Class of 2025 Spotlight: Three Questions with Mabel C. 🇨🇦

With Term 4 in Italy 🇮🇹 only a month away and their graduation not far behind, we thought it would be fun to hear from some of our soon-to-be TGS graduates. 🌏 🎓 First up is Mabel C. 🇨🇦, who joined TGS in Grade 10 and has since experienced terms in Malaysia, Türkiye, Oman, Greece, BiH, Australia, Japan, Canada, Brazil, Vietnam, and (soon) Italy. Congrats on your upcoming graduation, Mabel! 🎉

1) What’s one lesson from TGS that will stick with you for life?

I think my biggest takeaway is simply, “Why not?” In my time at TGS, I have seen people get amazing internships, make friends at local schools or soccer fields, and learn the foundations of numerous different languages simply by making the most of their time and not being afraid to ask questions or go places. Their attitudes are very investigative and unafraid – each time someone takes a risk, they are caught by an opportunity. I can struggle with this hail mary approach to life, as I am a naturally meticulous planner, but at TGS I have learnt the power of bold moves and the rewards of curiosity. In the future, before I start worrying about a decision, I must remember to ask, “why not?”

2) Is there a particular module you enjoyed?

My favourite module has to have been in Oman. I had the opportunity to receive my open-water diver qualification with PADI while working with Reef Check to collect health data on the oceans and coral surrounding Muscat.
This module sticks out because I got to watch sea turtles lay eggs. It was the dead of night, and we were camping on a deserted island when my principal came running over to the tents, waving a red light. He was frantically whispering something about turtles, and I immediately leapt out of my sleeping bag. That night, we saw two turtles lay eggs, one with success and one unable to find a suitable nesting spot. I am from Canada; I had never seen turtles before, and I had no idea how fragile the marine world is until I heard about how much strength it takes a turtle to dig a nest, let alone lay eggs. This experience was unlike any other, and it still stands out as one of my favourite memories.

3) How has TGS challenged you to step outside your comfort zone?

I think that just by the nature of the school, TGS has pushed me far outside my comfort zone. Before I got on the plane for my first term, I had never travelled by myself, let alone flown more than 10 hours in one sitting. Since a terrifying moment of me trying to explain why I was flying by myself at 15 to a Malaysian airport security officer and then sobbing when I found out my bag hadn’t made it to my first term, TGS has constantly thrown new twists and challenges towards me. Whether it be me and my friend getting stuck in a six person taxi with two telescopes, accidentally crossing into the Asian side of Turkiye, and having to google translate our way back to Europe, trying not to cackle as I hung upside down in an aerial yoga class where I did not speak the instructing language, or being asked to do a performance for a rural Vietnamese community, there has never been a week that I felt comfortable. By providing exposure to different communities, languages, cultures, and learning, TGS has constantly demanded I expand my comfort zone.