THE INTERNATIONAL
VOICE Issue 1, October 2012
IBSB News and Views - By the Students for the Students
Highlights Highlights: Updates Section (pg 4)
It has barely been one month since the start of school and already we have launched our sporting calendar with an Inter House Athletic Track and Field Sports Day, where students competed in their house colours in various disciplines, including the high jump, long jump, shot put, 100 and 400 metre races or even … (continued on page 22)
CAS Section (pg 18) Sports Section (pg 20) Holidays Section (pg 38) Events Section (pg 35) Student’s Views (pg 44) Whiteboard (pg 24)
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TIV By the students for the students
Editorial Team Journalists/Contributors Blanca (Year 11), Denisa (Year 11), Alexandra (Year 12), Alex (Year 12), Anemona (Year 12), Mamta (Year 12), Teresa (Year 12), Sonia (Year 12), Alexander (Year 12), Kira (Year 12), Tao Lun (year 12), Catrinel (Year 12), Alba (Year 13), Maria (Year 13), Daniel (Year 13) Contributing Teachers Mr Jamieson Jamieson Ms Katie Bickell Ms Jane Broadhurst Coordinators Student Editor: Alexandra (Year 13) Student Assistant Editor: Sebastian (Year 12) Teacher Coordinator: Mr Trevor Kingston Junior School Whiteboard: Ms Camelia Nicolau Layout: Mr Florin Ghita
Office Staff Aura Bogdan Executive Director
Ana Maria Stere Extracurricular Services Officer
Contact information: ADDRESS: 21 Agricultori St. District 2, Bucharest, Romania, 021481 TEL: (+4)021.253.16.98 FAX: (+4)021.253.16.97 E-MAIL: office@ibsb.ro WEB: www.ibsb.ro
Iulia Boboc Human Resources Officer
Florina Georgescu PR Officer
Elena Iliuta Economist
On behalf of all the office staff, and teachers we would like to thank the students and parents for contributing to a smooth start to the year. The school continues to grow and develop with each year and we are interested to receive your feedback . If you have time and would like to be more involved in the school, please come along to one of our PTF meetings. We look forward to seeing you there.
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Editor’s Letter Even at first sight, this year’s first TIV issue seems full of accounts of important personal experiences and initiatives taken by IBSB’s students, and that is a situation which can only make us happy. We can see that this summer has been one of discovery as well as of leisure, and hopefully, we will all continue in that calm though productive state of mind throughout the year. I would like to take the opportunity to introduce to you a new figure, very important for the present and future of the TIV- Sebastian, (picture below) who this year takes on the position of Assistant Editor, and consequently, will be the next TIV Editor after I wave “Bye! Bye!” and head to university. So let us all wish him good luck, though I am sure he will not need it! I also want to mention another very important change in our TIV family, as this year Ms Carman decided to step down from her editing role, concentrating on other duties, and Mr Kingston, our new English teacher, will take on this new challenge. Alexandra, Year 13 TIV Editor
Furthermore, I would like to thank the reporters for volunteering their time and effort to writing in the TIV. I wish you all an excellent school year, and hopefully you will enjoy the read.
Assistant Editor’s Letter I am very glad to have been chosen to work under Alexandra’s wing or in her shadow, whatever you prefer saying, but I think that this is not only an opportunity to bring something to the school newspaper, but also a way to see the things from different perspectives. So far I have been working together with Alexandra quite well and I must say the behind the scenes work of the TIV is a little bit more than I expected. Obviously next year, when Alexandra has departed, leaving the TIV in my hands, I want to make sure that I can maintain the standards set; if anything I want to set the bar higher and higher and make the TIV something which is not only appealing to teachers, and parents but also something pleasing to read and flick through for students.
Sebastian, Year 12 Assistant Editor
Whenever I read an editor’s note or an ‘important persons note’ the only thing which isn’t there is something about the actual project at hand, it is always something philosophical. Well don’t get me wrong, I find writing these notes equally as frustrating as the next guy, but of course we all have to do the best we can to create, lead and inspire, and this position is exactly that, it is an opportunity to build on something, to try to inspire and, in the end, learn how to lead a wonderful project. I hope that the TIV editions which I will edit and create together with Alexandra will be superb and that, moving forward, the TIV will grow and prosper.
Contributions invited for Issue 2 We would like to invite all students and also parents opt write for TIV. Do you like writing? Is there something you would like to write about that affects or relates to the entire IBSB school Community? Maybe you want to share an idea or perhaps a few photos and some travel advice from a trip you recently went on to some great place . Then we would like to hear from you. Issue 2 comes out before the February break, with final submissions due in the last week of January. All submissions should be forwarded to TIV, via the school office: E-MAIL: office@ibsb.ro
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Asking the Right Questions ??? Encouraging Enquiring Minds In thinking about how the world has changed just in the last 100 years, and indeed still is changing- at an alarming rate for some- numerous ideas and images spring to mind; for the most part, the ideas, images, and associations in one way or another link to developments and breakthroughs in technology. We have seen the car, air travel, home appliances, and computer technology revolutionise the way we live in almost every aspect of life. Communication is one area where there has been significant change, not just in the devices we use to communicate with each other, as with the invention of landline phones, mobiles, and new software-based forms of communication, such as email, Skype, Twitter, and other online chat programmes, but also in the manner of communication. We want and expect instant communication and find ourselves becoming increasingly frustrated by anything that causes the process of instant and immediate communication to breakdown. This change in the nature of communication is not solely relegated to the developments in the communication technology, however. We are also seeing a complete transformation in the way we communicate face to face as sms messaging and emailing has increasingly lead to communication becoming less formal, less vertical, and more horizontal, and, in a way, friendlier. This change in the nature of communication is now becoming increasingly evident in the way we teach and relate to our students. In the past, lessons were very teacher-centred, with high TTT (teacher-talking-time), as the teacher stood at the front of the class lecturing to the students, who listened obediently, took notes, and were often afraid to ask questions for fear of being labeled a teacher’s pet , a troublesome student or, worse still, stupid. Anyone who had the opportunity to visit IBSB for our Open Morning this half term hopefully had an opportunity to witness a new style of education taking place. In the modern classroom it is the students who take centre-stage as teachers look for opportunities for students to interact and work together in order to increase STT (student-talking-time), with students involved in meaningful tasks that required deeper level processing, that research shows leads to increased understanding and memory retention . The new view of teachers is that of facilitators -rather than teachers in the traditional sense of the word- who look to use the entire classroom space, mixing up interaction patterns, with the whiteboard used as an area in which everyone contributes. Another aspect of the change taking place in the classroom is to do with the transfer of information. Traditionally it was the teacher who spoke and asked the questions to test the knowledge of the students. Nowadays the focus is on developing an environment in which students are encouraged and indeed rewarded for asking questions. These questions are important as inform the teacher of the thought processes of the students and help to guide the teacher in the process of facilitating the lesson, making adjustments as the lesson progresses, to ensure that all students are learning effectively. It is this change, the way that students and teachers relate to each other, the way that the nature of teaching and learning is changing, that is propelling society forward faster than ever before, and it this change that is making the difference at IBSB in nurturing enquiring minds, and providing the solid foundations necessary for success. Developing critical thinking skills, evident by the quality of questioning, was a key area in the teachers INSET training that took place over the summer and it is a focus are for the classroom in the year ahead. In the words of Voltaire: “Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.� Kendall Peet Head of School
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Updates in School Assemblies Our Senior School Assemblies, which always happen at the end of Friday, is where the entire senior school gathers to share their opinions about certain topics; this week’s topic was on how increase our sense of community. We also take the time to discuss current events, such as the Duke of Edinburgh programme, or give out diplomas. The most magnificent part is at the end of the assembly when we finish with music and the excitement of a promising Weekend– but not before the school band performs for the school. Assemblies are also places open for anyone to display their talents and abilities to the whole school, so if you are interested to show your talent, come to the music room and talk to Mr Angel or me. We can make you popular! By George, Year 13
