Gwamaka Mahenya, Dominic Nhema, Grade 12
UWCSA (Waterford)
I joined Waterford Kamhlaba (WK) in form 1 back in January 2017. I remember boarding the plane from the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam Tanzania on the 6 am flight to Johannesburg, South Africa. My dad insisted on taking the TransMagnific shuttle to Mbabane Swaziland from Johannesburg, and after taking a short trip to Sandton to sightsee and get lunch by 1 pm we were off. I was 12 years old at the time and it would’ve been my first time staying in another country without my parents and I was surprised to find that I was completely indifferent about not being at home for months at a time. I could not feel even a tinge of sadness or feelings of homesickness. At the time, I thought that it might’ve just been that I had already become used to the boarding lifestyle. Prior to joining Waterford Kamhlaba (WK), I was at St. Constantine’s International School in Arusha in the north of Tanzania, about 700 kilometers from home. I had done Grade 6 and one term of grade 7 before joining Waterford. Now in hindsight, I have reason to believe that that wasn’t the reason at all.
Kamhlaba (which translates to “of the world” in native siSwati) has another intangible attribute to it that, for the most part, is purely beneficial. The people there and the school itself just leaves a lasting impression on everyone that goes through the school. The entire feel of the school as soon as you start going up the mountain just hits you harder but, at the same time, softer than many other feelings. The seclusion of the school in the mountains but also its involvement with the local communities around the greater Mbabane area is something I personally have never experienced in many other places. I can testify that WK has changed me entirely as a person. In my beliefs, my ideologies, and obviously in my appearance (although that is more to thank the passage of time rather than the school itself, it can’t do everything) and all of these things for the better. This is also a testament to the UWC values as well - “Celebration of diversity”. The people I have met at WK I am sure I would never have met them anywhere else, and to this, I am grateful for the person I’ve become and the person I’m becoming.
The UWC movement as a whole is really just an amazing thing. It brings so many different things to people. Values play a strong role in the way the UWC schools are built and viewed. The celebration of diversity is what makes the experience much more enthusiastic and worthwhile. The number of things you're taught about different people gives you a new perspective of how you see the world and the people of different ethnicities and cultures. It takes you out of your comfort zone and opens up doors for you to explore and learn right there on campus. UWCs around the world would mean nothing without the people. The people give the movement light and shine it across the world. The energy that Waterford students have towards uplifting the UWC values is unparalleled, and I’m sure I can say that for all the other 17 schools around the world. It means so much to those who have had the chance to experience it because of how it opens their eyes to see the bigger picture and meaning of the world.
Kamhlaba (which translates to “of the world” in native siSwati) has another intangible attribute to it that, for the most part, is purely beneficial. The people there and the school itself just leaves a lasting impression on everyone that goes through the school. The entire feel of the school as soon as you start going up the mountain just hits you harder but, at the same time, softer than many other feelings. The seclusion of the school in the mountains but also its involvement with the local communities around the greater Mbabane area is something I personally have never experienced in many other places. I can testify that WK has changed me entirely as a person. In my beliefs, my ideologies, and obviously in my appearance (although that is more to thank the passage of time rather than the school itself, it can’t do everything) and all of these things for the better. This is also a testament to the UWC values as well - “Celebration of diversity”. The people I have met at WK I am sure I would never have met them anywhere else, and to this, I am grateful for the person I’ve become and the person I’m becoming.
The UWC movement as a whole is really just an amazing thing. It brings so many different things to people. Values play a strong role in the way the UWC schools are built and viewed. The celebration of diversity is what makes the experience much more enthusiastic and worthwhile. The number of things you're taught about different people gives you a new perspective of how you see the world and the people of different ethnicities and cultures. It takes you out of your comfort zone and opens up doors for you to explore and learn right there on campus. UWCs around the world would mean nothing without the people. The people give the movement light and shine it across the world. The energy that Waterford students have towards uplifting the UWC values is unparalleled, and I’m sure I can say that for all the other 17 schools around the world. It means so much to those who have had the chance to experience it because of how it opens their eyes to see the bigger picture and meaning of the world.
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