As an 8th grader at the Western Academy of Beijing (WAB), my class often “sizes up” the incoming underclassmen at the beginning of each year. This year, there was a 6th grader who stood out from the rest – Noa, whom I noticed navigating the halls of Middle School with a white cane, carrying a laptop that looked quite different from the standard-issue Macbook most WAB students carry.

Noa uses his fingertips to read Braille on his BrailleNote Plus

Noa uses a cane because he’s been visually impaired since birth, however, with tools and a support teacher to assist when needed, he’s just like any other middle schooler at WAB.

We’ve eaten lunch together a few times, and each time he always has something fun to say. A few weeks ago, Noa participated in a literature festival hosted by the US Embassy in Beijing, reading two children’s books in braille. Interested, I sat down with him to find out what it’s like to be visually impaired.

Children gather to listen to Noa reading a braille storybook at the recent American Literature Festival

Noa and his family arrived in China less than two years ago, when he was in 5th grade. He says he enjoys WAB so far and is beginning to learn some Chinese. The school’s mission resonates with him as well. “I like WAB because we’re actually encouraged to make a difference, and I like the way WAB teaches us to do that.”

Noa is from the US but considers himself a citizen of the world. “I’d say that I’m really from everywhere,” he explains. “My dad’s French and my mom was born in the US, but she’s half Thai, half Latvian.”

Noa has been visually impaired since birth. “I am fully blind, except that I can see light versus darkness,” he says. However, that hasn’t stopped him from becoming a voracious reader, which he has accomplished using the braille system, a reading system he started learning at age 3. “[Braille] is basically a 6-dot system where any combination could make a number or letter,” Noa explains. “Some people would even call it code.”

Noa shows a crowd how to use a braille typewriter

Nowadays he uses the braille computer that he carries to school, which looks like a laptop, but instead of a standard QWERTY keyboard, has a special row of touch keys capable of presenting an ever-refreshing line of braille. This allows him to read anything from websites to Harry Potter.

Just like other laptops, his gets upgraded as new features are released. “I’ve had successive generations of a braille computer known as the BrailleNote (the BrailleNote, then the BrailleNote Touch, and most recently the BrailleNote Touch Plus),” he explains. “I use my computer like any visual computer – and the most recent versions include a touchscreen allowing my teachers to see my work at the lift of a lid.”

Instead of a screen, Noa’s laptop has a row of keys that can display letters in braille

Books in braille are easy to find – both digital and hard copy – through resources such as bookshare.org, a website designed for people with visual impairment and other barriers to reading, and the National Library Service for The Blind and Physically Handicapped, a division of the US-based Library of Congress. He’s also an audiobook listener, and WAB’s online library has plenty to choose from. “Graphic novels are probably the one genre of books that doesn’t translate well. “My computer would only display them as one ‘image’ after another.”

As for his favorites? “I mostly like reading mystery books such as Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys.”

A huge group of kids gathers around Noa as he shows them how to type on a braille typewriter

In addition to understanding how he reads, I wondered how he plays sports, given that so many of them require vision.

He likes a sport called goalball – one of the official games of the summer Paralympics – which is suited to both blind and sighted players and involves getting the ball into the opponent’s goal while blindfolded.

Whether it’s sports, reading, or surfing the web, Noa’s life is more similar to his sighted classmates than you may think.

“It’s very inspiring to see Noa be optimistic, determined, and enjoy his school life despite the extra challenges he faces,” said one of Noa’s fellow WAB students, 8th grader Angelina.

KEEP READING: SENIA to the Rescue: Resources for Working With Differently Abled Children

Images: Uni You, Mike Wester

World of Work is scary.

But first, what exactly is World of Work? Well, it’s a program that the Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) offers all Grade 10 students towards the end of the year, a week-long program that encourages students to find an internship they’re interested in – either one they organize themselves or, the more common approach, one organized by the school. The preparation for World of Work includes writing up a CV, taking online career counseling tests, and learning about professionalism in the workplace. But what is the experience actually like?

For most WAB students it serves as a whole bunch of “firsts:” the first time they intern somewhere, the first time they write a résumé, and perhaps even the first time they consider life after high school. Which is a point that feels a lot closer now that next year’s IB preparations are underway.

