In September 2015 I became a the 1st year student of A Level (= 1 academic year of lyceum, secondary education) at Buckswood international School, England. Buckswood is real English school. Every day both me and my parents get convinced that we have made the right choice. Buckswood has become a real family for me. Here it absolutely does not matter what country you come from, who your relatives are. Here everybody is equal and appreciate you for your intellect, wit, amicability and accomplishment. We live together, study together, rest together. At Buckswood nobody will be alone.
A little bit about the school
The school has 500 children from around the world and they all communicate with each other only in English (rule of the school). I share a room with a peer from Germany. According to the rules of the school one room can not be lodged by children from one country, so that to give students more opportunities to practice English.
On autumn holidays, we went to Dubai, together with Director Sutton. We had absolutely no free time in a good way. Every minute we learned something new about the country, culture, customs, communicated with peers from the local school.
At Buckswood we get a comprehensive education. In addition to the acquisition of academic knowledge, we are learn manners and etiquette, speaking and listening. Teachers, staff and Director are always ready to listen and help solve a problem, discuss a new idea, contribute to its implementation.
The director of Buckswood school, Lord Sutton, says that the main thing at school is Soul. After three months of study, I knew exactly what the school soul was: friendly, understanding, caring staff, able to properly motivate and support students at any time.
Buckswood prepares for life
If you want to achieve something in the future, it is necessary to try to find an opportunity to study at Buckswood.
At Buckswood School, Hastings, the system of prefect functions. Each house (because it is difficult to name it a hostel!) is assigned its prefect, who monitors the maintenance of order in the house, helps the administration and is an example for all other students.
On top of usual school uniforms all prefects wear blue capes as a sign of distinction.
I showed a proper spirit and became prefect of Buckswood on the first semester of study, being a 1st year student of A Level (= 1 academic year of lyceum) Left on the photo:). Each morning Director Sutton starts walking around from our house, so we have to keep pace to bring our rooms in order earlier than anyone else.
My alternative summer
During summer holidays, many of my classmates went home, someone – for a family holiday in a resort. I chose an alternative option - to join a charitable trip to Swaziland with other adventurers from Buckswood School :)
Swaziland is a small kingdom in southern Africa. For over 12 years, school students headed by Director Sutton and teachers have been involved in charitable trips to the Kingdom. As soon as I began to study at Buckswood in autumn of 2015, I had already decided to make that trip in the following summer. In 2016, we were joined by football coaches of Chelsea FC Foundation.
During 14 days in Swaziland, my friends and I had a lot of things to do! We helped children with homework, especially to master the English language, painted the walls of classrooms with cartoon characters, made a mad number of photos))) It’s impossible to tell everything in one text!
Along with other activities, "Hearts and Smiles" charity football tournament was organized that year - "Hearts and Smiles", which involved both children and coaches, and even the local police!
This trip gave me the opportunity to see a completely different world that bears no resemblance to my everyday life. Swaziland is not a very rich African state. As I have learned, there people often do not even have anything to eat for a whole day or clothes to wear tomorrow ... But they have good hearts and smiles on their faces.
If you look into the eyes of these people, you can understand that they can be happy for having something today. Children are happy for nothing. Honestly, I have never in my life seen how a usual balloon can make a person so happy!
Only there you can understand that $20-30, that we easily spend on a light heart trinkets as souvenirs from travelling, can provide a family life for a month.
During the trip, I got a very valuable experience. Now, each time before complaining about failures in life, I will remember about these families and the children's eyes and smiles, and I will only thank God and parents for what I have.
I really like that the school provides the opportunity to travel during the holidays. As Director Sutton says, you need to develop not only mentally, but also morally, to explore the world, because it is the only way to find yourself.
Photo: Buckswood School, Hastings (https://www.facebook.com/buckswoodschool/)