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Student Council “A Student Council is a representative structure for students only, through which they can become involved in the affairs of the school, working in partnership with school management, staff, and parents for the benefit of the school and its students. We will continue to organize extra-curricular events, Winter Ball, Valentine’s Day party, themed non-uniform days etc.” - School Website That’s what it says on the wrapping but what is the School Council really about? Well we plan to bring more care and support for the community, but, you see, for that to happen we need you; because without your support and interest we cannot function properly. You chose us and we want to represent you to the best of our abilities, but to do that, we have to hear what you want us to do. If you show apathy towards the School Council, what was the point in voting? I mean, I know that from the beginning it all seems so exaggerated and corny with all these righteous ideals, but it is hard being part of a group that is meant to do something and at the end of the day people don’t even care about it. We meet every second Wednesday to discuss what has happened during the previous fortnight and to plan for the future - what new events are on the horizon and issues that affect us all, planning to make a difference and change; and we are here to makes changes to benefit you. You can make a difference and should never hesitate to talk to any one of us, about ideas or thoughts you think might help your life at school, or anything that might ease you through the process of school itself. For example Yan Yang recently came up with an idea of having a wall where anyone could post up any questions they had right away, hence saving time asking a teacher then going to somebody else to figure it out. So we could first of all try to make that happen while also help to plan the UN Day by providing ideas. Chosen by the students for the students; we are your voice, trying to help the community that you are indeed a part of my friend! By Denisa, Year 11
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The Prefects Some years ago, when I was even smaller than I am now, I used to look up to the “big kids” that were Head Prefects and think “Woaaaa, they must be so smart, they can do so many things!” and of course, I was determined to one day become one of those people as well. Now that I find myself in those sensible shoes, I realize that it is more “work” than “glamour”, but nevertheless it is a very rewarding experience that develops many skills. Being a Head Prefect requires a great capacity for responsibility, and determination to carry out your tasks. Moreover, the most challenging aspect is that the level of responsibility no longer extends to your own actions only, but to others too – including the whole Prefect Team. However, I intend to live up to the title and hopefully we will all have a full and exciting year. The prefect system is very important in our school, as it does not only act as a channel of communication between students and teachers, but offers students the opportunity to prove themselves as capable individuals, and show their determination to build and innovate. It is thus an experience I recommend to anyone that feels up to it and merits the honour. Consequently, I would like to present to you these “capable individuals” who have earned the right and accepted the responsibility of joining the prefect team:
Alexandra Head Girl
Sonia
Mihai Deputy Head Boy
Alex
Alba
Lana Deputy Head Girl
Catrinel
Kira
Alex
Mamta
Kelly
George
Teresa
Daniel
Sebastian
By Alexandra, Year 13
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COBIS Head Prefect Convention This autumn, the Council of British International Schools, or better known as COBIS is organizing a conference for Head Prefects at King’s College in Murcia, Spain. Our School’s Head and Deputy Head Prefects were also cordially invited to this conference, where they are to attend various conferences of prestigious university teachers and attend events with many other Head Prefects from International Schools from around Europe. Our representatives will be Alexandra (Head Prefect), Lana (Deputy Head Prefect) and as Mihai (Deputy Head Prefect) could not attend due to exams in that particular period, Catrinel (Prefect) will be replacing him. Therefore, for the 2-3rd of November, we will be sightseeing Murcia and hopefully find out some very interesting things to report back to you. By Alexandra, Year 13
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CIE May/June 2012 Examination Results The return of the summer Cambridge International Examination results were again well received this year with increases in a number of areas in regard to both the IGCSE and A Level results, indicating that our programme aimed at supporting students in the pursuit of academic excellence is continually improving and strengthening with each year. Looking at a detailed breakdown of the IGCSE results, it is pleasing to see note that whilst the overall passing percentage was the same as 2011, there has been a shift to the left with the number of A* grades (37) increasing from 17% in 2011 to 21% in 2012. Again, the languages performed particularly well with a high number of A*s across the MFL languages, French, German and Spanish, but also joining MFL this year was Combined Science and English Literature performing very well this year, thanks to the excellent work of the teachers in the Science and English Departments. Improvement in overall grades were also seen in a number of other subjects, including Biology, ICT, Geography, with the majority of other subjects performing on par with 2011. Looking at our A Level results this year, there was both an overall increase in the level of passing grades, with the percentage of E-A* results increasing from 80% in 2011 to 84% in 2012. There was also some improvement at the top in with several students performing particularly well, including Head Boy for 2011, Alex Vlad, graduating with 5 A levels, A*A*A*AA, and being accepted into Cambridge University. It is worth noting that IBSB officially opened its doors in 2000 and that Alex Vlad is the first graduate to go through our entire programme from Primary to Year 13 and so we are particularly proud of his achievement in being accepted into Cambridge and would like to thank all the teachers who have taught Alex over the past 12 years, for without their continued help and support this result would not have been possible. The good news is that Alex is the first of what we are confident are many top graduates to come. In the Year 11 class graduating moving on to commence their A Level studies this year, there are 7 students with an A-A* average and so they are all potential Cambridge/ Oxford candidates in the making. What we need to focus on now as a school is to ensure that students stay in track over the next two years of their A Level programme and you can read all about our new initiatives in regard to tracking student progress in the article in this issue by Deputy Head of School, Mr Ciprian Tiplea, on page 14. Kendall Peet (Head of School) Head Boy Alex Vlad receiving his IBSB graduating diploma A LEVEL PASS/FAIL RATES 2007-2012
International British School of Bucharest
IGCSE PASS/FAIL RATES 2007-2012
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Interview with Mr. Kingston Mr Kingston has recently joined the school in the capacity of Head of English. He has previously taught in England for 16 years and decided to make a radical change to his life by accepting this new position in our school. We interviewed him in order to learn about his motives behind his desire to travel as well as his line of work and hobbies, and learned a lot of interesting things along the way. There is a moving story behind his decision to relocate to Romania. He explained: “My first thought of travelling came during 1989, right after the Berlin Wall’s demolition. It symbolised the fall of communism and it was an incredibly important moment in the history of the world. My wife and I had even named our daughter, who was born in November of 1989, Tanya Berlin Kingston to commemorate the liberation of East Germany. “We were departing Berlin after spending New Year’s Eve there and came across a journalist, who revealed to us that Romania too had seen a recent revolution involving the assassination of the dictator, Niculae Ceausescu. After which he was soon taken away by the security police, who came to check for everybody’s papers, never to be seen again. “From then on I was struck by a strong sense of curiosity and had been aching to uncover the mysteries that Romania had kept locked behind borders for so long.” He continued: “One of my favourite works of literature is “Dracula”, which of course alludes to the legend of Vlad the Impaler. This was also a factor in my desire to know Romania. My favourite play is Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” which, itself, draws upon the legend of Vlad.” He concluded: “I have a Combined Honours Degree in English and History and am very fond of combining the two subjects. I teach English 1st and 2nd language to years 10 and 11, AS Literature and Business Studies. I will be working on a play for the winter production along with the help of Miss Katie, which Mr. Angel will be directing this year. I am also the Form Tutor of the current Year 9.” Students are already talking about a teacher who seeks to inspire and stimulate learning. Mr Kingston himself has found the school and Bucharest to be welcoming and an exciting new chapter in his life. Good luck to you Mr Kingston and success in your endeavours!
By Alex , Year 12
Coffee Morning On a sunny Thursday morning , several teachers enjoyed a piping hot coffee with the parents who turned up for the start of term coffee morning to discuss the students, classes, and the academic calendar for the year ahead.
