Freya Aurora Van De Laak, Grade 11
UWC Maastricht
What can I really say about UWC Maastricht? Well, for starters, it has been an absolute blast. Coming to this international school in the Netherlands was a fantastic opportunity for me, as I became exposed to this whole new culture and way of living. I was born in Hong Kong and lived there for 13 years. My parents decided that it was time to take the next step in the chapter of our lives, so we moved to Belgium ‒ just along the border of Maastricht. Having an actual house all to ourselves was already a huge change. In Hong Kong, we tend to live in small flats that can have over a hundred floors. Having a private parking lot and a massive garden is just the cherry on top.
I came to UWC Maastricht in MYP4. To be completely honest, I’m quite a shy person at heart, so I struggled a lot with approaching others and initiating conversations. It was only until MYP5 when I started to truly gain confidence and break out of this shell. I am now 15 and in DP1, hard at work with the current IB Diploma Program, which is proving to be an exciting and fun challenge.
Even though I am half-Dutch, I barely spoke the language back in Hong Kong. Thanks to my awesome teacher (shoutout to you Celine!), I quickly picked up Dutch and even spent a year doing Dutch Language & Literature in MYP5. I believe that this just goes to highlights the quality of teaching UWC has to offer.
In short, I am still getting used to how everything works around here. Sometimes, it feels like I’m walking through the school hallways for the very first time. UWC Maastricht has been nothing short of welcoming.
I am looking forward to spending the next two years as a student here.
IB… Bring it on!
I came to UWC Maastricht in MYP4. To be completely honest, I’m quite a shy person at heart, so I struggled a lot with approaching others and initiating conversations. It was only until MYP5 when I started to truly gain confidence and break out of this shell. I am now 15 and in DP1, hard at work with the current IB Diploma Program, which is proving to be an exciting and fun challenge.
Even though I am half-Dutch, I barely spoke the language back in Hong Kong. Thanks to my awesome teacher (shoutout to you Celine!), I quickly picked up Dutch and even spent a year doing Dutch Language & Literature in MYP5. I believe that this just goes to highlights the quality of teaching UWC has to offer.
In short, I am still getting used to how everything works around here. Sometimes, it feels like I’m walking through the school hallways for the very first time. UWC Maastricht has been nothing short of welcoming.
I am looking forward to spending the next two years as a student here.
IB… Bring it on!
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frencken-scholl-architecten.html/uwc-maastricht-by-frencken-scholl-architecten08/
frencken-scholl-architecten.html/uwc-maastricht-by-frencken-scholl-architecten08/
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