some great photos during the winter, especially of Gamla Stan and the Royal Palace. It was hard getting homesick during October, but it was only 6 weeks to go.

Beijing was very exciting with the huge buildings and all the cars. At least we had a great time trying out some new food and walking on the Great Wall of China. We learned a lot about ourselves and some great drawing talents we didn’t know we had.

But it’s over for now. Time to relax and enjoy winter at home, but soon we’ll be off again!

It will be another great year hopefully.

Have an awesome time!

160

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 160-161

- Megan 161

11/4/11 12:08 AM

From the Bronx to Beijing in March I flew, To meet 15 kids that I barely knew.

I left the life that I knew far behind To join TGS – the world’s first traveling school.

Three months in Beijing was hard to bear, With unfamiliar food and pollution in the air.

But there I met 15 kids who were absolute gems, So let me tell you all about them...

Let me start with Yada, the youngest of them all, Whose writing is beautiful and one of a kind.

She taught me that there are many things one will never know, So we must always ask the questions in our mind.

On to Piran – the best dancer that I know.

Wherever we went he could put on quite a show.

He taught me that we must always be confident of who we are, Whether we are with family or meeting strangers from far.

Mark and I shared something special in common.

We both loved math with a very strong passion.

He taught me that one must work hard every day To try to exceed expectations in every way.

Pema was so good at playing soccer That most of the boys couldn’t even beat her.

She taught me not to get angry at silly things, But to spend time laughing instead of in anger.

Alex had so many interesting stories to share.

He had travelled almost everywhere.

He taught me that being curious and talking to everyone you meet Could make your experiences so very rare.

Liam taught me one song on the guitar, But that is all that I have learned so far.

He also taught me to remember where we come from, Because our culture and our family make up who we are.

Bailey was always so helpful to everyone.

She would willingly help to get the job done.

She taught me that kindness can go a long way To keep your friends and you happy every day.

Charis would fill the rooms with her beautiful voice.

She would play her guitar all day long given the choice.

She taught me to be kind and welcoming to everyone, Regardless of where they were from or what they had done.

Cash could be such a real gentleman.

With his friends he was always so genuine.

He taught me that you must never neglect The friends whom you should treat with respect.

Alice and I shared a guilty pleasure, To both of us chocolate was so very dear.

She taught me not to be afraid of who we are.

We should be filled with pride and not with fear.

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 162-163

Beny truly was such a good friend, Who always had a listening ear to lend.

She taught me that happiness is a treasure That we should strive for to fill our lives forever.

Mavis and I had a special connection.

We were the only ones who could speak pidgin.

She taught me how to deal with change, And how to adapt to absolutely anything.

Willem was creative in so many ways.

He reinvented the joker role by sending texts every day.

He taught me to treasure the friends that I made, And to never let those friendships fade.

162

David had a way of making everybody smile, And of making every moment with them worthwhile.

He taught me how to start conversations with anyone, Because there was always something to learn from what they had done.

Megan and I would always play card games.

Our competitive spirit was the same.

She taught me how independent a teenager could be, And how she could take on any responsibility.

These 15 students of mine Remind me every day of why I became a teacher, So I could inspire them through time, But moreover so we could learn from each other.

163

11/4/11 12:08 AM

“If we’re growing, we’re always going to be out of our comfort zone.”

- John Maxwell

Life’s Adventure

by Megan

Who are we as a school?

We are accepting and humble. We are strong and fulfilling. We let others be who they want to be but help them to grow into something more. In The Brothers Lionheart, Jonathan and Scottie are two different people. Scottie is quiet and shy, taking his time to address situations, while Jonathan is strong and able to take on anything. For his entire life, Scottie has been looked after by Jonathan, aspiring to be like him, but once Jonathan finally leaves him in Nangyala to go to the Cavern, Scottie finally realizes that he needs to break free and save his brother.

Everyone has something which they strive for, and even if we don’t achieve it, we spend our lives constantly searching for it. As a school, we are searching for knowledge, for enlightenment and enrichment. We are looking for adventure, and fear and excitement because we need to experience it all.

We need to know what it feels like to be scared in every molecule of our body. We need to know what it feels like to be at the top of the world. Only because we are curious. We push ourselves to find out more, whether it be knowledge- or socially-based.

