update!

Hey!

writing this from the observatory: the wind is picking up and my fingers are starting to swell slightly, so this may be briefer than i anticipate.

oct 2nd now: i removed the calendar from my computer's dock to stop being confronted by these numbers of days passing, its futile anyway, and i'd much rather just be happy in the swirl of undocumented time. except for deadlines, because i cant miss a deadline.

oh man but nowadays its like im swimming in deadlines. as niko said the other day, it feels like free time is scheduled in at mealtimes, or CAS, and all other time outside that is solely dedicated to .. work, or at least thinking of work. there is a deadline haunting pearson....

anyway! more happily, it seems that the cyclical nature of pearson is coming into full swing, not just in how people are settling into whatever 'routine' you can think of: which doesn;t imply sameness, just a sense that people have a better feeling of the place.

i wonder what's going on in the heads of first years right now. i can only remember the intensity of my first year, and it must be thrilling for them. i hope it is at least. it cant just be asked of them though: i'll never know how they relly think unless i was in their head. i wish i could be!

hmm lots of things to update, i will try to be succint:

CAS: I am leading Ukrainian Dance and (a new cas this year) the pearson theatre troupe. and i am in diving! diving has been cold, and unlike anything i have ever done before: the sheer willpower to keep going in the ocean has been quite something else, but i really do enjoy looking at all the thingos underwater, and i've really ought to ask laura (my marine science teacher) more questions about what's going on down there. theatre troupe is really fun~ a little stressful, since i am leading it and therefore in charge of its trajectory, and you know, providing a meaningful experience for people who actually signed up for it with their expectations and what not. Ukrainian is as it always was: exhausting, painful, and yet exhilarating in knowing that you put your body through that, and survived!

classes are going well this year! we are studying the second sex in philosophy, and though i struggle to remember what de beauvoir says a lot of the time, i am really enjoying discussing her thoughts and learning more about her perspective on woman. TOK essay has been my enemy this week, but it looks to be conquered shortly. i'm investigating fernando rubio as the theatre theorist for my solo piece, and looking into his ideas on memory, creation of confusing or juxtaposing spaces with ideas and art - inspired by his piece of 12 actresses in 12 beds speaking to 12 audience members about childhood memory and loss. its very atmospheric : about creating a certain mood, which is a challenge i am looking forward to.

i cycled 40km to the sooke potholes and back the other day with marien, foday, and tuva: it was a glorious sunday afternoon and though our butts hurt it was so fun to do something spontaneous! european regional day was a blast, and i loved the formal dinner and seeing everyone so dressed up, and then of course, dancing the night away!! we are thinking of hiking the juan de fuca trail this weekend for thanksgiving! also, i made pesto pasta the other night with the italians in memory of italy and this summer, it was super beautiful.

i hope everyone in singapore is doing well!!!

love,
theo

midsummer

As I always seem to be when another post comes up - I am on a plane. Flying back home, and we’ve almost landed. We’re descending now. I’ve already had 5 weeks at home - mainly consumed by an internship that I had as part of my Extended Home Service working as an Assistant Director on a new play about press freedom in Singapore. It was fascinating stuff, but very tiring. I’ve managed to see almost all my friends at least once, but now there is a different feeling. Last summer, I was in flux, in between Japan & Canada. I’d already left home, yet now I was leaving home again: but not going back to somewhere familiar, now it was totally different, across the world. I was so looking forward to Pearson that I neglected my friendships, didn’t make enough effort. 

This summer it’s different - I’m trying more to see people, spend time with them, and for this I am grateful. It’s lovely to feel rooted back home too. Yet at the same time, I know this is temporary - I know I have 13 days left at home, before I leave again. I’m slightly sad, it’s not long left. But I’m determined to make the days count. Feel like I’ve done what I could have with this time. But, I also know I’ll be coming back home in a year, this time not having returning to Pearson to look forward to, to centre my attention on. I can feel myself slipping back into who I was last summer, and it feels like this year of change and development has meant almost nothing now that I’m back home. Or maybe it’s not showing itself so well. But, I am surprised by how I seem to be picking up where I left of with many things, almost rediscovering interests, things I did. It’s a bit scary too - all these things I’d forgotten about while in Canada, now remembered again. 

