Kosovo Project Week

Kosovo Project week

This October 6 students from UWC Maastricht traveled to the newborn country of Kosovo. My team were were Agnesa, Erik, Hadil,  Zoe, Annika and I. We traveled to Agnesa’s hometown of Fushë Kosova. During the week we had two projects to do. One in a Roma center in the town we stayed in and the other teaching English in a primary school in Janjevë. It was a truly amazing trip that opened all of our eyes to things we had never seen or experienced before.

In the school we taught the children in primary school ranging from ages 7 until 14. Their English was very basic so we decided to teach them some English in a fun and interactive way. We taught all the classes the song ‘Heads, shoulders, knees and toes’, which the children thoroughly enjoyed. We had a culture day where we shared our cultures with the children. We showed our flags, spoke in our languages, sang songs and showed our skills. We also had a day of dialogue, with the topics of women in society and peace. We also made the children write letters to the students at UWCM.

The second of our projects was working in a Roma center in Fushë Kosova. This was the really eye-opening part of our trip. The most amazing part of this was visiting one of the family’s houses. The house was approximately 2.5 meters by 2.5 meters and was a single room. This room was the home to 2 adults and their 6 children. This house had no electricity or running water. The children had only one set of clothes and the family has less than one pair of shoes per person so shared shoes.  This house looked like it was in the middle of a rubbish tip as it had a walkway up to it which was pieces of tin and wood piled together. This was something that most of us had never seen before so touched us that this families spirits were still up regardless of their situation.

In the actual Roma centre we worked with the children and the women. With the children we did an art project in order to make their run down centre look a bit more homely. We made a big poster which consisted of the handprints of the UWC students and roma children in the shape of a tree. For them this was a special experience as they never get to do this and meet people outside of the roma community. The women showed us how they make their income though making soap and bags which they then sell which for most of them was their only source of income. All six of us bought some products.

I think I speak on behalf of the whole group that this was an unforgettable and life changing trip that changed our perceptions on life and made us so much more grateful for what we have and realize how lucky we are. We are planning to do some fundraising at school in order to fund the project to build the family we visited a new house to live in which will make their standard of living much better and easier.

The start of travelling.. Belgium!

So this weekend I went to Belgium (and Brussels) for the first time. I went with a crew of Maastrichters - T'kia from Trinidad, Jose from Peru, our host Nelson from Belgium and the ever faithful roomie Thato. So we stayed at Nelsons house at Mechelen which is about a 40 minute train ride to Brussels. After finally arriving to nelsons house after missing 2 trains and having a mishap with train ticket prices his mother made one of my favourite dishes ever - Macaroni Cheese! So we setteled down early and watched a movie! On Saturday we visited the capital. What a City Brussels is! It is so beautiful...the architecture is absolutely incredible. We saw many of the sites including the Palace and the Manneken Pis (which is tiny). Oh and the best part...the waffles! The liege are my favourite, the brussels waffels taste like air, but the Liege are just so delicious. Our host family - The Hensmans were so lovely and Nelsons mum's food was so much better than boarding house food...but there's hardly any competition really. We also visited Antwerp on Sunday, our visit was very rushed as we had to get back to school by a certain time, but I will definitely visit again! There are just so many shops and cool places to hang out. We visited a tiny funky cafe and Thato and I had bubble tea for the first time (Pineapple and yoghurt flavour). We also visited a small market, where I had the shock of my life when you could buy a rabbit or a tortoise for less than an umbrella. The weekend was awesome, just expensive and stressful!

In other news I've swapped my history to geography because the course looks far more interesting. And....I've decided (after my parents) agreeing that for my project week I'm going to Kosovo! 

Arrival of the final roomie and starting classes

  Okay so I haven't posted in a while but life here is so hectic. So last week Victorija (from Lithuania) arrived...finally! We're now a full room and the difference that just ne person makes to a room is huge, totally not what I expected. But it's so much better being in a room with 3 as the duties are shared. But, not only that, you have a third sister, plus the bunk bed felt empty without her! So she arrived late at night Sundos, Thato and I stayed up for her. Thato and I thought it would be a better introduction if we were wearing onesies! So when Elvis brought Victorija to our floor we probably gave her the shock of her life by running, screaming and shouting at her and towards her! We wanted her to feel instantly at home so I made her bed and made a little welcome home sign. Last night we hsd our first roomies night. Me and Thato cooked Tuna pasta and we sat (in the traditional Omanie way) on the floor and ate!