Unless you can land your own placement, you simply inform the school of your interests and skills and they set you up with a place to work. Simple as that. No visiting places beforehand, no knowing where or what you might end up doing. You’re just assigned a job roughly based on your interests and off you go for a whole week, with a randomly assigned teacher checking in on you during one of the days. This is definitely enough to freak out any high school student who’s simultaneously worried about exams, course selection, clubs, after-school activities, and maybe even moving away and saying their final goodbyes to WAB. The point is, there’s a lot of stuff to worry about at the end of Grade 10.

But…

As it turns out a lot of that stress was unnecessary and caused by the additional things going on with school and the end of this year. In fact, after exams are done and a mere two weeks are left before summer break begins, maybe an internship and some time away from campus are just what we all need. Because yes, CV writing and signing up for internships that you don’t know anything about is daunting and feels like they should be happening a couple of years in the future, at least. On the same token, however, there isn’t any risk to it. It’s a good opportunity to go out into the world and do something that pushes us outside our comfort zone, instead of staying in the sheltered environment that is school.

For my internship, I was assigned to work at Jingkids International for a week (as some of you might’ve guessed by now). And I’m really happy with my placement. I am very interested in writing, and this feels like an environment I can see myself working in. WAB seems to have gotten it right for the most part – at least they definitely did in my case. It’s really quite impressive how, year after year, they can manage to assign 100+ students individual internships for a whole week. And so far, at least in my experience, it’s going well. All the people are nice and the work feels meaningful and enjoyable. After all, I’m writing this article about it!

What’s more, a quick inquiry of my fellow interns suggests that I’m not the only one enjoying my time at Jingkids and they’re all very excited for the rest of the week. “I’m really looking forward to having the opportunity to write about things that I’m interested in and passionate about,” says Charlie V. Likewise, San H. is looking forward to “being able to see what it really is like in the real world and how a media company like this really works.” “I’m excited about getting new experiences and opportunities in a real workplace environment,” says Claire K. And Amber K. says she’s most excited about “[learning]from people who already have careers in fields that I am interested in potentially pursuing.”

Really, the most important thing any student should get out of this week is a fun experience, one in which they enjoy the work that they do and take something meaningful away from it. Even if it’s something as small as finding a new and great Mexican restaurant down the street.

KEEP READING: Period Talk: According to Students, It’s About Bloody Time

Images: San Hofstede

When people talk about issues such as body image, I find that they often mention celebrities, social media influencers, and models, to name a few. And sure, every teenage girl has glanced at a tabloid and wished she could look like the model on its cover page at least once in her life. She has scrolled through the Instagram posts of popular influencers, fighting the constant self-hating monologue in her head. Teenage girls have heard more than enough about how the pictures that celebrities post have been shot by professional photographers, airbrushed by Photoshop experts, and suggested by personal PR teams.

We all know that it is unfair to compare ourselves with these celebrities because we don’t have makeup artists or hair stylists, but of course we do anyway, because it is surprisingly difficult to stop the human brain from loathing itself.

Despite this, I feel that the focus of conversations about body image and its physical and mental effects should not be the importance of avoiding comparison between oneself and celebrities, but instead about peers. Even though we silently judge ourselves every time we see a hair commercial, deep down we know that this feeling is ridiculous, and that there is no comparison between us and them. It has been drilled into us. What we don’t know, however, is how to stop comparing ourselves with our peers.

In my experience, while teenage girls understand that there is an inherent divide between them and popular celebrities, they subconsciously decide that it is alright to compare themselves with their peers, since they are essentially the same anyway. The majority of conversations I have with my friends about body image and self-worth involve acquaintances that we wish we could look like, creating a sense of jealousy that never really goes away. In my opinion, these thoughts and mindsets are the most damaging. They set us up against each other and encourage us to see each other as competitors. Who has the best body? Whose Instagram pictures look the best? Who do the boys like?

This last question, I feel, is the most damaging. It teaches us that healthy and toned bodies are meant, like most other things, for men. And for this I blame the media. Things have improved in recent years, but not by much. Influencers now preach body positivity and inclusivity, and it’s good that these topics have gained so much coverage in the media nowadays, but these same people also promote harmful products like waist trainers or appetite suppressant lollipops. The worst part of this is that the perfect body is targeted towards pleasing men. Even in the lives of young girls, the ideal body has very little to do with health and wellbeing and everything to do with boys. This narrative needs to change.

