Veerle Koops, Grade 12
UWCEA Arusha Campus
This summer, my friend and I travelled to Kampala, Uganda together. We met up with three Ugandan friends, who all live in this city. They took us to a museum about their country. Instead of the things we were meant to learn from the objects and texts that were exhibited, we learned small things, not related to each other, that our friends told us about their country and that we were only able to understand because we were in Kampala, and present. All around the city people paint on their houses and buildings that 'This house is not for sale!'. Now we know this is a precaution to avoid a common problem of people living or building on occupied land. And I don't think I´ll ever forget it.
I am grateful to have my two fellow Dutch co-years and I have all stayed in Tanzania this summer, and were able to meet up in the middle of July because we all happened to be in the same place at the same time. I am grateful to have all made the same choice of staying in Tanzania, about 6000 kilometres away from our families, to return to Arusha and tell each other that we have arrived home.
At my campus the dorms are circle shaped with in the middle our common room in open air. Because of this we are in nature whenever we are not in our rooms. Nature is a very inspiring and healthy environment for me to be in, and it makes me feel good. I am very grateful that the place I live inspires me and the other students who I live here with.
Three months ago my favourite Dutch artist made an album that I love. I consider this album to be poetry, and the words that are used have developed a personal meaning to me. To me, this appreciation originates from viewing my native language from the perspective of the language that I now speak more often. I have played the songs for friends who don't understand my language, and some of them have started listening to dutch music because they appreciate it too. While I don't feel nationalistic about my country, this makes me feel grateful that I have friends who are open minded enough to appreciate art that they are not able to understand, and that there is art that makes me feel this way.
Near my school there is a gallery called Cultural Heritage. It is one of the biggest art galleries in Africa. I want to be an artist, and this gives me the opportunity to learn from African art, in contrast to European art which I have known only. The gallery is divided in the sections history, animals and culture. I have never seen any division of the sorts in any of the museums I have visited in Europe, and even that small thing can tell you a lot about the difference.
I am grateful to have my two fellow Dutch co-years and I have all stayed in Tanzania this summer, and were able to meet up in the middle of July because we all happened to be in the same place at the same time. I am grateful to have all made the same choice of staying in Tanzania, about 6000 kilometres away from our families, to return to Arusha and tell each other that we have arrived home.
At my campus the dorms are circle shaped with in the middle our common room in open air. Because of this we are in nature whenever we are not in our rooms. Nature is a very inspiring and healthy environment for me to be in, and it makes me feel good. I am very grateful that the place I live inspires me and the other students who I live here with.
Three months ago my favourite Dutch artist made an album that I love. I consider this album to be poetry, and the words that are used have developed a personal meaning to me. To me, this appreciation originates from viewing my native language from the perspective of the language that I now speak more often. I have played the songs for friends who don't understand my language, and some of them have started listening to dutch music because they appreciate it too. While I don't feel nationalistic about my country, this makes me feel grateful that I have friends who are open minded enough to appreciate art that they are not able to understand, and that there is art that makes me feel this way.
Near my school there is a gallery called Cultural Heritage. It is one of the biggest art galleries in Africa. I want to be an artist, and this gives me the opportunity to learn from African art, in contrast to European art which I have known only. The gallery is divided in the sections history, animals and culture. I have never seen any division of the sorts in any of the museums I have visited in Europe, and even that small thing can tell you a lot about the difference.
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