I’ll admit that while I cannot wait to see people again, not just see their faces, but really wrap them in my hands, sit with them, smile with them; I am terrified of returning. I don’t know how I’ll be like after this year is over, knowing I will never be at Pearson in the same role again. That student experience will end in a year’s time. But I’m also overjoyed to be spending a year of my life at Pearson. I used to be so fearful of wasting years, not taking the moment for what it was, yet at Pearson I don’t have to worry about it. I know I’ll be happy with my time; spending it there. And this comforts me too. 

Every time I think about going back to campus, I’m happy for a moment until I remember that there will be 70 people’s presences I am missing. I don’t know how I’ll go around the campus and the forest without the painful memory of these people and their shadows in the places we used to be together. I’ve been talking to a few of my second years, asking them the most useful question that I discovered this year - ‘what were you feeling like at this point?’. Our experiences are so similar- there is so much to learn and be comforted from in that fact. Everyone goes through the withdrawal, the sadness. But if my second years were OK, then so will I. 

I’m not sure how to feel about PC45. What a strange feeling; PC45 has never existed to me until this summer. Seeing it now, I’m confused, not used to it. I can’t imagine how all of them feel. I hope that it’s all good though, but I remember the pain of leaving last summer, the fear of stepping into the unknown too. Oh wow. What a journey. And I suppose there is a lot to be said for us, now that we will be taking this journey together. 

I have to remember that impressions are made to be broken: at least from what I’ve experienced. I must remember to keep my mind open to the potential to find beauty in everyone. 

Oh, how I miss Peddar Bay right now. 

Theo

PS: 

I leave for Rome on the 31st. I’ll be seeing Marta soon after that. Hopefully Morgane & Lara join. Oh I can hardly think of it without getting excited. I can’t wait. It will be so thrilling to be alone in a new country for a while! I hope I discover so much, and then will have so much to talk about. Well, not like that’s a problem normally. :-D

The end of first year

This is from 1 June:

And like that it comes to a close. Or half of it does. After two weeks of exams - a blur of studying, late nights and endless food consumption, the final weekend flashed by in too little time. I feel exhausted just thinking about it, and tears threaten to fall if I recall the faces of that weekend.

It feels so unfair - only 2 days to say goodbye to people whom you've lived with for 9 months. 2 days to spend time with everyone you love "one last time" before who knows when. It's incredibly stressful; plus there is a lot of scheduled and planned things - house barbecues, cleanup and packing, etc. Everything doesn't seem real; it all feels like just another day

And now I'm on my way home to Singapore, where I haven't been since last August. I am frankly terrified. What will it be like? No way the same, but maybe familiar? I can only hope so.

I've been home now for two and a half weeks. I've started working at a theatre company as part of my Extended Home Service. I'm trying hard to be happy, to skype friends, write to them... yet the days are filled with innate sadness somehow. It hurts to remind yourself of goodbyes, yet the mind inevitably drifts to them. More updates soon: I still feel like a first year, and don't know how I'll be anything else. 

race rocks

this weekend, we're at race rocks. it is beautiful. the elephant seals are a bit angry but they're still happy in the sun that's peeking out from behind the clouds. we sat in the lighthouse and laughed. i still have to pinch myself that this is real! this is all real. the end of the year is coming, and it is so sobering to remind myself that one year ago, i did not even know that i'd be at pearson. with so little time left, i'm not going to waste a single bit worrying or feeling upset. it's time to live with as little regret as possible.

Project Week beckons...

Sitting on the steps of the Max Bell balcony, in the midst of a One World rehearsal. There's 3 weeks left till this crazy amalgamation of a show, and what with recent fevered discussions about the relevance of One World to the Pearson experience; and proposals of doing One World every 2nd year, it's a little confusing to be in the motions of putting the show together at the same time.

It's undeniable though, that it takes over your life! This morning for example: I was up at 8:30am (on a Saturday no less!!) and went to Ukrainian Dance rehearsal for 2 hours, after which we had Bollywood rehearsal and then a Choir rehearsal. It is definitely intense, but I can't say I'm complaining about all the things that we are doing; it feels much more accomplished to trudge down to breakfast after 3 hours of rehearsals, instead of stumbling out of bed at noon :D

But, I'm writing this post to try and counter an overwhelming sense of apathy that I've been feeling recently. I can't pinpoint when, nor why; but there are so many possibilities! Maybe it's been the work, and how deadlines and assignments have seemed to blur together; then being a lack of time to enjoy the slower more personal moments of Pearson life? Maybe it's an impending sense of fear that time is for sure passing, and so quickly at that; time towards the end of first year, goodbye to second years, the assumption of all that (I'll admit, dreaded) responsibility! But, I think that I will try not to think about 'the end' too much because we're really just past the middle now.