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New Teachers Mr Peter Blythe When, in life, did you decide to become a teacher? I’ve always been interested in teaching as my parents were both teachers. It’s been something I’ve enjoyed. What qualities do you think you need to become a successful teacher? I believe you need enthusiasm, a passion for your subject ,and flexibility. Do you like the students so far? No, I don’t. I’m kidding, I am very impressed with the students - they are friendly, welcoming and a pleasure to teach. IBSB is a very friendly place. Have you taught anywhere else? I’ve taught English for a few months in Romania and before that I was a professor in the Sussex University. Where are you from? I was born in England. Were there other things you’ve wanted to do other than becoming a teacher? I enjoy travelling, have seen many places and I want to see more. Who knows? Maybe I’ll become a PE teacher in the next ten years.
Ms Laura Bajenaru Why did you want to become a teacher? I didn’t! I actually wanted to be a medical doctor or researcher- but ended up a teacher Do you like teaching? Yes, very much because I get to interact with the students, who are great here at IBSB. What is the best thing about this school? Teaching Year 12, my AS Chemistry group.- l like teaching them; they are really fun to teach. What are your hobbies? Karate – I have been doing it for quite a while and would like to continue it into the future. What is the best thing about being a teacher? The fact that I get to help students understand chemistry. It’s challenging and I love it. Is there a worst about it? I have to get in on time every day.
Ms Katie Bickell How long have you been a teacher? I have been teaching since October, 2004. Eight years already; wow, that went fast! How has your life changed ever since you became a teacher? Teaching is a career that allows you the freedom to move about the globe, so here I am! What do you think of when hearing ‘Secondary School’? The journey of self-discovery, lots of noise and the joy of only teaching subjects that I love! Do you like the Secondary School so far? I will always cherish my years in the Primary School; however, I am certain that I made the right decision for me. Where are you from? Ontario, Canada Do you have a favourite book or author? The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald), Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte), Dracula (Bram Stoker), The Historian (Elizabeth Kostova), Shakespeare etc. It’s so hard to stop! Have you taught in other countries? (Would you like to?) I have travelled extensively, but I’ve only taught in Canada and Romania. I may not always teach, but I will continue to visit foreign countries and involve myself in community work happening all around the world. By Mamta, Year 12
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New Faces Around School “Hi! My name is Alberto. I am 11 years old and my birthday is on the 8th of December. I like to use Facebook and to play football.” -Aberto, year 7 “My name is Ioana, I’m 11 years old. I like to play tennis and watch films.” - Ioana, year 7 “I am from America, Virginia, Vienna. I like playing video games and I play fencing as a sport.” Nikolas, year 8 “Hi! My name is Petru and I like football and I am a fan of Humanities.” - Petru, year 8 “I come from Belgium, I like sports and I am thirteen years old.” -Achille, year 9
“I was born in Belgium, I play tennis and I like our school.” -Adeona Helena , year 9 “My name is Denisa and I am a Lil Wayne fan, I enjoy to play handball and I’ve played it for 6 years now!” -Ana Denisa, year 9 “I was born in Romania, I am thirteen years old and I like playing volleyball and so far I love this school!” -Sorana Catrinel, year 9 “Hi! My name is Mihnea and I like music.” -Mihnea, year 9
“My name is Radu, I am 14 years old and I like to play football.” -Radu, year 9 “I am Nicolo, I come from Italy and I am fifteen. I like to play football and the guitar.” Nicolo, year 10 “I am Teodora. I like listening to music and enjoy the summer.” -Teodora, year 10 “I like going out with friends, listening to music and I like this school so far!” -Maria Alexandra, year 10 “My passions are playing sports and spending time with friends.” - Catinca, year 10 “My interests are journalism, design and going out with friends.” -Andreea, year 10 “I am passionate about design and playing tennis. And in the future I want to work in PR.” Alexandra, year 10 “I’m new, but I feel like IBSB has been my home for years and I can’t wait to become better here.” - Alexandra, year 12 “I put all my effort into work and all my genius into life.” -Anurag(AJ), year 12 By Teresa, Year 12
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Clubs in School When going around and asking people about the Swimming Club, Andra gave me the perfect description of it so I’m just going to quote her: “In the 2013 swimming club we learn different swimming techniques and by that I mean we learn how to use breathing, slipping and the process itself. We have 2 groups; the first one is with the starters and the second one is with advanced swimmers. Our school swimmers also participate at international swimming competitions. What makes the club fun is that there are many of us and that at the end of each lesson we have a little competition between us, the students, to see if we can get a better time than previously . After 1 hour of swimming we can relax at the Jacuzzi or sauna and then go home”.
The Homework Club…Well obviously by the title you may already know what this club is about. It sounds really boring, a club where you do your homework. Wouldn’t you want to pick a more interesting club? Well after talking to some of its members I must say I wouldn’t. This club is very useful for those days in which you have loads of homework (most days) and start to go in a crisis concerning when you’re going to finish it all. ”It really helps having an extra hour to do my homework instead of doing something else. It is a very practical club, which helps me every Monday and I hope it continues to do so,” said one of the participants. Every Monday, at 3:10 pm, the French Club meets. Ms. Diana is a great teacher who brings fun stuff for pupils to do. In this club you get to do a wide variety of activities and exercises, watch movies, read magazines and books and listen to music. Maria Sousa told us: ”It is a club where there is a good French environment, and where each of us can improve or French in a fun way.” Everybody enjoys themselves in the Art Club. Members of the art club are glad to have chosen this option where then can have fun without a teacher constantly telling them to work in silence. During the club they all have a chance to interact together while making props and starting to build the Guy Faulks dummy made out of paper tubes. Cora told me: ”A great thing is that because we’re a group made up of several year groups we get a chance to know each other better and support each other if needed, a great feature of this school.” As you all know, the Ping Pong Club is held by Ms. Thomas and it is one of the most popular choices. Children enjoy it a lot and that’s pretty obvious as the club has been running since last year. One of the club members said: “If you are looking for a relaxing last hour I suggest this club!” Two clubs that are new in our school and also fun are The Duke of Edinburgh Club and The School Winter Production. DOE is all about extracurricular activities and how you can get certificates for doing them (something very useful and exciting). Anything extra that you enjoy doing counts (singing courses, dancing lessons, sports etc.). Mr. Scott is the one in charge with the club and he can give you all the info you need. The Winter Production club is mostly for the people involved in the school play but you are always welcome to help. People get to practice their acting skills, improve them and spend their club lesson doing their hobby. If you want to know more about the clubs the school offers you, you can always talk to Miss Cristina or the teacher in charge with the specific club.
