Student Exchange: Unforgettable Life Experience

Posted on December 3, 2013 by admin

On October 10, I flew out from the Sydney International Airport, excited for the journey to Montreal, Canada. After a 22 hour flight I arrived in a warmer climate than expected for Montreal, with temperatures around 20 celsius. I was given the rest of the afternoon to settle in and to adjust. The next day I was taken on a tour of the city, as well as meeting my host Charlie’s friends. On Saturday, I was taken to Ottawa, the capital of Canada. I was given a tour of the city, where there were many amazing buildings, such as the parliament buildings. Sunday was Canadian Thanksgiving and we went to family friends for Thanksgiving dinner, where we had a roast turkey and pumpkin pie for dessert. It was a different experience, as I had never had pumpkin pie before but after trying it I could see why it was so popular!

Tuesday came quickly and it was finally my first day at Lower Canada College! I was excited but also nervous at the same time. Everyone was so welcoming and helped me settle into school. I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to play with the school’s football team, training with them Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night before the final game of the regular season that Friday. I was not able to get placed on the field as the team battled hard to keep their chances of making the playoffs alive. In the end however, they went down by 21 points. This meant the team missed out on playing in the post-season. Although I did not play any game time, being given the opportunity to train with the boys and learn more about how to play the game was a great opportunity.

Three weeks into my exchange Halloween had arrived, with the school having various activities set up – the favourite being pumpkin smashing! The school was full of students wearing different costumes, some being more inventive than others.

That weekend Charlie and his family took me to Toronto. We arrived on the Friday night and I could tell it was a huge city, with many high-rise buildings everywhere. On Saturday we walked around the city, seeing the newly opened aquatic centre, however the line was way too long, so we did not actually visit. We also went shopping at the Eaton Centre, which is near Yonge and Dundas Square, the Time Square of Toronto on a smaller scale. On Sunday before leaving for home, Charlie and I went up the CN Tower, the world’s tallest free standing structure at 553m. The viewing deck is 350 meters above the ground and gives you a great view of the size of the city.

A week later and we were off again, this time to New York for the weekend. Saturday morning we went to Hoboken, New Jersey to Carlo’s Bakery, made famous by the show ‘Cake Boss’ as per my request. Little did I know that the line to get into the bakery would be two hours long! We then headed for New York City to visit the World Trade Centre Memorial. Before going to Time Square, we went to Battery Park and saw a magnificent view of the sun setting behind the Statue of Liberty. We then arrived at Time Square. Everything about it was intimidating. It felt as though you were boxed in by all the surrounding buildings and you couldn’t move because of the amount of people that were there.

The next place we went to was the Rockefeller Centre, where the Christmas tree was in the process of being set up. We also went to the Apple store on Fifth Avenue which is just a glass cube with stairs leading down to the store. The next day we went to the Bronx Zoo where I enjoyed seeing all the different animals although many were not out as it was too cold.

The highlight of my exchange was going to watch an NHL ice hockey game at the Bell Centre. Charlie’s dad taught me all the different rules of the game. The Montreal Canadiens won the game 6-2 against the Minnesota Wild. The atmosphere at the game was electric with employees dancing in the aisles to entertain the crowd as the music blasted around the arena.

My exchange was quickly coming to an end as I said goodbye to all my Canadian friends before flying home on November 29. I soon touched back down in Adelaide after an amazing life experience that I will never forget.

I believe if anyone is lucky enough to have the opportunity to participate in an exchange they shouldn’t think twice about accepting because you will not regret it! – Brandon Blacksell, Grade 11 Exchange Student – Adelaide, Australia

Community Service: A Global Perspective

Posted on November 29, 2013 by admin

Throughout my high school experience, I had the opportunity to travel abroad multiple times. These travels included a student exchange to Australia, two Duke of Edinburgh Gold trips to Peru and an International Round Square Conference in South Africa. Each of my experiences gave me a new perspective in terms of community service, the diversity of people in the world and the challenges faced by those in developing countries. Not only have these experiences broadened my global awareness; they have also helped me grow and continue to grow into who I am.