I've not been journalling so much anymore; 'no time' is the excuse easiest to give. But, Raquel an alumni from Spain spent a month at the college and was such a magical, beautiful example of how beauty in souls can never fade; and are certainly not limited to exposition here on campus. Snow fell finally this week! I have been waiting for so long, to see the campus blanketed in a white layer of gorgeous fluffy snow. And everything looks so completely different! Wow! The forest was like entering a new place, like Narnia, and I was completely enraptured by how different a few hours of precipitation could be, oh if only rain made things that wonderful...

Project Week is beckoning - I'm feeling very nervous of the unknown; and to be away from the college. While I definitely need the break from academics, a part of me wishes I could spend the week with all these 200 people, and just not have to study or do homework at all. Engage in all the things I love; painting, walking, reading, tea with friends, rehearsing for dances or plays, climbing roofs, discovering new places, going on adventures, sleeping, watching movies together, dancing in the common room. I wish we had the chance to do these things, at this point now where we're more comfortable with each other, not stuck in the awkwardness and freedom of Orientation!

Special Topics Day came and went - I was really happy to help plan it and the 24 hours of no wifi was just an incredible feeling! I really would like to see more of these days happen, where it feels like the whole campus simultaneously took a deep breath and exhaled. I feel that it would be incredible to challenge ourselves to continue in our daily lives without the use of technology, as I'm sure it can be done.

But, I've got to get back to rehearsals now. I'm not really sure who is reading this, but it seems that someone is - so whether you're a friend from home, or a potential Pearson student, or whatever - have a beautiful week!

theo

First Term?!

Can't really believe first term ended - what an insane, crazy, experience. I've written a first term reflection for my advisor, sitting on the maintenance docks and playing music while looking out on the water, the birds really were swarming in the December cool.

Our last two weeks on campus before we left, we were blessed with the most gorgeous weather I've ever seen since Orientation and September. Every day we saw aquamarine skies and the sun filtering through the trees, and an incredible crisp air (you could wear just a shirt! no jacket!). And I went for so many walks, and adventuring. The one downside was that the sun sets everyday at 4:00pm, which is just sad to be honest. The day seems so short, and when there's so much darkness, I feel uncomfortably like there is something I am missing, 16 years of 7pm daily sunsets really affects you I guess.

But wow, first term. 1/4 of the way through. Kira said that after Ukrainian practice in the last week, and I was really surprised. But, I don't want to think of time at Pearson as something as mechanical and cold as a fraction. It's so much more than just 4 parts. Besides, divisions of time are ultimately meaningless I believe.

And now we're 2.5 weeks into Term 2! Already! And I've taken time to readjust myself, and it feels a little strange sometimes to remember that we even had a Christmas break. When I first came back I was really confused by how different life at Pearson is compared to life outside. The schedule, the invisible routine, the language and vocabulary. For whatever reason, maybe I didn't allow myself enough time to adjust, I felt largely apathetic my first few days. I could not feel the excitement and joy I wanted to feel when I met my friends again, did not feel overwhelming joy or anything. Maybe it's the weather - cold, grey, rainy. Incessant rain, endless. It makes you feel a little bleaker inside.

But, now things are looking up. For one thing, there is still a little bit of navy blue left in the sky now at around 5:30pm, no more 4pm pitch darkness black anymore! Which is joyful. There is so much swirling around us; the common room is reopening, but the pool is closed now; One World auditions came and went so now rehearsals have begun in earnest. First year theatre students are helping the second year theatre students with their production of 'The Laramie Project' (I am an Assistant Director!). There is a lot being mixed around in the atmosphere, like sediment being stirred up in a cool river bank.

But -- thankfully my friends Adela & Marta are back on campus after being delayed at home. It is a bit strange to have a person missing, suddenly your daily movements become different, like a puzzle that's missing one piece; their absence is very noticeable.

With love, and more updates frequently hopefully,
Theo

a tsunami alert

It was 3:30am when Thompson came into the room and woke us up. He was talking rapidly, inserting Portugese words into his sentences. I was confused, bleary eyed, and wondered why I was awake when the view from my window was pitch black. Thompson quickly rattled off that there had been a earthquake near Alaska and now there was a tsunami alert, and we had to go to the Max Bell. And to dress warm.