As humans, we aim for the highest that we can achieve. If we didn’t, would Sir Edmund Hillary have climbed Mount Everest? Would we have discovered that the solar system revolved around the sun and not the earth?

164

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 164-165

What are we suppose to do?

My motto for any adventure is “No Fear.” When we have been given the chance to experience life and everything within it, we should never give up. If you were given the chance to do something completely amazing, but also completely insane, you should never give it up. Let yourself do anything, and be free. Be humble and be fulfilling. Don’t let others try to bring you down because some will. Some won’t want to let you reach your full potential, but you need to strive to be bigger than them. Understand what you want in life, whether it be fame or love or adventure. Or even all of them at once. Let yourself have fun, but continue to work hard and enjoy everything you do. The first time I went skydiving, I realized that because I had done this, I could do anything, and I constantly use it.

“I’ve jumped out of a plane. Of course I can do this.”

It’s what keeps me on the edge of my seat. I don’t let myself get lost in keeping safe. I try to embrace life and all the adventures that come with it, and I think that’s the way we should look at everything while at TGS. We need to try everything the comes our way, even if it scares us halfway to Nangyala.

“Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

Christopher Robin to Winnie the Pooh 165

11/4/11 12:08 AM

“You could see us stand in lines like we’re dead upon our feet” - Yada

166

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 166-167

167

11/4/11 12:09 AM

the golden luggage tag

- The bahamas tribune

dubrovnik film festival 2011

* * * *

* * * *

“If I didn’t have anything else to do, I could watch this movie over and over again”

“the most exciting 23 rd sequence ever made”

~ A N E W INT E R NATIONAL C AST STA R R ING ~ Harry Potter..................Alex Hermione Granger......... Megan Ron Weasley................... David Albus Dumbledore......... Joann Severus Snape ……….......Avi Minerva McGonagall......Marlene Rubeus Hagrid................Andrew Sirius Black................... James Draco Malfoy..................Liam

Ginny Weasley................ Bailey Fred Weasley..................Pema George Weasley..............Gijs Cho Chang.......................Yada Luna Lovegood.……………. Charis Professor Lupin.………… Ambika Colin Creevy................... Mark Mad Eye Moody................ Brad Nymphadora Tonks.........Alice

Hedwig........................... Ashley Madam Hooch................. Karla Peeves............................ Willem Victor Krum................... Piran Nicholas Flamel............ Stan Buckbeak........................Beny Fawkes........................... Mavis Dobby..............................Stefan Olympe Maxime................Nangsal

a “w.t.f” production written and produced thanks to red bull, gummi bears and temporary loss of common sense 168

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 168-169

Dear TGS’s Inaugural Class!

- Stevie Wonder

salzburg allgemeine

Namaste, Ash

TGS is about observation, exploration, curiosity, growth – and last, but certainly not least – paying it forward. One small action can have a tremendous domino effect; each of you has passed on a gift that has touched me and thus many more. I am honored to be part of this incredible adventure with you and look forward to watching each one of you grow into young adults that make a difference in this world.

“Best movie casting since police academy 5”

I know most of you think of me as the short yogi girl behind the desk far, far away from the action! But what many of you may not know or realize is that I have been watching, listening, observing and most importantly, learning from each and every one of you. from the application stage through every school day (yes, I get all the juicy goodness from afar :-). I have witnessed a transformation and maturity of each incredible individual, which continues to contribute to the evolution of the school and all its parts – including me!

From Oct. 2009 (the beginning of my employment with TGS), each one of you has impressed upon me something special and made an indelible mark on my mind (and body - those visa apps certainly age me, but I forgive you!), and I am forever grateful for these gifts of wisdom. Perhaps you are confused and wondering how this could be, so I would like to share all your gifts, individually, and thank you with genuine sincerity, warmth and love…

winner of

Alice – With a tenacious spirit and an artistic brilliance, you remind me to speak with conviction and to look at things from a different angle. Thank you for never fearing to be your own person.

Alex – Your intuitive and inquisitive personality never ceases to amaze me. For 14 years old you are wise beyond your years. Your actions (which are always more meaningful than words) exude warmth, consideration and humility.

Bailey - Your sweet demeanor adds a sense of innocent serenity to the group. Underneath your calming nature, you carry a great amount of courage, as you demonstrated when you enrolled mid-year into a traveling school!