For girls to feel confident within themselves, and for them to accept their bodies the way they are, I believe that the conversation needs to start revolving around a girl’s peers. This is not to say that celebrities or influencers should be let off the hook, just that there are more immediate and direct causes for negative self-image than one might think. It is important to teach girls that — despite being a cliché, it still holds true — everyone is different. And I don’t mean this in the overused sense that everyone is special in their own, unique way, but rather, that people are principally different. People are different and as long as one is healthy, it does not matter in the slightest what your body looks like. Because, frankly, beauty standards will soon change. What seems like the perfect body now could be seen as ugly a few years later. There is no way to win. The world will always find a way to make you feel inadequate and imperfect.

The most important thing is that you feel that you are enough without anyone else’s validation.

KEEP READING: Online Learning in a Lockdown 

Sharanya Trivedi is a year 10 student. Originally from India, she has lived in several countries across the world and has been in Beijing since 2017. An avid reader and debater, she is a devoted fan of the k-pop band BTS.

Photos: Unsplash

This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 May issue

In Student Correspondent articles, we hear from some of Beijing’s best and brightest students about their takes and perspectives on global and local issues. Here, Kelly Liu is 16 years old Grade 10 student at Keystone Academy talks about experiencing the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia.

Back in February, with excitement and timidity, I flew from Beijing to Bogota, Colombia, and started my three-week-long Roundsquare exchange. Yet at the same time, the COVID-19 situation in China became even more serious, and I quickly felt like I was in a completely different world, when almost every post on Chinese social media was about the virus. With the rapid spread of COVID-19, the conversations among students about prom parties and summer plans took a backseat, and the pandemic became all we could talk about. While the successful construction of a hospital in Wuhan in just 10 days was impressive and encouraging for everyone, no one predicted that two months later, Colombia would be in the same horrifying situation.

My friends in Bogota and I have always contacted and checked on each other and while cultural surprises do exist, but they help us to understand each other’s culture more comprehensively. Without making any absolute comments on either one, this article will analyze how well are students from two diverse cultures facing this pandemic from two perspectives: cultural disposition and social atmosphere.

Cultural dispositions can be defined as voluntary and unconscious attitudes and actions that are being influenced by cultural values. Considering the conversations between my Colombian friends and me, I’ve noticed they seemed less anxious and restrained than me, a Chinese girl. After the first few cases in Colombia were confirmed, my friends told me that they went to a party without wearing masks. I was completely shocked because if I was in that situation, the only thing I would have done is to stay in quarantine in my home. Obviously, this is neither absolutely a bad thing nor absolutely a good thing but it’s intriguing to explore these cultural disposition differences through analyzing real-life events, especially facing this global challenge.

When comparing social atmospheres, on the other hand, things are quite different. I’ve heard from my Colombian friends that there is an increasing amount of homeless and jobless people protesting in their country. One of my friends told me that “the social atmosphere is very harsh because we know that many people are struggling, that gets to you because there are people out there that don’t know if they are going to eat or live.” The emotion overall has been comparatively down and negative. On the other hand, personally I’ve always found that the social atmosphere in China is comparatively positive, which provides me, as a teenager, with enough encouragement to follow rules of social distancing and staying in quarantine.

Narrating what I’ve observed and noticed helps me to analyze these interesting cultural differences, and how they influence our understanding and attitudes towards COVID-19 as teenagers. Encouraging each other during the process has also helped me as a Chinese person to understand how well teenagers from another culture face this global issue. Teenagers should be aware that gaps between cultural perspectives can be diminished by working together towards the same goal: defeating the pandemic by encouraging and backing up each other.

Kelly Liu is 16 years old Grade 10 student at Keystone Academy. Skiing, snowboarding, and dancing are important components of Kelly’s life. At the same time, she enjoys exploring different cultures, as well as different places around the world.

KEEP READING: Online Learning in a Lockdown

Photos: Kelly Liu, WorldNomad

Many of us would agree that our Senior year of High School was one of the most memorable years of our life. Between graduation, college acceptance letters, Prom, and the knowledge that it’s the last year spent in your hometown (and parents’ house no less), it’s a time that we both never want to end, and can’t get past soon enough. Unfortunately, for the class of 2020, most of these traditions were devastated by COVID-19. In this series, we chat with Seniors to find out the extent of the impact to their final year of High School and what they’ve done to salvage those memories.

Meet Jun Young O., an 18 year old senior student at AISB School – Hope International. Originally from South Korea, Jun Young is the President of the Student Council of AISB School – Hope International.