Next door you could hear people talking, and from outside as well. I pulled on clothes and walked up. There was a stream of people going up, and it was lightly raining. Once in the Max Bell, we sat in our rooms, and waited for more information.

Ty gave us an update about 15 minutes after we got there, and told us that at around 1am there had been a earthquake off the coast of Alaska and a tsunami warning for 3 hours later was in place for the British Columbia southern coast. We were waiting for the Metchosin Fire Department to call and let us know that the warning had been cancelled which happened at around 4:30am.

Apart from a few jokes about just having a village gathering there and then, the hour went by pretty slowly. I was far too exhausted to even talk to people, but others were flitting around talking and laughing. But, it was an exciting time. It occurred to me today, talking to Annie Dina and Cindy, that not once did I ever feel unsafe, or worried, or nervous. I was just thinking that I was safe, and there was going to be a tsunami. Unfortunately, due to the more horizontal nature of the plates' movement, there was a tsunami no taller than 20cm.

Then we were done, and the first two blocks were cancelled, and we went to bed. I fell asleep soundly, not waking up till 9:30, which was the best feeling I'd had in a while.

Now, I am waiting for a power cut that lasts a few days!

gnocchi making!

tonight, in valerie's apartment, we made gnocchi with ragu sauce. thank you marta for leading us <3 

 "make a small serpenti..." - marta

November / Spontaneity

It is now November, and though I try my best to denounce the formal measurements of time, it is still a bit unnerving to see the seasons change. But, I am happy with my time here. I do not feel like I have wasted much of it, and I do feel that I am garnering some deep relationships with people, which I appreciate very much. 

I realised that much of what I love about the college is to do with spontaneity. Planned things are a great joy, but often nothing beats the night walks into the forest, or to Weirs, or the impromptu bay jumps or fires, or even the weekend trips, the bike rides to Metchosin, the movie nights. Conversations that randomly spring up, sometimes they just last until 5:30am, and you’ve no idea how you conversed for 5 hours. 

Middle East & South Asia Regional Day is coming up - and I’m excited! Sadly, it’s the last regional day of the year, and the last time that I’ll be able to represent myself at a Regional Day, but that’s ok! It’s been very fun, but also sometimes gets pretty stressful. 

I wrote my first Philosophy Essay last week - it was not as difficult to write as I thought it would be, but I’m sure there is much to improve! I will really try harder to start writing more about what goes on here, but these past few weeks I have found it to distill the days into one blog post. One thing that retrospectively was beautiful, was the sheer excitement that people brought back from CAS week when seeing each other! Running down East House lawn to hug Morgane, or looking for Marta while she looked for me and then reuniting in front of the first floor bathroom in East House and screaming!!

This weekend we had a East House sleepover in the dayroom, where we gathered to watch Fight Club (which was really interesting, but I did not enjoy the violence), and talked to each other, and slept in the dayroom. I really love being in East House - the people are so wonderful, and full of life, and I think we get along with each other. Which, I really appreciate. It helps to create such a essence of home, and whenever I walk in through the door I feel this comfort in my heart, that I can’t really explain. 

Theo

refugee day

Refugee Day was this Sunday. Starting from 11, the campus became a hive of people, smiling faces, joyous laughter, and raucous dances. No, I’m not describing the students of Pearson College, but rather the refugees from Syria that have settled in Victoria.

The day was really eye-opening for me. I loved feeling happy based off of other people’s happiness. There was a big dance party in the caff, and to see my friends so happy and at home amongst the music and dances, a comforting reminder of the fact that we’re all from such different situations, and that the college embodies a new lifestyle for everyone, but that it does skew closely to North American high school traditions. 

I learnt how to play checkers, and managed to spend 40 minutes playing against a lovely girl, we shared in each other’s delighted cackles or groans, and eventually we realised each of us was too stubborn for the game to ever end, so we cut our losses and declared it a win on my behalf. 

My friends played soccer in the rain with the children, and I also learnt a few arabic phrases. I think most importantly though, that it isn’t about what I learnt from the experience: it’s what my efforts gave to other people. I think that the day really showed me how to be selfless, and I was just glad to see the pure happiness around campus.