A snap from our first complete roomies night in

Okay so the other news is...I've started IB classes...dun dun dun!! But so far they're not too bad (I will definitely regret saying that!) But my subject package (at the moment) is Higher Level Biology, Chemistry and English Language/Literature and then Standard Level Maths, History and Spanish ab. The size of the text books surprised me the most, the teachers even advise not to bring them to class even from the boarding house as they are too heavy. So school life in general is going really well at the moment. I'm now starting my CAS activites, for my creativity I'm part of the gender commission, for my action I'm doing African dance which is so much fun even though I'm really bad and for my service (you have to do in college and out of college), I'm doing service learning ambassador for year 8 and my out of college service is yet to be decided.  So my plans for autumn break are still up in the air at the moment but I'm sure I'll figure it out.

With the people and the UWC  I'm loving every minute! The people here are all so lovely and so interesting in different ways. My roommates are awesome! I'm very very close to Thato and she's now like a sister which is crazy because I've only known her a couple of weeks but the socialising here is so intense, you are constantly surrounded by people which is a totally new concept for me. My bath mates are also crazy! But, I love them. One of my other really close friends, Maria, is my bath mate. My floor is the perfect floor for me, we're like a little family within the boarders (even though we don't always keep our kitchen clean).

That's all I have time for as I have chemistry homework,
Selina 

Intro Week

So today is Saturday the 14th of September, I have been here 9 days and the intro week is now over. I think I'm finally starting to realise and get used to the fact that at UWC you're constantly surrounded by people. It's so different to my life back in Wales. The socialising over the last week has been non-stop but seeing the strong bonds that I already have with some people is weird considering I've only known them a week. One of the biggest things I was anxious about before coming is my roommates - whether I'd get on with them or not. But, I've got to know them the last week and I absolutely love them. Our third roommate Victorija from Lithuania (who will be my bunk bed buddy) is set to arrive on Wednesday, so finally we will be a full room. I am sleeping on the bottom of a bunk bed - its cosy. I have one notice board that I have started to cover with gifts from friends and family and photos from home. Until now I haven't experienced home sickness which I am very surprised about.

The Intro week was a pretty chilled one with activities and presentations. For the academic side of things we had the academic fair which consisted of having presentations from the teachers of all 6 of the IB requirement subjects letting us know what the IB in their subject is like. Then once we had time to think about or subject package we had our academic interviews which just consisted a head of a department going through our subject package for us and checking it met the IB criteria.

But the more important part of Intro week (at least for me) was the socialising and the second years planned many activities and games in order for us to get to know our co years and second years. Some of the activities that were planned were a talent show, sports morning, speed socialising, roomies night (where Sundos cooked Pizza) and trips to the city and the supermarket.

The campus and the city are so beautiful. The school has already picked up the name of the Island as it is indeed a tiny island as its surrounded by a small moat. Already rumours have started about throwing people in on their birthdays but its not the cleanest of moats. The only problem with the campus that has been highlighted so far is the fact that the boarding students live in two separate buildings with half the students in each, and after check-in we are not allowed to the other building which is creating a divide between the students, but along with the residence mentors we are all trying to figure out some kind of solution.

I've got to dash for brunch now, Selina x

Touching down in The Netherlands

I'm sorry that I didn't put up a post straight away when I got here but they didn't have any Internet until today. So it's now the 7th September so I have been here 2 days. I really like it here its a beautiful campus and the city is great. I'm roommates with Sundos from Oman and Thto from South Africa. I was met at the airport by a bunch of second years and some of my co years! I flew for the first time on my own, but I actually enjoyed it, it was quite easy. I went to Maastricht city for the first time today, it's a really long walk but it was so worth it.

Waiting

So I was going to write all about the interview process but after thinking about it, it may spoil the fun for any applicants for the future if they know what's coming. So when I first found out that I has secured a place at UWC Maastricht it was around 105 days until September 5th, when myself and my new Danish friend (and co-year) Tina Esmail started counting. She was my first co- year that I (sort of) met. Now on the 30th August it's only 6 days away. Today is the day of my leaving gathering. For some odd reason the nerves still haven't hit me and the whole UWC thing doesn't seem real; well I'm in for a shock next Thursday. I will try o write a post before I leave the UK and then follow it up with one once I have landed. But now the real countdown begins... UWC....lets have you!