Can you briefly walk us through how COVID-19 has evolved for you, personally?

I remember watching the news about a new disease spreading from Wuhan in early January. I was there just a couple months ago for a volleyball game exchange, so I thought that it was no big deal. But I realized that the virus was more serious when the school extended our vacation. I ended up flying to South Korea to avoid the virus. It’s too bad that the schools and facilities had to close due to this outbreak. I’m just hoping to bowl and hang out with my friends without the mask.

Senior year of High School is supposed to be one of the most memorable years of your life. Unfortunately, however, you and your peers aren’t getting to enjoy all that it has to offer. Can you tell us a bit about that? What are the conversations that are happening amongst your friends right now?

It’s too bad that my senior year had to go down like this. None of my friends thought this was going to happen. We planned our senior trip throughout the year, anxiously waiting for that day to finally arrive. Now it’s all canceled. But we’re still trying to stay positive. It’s nice to take a quiz on the couch, my friends and I talk a lot about funny things that happened while we’re in the house with our family. It’s nice to be able to talk to my friends amid the outbreak.

What activities were you most looking forward to this year that have either been postponed or canceled? 

The senior trip. A lot of my classmates were disappointed when the airline company mailed us to give us a refund. We are supposed to be surfing and drinking coconut water on the beach by now. We still don’t know if we can hold the last high school prom. But thankfully, there is no news on canceling our graduation ceremony yet, I really hope that won’t happen.

Has COVID-19 affected your ability to graduate at all? Are you able to take all the necessary High School Exit Exams, College Placement Tests, etc.

Unfortunately, the March and May SATs were canceled. I was planning to take the test to raise my grade. But the cancellation also gives me more time to focus on the AP exams and applications for Korean universities. Thankfully, my school is supporting a new e-learning system, so I should have no problem graduating with a high school diploma.

Has COVID-19 affected your plans for after graduation? If so, how?

My friend and I were planning to take a tour of Korea after graduation. Since I grew up in China, I didn’t get enough chance to travel around my country, so we thought it would be fun to travel to Korea just by ourselves. I hope that this outbreak will settle down before the trip. COVID-19 also gave me an opportunity to take a closer look at Korea while I’m here and allow me to have a deeper understanding of the people and the culture. It’s a fun experience.

Despite all that has happened this year, have you done anything to try and salvage these last few months of your High School experience? Have you and your friends been able to “hang out” on Zoom or FaceTime? Have you made backup plans for a Prom in case it gets officially canceled?

I don’t like using Zoom to call my friends. It’s like hanging out at the school during the weekends. I’d like to go back to school as soon as possible and prepare the events to compensate for the quarantine.

Is there anything else you’d like to include that hasn’t been asked?

Staying positive and appreciating what I have has helped me a lot during the quarantine. I’d like to suggest the same for the fellow seniors and students in Beijing!

Photos: Courtesy of Jun Young O.

Every year we have the distinct privilege of compiling a School Choice Guide (SCG) for our readers. This special issue of our magazine is not only a comprehensive look at the state of international education in Beijing, it also acts as a compendium to our annual Jing International School Expo (JISE), so that parents and students are equipped to make the most out of their visits with principals and staff at the event, and ultimately find the best school for their family.

Due to COVID-19, we were unfortunately forced to delay JISE, however, our 2020-2021 School Choice Guide is available and jam-packed with information! Now is the perfect time to familiarize yourself with everything from the various curricula followed at different institutions, to the ways in which schools ensure that all their students receive an equitable education, no matter their learning needs.

For now, check out our feature on scholarships and learn how your student can get a leg up in the competition. Then pop over to our School Profiles Index and find out which Beijing international schools offer these valuable awards.

Extracurricular activities (ECAs) are often framed as a means to an end, a way for students to stand out amongst a crowded field of college applicants. More importantly, though, they’re a chance for kids to dig deeper into a field they are passionate about, and which is either glossed over or entirely absent from their regular curriculum. From debate to drama and student magazines to radio, these programs are a vital resource for enthusiastic learners, eager to pick up real-world skills, gain insights into various career choices, and ultimately accelerate their professional development.

While every school within Beijing’s international education community offers a plethora of ECAs, we’ve highlighted four, from early years through high school, to give you an idea of what’s on offer for your child.

StageCats

Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB)

A collaborative theater community of students and teachers, who rehearse and perform a range of productions – including well-known plays and musicals as well as original pieces, which are devised through collaboration with students, a process that involves focused discussions, improv exercises on play themes and workshopping / re-working scenes with student input.