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The Debating Club As autumn draws near and IBSB’s 2012-2013 school year unfolds the question is raised: “Who will IBSB’s official debating team have on board?” and “Will they rise to the challenge?” What challenge would that be you wonder? None other than the first ever COBIS Debating Competition, which will take place this coming February, an event hosted by the Prague British School in the Czech Republic, with two debaters of IBSB on board already! Furthermore, there are several other competitions to come: CEESA will be hosting a Middle School competition in Vienna and a High School competition in Riga/Vilnius both this November, as well as the World School Debating Championships which are being hosted in Turkey from January to February. That’s a lot of work for our debaters, so how will they manage it without preparation? They won’t, and that is why Alexander Puiu, a prefect specialised in debating, has set aside an hour from 3:00 to 4:00 every Monday for coaching and accepted the honour of preparing those who are willing to debate for our school during. He will act as a mentor and a coach for the middle school team and also encourage more students to join the club. Guidance will be given how to debate - the rules, the different techniques and styles - as well as speech preparation and structure. They will be interactive and will involve everybody’s full participation in the hope of creating a group of finely tuned academic minds. Of course, the ability to debate is respected as a great example of academic strength and is highly admired by elite universities such as Oxford or Harvard. So what is debating all about? It is about the ability to argue a point which is backed up by relevant evidence as well as nullifying opposing counter-arguments. It is a show of character and attitude that stresses one’s vocal strength, body language, vocabulary range and other communication skills as well as the ability to think flexibly and under pressure. It is academics taken to a whole new level, a dynamic level. No wonder universities from across the world revere it! By Alex, Year 12
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Student’s Academic Progress Monitoring and Tracking Students’ Progress in Relation to Achieving High Grades Writing an article for the IBSB TIV is always a pleasure especially when I know how many great students have been involved in putting this issue together. I will take this opportunity to thank all students and teachers involved in this edition of the TIV. The topic of this article is one of the most important things happening in our school which pertains to the academic progress of our students. As a school, we have always been very proud of our exam results. With an A to C passing rate of 85% at IGCSE and 84% passing rate at Advanced Level in the last CIE session, our next target is 100% A to C passing rate at both levels. Obviously, this can only be achieved with increased effort from all of us, but also with an improved monitoring and tracking system
The good news is that many things are already in place for assuring our students’ academic success, but also a new tracking system is being implemented in stages this year. The other good news is actually a simple fact: teachers, parents and students must be equally involved in the process. In our view, it all starts with the three main questions: Do our students now where they are (Current level)? Do they know where they need to be (target) and are they aware of what they need to do to get there (tools and techniques)? If they know the answer to these questions, then all they need to do is put consistent effort into their work and they will eventually achieve their goal. There are many ways in which our school is assessing and monitoring students’ progress: assessment during lessons, feedback on class work and homework, end of topic assessments, half term assessments and meetings related to subject choices in KS4 and KS5. In addition, this year we have implemented a baseline assessment meant to provide us with accurate current levels and end of Key Stage targets in all subjects. Our tracking will be based on the baseline assessment and end of half term assessment. All students will sit internal formal assessments in all subjects at the end of every half term. The achievement and the progress will be monitored across every subject and action plans will be in place for students not achieving according to their initial targets. Parents will obviously be kept up-to- date, as all half term assessment will come in the form of a report on SchoolBase online for parents. This way you will be able to have an up-to-date picture of the academic progress of your child throughout the year. To conclude, another important procedure implemented this year is related to the academic counselling for KS4 and KS5 students. Within this programme we have meetings with individual students making sure that they are making the correct choices based on strengths and previous grades. In this way we can ensure that our students will leave IBSB with strong academic portfolios which will be a clear indication of their academic strengths and passions. This will eventually support them in their application to the best Universities in the world, which is our final target for our students. By Ciprian Tiplea
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European Day of Languages This year is already showing signs of being extraordinary, IBSB students can boldly declare, and true to all of our expectations, the 2012-2013 was year kicked off with an entertaining and spontaneous day. The 26th of September started with a cheerful Miss Diana and several Year 12 students spreading paper tags to teachers. To say spreading might be rather confusing, as Mr Lee can vouch, but eventually, everyone got the gist and the multilingual spirit took over the school. The brightcoloured paper tags were nothing other than written invitations for the world to...talk! The Modern Foreign Languages Department came up with these improvised pins which said “Talk to me” in a multitude of languages. The German and French departments also organized a shared lesson with the Seniors and Juniors. After a long week of preparations, a very tired Miss Diana and Year 8 had the opportunity to lead a multicultural themed workshop for the Year 3 students. The classrooms were invigorated with colourful post-its, a dozen notebooks and high pitched laughter as the older pupils took on the challenge of being teachers for a day. They brought smiles to the younger children’s faces and tried to fight their own nerves while encouraging Year 3 to communicate in different languages. The best part of the day? The games, of course! Red hearts, shining smiley faces, cookies and a whole rainbow of colours made for an entertaining experience, in which the younger students gladly participated. Year 8, sceptical at first, loosened up and grew more accustomed to their roles as teachers and eventually, they found it to be one of their best opportunities to develop their social and leadership skills. The tiring day ended with satisfied smiles from the Seniors and a multitude of giggles from the little students. At the same time, the French and German teachers left with a sense of pleasant exhaustion, happy with the beautiful outcome of a fruitful meeting between the different aged students, who were themselves surprised at how much they had achieved. By Alexandra, Year 12
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The Arrival of the Fancy Frog Many of our students have eagerly awaited the Fancy Frog, some skeptical about the name, and some skeptical about the new found health concern that the school was considering when choosing the Fancy Frog. Students waited for two weeks after school started to have a mid-break snack, but was the wait well deserved? The Fancy Frog has arrived and with it the long lines forming near the new staff room (previously the French Bakery location). However, apart from these longish queues, the Fancy Frog offers not only food which is ‘healthy’ but also food which will satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth. From carrot cake to muffins, the Fancy Frog has an array of deserts, and to wash down all those sweets they have several healthy fruit juices. Now if you want sandwiches there may not be an infinite choice, but there are sandwiches in the menu which will not disappoint; from tuna to chicken and just a plain feta cheese sandwich. Along with the sandwiches there are also some soups and salads to further widen the variety of food. So far each student has formed his or her own opinion, some enthusing, some saying they don’t really care, some saying that it is more expensive, and some saying it’s not as good as French Bakery; however whatever the verdict, The Fancy Frog has arrived and it is ready to provide food and drink to all wanting to buy it. I hate line jumping personally and so until that issue is resolved, I may not be a regular, but after the queues have died down, you may just see me there, sampling the goods and determining whether or not I will be a regular. If you don’t test out the produce, how will you ever know? By Sebastian, Year 12
Bake Sale Bake Sale Bake Sale Bake Sale The school enjoyed a truly wonderful 3 day bake sale, suggested by Alexandra (Year 13) during the period before the Fancy Frog was set up. Organized by Daniel and Alba (Year 13) and assisted by many others, including Cora, the bake sale was extremely successful, raising around 500 RON for future CAS projects. The bake sale was no ordinary bake sale, given they also offered sandwiches and fruit - and I can only deduce from the rapid sales that people really enjoyed the food; either that or sales were made because of the wonderful altruistic mentality that our school possesses! When interviewed, Daniel said that since The Fancy Frog had yet to open, he wanted to make sure that students had something delicious to munch on during break. Daniel prepared some tuna sandwiches which were absolutely scrumptious and Cora baked brownies which more than lived up to my expectations. Overall, it was a great success which provided food for our students and gave money to a charitable cause. Perhaps Marie Antoinette was right after all when she said “Let them eat cake”! By Sebastian, Year 12
International British School of Bucharest
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CAS Section As a new student at IBSB, I was unsure about what the school's Community Action Service would entail, but all nerves were quickly calmed. “First and foremost, it’s fun,” Kira (Year 12) assured me. After two hours in the company of a great group later, she had been proved right.
Five weeks, five workshops and dozens of joyous smiles and curious gazes: that is how the first month of Year 12's experience with CAS began. While some could proudly claim they had already been initiated in this new adventure, others gladly embarked on a new journey and perked their ears at an ever-smiling Ms Croci. IBSB’s Community Action Service brings out, and makes good use of, our students’ helpful streak and whether you realize it or not, the cases you are going to face within CAS will doubtlessly make you want to get involved. During the first week of CAS, the supervisors put together a brief presentation of all the organizations IBSB is associated with, while also organizing several entertaining games to help everyone get acquainted.