Theo

the goose

over the weekend, my roommates and i went for a room bonding. 'bondings' at pearson, is the colloquial term used for any sort of time spent together with a certain group of people. there are regional bondings, large groups of 40-50 people separated into the 6 main regional groups of pearson. there are smaller, still based on origin country, bondings either based on single countries (germany, usa) or on smaller geographic locations (nordic, provinces of canada). there are also bondings based off of the languages we speak (francaphone, chinese/mandarin). there are house bondings, either separated by gender, or first year/second year, or altogether as a house! but most commonly, there are room bondings, where you organize an event or get together solely with the three other members of the space that you share and live in, in order to become more closely knitted.

we decided to sign out a few school bikes, and bike on the goose to metchosin, where my-chosen cafe lies. the cafe is a popular destination for pearson students, since it's essentially one of the 2-3 restaurants in walking distance (which is still about an hour!). the poutine, burgers, and general food is excellent. there's pizza which can sometimes be seen ordered to the college. there's also an excellent ice cream parlor, with supposedly great milkshakes and banana splits.

on saturday, the goose was utterly different from about two months earlier, when i'd last taken that part of the goose to metchosin. though still mostly green, now the sky was grey, and it was raining cold droplets. the best part, was the sea of yellows and oranges that covered the ground of the goose. as we sped by trying our hardest not to freeze, i was struck by such a beautiful image. i'm very grateful for the conversation and fun we had at the cafe. grateful to have such lovely roommates, who are funny, kind, honest, and respectful of each other.

photography

this morning i've been thinking a lot about photography, watercolors, and writing. i feel like i've interacted with all 3 pretty regularly, but have never advanced past the beginning phase of a lot of interest, and very little tangible talent. i want to take better photos; better composed, that use light better, and shadow and colors and scenes. how do you do this?

i want to write about my life with more than just rote description of what happened. i want to write more about my emotions, how i feel. what;s the point in blandly showcasing what has happened to me if i'm not writing how i experience what;s around me.

and it's time for more watercolors, less abstract, i'd like to do more detailed. perhaps even more on color theory. i think i'll get some watercolor paper next time i'm in town.

i've really got to write this philosophy essay, and clean my room. and then slowly think about other things. but i got some really yummy, crisp and warm, purple halloween tea from david's tea over cas week. i was very happy.

morning

this morning, i woke up to a hazy blue sky from the window above my bed. it was a comforting, pleasant sight, after a day of grey rain. i stood up, and saw white specks covering the roofs of the buildings around me. it was euphoric, pretty, calm, and special. snow had finally stuck to the roofs. its snowed a few times this week, but never stuck.

now, i'm sitting in the corner of the library, trying to stop thinking about things, to distract my mind. outside the window, golden sunlight is streaming in even though its past sunrise. it reminds me of my first day at pearson, warm summer sun and green.

the snow is slowly melting off the roofs now.

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

1 Month!

Hello,

It's been one month at Pearson today. That seems so crazy to me! Both because "I can't believe it's already one month" and "has it only been one month?". I feel so grateful and happy to be a part of this community, next to the Pacific, in the middle of nowhere.

Whenever I see the sun hit the wispy strands hanging from the trees, or Pedder Bay glinting in the sunlight, or hearing Dina cackle, or squinting at Morgane, or hugging Marta, or smiling at everyone and saying hello, or hearing "How are you? Really really how are you?" at least once a day. Whenever these things happen I'm so happy to be reminded that I am here, because it's easy to get swept up in it all, and forget where you are. And how special a time it is.

Which is why one month hitting is a weird feeling for me. The time has been spent so fully, and so meaningfully for me. A week ago, I couldn't believe it had only been 3 weeks since it felt like 3 months! Maybe it's just the word "month" that makes me change my view. I've been thinking about the construct of time, and how I interact with it, and what it can do for me (a good reminder to do things that have a time limit) or what it does badly for me (make me dwell on a number that I have no control over). It's a confusing thing, but I'll keep thinking about it.

Academics are going a bit slowly since it's the start, but I'm on top of my work. School life is packed with homework, socializing, CAS, student jobs, and other duties around the school. I hope to sit down tomorrow and try to remember what I wanted to do at Pearson before I arrived, and to see if any of it is feasible. But right now, I'm off to bed!

Goodnight.

UWC Day!