When I arrived in Peru two years ago, it was my first exposure to a developing country. I thought I knew what to expect: barefoot hungry children, worn down houses and desperation. On my first day doing service at a shantytown called Las Palmas outside of the capital city, Lima, I found out my preconception was very wrong. The conditions were worse than I expected: stray dogs roamed all over, dust covered absolutely everything and a rotting stench filled the air. Fortunately, I was also wrong about the state of the people in the community. The children were happy and eager to play with us and each other, and the adults possessed a sense of pride in themselves and their community. The physical labour we performed was not enough. Upon our arrival home, a few friends and I decided we needed to do something more. We started fundraising in hopes of helping improve the community as much as we possibly could.

A few months later, along with other LCC representatives we set off to South Africa for an International Round Square conference. Besides partaking in the conference, we helped out at a daycare and school for kids who grew up in impoverished conditions. We only spent a few hours volunteering: taking care of the kids, painting a roof and playing soccer. I left the service days extremely upset. Between my experiences in Peru and South Africa, I noticed how happy the locals were in spite of their assumed “lack” of materials that we consider necessary for our happiness here in North America such as cell phones, cool shoes and ice cream desserts.

On the plane ride home I began to contemplate – why am I so lucky to have all that I do? What is the point of doing “service” for a few hours when at the end of the day these children’s lives are “unimproved”?

I returned home in a philosophical crisis. I wanted to help, Peru, South Africa, everywhere! I just didn’t know how to do it in a way that would actually help them, and improve their lives.

My friends and I who were already fundraising for the community in Peru decided we could start a micro-loan fund in the community, a lump sum of money that would go to starting businesses for women so they could be self-sufficient and help feed their families. After hours spent discussing how the fund would work with the mayor of Las Palmas, the town, and signing the necessary documents, we handed over the money to the mayor. While the money did end up in the community, we have yet to hear back on the happenings of the fund for the past eight months, so we do not know how it turned out. Unfortunately, all we can do is hope it ended up benefitting the community in some way. This is an example of why even though you may have good intentions, you have to be very careful when it comes to international service and make sure you trust the person dealing with your money.

Fortunately, we were more careful when we fundraised for the daycare we worked at in South Africa. The money was handed over to a woman who we had met and who worked to improve the day care, so she had already successfully dealt with donations like ours.

Ultimately, one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned from these experiences is that it’s important to learn about the world, because exposure is the first step to help making it a better place. Although in my life I hope I discover the “best” way for me to do service, there is certainly no right answer. Once you are exposed to an issue, it is very difficult to simply forget about it. Whether it’s in the city of Montreal or some remote village in India, it is important to realize what matters locally and internationally, and to do your best to help. – Sarah Salzman (Pre-U ’14)

Student Exchange: Internationalism Changed My Life

Posted on November 28, 2013 by admin

I am born of Polish parents. I am an American citizen. I live in Canada, but I am a citizen of the world. It’s funny how things happen. Three years ago, I was introduced to the idea of a student exchange. I saw and heard so many things about students traveling abroad, and I made it my goal to experience an exchange on my own. I wanted to go somewhere completely foreign, someplace that no one I knew had gone before, so I chose Thailand.

From the very first moment I stepped onto Thai soil, Thailand became my home. I spent six weeks atThe Regents School in Pattayain boarding and I had the time of my life. I played basketball, did cross country running and played in their school band. I took weekend trips to pristine island resorts with my local friends and did a bicycle trip through the slums of Bangkok. Every weekend, I would get the opportunity to volunteer through different clubs in the school and help out at a local orphanage for handicapped children with my friends. In my boarding house alone, I met more people of diverse backgrounds than I could have imagined. I made friends from Bhutan, Lithuania, Armenia, South Africa and South Korea, just to mention a few. When it came time to leave, I felt like I was a movie character – as I looked out from the back window of the moving car on the way to the airport, all of my friends stood in a line, crying and waving goodbye. I, too, was in tears and didn’t want to leave.

Many people may say that their exchange was wonderful or enlightening, but my exchange experience changed my life. After having discovered a new exotic world and making unbroken friendships, I decided that my travel to Thailand would not stop there. I made it my goal to go back the next summer to see my friends, and on top of that I wanted to try something new and volunteer abroad. That’s when, with the help of my father, I found the Mercy Center and embarked on a four week independent volunteer trip to Bangkok’s biggest slum – Klong Toey, the “Slaughterhouse”.

