Student Diary Blog, 2012

Four Days at AC: Summarisation Required.

Monday

The week started off in bliss, literally. After sweet perseverance over the last couple of weeks from my seemingly addicted roommate-Chloe from France, I finally succumbed to trying Meditation.We had been invited to join a meditation session with my Maths teacher and three friends, so there I was, at 7AM on a dreaded Monday morning, learning of my seven Chakras and finding awareness. Afterwards, Frederik from Germany, Chloé, Asbjørn and I had fruit and Danish homemade bread for breakfast with a rare sense of tranquility around us. Not your typical start to a new week, but then, the word ‘typical’ has adopted a new definition since arriving to Atlantic College just over a year ago.

History- Weimar Republic and Hitler’s Rise to Power, was it inevitable?

English- Othello, plot of the play

Assembly- Your standard SAT/Early Application/University announcements, thanks to staff on Challenge Camp, students in Diploma Period and congratulations on our Inspection last week. Next, the students are given the stage. A promising 20 minutes (not so standard) but we learnt that October 1st was both the Chinese National Day/63rd Birthday and the Nigerian Independence Day. Therefore, two beautiful National Songs were sung. Platform 6 makes the announcement of the Gender and Sexuality Week, next week; find your dates for the 19% Ball People! Newsflash- China and Japan island conflict to be discussed. Corpus Juris: Use force to Protect Human Rights Abroad. The first Concert of Autumn term is starting on Wednesday- Chopin and Beethoven played by Emma from Canada… and so on and so on. It’s challenging to even keep up with announcements, yet alone do everything that is offered.

Geography- Permafrost and its impact on Human Activity

Environmental Systems and Societies- Biodiversity and Conservation verses Preservation

After Codes are done, early lunch commences with Shana from California, Isabelle from the Netherlands and Mohammad from Palestine… again, ‘typical’.

Ethical Felt Design- My afternoon activity, led by a professional Felter called Clare Cawte, consists of designing and creating something from Merino and the local AC wool. Obviously, I’m attempting a scarf to keep my island-loving neck warm this winter. The session consisted of me making samples of braiding the wool with yarn, thatching it together and then rubbing it with warm soapy water and bubble wrap to change it into felt. Absolute madness I tell you.

Children’s Charities- That evening I went to the Activity that I lead with two co-years, Tofunmi from Nigeria and Gerwil from Namibia. We were wrapping shoeboxes for the upcoming Christmas Shoebox appeal that is held every year as part of our Activity for Samaritan’s Purse. After one Christmas song (which I thoroughly enjoyed) we quickly let Ophelié from Mauritius be the DJ.

Showering- Right before Check-In, ‘Ninja’ style-running through the rain I rushed to Whittaker to wish Alice from France a happy birthday, as she had just been thrown into the Outdoor Pool, as is tradition the day prior to your 18th Birthday. Tuesday That afternoon I led an Atlantic Outdoor Service session along with Oli from Hong Kong, Shaan from Zambia and Sara from Jordan. We dressed the local school group (of eight students about ten years olds) into overly-sized orange jumpsuits (prisoners), attaching them together and proceeded to take them through a Ropes Course where they had to use team-work to get through the various obstacles. Not only was it entertaining to watch as a ‘security guard’, I loved it at the end when one of the little boys named Logan who at first refused to go through the last tunnel, but after encouragement from his class mates went through, with a look of extreme pride on his face afterwards.

Wednesday

Theory of Knowledge-

In class we ventured to the Great Hall in the castle where we looked at a predominantly English society and were given various situations/characters to which we had to decide on whether we would be permitted/accepted to do certain things (such as adoption, attain a mortgage, health insurance) - a realisation of the many discrepancies and restraints still held in our society. We were then told to choose three sports, religious and political leaders off the top of our head. The scary realisations of how many of these people are men, and how we are almost ‘programmed’ to think this way. I really do love ToK classes; it’s the most ideal way for all of our cultures to discuss our views and perceptions. Dinner- Jason from Greece promised me over a month ago he would make me Greek food. So I headed off to Tice for some Saganaki and Dolmathakia, and the only thing I knew how to spell – Greek Salad! It was delicious and a great way to bond with one of my First Years. Evening- Computer Lab for some more studying, this time on the LNAT exam I plan to take this Saturday. Joy. Nice interruption by learning about what Dumie is doing for his Extended Essay, about the Ethnic Violence in his home, Zimbabwe… typical. Thursday Once in the two years the English Language A students go to Stratford to watch a Shakespeare play. October 4th was our day! One hundred and fifteen students left AC at 8:00 in the morning to watch the Tempest, a matinee performance. We arrived at 11:30am and were given an hour to walk around and explore. I got to see the birthplace of Shakespeare! The performance was brilliant, it took me a while to get used to the language and after a few puzzled glances between Liz from Canada and I, we (mostly) kept up!

Back to AC in time for Open House, Apple-Cinnamon Cake and Apple Cheesecake from the ripe apples in the orchard, along with our Norwegian house-parents mugs filled with especially strong coffee and tea. It’s such a cosy place to unwind after hectic days and catch up to my ‘Morgannwg Family’.

I’m exhausted and still making a mental check list of the next few days and what must be done, but thinking about everything tends to make me overly-excited.

It’s chaotic. It’s eccentric. It’s amazing.

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