UWC Day was held on the 21st of September 2017, coinciding with International Day of Peace. This celebration is meant to mark a day in all of the 17 schools that make up the UWC movement, and encourage a celebration and reflection on the unique situations that we all find ourselves in. The theme this year was “celebrating the power of diversity”.

At Pearson, it was a decidedly low-key celebration. We had classes as normal, though apparently last year there were no classes and many people did workshops, games, art, etc. But this year we had a few events after classes; including a football game & choir performance to bring together people from different backgrounds in order to appreciate time spent with each other, and we had a workshop on linguistic inclusion at Pearson.

The workshop was facilitated by Kim, the English B teacher and one of the Victoria houseparents. The first part involved everyone in attendance filing out an anonymous survey about ourselves, with questions on gender, socio-economic background, sexuality, race, discrimination, neuro-status, and other factors of ourselves. The surveys were collected and redistributed randomly and then one by one the options of the survey were read out and anyone who had a survey with the option was asked to stand. It was a fascinating endeavour, especially as it really opened my eyes to how in some cases we’re very diverse (race, socio-economic background, sexuality, mental health past), but how in other ways we are not diverse (disabilities, belief in the UWC mission). It just gave me a good reminder on the realities of being in this place, and provided me with lots of food for thought.

After the survey exercise, we moved onto linguistic inclusion exercises, including drawing language circles for everyone, where people drew circles based on their comfort in a given language. Then we taught our languages to each other, and my housemate Foday taught me some Creole from Sierra Leone which was a great exercise, and now I’m learning more Creole! We also had discussions on how we can become more inclusive of linguistic backgrounds, the use of English as a major language around the world (why? how?), and we even practiced a new common language of our own “Muglish”, which eliminated words and relied on expressions and shared signs. 

During dinner, which was probably the closest I’ll ever get to Chinese food in the caf (it was dumplings!), I laughed so so much and was just so filled with joy. It was my second year’s birthday, and Yousra came down to the cafeteria in her sunglasses and spent the entire meal indoors with sunglasses that genuinely made her look like a Bollywood star and I had dared her to do it at lunch and was so surprised that she had even remembered! I was also overjoyed to be surrounded by such fun, smiling people. I witnessed Bei-Yi take such a large slice of the delicious cake that it more than filled her plate, and Dina and I tried to start a announcement but no one joined in so we were just banging randomly on the table and I laughed so hard I fell!

After dinner, there was a student-led discussion on diversity in the Max Bell, and I was really grateful to have been a part of such wide ranging and honest discussion. It saddened me a little to later look at other groups who’re meant to be discussing but were all just on their phones. It resolves me to spend more and more time off of my phone. I am here to experience this world through my eyes, not through a screen. 

UWC Day at Pearson might not have been as intense as at some of other other schools, but I believe that it was a day that was entirely up to the student body, and next year I’d like to organise a few more activities. But also I believe that everyday at Pearson is a UWC day, So many times in a regular week (is any week ever really regular at Pearson?), do I feel that “this is such a UWC moment”. For that, I am grateful to be in an institution that so deeply embodies these values. Happy UWC Day to all.

Love,

Theo

Dancing!

Wow - long time no update. Pearson life swallows you up, and doesn't really ever spit you back out. It has been such a beautiful time though. Orientation ended, and just like that classes started. First week was a bit slow, as they always are, but I'm at the start of my second week of classes and am gratefully starting to get a little bit more comfortable with how things are going! I was pondering switching Philosophy to History, but an interest in the subject's abstract thinking forms & newness to me have convinced me otherwise!

One moment I'd like to blog about what Yorle's birthday last week. At Pearson, birthdays are a beautiful special day, and September has had tons, some days there are 3 birthdays at once! I've not been closely involved in planning one, but from observation and participation, it seems that we normally sing the birthday song at least once every meal time, which is preceded by loud banging on the caf tables (the best way to get quiet during loud and noisy mealtimes!). There's also normally a party held somewhere on campus, with a birthday video where people around campus wish many happy returns, and sometimes there is dancing following the video. The dancing really depends on the person whose birthday it is - so I was excited for Yorle's party, as I knew there was sure to be exciting Latin music and dancing. I wasn't wrong!

What took place after her video was so exciting, vibrant and colorful. The beat of Latin music is so infectious that it fills every pore of your body and just begs for you to move. To sit back and watch my beautiful friends glide and move and feel the music through their body was an incredible experience, and I'm so excited for more!

