Ahana Shreshta, Grade 11
UWC Costa Rica
It’s 4am, and I am in tears. I am overwhelmed, and I don’t know what to do, what to think. It’s chaos. People flock all around me, shouting and crying. The distinct drag of suitcase wheels against the gravel is drowned out by the shouts of teachers telling students to hurry, as promises of “we’ll meet again” and “I’ll miss you” fade into the din and give way to tear-stained faces.
The first buses are leaving campus, and the gravity of the situation has finally begun to set in. Our little UWC world has been shaken, and any semblance of peace and calmness, any hint of normalcy has been driven away by the onset of our harsh reality.
As the night goes by, more and more buses leave and with each departure, our dwindling party returns back to campus, our hearts a little emptier and our smiles a little dimmer. With every bus that leaves, so many unsaid words are lost. With every bus that leaves, so many memories, so many experiences are remembered and cherished. And with every bus that leaves, students return too. Students whose flights were cancelled, students whose borders were closed, students who couldn’t go back home.
And watching our community flock over them, offering support and comfort without hesitation was one of the most heartwarming things I have ever seen. But what makes it all the more special is the way their culture and background is intertwined in their thoughtful gestures. I had just returned from the airport, unable to board the plane because of visa issues and the prospect of returning home was becoming less feasible by the second. A friend, seeing my downcast eyes, rushes to her room and thrusts a prayer flag into my hands. “It’s for good luck”, she says. Another one makes me chawanmushi, a Japanese dish she knows I love. “It’s gonna be okay”, she says. Another friend casually passes a huge bag filled to the brim with Chinese snacks to me. “I think some hotpot will cheer you up”, she says.
These small almost overlooked gestures which carry glimpses of a person’s culture and the country they were raised in is what makes UWC so special to me. Everyone here is unique, each one adding a new complex depth and layer to our community. Their stories, their experiences, their identity - everyone here can teach us something that brings us new insight and sparks discussions, making us think from perspectives we never knew before.
And the solidarity I felt then is made all the more meaningful because of these differences. In a time so dark, when we were trapped and uncertain if we would even be able to return home to our families, we came through. The community just came together, with no hesitation at all, as parts of who they were as a person shone through in their thoughtful little gestures. They were there - for midnight conversations and random walks around campus, for 5am visits to Musi (a nearby convenience store that sells bakery items) and stargazing in the football field, for watching sunsets on the Hill and chilling in the Park. And this... this gave me a sense of belonging like no other.
All these people from different countries, cultures, religions and they were always willing to lend a helping hand. We embrace this diversity - it is what makes UWC such a special place. All these languages, cultures, nationalities, religions have gathered in one place united in their belief of a common goal - to work towards love and peace. And like Trudeau says, “we are strong not in spite of our differences, but because of them.”
The first buses are leaving campus, and the gravity of the situation has finally begun to set in. Our little UWC world has been shaken, and any semblance of peace and calmness, any hint of normalcy has been driven away by the onset of our harsh reality.
As the night goes by, more and more buses leave and with each departure, our dwindling party returns back to campus, our hearts a little emptier and our smiles a little dimmer. With every bus that leaves, so many unsaid words are lost. With every bus that leaves, so many memories, so many experiences are remembered and cherished. And with every bus that leaves, students return too. Students whose flights were cancelled, students whose borders were closed, students who couldn’t go back home.
And watching our community flock over them, offering support and comfort without hesitation was one of the most heartwarming things I have ever seen. But what makes it all the more special is the way their culture and background is intertwined in their thoughtful gestures. I had just returned from the airport, unable to board the plane because of visa issues and the prospect of returning home was becoming less feasible by the second. A friend, seeing my downcast eyes, rushes to her room and thrusts a prayer flag into my hands. “It’s for good luck”, she says. Another one makes me chawanmushi, a Japanese dish she knows I love. “It’s gonna be okay”, she says. Another friend casually passes a huge bag filled to the brim with Chinese snacks to me. “I think some hotpot will cheer you up”, she says.
These small almost overlooked gestures which carry glimpses of a person’s culture and the country they were raised in is what makes UWC so special to me. Everyone here is unique, each one adding a new complex depth and layer to our community. Their stories, their experiences, their identity - everyone here can teach us something that brings us new insight and sparks discussions, making us think from perspectives we never knew before.
And the solidarity I felt then is made all the more meaningful because of these differences. In a time so dark, when we were trapped and uncertain if we would even be able to return home to our families, we came through. The community just came together, with no hesitation at all, as parts of who they were as a person shone through in their thoughtful little gestures. They were there - for midnight conversations and random walks around campus, for 5am visits to Musi (a nearby convenience store that sells bakery items) and stargazing in the football field, for watching sunsets on the Hill and chilling in the Park. And this... this gave me a sense of belonging like no other.
All these people from different countries, cultures, religions and they were always willing to lend a helping hand. We embrace this diversity - it is what makes UWC such a special place. All these languages, cultures, nationalities, religions have gathered in one place united in their belief of a common goal - to work towards love and peace. And like Trudeau says, “we are strong not in spite of our differences, but because of them.”
www.unitedworldwide.co