Helion Robotics

Dulwich College Beijing (DCB)

Helion Robotics is the name of Dulwich College Beijing’s FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Extra Curricular Activity club. The student-led team of nearly 40, including students from Year 8-13 and four teacher mentors, meets once a week off-season, and much more frequently during competition time. Member roles cover everything from engineering, construction, design, marketing, and finance, and the team is always looking to expand and improve. Each year, Helion in-vests hundreds of hours to design and build one robot which will be used to compete in team-based competitions requiring them to overcome challenges through skilled programming and engineering. Helion Robotics was awarded the Highest Rookie Seed at the FIRST Robotics Competition Midwest Regionals in 2019.

Project Think (HD Design Thinking Fair)

HD School Beijing

Design Thinking (DT) is one of HD’s specialty curricula that aims to build their students into real-world problem finders and problem solvers with innovative thinking and agency. It’s an in-depth opportunity for Design Thinking immersion, in which DT teachers lead two groups of students through an immersive four-week project. Under the guidance of the DT teachers, each student identified a real-world issue, then designed and built his/her own solution. During the final session, students present their projects to their parents. Past works have included Vacation Pet Feeder, Oil Protection Suit, Marker Machine, Plant Watering Machine, and Turtle Feeder Machine.

Sensory Play Activities (F-1)

AISB School – Hope International

Sensory play uses all five senses (sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste). This Sensory Play ECA will assist young children in developing fine motor skills and important cognitive skills used for problem-solving.

This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 School Choice Guide

Jacob (Grade 2)

It was Christmas Eve. We all fell asleep. Santa Claus came to my house, in secret, to give us gifts. He left quietly, afraid to wake us up.

Kira (Grade 7)

My art piece is called “A Warm Christmas Night.” It has a family in the picture on a Christmas night opening presents and having fun. The mom is baking warm cookies, and even Santa is peeking in at all the fun in the room. I wanted to make the art piece to seem warm and happy so I used bright color markers to draw it.

Jolie (Grade 6)

My piece is called Christmas Eve. It shows a tree surrounded by presents, which means that Santa has already been there and ate the cookies and drank the milk! I used markers to add texture and watercolor to the background so it can be soft.

Isabella, Katy, Jennifer (Grade 4)

These are the Christmas candles we drew. We drew this
picture because it brings us happiness and warmth, making us experience a pleasant Christmas.

Cathy, Natalie (Grade 4)

This piece of art is called “Wish Tree,” and we called it “Wish Tree” because we think everyone all should have a chance to wish and dream together at Christmas. The candles around the tree mean to bring light to the world.

Woody (Grade 2)

It is a Christmas-style restaurant. My parents and I came here for
dinner on Christmas Eve. There is an elegant environment and beautiful Christmas music here. We had a pleasant night.

Judy (Grade 2)

This is how we dressed our house for Christmas Eve. We had gifts under the Christmas tree, a warm fireplace, and gingerbread men on the table. Santa Claus was giving out gifts at one house after another, and he was about to come to ours.

Jade (Grade 2)

I think a lot about what gifts the reindeer is about to give me. It comes here, running, with a Christmas hat, and looks happy. I feel happy too. My heart becomes colorful, so I paint my background colorfully too.

This article appeared in the beijingkids December 2019 Giving Back issu

Fitting in at a new school is always difficult. When you’re also coming to terms with a new language and culture, it’s an even bigger challenge. But those who are currently making that journey, from first stepping into the labyrinth of Beijing’s streets and meeting new classmates on the first day of international school, to eventually laughing with friends after calculus, should remember that they are not alone. There have been countless students who have undergone this same process, and have tips to make everything a little bit easier. We talked to a handful of seasoned veterans who were eager to tell their story of adjusting to a new environment, in hopes that it would help other newcomers find the right footing when settling into their new life in Beijing’s international schools.

Maisy Chiu

A Year 13 student, Maisy is originally from Hong Kong, and moved to Beijing in 2000. She loves video games, reading, and her cat, Bira. She also plays sports including football, basketball, and volleyball. Her life goal is to pet every single dog in the entire world.

Deborah Qu

A Year 13 student, Deborah moved to Beijing in 2014. She is an avid reader, enthusiastic writer, and successful kombucha-maker. She spends her free time trying out random and useless hobbies, including anagram solving, plant growing, and enneagram typing.