Orientation Ramblings

I am sitting in the library, in a circle of very comfortable armchairs; Matilda & Daniel sit opposite me. Here are a few thoughts I have been having - mainly inspired by the back issues of 'The Log' (Pearson's version of a yearbook).

It is crazy to me to see familiar faces in these logs, I found a letter my mother wrote about her second years and how much she misses them. Will I feel the same way? The topic of the year ending comes up sometimes but is quickly brushed over and dismissed with a "let's not talk about that", which is only a temporary solution. At the very least it leaves us in bliss.

I never use my computer or phone here. Granted, I have 'misplaced' my phone (a word I use to mask the fear that I've lost it), so maybe that helps a bit. To be fair, I have been told by everybody that things just pop up here, so I will just wait for now. I tried to Skype my mother last night, but it didn't work out. I feel strangely detached from the world outside of Pearson. The whole of the Goose just feels like an extension of campus, so it's sort of like you never leave. Now, gone are the feelings of needing to catch up with everyone's Instagram post, read all the captions and comments. Gone is the need to post a picture, upkeep my streaks (those are unfortunately long dead). It is so incredibly liberating, who knew it could feel so freeing. I wish the world could go back to a time before social media.

Yesterday I put up my decorations in my room. Marika & Emily helped me collage my photos, covering up the peeling paint from the walls. Now when I walk up the steep stairs to my bed I get hit by a wall of color and faces and places, which I find so wonderful. There's also a wall of photos that I've taken by myself which is so cool, and has not really happened before. It is nice to be able to say "I took these photos".

On Monday night, we all gathered in the Max Bell Theatre to sing together. I found it totally beautiful, group singing is so therapeutic in the way that you really do feel connected to other people. There were a bunch of second years who started to cry, and that made me feel really sad. I found out later that we were singing one of the songs that they used to say goodbye to their second years.

After choir, we had a tone setting meeting. It involved a few moderators who organized the discussion and second years stood up to introduce different topics they felt needed to be a part of the tone that was set. The moderators framed it as a discussion between first and second years, and we discussed sex in rooms, use of phones, respect for each other, and a few other topics. I felt that while overall the productivity of the meeting will be difficult to really ascertain, their were a few aspects of the meeting that I disliked. This included the use of moderators to curtail fellow students' thoughts. I understand that for some there is a want to not spend hours discussing things, but I feel that we should really weigh the importance of what we are discussing, and treat it with the respect that it's importance demands. For a tone setting meeting, with an aim to establish a base understanding amongst students, I was surprised that people were wanting it to end as quickly as possible. It feels like such an important topic should really just be given as much time as possible. I also feel that the notion of not wanting to sit in the Max Bell for forever listening to others lends an air of disrespect towards fellow students. Yes, some people may talk for too long and stray off topic, but there seemed to be an undercurrent of 'we have something better to do', which I felt was antithetical to the whole mission of Pearson.

Already I am finding it difficult to remember the specificities, and little beautiful moments, that have occurred. I guess there is a solace in simply knowing that moments like that did exist, but it also makes me more focussed on trying to keep up with my writing, both here & in my journal. It is really hard, but I'm going to try my best! I also don't want to be too swept up in writing, and not actually live in the moment.

Until next time,
Love
Theo

Update

Hey! Sorry for not posting for a bit - Pearson has this great thing where there's no wifi in the house for the first two months of the year to encourage socializing, so wifi can be found in the student commons or in the library. I've not spent much time on the internet at all, so I've not been down to the library much, and have really just been typing blog posts in my notes. I finally just posted them though - after a slight delay.

It's been 5 days here at Pearson now. Orientation is in full swing! I went kayaking this morning while another group took the vans to East Sooke Park. The weekend was wonderful - two walks to Matheson Lake, then further onto the cliffs for cliffjumping & Cougar Ridge (what a stunning view). Sunny, lake swimming. It felt almost like a holiday! I've also misplaced my phone on campus so I'm trying my hardest to find that, and this is also the reason I've probably not replied to your messages, but don;t worry, I'm alive.

I've made good friends with my Italian housemate, Marta. As well as Morganne, and Adrita, and Alma. I also get along well with my coyears like Lara, Anne Sophie, and of course my roommates are really starting to bond with each other (I hope).

Will write more soon (and definitely upload pictures, as soon as I find my phone!).

Bye!
Love,
Theo