I have officially completed my first year of high school, and within these past nine months I have grown as a person more than I ever thought to be possible. I joined THINK Global School to explore the extent of my comfort zone, and I quickly discovered that the world around us can be more complicated than we can comprehend, but at the same time be one based on the most simplistic ideas.
While living in Argentina for four months, I learned how to take care of myself, the importance of taking care of others and that sometimes it is okay to ask for help. I discovered the value of friendship, and I understand that I have to learn from the past in order to avoid history repeating itself. I confronted the idea of facing challenges and accepted the lemons of life with a recipe for lemonade, rather than a frown from their sourness. This first semester was a difficult one due to leaving the only way of life I knew, but this step outside of my comfort zone opened a world of possibilities. Then, about two weeks later, I was faced with my most nerve-wracking experience of the year: traveling alone to Thailand.
This 30-hour journey would be my first time on a plane without anyone that I knew, so I was quite unsure of what was to come. I had an eight hour lay over in Amman, Jordan, which was quite cool because I had never been in that part of the world before. A few hours later, thirsty, exhausted and confused as to which day it was, I landed in Bangkok. Once I reached the hotel I slept from the mid-afternoon until the next morning when my school got ready to fly to Bhutan. The ride was a bit bumpy, but at the same time amazing! Seeing mountains for the first time by flying right beside them was one of the most incredible moments of the trip. That is the day I truly realized just how small we are in this world. The next two weeks were spent exploring the western half of the country. We went to several Dzongs, learned phrases in Dzongkha, hiked mountains, wrapped ourselves in layers, reflected in our journals, drank butter tea, drove for hours in buses, sat by fires, learned about the environment, ate momos, sang songs, hugged, laughed, and smiled. It was a very busy two weeks, but it was incredible!
Then, together, we ventured to Boston, Massachusetts. I was glad to be going back “home” to the U.S.A., but I didn’t realize just how big America really is until I spent time in Boston. The culture of New England, while still highly American, is different from Missouri in aspects like the style of the houses and, of course, the accent. I knew there were varying cultures across the country, but I had never really experienced one before. Living in Boston definitely gave me some perspective from that angle. Also, geographically speaking, I found it crazy that it took a friend living in England the same amount of time to fly home as it did a friend living in California! My eyes were opened in our last semester in ways I did not expect. I thought the U.S.A. term would be just like home before I arrived, but at times I was just as surprised as I was in Argentina when seeing different aspects of the culture.
As I finish off this year, I look back and am proud of myself for taking that first step into the rest of my life. I am thankful for everything I have done in this past year, and I am glad about the person I have become due to those experiences. Traveling with TGS has truly taught me more than I could ever begin to explain, and I cannot wait to continue adventuring with the amazing people in the TGS family for years to come.
The THINK Global School Leadership Team is delighted to announce the July 2022 launch of the THINK Learning Studio, a global innovation, consulting, and professional training center focused on interdisciplinary real-world learning. The launch of this initiative is a statement from both the Board and Leadership Team of TGS's commitment to spreading the methodology of the Changemakers® Program and our continued faith in the project-based learning format. The Studio team hopes...
Hi Amethyst, tell us a bit about yourself. I am a passionate educator with three years of experience, and I’ve just finished my first year with TGS. I specialize in the humanities, particularly history and writing. Before joining TGS, I completed a Master's degree where I researched contextual learning and focused on adolescent psychology during my undergraduate education. Outside of the educational space, I enjoy music, dancing, yoga, card games,...
Where and how do you learn? How do you develop a passion for curiosity? How do you keep your mind open to new people, ideas, and possibilities? These are all questions being faced by educators and students as our world gains a more global context. For a rare few who are lucky enough to have talented and equally curious teachers, this might happen in the confines of the classroom. But...
Hi Shasta, tell us a bit about yourself. Hi, my name is Shasta Gray, and this is my first year teaching at THINK Global School. I received my master's in teaching from the University of Alaska and have been teaching since 2012. I consider Alaska home, but I spent three years living and teaching in Thailand before joining TGS. I've always had an affinity for the great outdoors, and love...