Peace, Selina x

Presentation Topic

Once I got over the initial shock of getting through to the interview stage I needed to start thinking about the tasks. We were told that we would participate in group activities, have interviews and we would have to do a short informal presentation on a topic of our choice and that we would have to bring an object or a photo relating to the topic. The group activities couldn't be prepared for and very little could be done to prepare for the interviews, the thing I needed to concentrate on was the presentation.

At first I didn't have a clue what to do it on,. I thought of many ideas which were very varied. After a lot of consideration and changing my mind I decided to combine my love of volunteering, my interest in medicine and my role model Dr Drake. I also decided to take 2 photos. One of Dr Drake and a former patient of his and one of a group of people at my school, Dr Drake and a cheque that we were presenting for a charity that he was involved in (The Northern Cleft Foundation) after raising money as a school for it.

The story can be found here: http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/863/news/19740

This was one of the photos used. This was one of the occasions that changed my idea of what I wanted to do with my life. Dr Drake has A Job at Morrinston Hospital as aAMB Cleft and Maxillofacial Surgeon in South Wales, but he volunteers to travel to destinations such as India to perform surgery on children. Without the kindness of people such as Doctor Drake the children either wouldn't have the surgery at all or have it later on in life after suffering for years. This inspired me to want to be a doctor and also to start doing more volunteering.

Over the first hurdle

The application consisted of writing 7 short essays, each on a different aspect of your life or your own personal beliefs. They were based on:

• How I identify with Britain and what aspects of British Life I would like to share
• 5 activities I do inside or outside school
• Relating one of the activities to the UWC ethos 
• A difficult circumstance I've been through in my life and what i learned about myself
• My favourite subject at school and why
• What I believe I could contribute and learn from the UWC experience
• Anything not covered about yourself

When I first went through the topics I was like...woah, what am I going to write for these and at the time I thought I had plenty of time to write my application so I put it to the back of my mind as the closing date for the applications was January 13th. I first looked at the topics at the start of December.  I was very wrong, before I knew it the beginning of January and I had not started thinking about the essays at all. So I digged deep and sat down for 2 days straight and wrote my application which was surprisingly not as hard as I expected once i got into the 'Zone'.  The application was sent off very late on Janurary 12th as there was a problem with my education reference. The Wait was so long and painful. But then...I had the most incredible news ever!

I found out that I got through to the interview stage on the February 18th 2013. My reaction was to scream downstairs "Mam I've got an interview!!" and doing my very embarrassing victory dance! It was a complete shock!

Just by chance

A couple people have been asking me lately how I found out about UWC and what made me apply as many of them had never heard of UWC before. Well, neither did I until around October/November time. One of my best friends from school Holly, had heard about Atlantic college in Llantwit Major, but we both thought it was just a really good reguar private school. How wrong were we! My form teacher Mrs Perdue then looked into arranging a trip down to Atlantic college to take a look around. So we did just that, a few students along with Mrs Perdue took a trip down to the college along with another local comprehensive school. It was there I discovered the amazing UWC.

One of the English teachers and a few of the first years showed us around the campus and explained the UWC to us. I absolutely fell in love with the idea of attending a UWC as their beliefs and ethics mirrored my own. Mrs Perdue turned to me at one point in the trip and said "Can you imagine yourself here?", and just like in cartoons I had a light-bulb moment that this is now the direction that I want to take my life in. On the journey home the other students and I were thinking about applying, but for a number of reasons I was the only person from my school to end up applying. Mrs Perdue instantly said she would do my reference needed for my application. But as I have said a thousand times never did I expect to get in!

So it was completely by chance that I heard about UWC and its really thanks to Mrs Perdue for organising the trip and for guiding me to apply that I got in. So thank you Mrs Perdue!

The beginning!

Hi Guys!

My name's Selina. I am nearly 16 years old. I was born and brought up in the Neath Valley, South Wales. I've lived here all my life in a tiny Village called Cwmgwrach. I went to Blaengwrach Primary School and then later continued my education at Llangatwg Community School. My first  intentions were to attend one of the local colleges but then the most epic thing happened!

My life has completely changed in the last couple of months as my dreams have truly come true and I've been accepted into a UWC (United World College). I will be attending UWC Maastricht in the Netherlands! This was a complete and utter shock. Never did I even expect to get an interview but to actually get in and on a partial scholarship completely fried my brain!

This blog will help me record my time at the college, the build up to it and I will also share my experiences of the application process and the interviews.

So yeah this is my little blog which I started today on the 30th May 2013!

Want to make a donation, this is my page! Or to read articles about my placement visit here or here!

Thanks for taking the time to read! 

Selina