Chloe Sandifer

A Year 13 student from South Carolina, Chloe moved to Beijing in 2015. In her spare time, she plays classical music on her cello, and enjoys sports including basketball and soccer. She loves to bike and hike with her family, and her life goal is to make a difference in the world.

Liyong Wong

A university freshman now studying in New York, Liyong came to Beijing from Malaysia in 2008. The High School Musical cast and the Backstreet Boys, his role models, are always on his playlist. He studies graphic design and is also an aspiring meme-maker, so keep an eye out for his work.

Kaneda Iles

A Year 13 student, Kaneda first came to Beijing in August 2018. He enjoys playing basketball and art. He speaks Japanese and English, and is in the process of learning Chinese. New to the city, Kaneda is optimistic and excited as he continues to learn more about Chinese culture and make this country his new home.

Initial Impressions

1. Adjusting to city life can be hard!

2. Beijing can be overwhelming, so can the start of the semester at international school.

3. Expect a bit of a language barrier between some students at the school for whom English is a second language.

4. Adjusting to school life can be difficult for introverts.

Deborah: I found getting accustomed to the rhythm of Beijing challenging. I came from a relatively small town and being dropped into a busy city with crazy traffic during rush hours and just the large amount of people was a very new experience.

Chloe: The language barrier was difficult for me. I came to Beijing after attending a public middle school in North Carolina. I was almost resistant to making friends and adjusting because I felt like I couldn’t understand anything. I couldn’t understand my classmates and I couldn’t read the street signs or speak to the waiter at restaurants. I was frustrated. So, I sat in the cafeteria and read a book for the first two weeks, refusing to speak to anyone.

Liyong: Adjusting to city life was hard. The streets were crowded, there was an unexpectedly high amount of traffic, and the pollution was horrible. In school, I also had some difficulties. I was not fluent in English, so communication with classmates was a huge challenge for me. It was difficult to participate in class and make friends.

Maisy: Beijing is pretty overwhelming. I am an introvert and don’t go out a lot, and I found it difficult to get somewhere I’m unfamiliar with and figure out transportation.

Kaneda: All of my classmates in my international school speak Chinese or other languages when they aren’t in class, because that’s what’s comfortable for them. I couldn’t understand them and felt like I couldn’t reach them. I was left out in a way I couldn’t change. I’ve moved on a lot, but there is a difference between being an outsider in a way you can overcome with time, and one that just feels like a door that is triple padlocked.

Tips you have for young people first moving to Beijing

1. Keep a positive attitude and start letting go of assumptions.

2. Join clubs and other activities.

3. Learning, or at least trying to learn Chinese is very important!

4. Download WeChat immediately!

Liyong: I learned to embrace the change in lifestyle from my previous home. Instead of focusing on the negatives, I realized the benefits of living in the city: cheap and fast transportation, restaurants being within walking distance, and having a lot of things to do with my friends.

Kaneda: Get rid of all stereotypes and conclusions you came to beforehand. I had nightmares and irrational ideas of a hyper-competitive school environment because of horror stories about the Chinese learning environment. I later found out I was completely wrong. It was unnecessary stress. Just don’t carry those thoughts with you coming in. Keep an open mind!

Maisy: WeChat makes Beijing so efficient. You can use it to pay, buy plane tickets, call a taxi, and even get a masseuse to come to your house. It is crazy versatile.

Deborah: Sports made me feel at home. I remember during a soccer game, at the last kick, I was crying and laughing and hugging teammates that had become so close to me so naturally, even though they were not people I would not have thought I would be close to. Team sports create this environment where we work towards a common goal, which builds strong friendships.

Chloe: I joined stuff within school without prior experience, like the musical. I had a ‘why not try something new?’ attitude and ended up having so many amazing experiences. On opening night, I felt like the entire cast was coming together to produce something we were proud of, and the community was coming together to enjoy it. I felt like I was a part of something.

Maisy: Learning Chinese is so important. When I couldn’t read the street signs or do everyday things like ordering at a restaurant, I felt like I couldn’t relate to Beijingers or feel like one of them. Once you do, you feel much more at home.

What are some advantages of being an international student?