Hi Andy, tell us a bit about yourself. I grew up in the beautiful industrial city of Birmingham, and after a career in mental health work and various bits and bobs, I qualified to become a teacher. After a few years in the UK, I moved to the British Virgin Islands (which many viewed as an improvement even on Birmingham!) and from there on to Switzerland, my first stint at...
After spending their first two terms of the 2021-22 school year in the United Arab Emirates, our CM2 students had the opportunity to travel to one of Mexico's most colorful states, Oaxaca, for Term Three. Renowned for its cultural, artistic, and culinary legacies, Oaxaca has become one of Mexico's most visited states for those looking to experience indigenous cultures. This focus on culture was a primary factor in our selecting...
Following terms in Botswana and Oaxaca, Mexico, our Changemaker Cohort 1 students had the opportunity to live and learn in a decidedly more cosmopolitan country for Term 3: The United Arab Emirates. Dubai, their host city and where they spent most of their time, holds the distinction of being the first Middle Eastern city recognized as a UNESCO City of Design. As part of this network, Dubai is committed to...
Hi Effie, can you tell us a bit about yourself? I was born in China during the one-child policy and adopted into a Finnish-English family. I spent a lot of my childhood traveling between South America and Europe before settling in Finland to complete my primary education. I have a particular interest in literature and studying cultures. However, nothing beats a good time with a few good friends having a...
At TGS, we approach education with an innovator's mindset, constantly exploring new ways to bolster our students' ability to wonder and learn. This approach is possible due to our unwavering commitment to our eight core values. These philosophies are drawn from countries across the world and inform every aspect of a TGS education. A key consideration to understanding core values at THINK Global School is our belief that they are not...
With the first term of the 2021-22 school year officially in the books, we asked our CM1 students to share their thoughts regarding their time in Botswana. You can find their reflections below and a comprehensive overview of our Botswana term here. Rite of Passage "So many things happened here in Botswana, and so many more things were learned from the people and the places around us. Personally, I was...
1. Hi Maxim. It's been two years now since you graduated from THINK Global School. What have you been up to in that time? Since graduating from TGS, I have been attending the University of Toronto studying mineral (mining) engineering. I know you might be asking why, out of all engineering, I chose mineral engineering? It's because I want to throw myself into the space mining industry. I figured it...
Another school year is coming to a close at THINK Global School, which means graduation is right around the corner for the Class of 2021. And while their academic experience was different than previous classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all of our graduates continually demonstrated the characteristics we value so much as a community: perseverance, continual improvement, a thirst for knowledge, and the practicing of environmentalism, to name a...
Tattooing is the most misunderstood art form in Japan today. Looked down upon for centuries and rarely discussed in social circles, people with tattoos are outcasts in this country, banned from most public spaces such as beaches, bathhouses, and even gyms. Tattoos have an extensive history in Japan, and to truly understand the stigma behind them it is essential to be aware of their significance. The first records of tattoos...
With THINK Global School’s term in Bosnia and Herzegovina recently concluded, we thought we’d share a few interesting facts about the heart-shaped country with you. Whether you are working on a school project or planning a trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina yourself, we hope you find these seven facts useful!! Fact #1) Sarajevo was the first city in Europe with a full-time electric tram Trams have a long history in...
Greetings TGS, Long time reader, first time blogger here. Some of you may have noticed that I can be a little patriotic... My friends in Abu Dhabi used to joke that New Zealand has "small country" syndrome because it is always determined to be the best. I think like the Canadians, we are determined not to be seen as the same as our more populated neighbours. With that in mind...
Ready to embark on the educational journey of a lifetime?
A passion for travel. A strong academic record. And the desire to improve the world as you experience it. If this sounds like you, you just might be our ideal candidate! Start your application with a five-minute inquiry form - you never know where you might end up.
Ready to embark on the educational journey of a lifetime?
A passion for travel. A strong academic record. And the desire to improve the world as you experience it. If this sounds like you, you just might be our ideal candidate! Start your application with a five-minute inquiry form - you never know where you might end up.