Beny – Your smile, laughter and love spans the globe! If ever I am down, I just think of you jamming out by yourself while grating those beets thinking nobody’s watching…best TGS video EVER! Your animated, carefree character reminds us all to smile just a little bit more!

Charis – A Friend to all, you naturally possess a skill most struggle with – listening. You bring a type of nurturance to the group, and I’ve admired your non judgmental observations and guidance to all those in need.

Cash - Always easygoing and ready to offer your assistance (and, of course, sarcasm). Thank you for your wonderfully quirky sense of humor and gentle charm.

David - Whimsical, imaginative and a lot of silliness, you always have me laughing and wondering how you come up with some of your antics. Never allow anyone to squash your creativity.

Liam - Smart and skeptical, you seem to analyze a situation with great acuity. You show strength in good judgment (I think) and always demonstrate wonderfully considerate manners.

Mark – You possess a smile that can light up a room and enthusiasm that is contagious! The way you capture special moments, people and life in general brings a new level of perception to us all.

Mavis - Always kind, sweet and lovable. It was a gift to see you grow and mature as you experienced several aspects of the world for the first time.

Your curiosity with new things is captivating.

Megan – Strong-willed, smart and courageous, you have an admirable sense of determination and perseverance. At 14, you already know a lot about yourself, which is one of life’s greatest feats. Don’t lose that belief in yourself!

Pema – You came in with a beautiful smile and graciously left us with hearts filled with love and laughter. You exhibit optimism, positive energy and a wit that is just magnetic. Thank you for keeping us all light and joyful.

Piran – A natural leader who has got the right moves! Watching you in drama class was a treat, but nothing will ever beat your dance video. Keep dancing and using your mellow yet confident poise to share all that you learn along the way.

Willem – With a face and personality made for movies, you are never short of some amusing and original comedy act. Your extroverted humorous ways always remind me not to take myself so seriously, and I thank you for always making me laugh.

Yada – Desiring to know more is a trait that should never be stifled. Your inquiring and curious mind, always inspiring, keeps me on my toes and helps me to delve in a little deeper. I’m grateful for being reminded to always ask why.

169

11/4/11 12:09 AM

mark surnin photography stockholm

170

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 170-171

•

sydney

•

beijing

171

11/4/11 12:09 AM

The cure for boredom is curiosity.

172

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 172-173

There is no cure for curiosity. - Dorothy Parker

173

11/4/11 12:09 AM

Friends of TGS. Friends of Inspiration.

Alicia Constable, our local Mandarin teacher in Beijing

From a small road-side cafe off the beaten track

Peter Singer captivates the students

Devin guided us through the Yunnan Province

during a guest speaker class in Sydney

Maggie Booth Mrs. Great-Barrier-Reef-know-it-all

Friendly ghosts?

174

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 174-175

175

11/4/11 12:09 AM

176 176

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 176-177

177

11/4/11 12:09 AM

In March, I was told that fifteen kids and seven teachers from all around the world would arrive in August and then travel all over the world every three months for four years. Crazy, I thought. Mission (im)possible?

The first eight/nine days of the TGS journey were spent in and around Stockholm. The adventures, mishaps, excitements and craziness were everywhere: ice on the train tracks so we had to go by bus for too many hours, a late evening (into the night) on bunk beds after skateboarding, pizza thieves in our kitchen, and the greatest adventure of them all: the TGS team getting to know each other.

The 89 days spend in Stockholm were a true pleasure. With a team whose tagline is, “We will do it!” – whichever way, however, it will always work out – then nothing can go wrong.

I remember one specific time when we all went up to Åre for a couple of days. A fantastic cottage... beautiful. And resourceful, filled with high-tech toys, the names of which I didn’t have time to learn until the next version of them were out (yes, I am slow!). On two huge velvet couches, surrounded by these high-tech entertainment toys, the students were more psyched about the “silent minutes” when they were together and enjoying each other’s company. So psyched that they asked to do it again. And again. That’s the beauty of TGS. When traveling from place to place, the core lies not in the adventure but in the journey’s company.

It may have been mission impossible, but thanks to the attitude, approach, strength and love in the team, it was possible – and darn fun.

Sara, Stockholm

Hannah, Beijing

Chris, Sydney

178

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 178-179

179

11/4/11 12:09 AM

The non-surgical way to get bigger lips...

American Idol rehearsal???