It would be a shame to say that some projects are more favoured than others, but as the sixth form becomes busier and busier, choosing their CAS project becomes a rather difficult task. The opportunities, however, are grand and touching and the best way to go about is to join the cause you feel the most connection with. Among them is the British charity “Light into Europe”, who have continuously worked for helping sensory disadvantaged children and young people to adapt to the Romanian community and to no longer regard their disability as a major drawback in their life goals. So far, they have greatly appreciated the help and dedication of the IBSB students, who have joined forces in organizing dance and drama competitions. Another project we have been introduced to is “Speranta Pentru Tine”, a charity that works with the Fundeni Paediatric Oncology Hospital. Also, “Touched Romania” deals with the abandoned newborn children and those dealing with leukaemia and cancer in oncology hospitals. They work both with Fundeni Hospital and IOMC Hospital, as well as with Casa Agar, a maternal centre providing support and alternatives to child abandonment. Be warned, however, for Alexandra (Year 13) advises, “It is not for the faint hearted; these children need all the strong support you can offer them and not someone who can’t hold back tears and pity. There were many occasions when I felt like crying, but I forced myself to get a grip. Many times, the children are too weak to even play and you will have to see a lot of needles and IVs.” On the animal side of the charity we have the HAR organization, short for “Human and Animal Rights”, who promotes the maintenance of animal health, while also seeking to encourage the adoption of stray cats and dogs, in hope of putting an end to their suffering on the streets. Fine examples within the school are Ms Katie and Mr Lee, who have both taken in stray animals and have spoken to us all about the rewards they have gained from the presence of their pets.
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CAS (Continued) The Paper Tree and Environment Committee was the most welcomed back amongst the students. It is not unknown that our school strongly encourages recycling and has its very own Committee dealing with ecological issues. Their goal is to raise awareness among the students and also to educate them. In the same workshops, Year 13 students took centre stage hoping to instil into us ambition and enthusiasm for their projects. Alexandra (Year 13) and Alba G (Year 13) were the first to present, providing an interactive presentation about babies! The students got the chance to learn about the way in which a child’s behaviour develops and they worked with plastic dolls to reach a general idea of what they were really meant to do around them. Batuhan (Year 12) had the opportunity to change diapers, while the girls demonstrated how to bathe a baby and more boys took part in day-to-day activities, much to everyone’s surprise. On to the next week, when Daniel was very involved in developing an extraordinary workshop about helping the sensory impaired. Students had to role play and got a taste of the bitter feeling of losing sight by tying bandannas around their eyes. All agreed it was a horrible thing to suffer from. They partnered up and “blind” students had to be guided by their team mates, who listened very carefully to all the instructions they were given. They learned how to help sight impaired people use the stairs, the elevator or how to guide them in the bus. Furthermore, the students competed in teams in games the supervisors organized and were all greatly entertained. Muntenia House Captain Anemona (Year 12) laughed her way throughout the improvised maze. The following week was based on helping cats and dogs and several dedicated students were elected Animal Experts. Students found food under their seats and soon discovered what was and wasn’t right to feed a canine or a feline, followed by detailed presentations about both these furry friends and how to approach them. The workshop was led by Jingwen (Year 13) and received high praise for the light atmosphere and great mood. “I learned many new things that I didn’t even expect to find out,” said Seb S. Overall, the programme has received positive feedback and stimulated a lot of expectations. Prefect Teresa says, “CAS has been a very new and eye opening experience and I look forward to working on the projects.” Many agreed and Kelly acknowledged the great influence CAS has on everyday life of a growing young adult: “CAS incorporates activities that help us work in all of our life projects, while also maintaining a practical day-to-day application.” To Mamta (Year 12), the CAS programme is inspiring and she finds a lot of interest in all of the child care associations, as she has the opportunity to experience first hand the life in a hospital. Alex P also looks forward to becoming involved, as he had a great time in the past years. So we all extend a welcoming hand to any who would like to join and to those who would like to learn more about these charity organizations, I say go forth and inspect the school website! To the others who have already got stuck in to this year’s CAS, I wish you a great year ahead and hope you find all the inspiration you need for the causes you will be involved in! By Alexandra, Year 12
International British School of Bucharest
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Sports Section Football Club The IBSB football club is up and running and confidence is at an all-time high. With a mix of familiar faces and new ones, this year promises to be a success on all fronts for the IBSB football team.
Swimming Club The swimming club has always been a hit with the younger years, but with the success of May’s inter-school swimming competition, we can be sure to see an increase of students of all ages joining the prestigious swimming club.
By Alex C, Year 12
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TIV By the students for the students
Bucharest International Marathon On the 7th of October in Piata Constitutiei the Bucharest International Marathon was held. People from all over the world gathered here for the non-competitive and competitive races, which were the Marathon Individual Race (42.1km), Half Marathon Individual Race (21.09km) , Wheelchair Race (with choice of distance preferred) and the Team Relay Race (10.5km x 4 laps). Mihai (Year 13), Cristian Basgan (Year 11), Jonny (Year 13) and I formed the IBSB Students team for the Team Relay Race, unofficially running against the IBSB Teachers team formed by Mr Lee, Mr Peet, Mr Cornish and Mr Ennion. Mihai and Mr Lee were the first to start off the Team Relay, and the rest of us were very keen waiting to see who would be the first team member to make it back. After Mr Lee’s arrival, Jonny kept stressing us over the fact that Mihai had not yet arrived. Cristian did his best to ”recover” (as Jonny put it), the lost time. I, however, wasn’t in a competitive state of mind, I was just enjoying the team effort and atmosphere as it was the first time I attended a marathon. Before Cristian came back from his lap Jonny encouraged me in his own way, telling me that ”It’s all on you, if you finish before Mr Cornish we win” – and that he was certain that I could do it”; he was far more optimistic than me! Honestly, I never thought that for my first marathon run I would make my team as happy as I did. I finished my lap before Mr Cornish did, even though he left earlier than I did by 8 minutes or so. They didn’t expect it, and neither did I – when I finished my lap I had to pass the anklet check-timer to Jonny who was still sitting down playing on his phone. Jonny did a fantastic final lap, 10.5km in approximately 45 minutes, and in the end we did beat the teachers! We came in 104th and the teachers came in 115th out of a total of 236 relay teams. It was a great event, which gathered together thousands of people from around the world –of all ages. It was absolutely great to see how everybody supported everybody, and we didn’t have a bad time either! So the challenge is there for you all. Who will run next year and can anybody beat the reigning IBSB Marathon Champions? By Maria S, Year 13
International British School of Bucharest
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Sports Day Sports Day Sports Day Sports Day It had barely been 1 month since the start of school and already we launched our sporting calendar with an Inter House Sports Day, where students of all ages could realize their sporting potential in various disciplines, like the High Jump, 100 and 400 metre races or even the Dribbling course. Participants were split into houses as well as year groups so that they would have the honour of participating for the glory of their respective teams as well as competing with each other fairly. The courses that were available for our students were the following:
The 50-100m Race The most basic and simple speed test for all ages. The winner of the senior school was Alex (Year 11), with Majd (Year 13) coming in 2nd Place and Alexander (Year 12) in 3rd.
The 400m Race A test of endurance as well as speed, a true test of the fitness of everyone involved. The winner of senior school was again Alex with Majd and Alexander in 2nd and 3rd places.
The Dribbling Course This was a challenge which tested the nimbleness of feet, ball control, perseverance and concentration, where each participant was timed individually. The dribbling course consisted of a small row of obstacles, around which each challenger had to dribble, from one end of the track to the other and back. The best time was Alexander with Stergios (Year 11) in 2nd place and Mihai in 3rd.
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Sports Day Sports Day Sports Day Sports Day The Shot Put Throw A track and field event where each player has to throw a 1kg ball as far as they can in a stance where they hold the ball below their chin and push it outwards with their arm whilst staying in the area of a large circle. The record holders in the senior school were Alexander, who ranked 1st, Victor (Year 12) who was 2nd and Sebastian (Year 11) in 3rd place.
The Long Jump A combination of speed and aerodynamic ability, the long jump tests an athlete’s ability to cover as much space as possible during the air time of a jump. The results in the senior school suggested a lot of competition, with Alexander in 1st place, Alex in 2nd place and Majd in 3rd place.
The High Jump A challenge consisting of a large mattress and an adjustable bar in terms of height, which is suspended horizontally. The aim is to jump over the bar without knocking it down, and despite disputes over “correct� jumping techniques, winners were based on their ability to make it up and over to the other side. A challenge, which unfortunately did not have any clear victors in some years as the excitement of the upcoming student/teacher race overshadowed any other interest.
