Alexandru, Grade 8
Nationality: Moldovan, born in Chișinău.
Years at ISB: Three
Previous educational experiences: International schools in Macedonia and Kazakhstan.
Thoughts on ISB: One of ISB’s best parts is the community. The staff is friendly, the teachers are all experts in their fields, and the student community is culturally and ethnically varied. Another aspect that I really enjoy are the opportunities that ISB provides. The opportunity to travel, to see different sights, to compete in a activity. Everyone gets a chance to try out new things-- perhaps a new sport, or even a new hobby.
Favorite ISB moment so far: The 2015-2016 Knowledge Bowl competition at Zagreb. The teams we faced against were very tough competition; and, although nervous, we finished with the first and second place trophies. I also enjoyed exploring a new city and meeting new people.
Favorite subject: I have several subjects in mind: Spanish, English Language and Literature, and Mathematics.
Activities: ISB offers a wide range of activities: cultural, sporty and knowledge-based; and it introduces new ones every year. So far, I have tried basketball, volleyball, MathCounts and Knowledge Bowl. This year, I am also part of the service program “Pass the Knowledge On!” where members tutor children from impoverished families and who have not had access to proper education in English and Math.
Expeditions: I have travelled with the school on many occasions. So far, I have gone to Tirana and Zagreb to participate in Knowledge Bowl, St. Petersburg and Skopje to participate in MathCounts, and to the breathtaking wilderness of rural Serbia as part of the school expedition earlier in 2016.
Out of comfort zone moment: During my years at ISB, I have had many experiences which have been “out of my comfort zone”. However, none have been as exciting/ terrifying as my involvement in the Middle School play, which was the first time I have participated in any activity relating to drama and performing arts. I think it was a wonderful experience being part of a performance in front of a large crowd, and I think it definitely helped me gain confidence in terms public speaking.