Auckland, New Zealand seamlessly blends ancient Maori traditions with ultramodern innovation. Diverse to its core, the city contains the largest Polynesian community in the world, and our time there gave us a prime opportunity to examine their storied history and subsequent path to equality.
After a studious term at host school AGC Senior College we spent two weeks exploring the North Island’s Bay of Plenty and Bay of Islands. We visited Hobbiton and learned how the famous set was created, then moved deep underground into the stunning underworld of the Ruakuri Cave, where we black water rafted under the watchful eyes of millions of tiny glowworms. At a visit to the No. 8 Farm students learned about the importance of farming to New Zealand’s economy and residents; after shearing sheep and feeding deer we headed off to White Island, New Zealand’s only live marine volcano, to witness science in action.
Students also had the opportunity to venture into the mighty Waipoua Forest and walk under the same stars that guided the Maori’s ancestor Kupe from legendary Hawaiiki to New Zealand. Finally, we were welcomed into the breathtaking Hokiangi Harbour to learn the art of bone carving, an ancient Maori craft that stirs emotions and sparks controversy to this day.
John Ols
on his favorite New Zealand experience:
I remember one time, it was the first weXplore in New Zealand. I’d only been at the school for two weeks — it was really early on. It was almost the last day of the Rotorua weXplore excursion, and we hiked an active volcano and then went caving through this underground cave and swimming through different waterfalls and crevices.
There was one point where I was in the middle of this little crevice with another student, Yodsel. We were just sitting there looking up at a waterfall in the ceiling. At that point, I realized I’d never have experiences like this ever again. Here I was with someone I’d met just two or three weeks ago, and it felt like we’d been friends for a very long time.
Are you interested in applying to THINK Global School but aren’t quite sure if it’s right for you? That’s OK! It’s a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. To help you in your application process, we’ve put together a list of five things we feel every applicant to THINK Global School should know. We hope you find them helpful. 1) You’ll gain an education by living and learning in the...
Term One is officially in the books! Our CM1 community was based in Sabah, Malaysia's capital city of Kota Kinabalu, which serves as a gateway to the island's many natural splendors. Beaches, reefs, mountains, and rainforests became a classroom for students as they became familiar with the beliefs, practices, and traditions shaping modern Sabah. Students attended hands-on sessions during the term with four prevalent ethnicities: Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Indigenous....
Sabah is playing the role of a “classroom” for 34 international students as they spend two months learning about the State’s diversity and acquiring fresh experiences that they may incorporate into their lives back home. The students, aged between 15 and 17, are from the New York-based Think Global School – the world’s first traveling high school. They live and study in a different country every semester, engaging in place-based and project-based learning pertinent to the nations they visit.
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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.
