Samuel Vidal Flanagan, Grade 11
UWC Dilijan
The first couple of weeks of my time at UWC Dilijan, Armenia, were a whirlwind. I arrived at the college after a sixteen-hour flight with a stopover in Moscow and several more hours on a bus. It was the 21st of August, 2019. The college and our "second years" (those in their second year of IB) filled the first two weeks with activities intended to help us get to know each other, the campus and Armenia better. These activities were all entertaining and full of exciting moments, but the most memorable one was the camping trip to Lake Sevan.
Sevan is a freshwater lake in the center of Armenia. At 1900 m above sea level, it is the largest lake in Armenia and the Caucasus region in general, with a surface of 1242km2. It is considered a "national treasure" in Armenia, and it has a significant weight in the nation's economy, culture and aesthetics, amongst other things. The lake has also been an essential part of many civilizations which have come across its shores and is situated in an area of the world notable for the history attached to it. It was a privilege to be able to visit it.
We left campus the morning of the 25th of August. We were the third or fourth group to make the trip, as other 'toons' (houses in Armenian) had already gone throughout the week. This time, it was Aghstev's, which is my 'toon', and Aragats' turn to go. This was an exciting moment for the first years, as it was the first time we were allowed out of campus since we had arrived earlier that week.
I remember I didn't talk much during the bus ride to the lake. Maybe I slept, I don't really remember it. I do remember though, that the second years were all sat at the back, laughing, playing music and sharing stories. It was amazing to see how close UWC makes you, before fully immersing myself in that world. When we arrived, we were given a long (and boring) talk about rules and safety, and we were then told to find ourselves a tent with a friend. It started raining for a while, and we all had to take refuge and make sure our stuff wasn't getting wet. Finally, after about two hours of talks and rain, we were able to go swimming.
This was the best part of our time there. The water was amazing, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. We jumped off the jetty, raced in the water, sunbathed on the beautiful Sevan shore, and played volleyball. It was like a scene out of a movie. I got to talk to second years that I had been a bit distant from, as during the first weeks it had been easier to talk to my co-years, who had no groups established yet. I also spoke to people from other toons, which I hadn't interacted with that much, as most of the activities up to that point were with my toon. Most importantly, I met the person who would later become my best friend. I remember the afternoon vaguely, so I guess it was uneventful. Dinner was great, my first taste of Armenian food, which I really recommend. After, we sat around the campfire, sang songs and ate marshmallows. (Looking back on it again, it really does seem like a movie scene). In the morning we went back to the campus.
Although the time before that trip at UWC was fun, this was the beginning of me finding my place. I went from not really knowing anyone on the way there, to joking around and sleeping on each other's shoulders on the way back. I could now call some of the people at campus friends, and although some of those friendships waned, many others became an important part of my life. The trip was a stepping stone to the family that I would build at UWC and a prod at my travels through Armenia.
Sevan is a freshwater lake in the center of Armenia. At 1900 m above sea level, it is the largest lake in Armenia and the Caucasus region in general, with a surface of 1242km2. It is considered a "national treasure" in Armenia, and it has a significant weight in the nation's economy, culture and aesthetics, amongst other things. The lake has also been an essential part of many civilizations which have come across its shores and is situated in an area of the world notable for the history attached to it. It was a privilege to be able to visit it.
We left campus the morning of the 25th of August. We were the third or fourth group to make the trip, as other 'toons' (houses in Armenian) had already gone throughout the week. This time, it was Aghstev's, which is my 'toon', and Aragats' turn to go. This was an exciting moment for the first years, as it was the first time we were allowed out of campus since we had arrived earlier that week.
I remember I didn't talk much during the bus ride to the lake. Maybe I slept, I don't really remember it. I do remember though, that the second years were all sat at the back, laughing, playing music and sharing stories. It was amazing to see how close UWC makes you, before fully immersing myself in that world. When we arrived, we were given a long (and boring) talk about rules and safety, and we were then told to find ourselves a tent with a friend. It started raining for a while, and we all had to take refuge and make sure our stuff wasn't getting wet. Finally, after about two hours of talks and rain, we were able to go swimming.
This was the best part of our time there. The water was amazing, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. We jumped off the jetty, raced in the water, sunbathed on the beautiful Sevan shore, and played volleyball. It was like a scene out of a movie. I got to talk to second years that I had been a bit distant from, as during the first weeks it had been easier to talk to my co-years, who had no groups established yet. I also spoke to people from other toons, which I hadn't interacted with that much, as most of the activities up to that point were with my toon. Most importantly, I met the person who would later become my best friend. I remember the afternoon vaguely, so I guess it was uneventful. Dinner was great, my first taste of Armenian food, which I really recommend. After, we sat around the campfire, sang songs and ate marshmallows. (Looking back on it again, it really does seem like a movie scene). In the morning we went back to the campus.
Although the time before that trip at UWC was fun, this was the beginning of me finding my place. I went from not really knowing anyone on the way there, to joking around and sleeping on each other's shoulders on the way back. I could now call some of the people at campus friends, and although some of those friendships waned, many others became an important part of my life. The trip was a stepping stone to the family that I would build at UWC and a prod at my travels through Armenia.
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