The Student/Teacher Race A 400-metre race with 4 runners on each team, in this case 4 student girls, 4 student boys and 4 teachers. Each runner would have to cover a distance of 100m while holding a baton which they would then pass on to the next runner. Once any team drops the baton, it is disqualified, thus adding more pressure to the already-tough race. Fortunately for us (The Illustrious Team of Pupils!), the students heavily defeated the poor teachers who, despite boastful bravado before the race, found themselves trailing embarrassingly in the wake of their obviously superior pupils! Let that be a lesson for the teachers for a change! By Alex ,Year 12
International British School of Bucharest
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Head’s Lines
Primary Whiteboard
Welcome to the Primary School section of the continually improving TIV. I have to start by thanking the Primary TIV team of Miss Cami and Miss Alina for all their hard work editing our section and for their ideas and creativity. Our first term has been action packed. If we take a moment to reflect back on all that we have achieved in the last 7 weeks I think you will be amazed. The Year 6 trip to Sinaia, the night at the museum (twice), coffee mornings, Open Morning, BBQ, Bucharest Marathon, the Casiopeea pink run for Breast Cancer, School 64 collection, World Sight Day, Mini Sports Day, Multicultural Week and now UN Day! Are you amazed? You should be. I’m amazed that we did all this and also managed to bring in a whole new way of teaching the curriculum by being more flexible and responsive to the children’s needs and interests. Our Cross Curricular way of planning has allowed the teachers to be more creative so the lessons are more engaging and connected, building on the skills and knowledge learnt in all areas of the curriculum. We welcomed 3 new teachers to our fold; Miss Hunter, Miss Orla and Miss Alexandra. I am glad to say they have settled in very well and this was helped by the friendly and supportive school community we have here at IBSB. Getting outside of the classroom is something that we continue to encourage so that the children can see that learning can take place anywhere. We have had lots of trips already, including Year 6 going to Sinaia for 3 days, and we propose to have more residential trips at the end of the year for Years 2 to 6. You may have attended the presentation during Open Morning so will know that next half term we will give parents the details and costs of the trips proposed and give parents time to offer their thoughts before we officially launch the trips after Christmas. Next term, we also look forward to Hallowe’en, Kangaroo competitions, the Primary Maths Challenge and Christmas, finishing with the traditional Carol Concert. We wish you an enjoyable half term break and look forward to welcoming you all back next term. Alan Cornish Head of Primary
Primary School Prefects This year we have a new idea for year 6. Year 6 will be Prefects!!!
Anisia, Alexia and Gekko are friendly face prefects. That means that when you are lonely they will make you feel happier. Shirin, Andrei and David are the line-up prefects. They will help you line up perfectly so that you can earn more house points. And there are many more prefects helping you do things like: holding the doors open, helping you to walk properly on the stairs or checking your uniform. So watch out for the prefects because they will try to help you and be your friends! By Alexia and Shirin
International British School of Bucharest
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News from the classroom‌
We coloured the Rainbow Fish and we are very proud. Do you like it?
Cutting the vegetables for salad was exciting!
Preschool & Reception children started this term with an inquiry on Colours. They had opportunities to discover colours through hands-on activities, songs and stories.
International British School of Bucharest
This is fun! We like Elmer very much. He is so colourful just like a rainbow.
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News from the classroom...
For our first field trip this term we chose to take our Year 1 class to the Village Museum in Bucharest. The journey through the different traditional houses from all parts of Romania was a wonderful way to spend the day, build camaraderie, and learn about the Romanian culture.
This trip fed into our theme this half term of Countries and Cultures around the World. As the children walked from house to house they got the chance to experience different lifestyles and customs of the Romanian civilization. They enjoyed themselves tremendously as they ran around, explored the surroundings and played with the animals on sight. It was an instructive and fun filled day and we look forward to another great adventure!
Ms Alexandra Fatu
International British School of Bucharest
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News from the classroom‌
Year 2a have been busy travelling the world finding out what Barnaby Bear has been doing. We started in Romania and drew the beautiful Apuseni Mountains, we had breakfast in Paris, Maria wasn’t sure about the Brie, we made desert dioramas in Egypt with the majestic pyramids of Giza and we even had time to compete in the mini Sports Day. It has been an action packed start to the year. Mr. Alan Cornish
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Out and about...
As part of their Barnaby Bear topic, both Year 2a and 2b classes have recently visited The Peasant Museum. Barnaby is a nomadic bear who has been visiting lots of different countries and sending postcards to the children to help them learn about these places. After starting in Romania, he has since been to France, Egypt, Spain, the UK and Canada on the North American continent. In order to support learning about Romania the children visited The Peasant Museum to explore artifacts which indicated what life was like in historical Romania. After finding this out, children will write back to Barnaby to tell him what they have learned. They will include information about how Romanian traditional homes were built and what materials were used. While they observed traditional pieces of carpets and furniture, they learned the legend of a snake being placed under the home to protect it and its occupants. Traditionally, if the snake survived then the occupying family would have good luck. Sometimes homes had the carvings of the snake on the outside as a representation. What a great experience! Mr Mark Mullan
International British School of Bucharest
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News from the classroom‌
Year 3 is off to a great start so far with new challenges and fun experiences in Key Stage 2. We have welcomed a new student, Matei, to our class and we are getting used to working together again, with a new class teacher. This term we have been studying habitats and learning a lot of things about plants and animals. We have learned about the effect climate and weather can have on living organisms in different environments. Now, we are about to take our first class trip this year and we think it will be a big hit! We will be heading to the zoo to look at animals and study the ways they have adapted to their environments and what roles they play in the food chain. There is sure to be a lot of photos and fun to share when we get back! Can’t wait to tell you all about it in the next TIV! Ms. Chelsea Corvino
International British School of Bucharest
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News from the classroom‌
This week year 4 travelled to Antipa Museum to learn more about habitats and animals from around the world. We were given a guided tour of the Museum, focusing on the animals and habitats of Romania; from the Black Sea to the Romanian Carpathians, and also habitats from around the world; from the North Pole to the Australian deserts. We all enjoyed the tour and asking questions about the habitats. We especially loved the variety of animals that we saw. We would recommend a visit to anyone who hasn’t already been.
Ms Becky Hunter
International British School of Bucharest
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News from the classroom…
Assembly on The Rights of the Child and World Peace Day
Every child should have water, food, a home, a healthy life, an education, chances to play, love and care, peace in their lives, every chance to succeed, an identity and the chance to express themselves freely.
But don’t forget that with every right there are responsibilities too!
Don’t take away our rights!!
Mr Gareth Jones
International British School of Bucharest
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News from the classroom…
Year 5b has got off to a brilliant start! This term our class is looking at the theme of Children’s Rights and Responsibilities. The class have already constructed a chart showing how each child can be responsible at school, home and globally. Our learning board is up and we are all enthusiastic to begin our studies on various topics relating to our theme. In week 3 we designed our own Kente shapes and patterns following an observation of an African cloth which can be seen in the photograph above. Ms Orla O’Dwyer
International British School of Bucharest
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Out and about ....