I was extremely nervous because I was going to live by myself in a major city where crime and corruption was supposed to be very widespread. In the taxicab on the way to Mercy Center I obviously had thoughts racing through my head of, “Oh. Maybe I should turn around now. It’s not too late.” But chickening out was not the answer. I had traveled 26 hours and there was no turning back.

What really made me push forward, though, was the idea that I would be doing something useful and unique. The service I was going to do was not meant for me, but for the people in need. To turn back would be selfish and irresponsible.

Before I knew it, I was at the entrance of the Mercy Center, with a big purple suitcase in hand.The Mercy Centre, established by Father Joe Meier, is an emergency organization that takes care of families that have been exposed to human trafficking, rape, AIDs, sickness and any disaster. Many kids that live at the Mercy Centre are there because they have lost their families or were abandoned.

So I spent my summer working in the “Slaughterhouse”. The struggle started on my first day, when I was told that I would be teaching English to kids of all ages. Now imagine yourself in my position.This wasn’t a “read to your buddy for an hour” situation. I was a 15-year old girl that had to make a lesson plan before the next morning, get familiar with 20 students in my class and teach them. Oh yeah. I forgot to mention. None of them spoke a word of English and I had no idea how to speak Thai.

What made everything easier, though, was that all the kids were so sweet and wanted to help me do my best. They were super attentive and worked so hard in class – they really wanted to learn. After my first full day in the classroom, I was ecstatic. I loved my students and could not wait to see them the next day! When it was time for lunch for my pre-school students, I would go to the outdoor basketball court and play soccer on the smooth surface with the older local kids. I was really bad at soccer, but they still always let me play with them and taught me so many tricks.

Over my four weeks, I got the chance to work with kids from the ages of 6 to 18 and even worked on the organization’s farm outside of the city once a week.

There, I truly didn’t feel like I was doing community service, but living a normal life in a city that never sleeps.When I wasn’t working, I was spending time in the small alleyway home where I lived with eight Thai university students. I had only a tiny room with a bed and a fan, so with Thailand’s rainy season and 30+-degree weather, AC was something I had to learn to live without.

As you can imagine, it was truly a parallel world with a completely different culture, language and society rules but I soon blended in with the help of the locals’ open-mindedness and friendliness towards me.

In the end, my whole idea of this volunteer trip being only for the people in need was wrong. By the end of my trip I realized that the students I was teaching, helped me more that I could have imagined. They taught me responsibility, perseverance and acceptance. They accepted me as their teacher and they cared for me from day one.

I never imagined that going on an exchange would have done so much for me. Taking that chance three years ago helped me build a bond with the country and the people that I see myself revisiting for the rest of my life. I am going off to university next year, but I have promised myself that I will take at least six months of my four years in college and go back to the Mercy Center to live and volunteer full time.

The internationalism that I gained from going on exchange and volunteering abroad is immeasurable. Maybe you may never reach a stage in your life where you will visit a slum or go on an exchange, like I did. I feel at home in Thailand, but many people may not feel the same way. But I know that each and very one of you have the potential to do service in an environment that you feel comfortable in and grow to love.

I encourage all of you to step out of your comfort zone and take any opportunity you have to travel and help others while doing so. I can assure you that you won’t regret it, and it may just change your life. – Olga Jablonski (Pre-U ’14)

Environmental Fashion: Will.i.am Is Going Green!

Posted on November 28, 2013 by admin

All you fashion forward men, it’s time to take out your wallets because you are going shopping!

Famous rapper and member of the Black Eyed Peas has teamed up with Coca-Cola and the H Brothers to create fashionable and luxurious men’s suits out of recycled water bottles, what a genius concept!

We are always encouraged to recycle in order to protect our environment but not everyone seems to be completely motivated. Perhaps it is because it isn’t done in a very creative and enjoyable way. This concept is not only creative, but it is also a unique way to help save our environment.

