Gurtej Singh Bhamra, Grade 11
UWCEA Moshi
In grade 7, my class only had eight students. After the first day of school, I remember hating the class. All my friends from the previous year had left, and I thought I should remain alone for the rest of the year. Little did my short-sightedness know what was to come. Eventually, I had to mingle with my classmates, and from them; I found my best friend and many other lifelong friends. Though I did not get along with everyone, my previous friends’ leaving allowed me to interact with a group of people and cultures I would have never had the chance to experience otherwise. Be it the enticing food from Zimbabwe, exotic East Indian traditions, or the brotherhood between Kenya and Tanzania.
The following year, five more people entered our class, which felt like a huge leap at the time. This was also the year International School Moshi (ISM) transformed into UWC East Africa. Throughout the school, it was like the floodgates of diversity had broken. I had the opportunity to meet with many new people from places like Austria, Uganda, South India, and more. Our class had somehow gotten closer together, and the new students had brought further diversity and a sense of warmth to the class. Also, having been in the school for a long time put me in the position to be a leader as I was most familiar with the school’s culture and traditions. This experience taught me how to be a leader and also how to express myself to those around me. However, before the end of grade 8, COVID-19 struck and online schooling began. Physically separated from each other, we stayed in touch not just during class zoom meetings, but through phone calls, facetime, and messages. School shutting down was an unruly experience as we were away from everyone and constantly in the same environment.
After eight months, school was to begin in August. The night prior, everyone was on a group phone call, excited to be back. Contrastingly, when I walked into the class that morning, it was dead silent. Eventually, the silence broke off, and we were finally back to our old ways. Coming back from COVID-19, this was an extremely tough year. A change in the class led to constant arguing and fighting with one another. That semester, almost all of our grades dropped staggeringly. As everything seemed to fall apart, there was a bond being formed amidst all the chaos. As the next semester came and went, through grade heartbreaks, camping trip drama, and end-of-year exams, we stuck together. People who would once consider themselves enemies were now squealing in excitement every time they saw each other. By the end of the year, we not only massively improved our grades but as people altogether, being more caring, open-minded, and considerate towards each other.
Then came the final year of MYP, and so the personal project (PP) made its way. It is safe to say the PP came with its trials and tribulations, but as Kanye quotes, “if it does not kill you, it will only make you stronger”. Be it on late-night study session calls, lifting someone emotionally, or helping a certain individual finish their PP report over the weekend after having six months to complete it. We would be there for each other. After the December break, more than ten new students came to the class, many from nearby regions looking to join UWC for the following year. At this point, our class was up to 26 students, keeping in mind that we were just 8 in grade 7. Many of the new students were very intelligent and I feared that we would be in constant competition and battle. This was not the case, instead of us going against each other, we were constantly helping one another. On several occasions, my grade was saved in chemistry and maths because I understood better from my friends than the teacher. Only a few weeks after coming in, the entire class was closer than ever. For many of us, we spend more time with our classmates than at home, so this was like family. At the end of grade 10 and MYP, I can truly say “we started from the bottom, now we here”.
To conclude, my class has taught me how to trust in one another, be empathetic, be a leader, and most of all be open-minded towards all people and opportunities. To you all, I am forever grateful. Coming into IB Diploma, over 60 new students are coming into our class. It was astonishing looking at the WhatsApp group chat and seeing numbers from so many diverse places. Though part of me fears losing the connection with our previous classmates, the past has taught me that our bond will only get stronger. As the stoic says, “do not fear change” as change is what allows us to grow and is what has brought the best in our lives.
This time the class had changed again. People not just from one culture, but who were multicultural. Individuals who were Tanzanian Germans, Indian Americans, or Vietnamese Spanish. It was extremely fascinating to see how these cultures intertwined and how they came together to form an amazing blend. Slowly, through my experiences with others, I began to realise I was becoming a bit of everything as well.
The following year, five more people entered our class, which felt like a huge leap at the time. This was also the year International School Moshi (ISM) transformed into UWC East Africa. Throughout the school, it was like the floodgates of diversity had broken. I had the opportunity to meet with many new people from places like Austria, Uganda, South India, and more. Our class had somehow gotten closer together, and the new students had brought further diversity and a sense of warmth to the class. Also, having been in the school for a long time put me in the position to be a leader as I was most familiar with the school’s culture and traditions. This experience taught me how to be a leader and also how to express myself to those around me. However, before the end of grade 8, COVID-19 struck and online schooling began. Physically separated from each other, we stayed in touch not just during class zoom meetings, but through phone calls, facetime, and messages. School shutting down was an unruly experience as we were away from everyone and constantly in the same environment.
After eight months, school was to begin in August. The night prior, everyone was on a group phone call, excited to be back. Contrastingly, when I walked into the class that morning, it was dead silent. Eventually, the silence broke off, and we were finally back to our old ways. Coming back from COVID-19, this was an extremely tough year. A change in the class led to constant arguing and fighting with one another. That semester, almost all of our grades dropped staggeringly. As everything seemed to fall apart, there was a bond being formed amidst all the chaos. As the next semester came and went, through grade heartbreaks, camping trip drama, and end-of-year exams, we stuck together. People who would once consider themselves enemies were now squealing in excitement every time they saw each other. By the end of the year, we not only massively improved our grades but as people altogether, being more caring, open-minded, and considerate towards each other.
Then came the final year of MYP, and so the personal project (PP) made its way. It is safe to say the PP came with its trials and tribulations, but as Kanye quotes, “if it does not kill you, it will only make you stronger”. Be it on late-night study session calls, lifting someone emotionally, or helping a certain individual finish their PP report over the weekend after having six months to complete it. We would be there for each other. After the December break, more than ten new students came to the class, many from nearby regions looking to join UWC for the following year. At this point, our class was up to 26 students, keeping in mind that we were just 8 in grade 7. Many of the new students were very intelligent and I feared that we would be in constant competition and battle. This was not the case, instead of us going against each other, we were constantly helping one another. On several occasions, my grade was saved in chemistry and maths because I understood better from my friends than the teacher. Only a few weeks after coming in, the entire class was closer than ever. For many of us, we spend more time with our classmates than at home, so this was like family. At the end of grade 10 and MYP, I can truly say “we started from the bottom, now we here”.
To conclude, my class has taught me how to trust in one another, be empathetic, be a leader, and most of all be open-minded towards all people and opportunities. To you all, I am forever grateful. Coming into IB Diploma, over 60 new students are coming into our class. It was astonishing looking at the WhatsApp group chat and seeing numbers from so many diverse places. Though part of me fears losing the connection with our previous classmates, the past has taught me that our bond will only get stronger. As the stoic says, “do not fear change” as change is what allows us to grow and is what has brought the best in our lives.
This time the class had changed again. People not just from one culture, but who were multicultural. Individuals who were Tanzanian Germans, Indian Americans, or Vietnamese Spanish. It was extremely fascinating to see how these cultures intertwined and how they came together to form an amazing blend. Slowly, through my experiences with others, I began to realise I was becoming a bit of everything as well.
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