Marina Kashumba, Grade 11
UWCEA (Arusha)
I always knew I wanted to be successful; that part was always as clear as day. But how? For some reason, the "how" had never really occurred to me; of course, I knew that I had to go to school and get good grades but is that really what it's all about? My mind would often ponder. It wasn't until I found out about the whole UWC movement that I finally got a clear picture of what path I wanted to follow in my life.
I found out that UWC was where I wanted and needed to be. Seeing all the students on different campuses all over the world with bright smiles and happy faces, experiencing all sorts of new things and challenges, made me curious and made me want to be a part of that. So it became my new dream and a goal I had to accomplish.
That dream materialized when I got accepted to join UWCEA. It was, without a doubt, the happiest moment of my life; on that day, I saw a new light in my life like a new door full of wonderful opportunities was opened. It was a beautiful feeling of excitement and nervousness as I awaited the day when I would finally join my new school, UWCEA.
August 3rd was the beautiful day when I finally arrived at school and got to see the wonderful campus I had always seen in pictures and heard so much about. It was a really exciting moment that filled me with mixed feelings ranging from overflowing joy to confusion as I wasn't sure how this whole experience would work out for me.
The moment I walked through the reception door, I knew that I definitely made the right decision, and I wasn't going to be disappointed. I was welcomed with big, bright, and reassuring smiles that immediately made me feel at home and made me feel like I was going to fit into this great lovely community just fine.
That has been my reality; though I've only spent 5 weeks at school, I already feel like I'm part of this community. My friends, the teachers, the staff, and everyone here at school really has played a part and made me feel happy and joyous. I finally feel like I'm part of something bigger and like I belong to something that appreciates who I am and what I can offer.
Today, UWC East Africa has become my new home; yes, it might be a bit colder than the hot sunny dares salaam I'm used to, but that's what being part of UWC and being a UWC student is about. It's about stepping out of your comfort zone, exploring new areas of the world, and finding out more about yourself. It's about making your strengths stronger, turning your weaknesses into strengths, and trying new things you wouldn't have done in previous times.
Even though I still have a long way to go, and two years is a really long time, I see a bright future ahead, one filled with fulfilling experiences and wonderful opportunities. And I look forward to this new chapter in my life. I can't wait to meet new people, learn new things, face new challenges, and try all sorts of new things that I had never done before. I hope that through this new experience, I will be able to grow as a person and leave here after the course of two years as the best version of myself I can become, and become a good ambassador of the UWC movement to the whole world.
I found out that UWC was where I wanted and needed to be. Seeing all the students on different campuses all over the world with bright smiles and happy faces, experiencing all sorts of new things and challenges, made me curious and made me want to be a part of that. So it became my new dream and a goal I had to accomplish.
That dream materialized when I got accepted to join UWCEA. It was, without a doubt, the happiest moment of my life; on that day, I saw a new light in my life like a new door full of wonderful opportunities was opened. It was a beautiful feeling of excitement and nervousness as I awaited the day when I would finally join my new school, UWCEA.
August 3rd was the beautiful day when I finally arrived at school and got to see the wonderful campus I had always seen in pictures and heard so much about. It was a really exciting moment that filled me with mixed feelings ranging from overflowing joy to confusion as I wasn't sure how this whole experience would work out for me.
The moment I walked through the reception door, I knew that I definitely made the right decision, and I wasn't going to be disappointed. I was welcomed with big, bright, and reassuring smiles that immediately made me feel at home and made me feel like I was going to fit into this great lovely community just fine.
That has been my reality; though I've only spent 5 weeks at school, I already feel like I'm part of this community. My friends, the teachers, the staff, and everyone here at school really has played a part and made me feel happy and joyous. I finally feel like I'm part of something bigger and like I belong to something that appreciates who I am and what I can offer.
Today, UWC East Africa has become my new home; yes, it might be a bit colder than the hot sunny dares salaam I'm used to, but that's what being part of UWC and being a UWC student is about. It's about stepping out of your comfort zone, exploring new areas of the world, and finding out more about yourself. It's about making your strengths stronger, turning your weaknesses into strengths, and trying new things you wouldn't have done in previous times.
Even though I still have a long way to go, and two years is a really long time, I see a bright future ahead, one filled with fulfilling experiences and wonderful opportunities. And I look forward to this new chapter in my life. I can't wait to meet new people, learn new things, face new challenges, and try all sorts of new things that I had never done before. I hope that through this new experience, I will be able to grow as a person and leave here after the course of two years as the best version of myself I can become, and become a good ambassador of the UWC movement to the whole world.
www.unitedworldwide.co