Will.i.am wanted to raise greater awareness about recycling and decided to promote recycling in a fun and stylish way. The H brothers and the rapper collaborated on some funky and fabulous designs for menswear using recycled plastic bottles. Each suit is made up of approximately 25 bottles. The line will also include trendy neckties, pocket squares as well as bowties!

Guys, check out this fabulous line!

As the manager of the H brothers mentioned, “It’s truly the best of both worlds when you can use recycled materials to help keep guys looking fresh”. – Jennifer Ben-Menashe ’14

The Timelessness of Hope, Pride & Possibility

Posted on November 28, 2013 by admin

Last week’s 50^th anniversary of President Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas, Texas marked a day that remains shrouded in dark mystery in modern American and world history. I spoke to our high school students about the Kennedy legacy at this week’s assembly because few had any sense of its context.

There are a lot of reasons that Kennedy and his assassination have left an indelible imprint on both American and Canadian psyches. At 43, he was the youngest president ever to be elected into office in 1960. He brought a youthful vigour to the presidency. He was also the first Catholic president; a big issue at the time because of fears that during his presidency he would be heavily influenced by the Vatican. This related especially to issues like access to birth control and the legal status of divorce.

Kennedy is also remembered for being the first “telegenic” president. An effective presenter on TV, he was perfectly suited to the short sound bites we have all become so accustomed to. Kennedy helped usher in the modern media age where it is no longer just content of the message that matters, but also how it’s presented. Today national leaders in the USA and Canada focus intensely on nationally- televised electoral debates that make or break their campaigns to win voters trust.

While in office, Kennedy actually was not successful on all fronts. However, his historical legacy has certainly been forged as one that addressed big issues. Many experts would describe his legacy as having had a focus on getting the country moving again and building optimism, hope and possibility in America and throughout the free world. In his famous inauguration speech in 1961 he made an important plea for Americans to commit to community service, stating, “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” This lead to the creation of the American Peace Corps and a new idealism that young Americans could lead through service in the poorest countries of the developing world.

Kennedy was also a close friend to African Americans and an advocate of proposed civil rights laws that would see greater equity in America, especially in the deep south which at the time was still very segregated.

The early 60s were also dominated by the Cold War nuclear standoff between the superpowers. During the tense 13-days of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, Kennedy came under enormous pressure. He was surrounded by hawkish military advisors who insisted he respond forcefully to the presence of missiles in Cuba. During those intense days in October, Kennedy managed to avoid a nuclear conflict and was able to convince the Russians to remove their weapons from Cuba. Historians still consider his Cold War diplomacy a significant achievement.

Kennedy also initiated major spending on the space race with the Russians which eventually led to the Americans being the first to successfully put a man on the moon and literally reach for the stars.

When Kennedy was assassinated in November1963 his work was cut short. Many Americans wondered what he could have achieved, and the shooting represented a violent collision of hope and possibility with the reality of violence and sheer evil that also exists in the world.

The official version of the assassination concluded one gunman acted alone. However, multiple conspiracy theories still abound about whether larger forces were behind the killing. These include allegations against the mafia, the Russians, archconservatives fighting against Kennedy’s proposed new equality, and civil rights laws. We will probably never know; Kennedy’s death will likely remain shrouded in mystery.

But at the 50^th anniversary ceremony last Friday in Dallas, presidential historian David McCulloch reminded the audience that Kennedy was a confident optimist who was eloquent with his words. Kennedy knew that words matter and those that come from the mouth of the president have a special capacity to inspire and change lives. Quoting from Kennedy’s famous “New Frontier” speech presented when he won the presidential nomination in 1960, McCulloch stressed that Kennedy focused on challenges not promises and appealed to the American people to focus on their pride in a world of possibilities.

Hope, pride and possibility: If those are the core of the Kennedy legacy, then we should all aspire to see that modern civic life embodies all three, whether in the USA or here in Canada. In essence, Kennedy’s message is timeless, because it is hope, pride and possibility that will carry each of our students forward as young leaders. I see them in action at school and beyond. I am proud to say that I have confidence in them as doers and in their capacity to help build a better tomorrow in Canada and globally.
—Chris Shannon, Headmaster