A+ for best smile

Sometimes you need a map to find the right map

And finally David got the rock-hard body he always wanted

Someone tell Alice the Chinese students don’t speak any Swedish

Sometimes thinking really hurts!

“Guys, meet my new friend”

180

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 180-181

Who needs to learn Mandarin when you have Google translator?

One-hour nap that then requires a two-hour neck massage.

181

11/4/11 12:09 AM

MY ADVICE TO YOU KIDS

By Braddo

182

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 182-183

Wisdom

Dear kids,

I am a literature teacher, and I have tried to teach you what I know about the wonders of great books – the stories and poems that tell you who you are, whether that you is a Bhutanese or Kurd or Ghanaian or Thai or Russian or American or Canadian or New Zealander or Swede or Bahamian or Dutchman or an Aruban. I have tried to teach you some things about clear writing and speaking and about the beauty of language and about choosing your words carefully and about not abusing the language or throwing good words around casually.

There is method to my awesome madness.

But let me tell you what I have really been trying to teach you over this year. There are three words that I try to live by. You could, I suppose, pick three others, or five others, or ten others, but I think in the end any list would amount to more or less the same as these three good words: Wisdom, Courage and Integrity.

It has been my experience that many students are not really in a position to grasp the full meaning of these words until right about now – that is, the end of the grade nine year. Grade 9 is a year of tremendous change for young people. Because you folks have grown up through TGS and dealt with its many challenges (two languages in addition to your own, diving in the open ocean, rappelling, just living together cheek-by-jowl for nine months, etc.), you now have the experience you need to understand these words not just as empty phrases but instead as principles that are perhaps worthy of lifelong attention.

I am going to try and illustrate these ideas by first giving you some sense of how, I am proud to say, you have, at your best, already demonstrated these virtues over this year, and then, secondly, by showing you what it might look like to extend these virtues into your adult life.

The virtue of wisdom is a combination of knowledge and judgment.

First you have to know things, but then you have to be able to use what you know to make real decisions about how to act in the world.

In order to know things you have to be intellectually curious – that is, you have to be willing to ask questions and have the patience and persistence to pursue the answers. You folks, at your best, have demonstrated that you have that intellectual curiosity ... through engaging with guest speakers, through your explorations of the Great Wall and the Great Barrier Reef ... and through the day-to-day questions you ask in class.

If something is difficult, chances are it is probably worthwhile.

Remember the work it took to hike the 28 turns at 2800 meters, but then remember the payoff: the feeling of satisfaction of having completed something difficult. Or think of the effort it takes to learn Mandarin or to do a first-rate essay and then consider the benefit that those labors yielded.

But being intellectually curious in itself doesn’t constitute wisdom.

Anyone can learn how to ask questions; the trick is to learn how to ask the right kinds of questions at the right time. A philosopher by the name of Martha Nussbaum worries that some schools, in teaching students to ask questions, run the risk of teaching students to “be insolent without being wise.” What she means here is that people need to ask intelligent questions – questions that genuinely want to get at the truth of the matter (or a better understanding of the problem if the truth cannot be found) – in order to be counted as wise.

I am pleased to say that I have seen such questions come from you, sometimes in classes, sometimes on a bus, sometimes on excursions. They are, more often than not, the fundamental why? questions where the aim is not simply to challenge the obvious but instead to discover the new.

If “everybody” is doing something or thinking something, then chances are it is unlikely to offer much in the way of genuine insight.

A good friend of mine is fond of reminding me that “the masses are asses.” What he means by this is that when people do things in large groups, more often than not they revert to the lowest common denominator. This can express itself as harmlessly as participating in a “wave” at a sporting event or, more terribly, as mob denunciation of a particular ethnic group. Although it is sometimes fun (and often harmless) to do things with a crowd, a crowd is nonetheless an unlikely place to gather the best ideas and experiences.

While these clues are not, of course, hard and fast rules to distinguish the most promising knowledge and experiences from the duds, to invoke them is to begin to think more critically about how you intend to spend your precious time. It is, in other words, to begin to be wise.

What does it look like to expand your capacity for “wisdom” in the future? I suppose, first of all, you need to retain your ability to be intellectually curious. You need to continue to be amazed at the world and all the wonderful and bizarre propositions it has to offer.