At 09:00 am Year 6 headed excitedly to the train station. We were chatting about what we would do when we arrived or what entertainment we had. Finally the train arrived to take us to Sinaia. The train journey was long and Year 6 were really loud and tired. Finally the train arrived in Sinaia. We got off the train and walked slowly to the beautiful hotel. We unpacked our stuff and headed to lunch and then went to Peles Castle to do some work. Then we went to the park for some activities. After that, we went back to the hotel for dinner and then went to sleep. Next morning we woke up early to go to the cable car which took us up the mountain. We walked up and down the mountains for 4 hours. Victor was always ahead and Mr. Ennion always told him to stop and wait for him. When we arrived at the cable car station we bought some hot chocolate and kurtos and played in the field. Afterwards we went to the Sphinx and took a photograph. We then went back to the cable car station with Victor still in the lead and waited for our cable car. Travelling on the cable car, we went down the mountain with the pressure hurting everyone’s ears. We got off the cable car and marched to the train station while Toma was singing silly songs. We had to take the train from Busteni to Sinaia. We arrived at the hotel tired and ready to sleep, but we had to go to the park first. There, we had to interview people about the town. We also did a survey of all the buildings on the main street in Sinaia. The next day we went to the station to go back to Bucharest. We really enjoyed the trip! By Boldizsar and Adela
International British School of Bucharest
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Primary School Elections On 13th September 2012, the Primary School House Captain elections took place. Many people came and voted for their favourite candidate. There were also Student Council elections for Years 3, 4, 5 and 6. Year 6 prepared the voting slips, electoral rolls for each house and the ballot boxes. We also helped smaller children to vote. Year 6 had a lot of work to do for the elections and then we counted the votes. Finally we found out who our new House Captains are and who will be in Student Council. The Transylvania captains are: Victor and Kyriaki! The Muntenia captains are: Gekko and Mya! And the Dobrogea captains are: Alex and Anisia! By Ioana (Year 6) and Andreea Stanescu (Year 6)
Primary School House Captains Hi Muntenians, we are Gekko and Mya and we are your House Captains. We are here to help you win the House Cup. We work hard and love sport. We will make sure that Muntenia will earn more reward trips this year.
Hello, we are Kyriaki and Victor, the Transilvanian House Captains. We are here to help you win the House Cup. With us two in charge we will surely win the cup!
Our names are Alex and Anisia. We are the house captains for Dobrogea. As you may know Dobrogea have won many times. We will earn lots of house points and many reward trips. We have a reward trip from last year that we will do soon. So impress your teachers and don’t forget to do as many good things as you can to win house points. See you soon!
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Events Section Winter Production Romeo and Juliet with a Romanian Twist! Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is coming to Bucharest in Steaua and Dinamo shirts!!!! This year’s Winter Production promises to be truly phenomenal, albeit lots of hard work lies ahead to ensure the audience have a wonderful time watching. This year we are giving the Shakespearian Romantic Tragedy a fresh start. The play will be directed by Mr. Kingston and Mr. Angel and will be performed in December. Set in a Romanian Court and the streets of Bucharest, with the lovers divided over rivalries centered on Steaua and Dinamo Bucharest, the play is a mix of modern comedy and Shakespearean tragedy, with a uniquely Romanian twist. A cast of thousands will feature – well Shakespeare liked his hyperbole! – acting, singing and dancing. And to share out the roles we have four – yes count them four - separate Romeos and four separate Juliets! When the time for the auditions arrived, everyone present gave their best to impress the judge (Mr. Kingston), and we were rewarded when we got our roles. I personally had butterflies in my stomach when I auditioned, however it paid off when I got my role… Romeo …excuse me, I mean one of the Romeo’s. Well now I know that my homework till the Show is to portray Romeo to the best of my abilities. Here is a peek at the thoughts of one of the cast members, Yang Yang: Well, I’m Romeo 3…the play is magical…we are living in a dream land…you will see if you come to the play!!! I can’t explain fully what happens because it will give away some of the jokes but I can say that you will see Romeo and Juliet changing nationalities throughout the play. You will laugh, and hopefully you will cry too, so don’t forget your tissues! It’s sure to be rollicking fun so roll up for the Winter Production and see Romeo and Juliet set in Bucharest! By Kira, Year 12
Breast Cancer Fun On Saturday the 29th of September 44 students, parents, and teachers joined 3226 participants dressed in pink at Tineretului Park for the 3rd edition of the annual Casiopeea Fun Run. This event was the largest yet, with over 1000 more participants this year than last year. The money raised from this event, thanks in part to the IBSB parents and children present, will support Romanian women who suffer from breast cancer.
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Winter Ball 2012 Parties parties parties! It’s all you think about when your exams are over. For those of you who are new to this school, the Winterball happens every year, around the time of December. Last year, the Winterball took place at a really cozy place called Colocvio Club, located in the Herastrau zone. It had a razzle-dazzle theme, so everything was literally sparkling. We had numerous activities for all ages, entertaining the students all night long – in addition to dancing and enjoying the cocktails! Last year’s Miss and Mister were Zoe and Vladimir alongside Catrinel and Victor. Zoe and Catrinel were encouraged to kiss their ‘Mister’, however they passed on the offer and left with the prize only. So who’s going to win this year? We hope to see you at what we are planning to be the best Winterball that IBSB has ever seen this academic year. Alongside other prefects, I know we can organize a much bigger ball than last year, inviting other British Schools as well, to join us. Many cheerful activities await you at this year’s Winterball. A DJ and a photographer will be there for certain, making sure you have the best time ever! The place and ticket price will be decided in the next couple of weeks and we will announce the details to all students as soon as a decision is made. The dress code will be cocktail style and a mysterious theme will also be chosen. Girls, don’t forget to start planning your outfits - make sure you choose the prettiest dress! Oh, and boys, you better start working on your dance moves! You will be competing this year with Mr. Kingston! This academic year we would also like to have a Valentine’s Day Ball in February, so make sure you won’t miss that either. Chocolates and heart-shaped candies will be there to sweeten you up! So once again, the Student Council along with Social Events Prefects Alba (Year 13), Catrinel (Year 12) and Sonia (Year 12), have the pleasure to invite you to IBSB’s Winterball 2012 – be there, or be square! By Sonia, Year 12
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The PTF Barbecue Where Parents and Teachers Unite Another school year has come and three weeks into the year, new students have already been accommodated to our vibrant and friendly school. In this cheerful atmosphere, the annual PTF Barbecue took place bringing together parents, teachers and friends in an informative yet relaxing event with the aim of welcoming new arrivals and providing parents with information about the upcoming academic year. This year’s barbecue took place on the 22nd of September in our school, where parents were introduced to both our new and old teachers to talk about the academic year ahead. Before starting the two informative presentations about the junior and senior school, you could already see the teachers, students and parents engaging in cheerful conversations which showed no sign that they had only just met. In addition, the great food, drinks and desserts the school and parents offered definitely contributed in the pleasant experience of everyone. In the primary school presentation, the head of the primary school, Mr Alan Cornish introduced himself to the new students’ parents and informed them about the primary school policies, the objectives they would like to achieve at the end of the year, etcetera. The other presentation about the secondary school was presented by the head of school, the deputy head of school and the head of secondary school in which parents were informed about the secondary school policies, the academic goals, the extracurricular activities as well as the Checkpoint, IGCSE and A-Level exams. After the two presentations, the buoyant atmosphere in the school yard was maintained as more food was served and communication between parents and teachers continued. During this time, parents and teachers talked about the academic future of the school and clarified some uncertainties that may have arisen. The BBQ went on to become one of the best BBQs we ever had since the introduction of this event and, at the end of the day, parents received all the assurances they could want about our lively school, secure in the knowledge that the school will become better and better. And best of all, the sun shone and the rain stayed away! By Tao Lun, Year 12
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Holidays Section Ski Trip 2013 Coming Up! For every winter sport enthusiast, be it snowboarding, skiing or simply exploring Innsbruck, you will be very happy to find out that the classical IBSB Ski Trip is coming up. The Ski Trip has been one of our traditions for many years, and it makes for some of the best stories. Not only do you have the opportunity to engage in intense winter sports daily, but you will have an extremely good time together with your friends, as it usually happens in camps. As a regular participant in these trips, I can assure you that you will enjoy great skiing and have a fabulous time. Now, for some more practical details, I should mention that the Ski Trip will take place in Innsbruck, Austria, 9th- - 16th of February. Innsbruck is a very diverse city, as you can find many shops, pubs and galleries, as well as being able to go skiing. Moreover, the Hotel Grauer Bar (4*) will meet all your needs, as it is modern and comfortable, but, most importantly….it has a SPA! Swimming pool, steam bath, sauna, and fitness room, whatever you want. Your rooms will be fully equipped with what you need: internet, TV, hairdryer, minibar in order to assure your comfort and, moreover, the hotel is only 150 meters from the Historical Old Town, where many attractions can be found such as the “Golden Roof”. The following services are included in the price of the trip: Flight Bucharest-Munich-Bucharest Transfer Munich Airport- Innsbruck Hotel and back 7 nights accommodation in double room Breakfast and dinner Ski pass for 6 days 2 ski instructors Ski-bus daily 1 ski competition Access to the wellness area Free Wi-Fi in rooms Adventure medical insurance
The Ski package seems pretty complete, apart from the drinks during dinner and other unmentioned services. I hope many of you are interested in going, as I believe it will be worthwhile and great fun. Until then, here are some pictures from last year’s Ski Trip to whet the appetite! By Alexandra, Year 13
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Summer Holidays 1. Where did you spend your summer holiday? 2. What stood out about the place you visited? 3. Did someone accompany you? 4. Any memorable souvenirs? 5. Where would you go to next and why exactly?
