APAC

Wow, the last two weeks have been crazy. We've been preparing & then executing Asia Pacific (APAC) Regional Day, and I probably bit off way more than I could chew. I was leading the show, dancing in 2 acts, leading a workshop & trying to figure out my feelings about my culture & Singapore. It was a crazy, uniquely Pearson (or UWC?) thing to have a moment where you begin to seriously question your culture in relation to identity. The word identity is sprung upon us so often - in everyday conversation or as part of more formal discussions; and it's importance is hard to ignore at a school where the students come from such disparate areas of the world. What can hold us together? What impels to come together here? How do we share in common things? I feel the answer to all of these questions lie in our identities. The word identity even fascinates me; it's a marker, an identifier of yourself. Is it a presentation to the rest of the world? Or is it merely a way for yourself to get to understand your mind and beliefs better?

Regional Days increased this tension in me tenfold, I spent a while very concerned that I felt that I couldn't bring something wholly originally Singaporean to perform at the show. I think this traces back to how big performing and creativity have been as part of my life - I feel that I express myself best through performance; and here I was unable to come up with something Singapore specific to show. The internal conflicts of being born in an immigrant nation appeared to me for the very first time that I can remember. I felt like my culture was nothing, that it was just borrowed elements from other places (which were also doing their own dances/songs). In the end, I decided to try and express my feelings of my culture in a spoken word piece, and sing a bit of my favorite song from Singapore, 'Home' by Dick Lee. For some strange reason, the lyrics connect me to Singapore in a way that nothing else really can. Perhaps it brings up swells of nostalgia of home, of national days, of patriotism, of school, of red & white?

Pearson Life has really only amped up - I cannot believe it's been half the term already. This weekend I embark on a crazy adventure - CAS week, where students all go off campus to explore their CAS activities to a further depth. I'll be sailing on the Amatuana sailboat for a week with 5 other students - and I'm very nervous and a little excited to plunge into this adventure - I guess, it is onwards with life here at Pearson.

I hope you all find yourself in similar positions of joy and wonder.

Love,
Theo

North American Regional Day (NARD)

Yesterday - September 30, was the first of 3 Regional Days this year at Pearson, North American Regional Day (colloquially known as 'NARD'). At Pearson, students come from 6 general regions of the world; Afro-Carib, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East-South Asia (MESA), Latino, European, and the aforementioned NARD. Over the course of each student's two years, they are given the chance to organize their own regional day, and attend 5 others.

NARD started off thrillingly with a sunrise hike, which I surprised myself by waking up at 5:30 for. It was a small group of 6; lead by Alma & Morgane, I hiked up to Cougar Ridge, about 40 minutes away from the college. Cougar Ridge is a beautiful lookout above Matheson Lake, which is also a popular spot for people to swim in when the weather is fair! The group also included Anne-Sophie, Leif, and Adrita, and the walk there was a good opportunity to have some dazed conversations! Walking on the Galloping Goose (the 14km trail that runs down a part of Vancouver Island's coast, and passes by the college) is definitely a different experience in the dark, but still exciting! We got to the lookout just in time to see the sun's full ascent, and as it was a foggy morning, watch the rays peak out from behind the mist. On the way back, walking along the goose in the light was also beautiful! Here are some photos --

First arrival fog.

Adrita

Matheson Lake

Morgane

We left as the fog completely obscured our view - maybe it was a giant cloud.

As we descended, the glow & fog combined to create a magical atmosphere.

Walking back on the Goose!

I got back to campus, had breakfast, and basically passed out till noon. There were games being played on East House Lawn when I woke up but I went right on past to the Cafeteria where there was a special 'State Fair' themed brunch with churros & other Mexican desserts, as well as corn on the cob & hot dogs! Regional Days are meant to have better food than what is normally in the Caff, so I was really happy to see some things I haven't eaten since leaving home! Then, the afternoon was spent with our camp group (the activities had a theme of a Summer Camp!) rotating around different workshops put on by students from the NARD region. I really enjoyed the Independence Workshops & US-Mexico relations talks as I learnt about things I didn't know & found a human perspective to things I've often only seen as sensationalised facts in the news. I also learnt a lot about the Indigenous Peoples of Canada around a fire, and learnt about smudging which is a fascinating ritual practiced by the people. We also attended workshops on pop culture, Bilingualism in Canada, and Newfoundland/British Columbia.

After the workshops, there was about an hour where people went back to the houses to prepare for the swanky Hollywood themed dinner. It was so magical to watch everyone getting prepared and dressed up, and it's so nice to see people in such different clothes after a month of living together! The dinner was interesting, and it was fun to get to talk to the people sitting at my table, whom I haven't really spoken to yet! I learnt about Foday's life in Sierra Leone, Thompson's in Brazil & Naomi's in Hong Kong. It always makes me so happy to know that at Pearson, getting to know people better isn't limited to the first two weeks! Outside during dinner there was photo taking en-masse, which was fun but also got a bit overwhelming at a certain point, because it's really just all about asking people to take photos with you, which I always feel very awkward doing.

Then, came the big event of every regional day - the show! I was performing 'Feeling Good' as part of the Jazz Band, as was feeling very very nervous about staying on pitch and not messing up, so the next half hour was dedicated to practicing again and again, and not freaking out. Luckily, I think I managed to have pulled it off, and was thereafter able to enjoy the rest of the show from the audience! And oh, what a fantastic show! It was such a mix of beautiful heartfelt, intimate moments and raucous embracement of the unique differences that we have. One of my favorite acts was the Greenlandic dance, which managed to be sexy & scary; and was set to the coolest throat singing! I also really loved the Mexican mariachi band. But honestly, it's impossible to pick favorites, and at the end of the day I liked them all because they all were just beautiful people feeling proud in sharing their stories & cultures. It was particularly emotional for me to watch the finale with all from the region on stage and singing a song, and I got a little teary because I'm just so happy to be here, and to be sharing this moment with everyone in the room.

Right after the show, there was a party, where we danced for 3 hours non stop, after waking up so early I was more than tired so had to sit down multiple times, but it was so fun to be in the common room dancing to such great music!

Now - life has settled a bit after NARD, but not for long as planning for APAC day in 2 weeks has begun in earnest. And so, the cycle of craziness & fun continues.

Love,
Theo