1. You realize that people are fundamentally the same but superficially different.

2. You become more open-minded and accepting of different ideas.

3. Learning a new language in an environment where that is the only language used.

4. It helps in adapting to college life because of the experiences gained by going somewhere new and getting used it.

Deborah: Because you are exposed to people of all backgrounds, you realize that people are fundamentally the same but superficially different. At first, you think you guys can’t connect because of cultural and language differences, but at the end of the day, you still find the same things funny and can laugh together. The stereotypes and misconceptions you had about people are completely broken, and I think that’s so great.

Maisy: My older brother goes to college now and has met people who have only lived in one town their whole lives, and because of that are narrow-minded in some ways.  Here, your view of the world is already much broader. Academically speaking, you learn a new language in an environment where that is the only language used. This is so much better than learning a language in a classroom because the only way to really know a language is if you use it.

Chloe: You learn to be more open-minded and accepting of different ideas. You get to see the perspectives of people from everywhere, and that makes you learn to stop and listen to others.

Liyong: I found that my international school background actually helped me a lot in college. I adapted to college much faster because I had experience of going somewhere new and getting used it. I also got used to talking to new groups of people because people leave and come to international schools so often; I was always joined by new students every year. So, establishing new friendships has gotten easier. Being bilingual also lets you connect with a crazy amount of people much easier. I have friends that are all over the world and that’s just crazy. You get a better idea of globalization and realize how small and connected the world can be.

This article first appeared in the beijingkids School Choice Guide 2019-2020
Photos: Adobe Creative Cloud, Uni You, Lydia Qu

Here we asked international high school students about what extracurricular activities have been memorable at their respective schools. Beyond helping make a well-rounded student, extracurriculars provide all sorts of fun and opportunities for these young students to explore other areas of interest. Here’s what they had to say about their individual experiences. 

Caio Motta: The British School of Beijing (BSB), Shunyi

What are some of your most memorable academic endeavors, extracurricular activities, or school trips you have taken part in over the past four years?
The most memorable trip was the one in Year 12 where the teachers and Year 12 students went to Tanzania which also incorporated my IB CAS project work, charitable work, and a safari. This was a life-changing experience that myself and my colleagues will remember forever.

How have these activities provided by your school helped shape you as a person?
Completing the Tanzanian project taught me various skills such as how to build and use tools, how to talk to the locals and make myself understood, how to appreciate the wildlife and what is being done to conserve it in Africa.

Beyond academics, has your school been helpful in providing electives and extracurricular activities that cultivate your interests?
We have chances to take part in many IB CAS activities working at migrant schools; there is also a variety of sports programs that are held after school since we are part of ACAMIS.

Chelsea Lee: Yew Chung International School of Beijing

What are some of your most memorable academic endeavors, extracurricular activities, or school trips you have taken part in over the past four years?
Some of the extracurricular activities that were really meaningful to this change are football, Dew Drops Charity, and Roots & Shoots where I was able to learn and mature in aspects such as cooperation, leadership, and responsibility.

How have these activities provided by your school helped shape you as a person?
Through the welcoming environment provided by our school, and through working with innovative and enthusiastic teammates that were passionate about the club, I became more confident in attempting new things.

Beyond academics, has your school been helpful in providing electives and extracurricular activities that cultivate your interests?
Through our CAS fair, I was able to establish the Roots and Shoots Club and the Dew Drops Charity, developing them into fun and meaningful clubs that thrive both within and outside the school.

Simon Floris: Western Academy of Beijing

What are some of your most memorable academic endeavors, extracurricular activities, or school trips you have taken part in over the past four years?
My favorite thing to do at WAB is by far singing in a choir. I’m in two different school choirs, HS (High School) and the APAC (Asian Pacific Activities Conference) Choir. The former is mandatory for the latter, where we perform all over Asia. It’s challenging, but oh so worth it.

How have these activities provided by your school helped shape you as a person?
I think APAC Choir has taught me to improve my ability to feel more comfortable: in front of an audience, yes, but also next to singers I have just met, with homestay families whose house I’m invading, and even with conductors who have their own Wikipedia page.

Beyond academics, has your school been helpful in providing electives and extracurricular activities that cultivate your interests?
I absolutely love movies, and I’m lucky enough to go to one of the few schools in Beijing that take film seriously. Not only is there a course, but there’s the Identity Film Festival (for which I have been head of submissions), and many other opportunities to develop my skills.

Photos: Courtesy of BSB Shunyi, YCIS Beijing, WAB

This article originally appeared on p96
of beijingkids School Choice Guide 2018-2019.