However, you then need to continue to be discerning between what knowledge or experience is important and worthwhile and what is a waste of time. There are, unfortunately, no simple or straightforward rules to be able to tell the difference. Some clues, however, might be as follows:

183

11/4/11 12:09 AM

Courage

Integrity

The simple fact is that much of what has gone on at TGS has been a series of “forced opportunities” to get you to try things that you might normally not do. Academic studies, difficult projects, Spanish songs, swimming, fencing, abseiling, community service, yoga, clean-up, exams – and everything else you have done over the last couple of years – have been meant as opportunities to learn more about the world and/ or yourself. They have been forced opportunities for the simple fact that most people (adults included) are more than willing to do what they like and more than willing to shut themselves off from that which is difficult or that which is new. (Anybody can eat ice cream.) While it may be true that you actually enjoyed some of these things, it is probably also true that you did not enjoy them all. It is my hunch, however, that you probably learned the most doing the things that you originally did not want to do.

To “have principles” is really just another way of saying that you ought to be moral. To stick by your principles is to stay committed to your morals, even when it is difficult to do so.

In the context of the school, courage means having the guts to try new things, to accept new challenges.

You folks have already done a lot of this at the school, although I suspect that sometimes (perhaps many times) you wouldn’t have chosen to do a lot of these things on your own.

The way to transfer this sense of courage into your adult life is, of course, to motivate yourself, without being forced; to try new things and accept new challenges. You need to be willing to take emotional and intellectual risks in order to grow and expand yourself.

I am not promising that all these risks will always pay off because sometimes they won’t. What I can promise, I think, is that if you are willing to believe in yourself, you will be able to learn much from both your successes and your failures. It is this kind of courage that we hope to have introduced you to at TGS, and this kind of courage we hope will stay with you throughout your life.

Integrity is perhaps the most difficult concept to understand, yet it is probably the most important in terms of ensuring that you live a full and rewarding life. Simply put, integrity means having principles and then sticking by your principles, even when it is difficult to do so.

Fortunately, I have seen many cases of you folks demonstrating deep integrity. I saw it when you tried to ease tensions and to patch up the differences between you in an honest and straightforward way, and when some of you came forward to say you had screwed up somewhere. I know that there are countless other examples as well.

Again, there are no hard and fast rules about how one might demonstrate “integrity” over the course of one’s life. The principles underlying integrity usually have something to do with taking responsibility for oneself and acknowledging a basic respect for others (i.e, as Kant said, treating a person as an end rather than a means to an end). Some brief examples of what that might look like are as follows: • Don’t break your promises to people. If you say you are going to do something, then do it.

• Don’t switch your commitments because something better comes along. If you promised a friend that you would do something with them, and another (better) offer comes up, then decline that new offer. Your word is far more important than any single event.

• If a person trusts you with a confidence, don’t betray that confidence.

• Don’t cut into line. Try to remember that every person in that line has as equal a claim to respect as you do. There is usually no good reason why your particular wants and desires should override the wants and desires of those who have lined up before you.

(If you are making up a reason, it is probably a false rationalization.)

• Don’t leave a place worse than you found it (i.e., don’t throw garbage on the ground, and don’t leave a mess wherever you go). To leave garbage and a mess is to fail to take responsibility for oneself and to be infantile, and to show fundamental disrespect to others (i.e., the other adults who have to clean up after you).

• Pull your own weight. That is, when there is work to do, don’t try to get out of it and let others do what you are capable of doing.

• Be forthright in taking responsibility for your actions when you do something wrong. Own up to the problem, deal with the consequences, try to set things right, learn from it and move on.

So that in brief is what we really mean by Wisdom, Courage and Integrity. The only thing that I truly wish for – no matter what you end up doing – is that you continue, all your life, to pursue these virtues (and others!) to the best of your ability. My claim – my promise to you – is that if you do so, you will have a deeper, richer life.

I want to thank you for being at TGS and making your own distinctive contribution to its life – and to mine. I wish you all the best in your future studies and in the path that unfolds before you. Take good care of yourself.

Fondly, Brad

184

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 184-185

185

11/4/11 12:09 AM

If you think this Yearbook is awesome... drop down and give me ten push-ups!

Editor: James, Joann & Soren • Layout by www.EatDanish.com

186

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 186-187

11/4/11 12:09 AM

www.ThinkGlobalSchool.org

TGS_yearbook_11.indd 188

11/4/11 12:09 AM