Andrew Y11 1. I went to many places but my favorite place was Antalya, Turkey where I spent one week of my holiday with my loved ones. It’s kind of a tradition within my family to go to Turkey every year, but I still enjoyed it, seeing as its vacation and I don’t have to go to school. 2. Well, there wasn’t anything new or spectacular about the city, however on the same day it was my parent’s anniversary, my girlfriend’s birthday and it was also our anniversary. This day will be a memory which will remain with me forever. 3. Yes I went with my girlfriend, my family and some other family friends. 4. I got some bracelets for my girlfriend. J 5. Well right now I don’t know where I want to go to but I think that it’s good to explore different places and relax; after all we all deserve a vacation.
Andra, Y11 1. Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. 2. Everybody rode a lot of bicycles, they were all very eco-friendly really, and blonde... 3. Cora and her mom actually. 4. Well we bought a lot of stuff specific to all those countries and we also have a lot of pictures, but the most memorable souvenir is having visited those places. 5. New York, definitely try some “special" things out there for sure. *wink wink *nudge nudge. But yea, definitely NYC since there really is nothing out there that can really compare to America.
Alexandra, Y13 1. Vama Veche to celebrate ending exams, the Greek island of Sifnos, a few weekends at Mamaia and one weekend in Paris. 2. For Greece, the fact that on that island there was no police, since there was no need for them and all the institutions worked on a family basis - everyone was a brother or a close friend really. Then the harbour at Kastro, as the city of Kastro was on a hill and it was all formed of stairs. While in Paris, it would be eating oysters and fois gras, as well as the best souffle of grand marnier, oh and the shopping! For the seaside in Romania, it’s just wild so I acted like a real teenager. 3. With my family and some family friends to Greece, then to Paris with just my family, then at the seaside with my friends. 4. This stone from Greece, and many earrings, which I don’t usually wear, but I wanted to wear them this summer. 5. Well I have already seen most of Europe, so I really, really, really want to see more of Asia. I definitely want to go to Japan because I have been interested in Japan since I was a little girl, but I would want to see other parts of Asia too. By Denisa C, Year 11
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What if Summer Weren’t over? As if we were not all back from vacation and our minds were still far away from anything to do with school or academics, this article will be dedicated to everything that defines summer. Most of us spent our summer either by enjoying ourselves at the beach, getting tanned and having ‘deep’ and ‘meaningful’ conversations, however those are probably the most predictable summers. What about summer vacations which are spontaneous and out of the ordinary; however we are going to look at some examples that anyone could do, after all you’ve already had your summer vacation … but what if summer weren’t over and you would have a longer holiday?
Celebrate every possible day You may not have thought about it but every year there is a day allocated to celebrate the weirdest things you could think of. Here is a short list for the wacky days during July 1st of July – Canada day 3rd of July – Compliment your mirror day 5th of July – Work-a-holics day 7th of July – Chocolate day 9th of July – National sugar cookie day 11th of July – Cheer up the lonely Day 13th of July – Embrace your Geekness day 15th of July – National Ice cream day 17th of July – Yellow Pig day 19th of July – National Raspberry cake day 21st of July – National Junk food day 23rd of July – National Hot dog day 25th of July – Culinarians day 27th of July – Take your pants for a walk day 29th of July – National Lasagna day 31st of July – Mutt’s Day
2nd of July – I forgot Day 4th of July – Sidewalk egg frying day th 6 of July – National Fried Chicken day 8th of July – Video games day th 10 of July – Teddy bear picnic day 12th of July – Different eye colour day 14th of July – Pandemonium day 16th of July – No holiday 18th of July – National Caviar day 20th of July – Moon day 22nd of July – Hammock day 24rd of July – Cousins day 26th of July – All or Nothing day 28th of July – National milk Chocolate day 30th of July – National Cheese-cake day
Now after all that delicious cheese cake, refreshing ice cream and scrumptious Raspberry cake, it is time to experience a whole different culture. Now you could go someplace nice where at night you can lay near the sea and hear the waves crashing against the coastline or you might as well go to the mountains where you let the rays of the setting sun bathe you and amaze you with its vibrant colours. What about people which wouldn’t be happy with just that, people which search for odd locations?
Go to your dream summer vacation location Paris, London, Frankfurt or even home, in the end it is all about what you enjoy and what you want to do. Be it hanging out with your friends, enjoying a refreshing lemonade on a scorching summers day, there are endless possibilities, and it all boils down to what you want to do.
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1. Visit Scottsboro, Alabama Have you ever wondered what would happen to your luggage if you lost it and the airline company responsible wouldn’t find it in approximately 90 days? Well in the U.S. there is an Unclaimed Baggage Centre (UBC) which is approximately a 3700m² retail store. That’s right! Apparently if your baggage goes unclaimed for 90 days it is sent off to Scottsboro, Alabama where the guys over at UBC buy the luggage, and then sell it to other people. Now I guess if you’re the kind of person that likes second hand shops this would be like a stranger and more immoral version of one, and apparently there are people in America which make this journey to either see if their luggage somehow ended up there, or people which want to buy other peoples stuff for possibly cheaper prices. To be honest this is above and beyond my understanding, but at least the owners made a profitable business out of the failure of flight companies to find the owner of a piece of luggage.
2. Travel back to the past Now if you love history and old architecture Alberobello(which means beautiful tree), Italy is the place for you! Even at first glance one can feel the rustic vibe which the city emmits. The city is said to have been around from at least the 14th century. It’s population racks in at just 11,000, which means that if you set this location as your destination you can be more than sure that you will get some peace and quiet. Alberobello boasts unique arcitechture which consists in their trulli, buildings made of limestone with cone-shaped roofs. The method of building was different, they used interlocking stones without use of mortar, so that the houses can then be changed easily. Alberobello has been recognized as an UNESCO world heritage site since 1996. about 1,600 structures which were built in that style still exist today.
3. Swim with dolphins Now if you love the sea and want a beautiful place to go scubadiving or swimming Fagatele Bay is the place for you. Located 5000 miles away from US mainland Fagatele Bay has 163 acres of nothing but beauty, containing parrot fish, octopus, sharks, dolphins, whales and sea turtles. Fagatele bay is cradled in an eroded volcano crater on the southwest corner of Tutuila Island. Among all the species of fish there is also a coral reef ecosystem which is home to even more species of plants and fish. By Sebastian, Year 12
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London Trip 2012 London 2012 – IBSB Check out the Sights Before the Olympics 13 students and two staff spent a fun-filled, if tiring, week in London exploring the museums, art galleries, shops and theatres. Some of the students have written about their week. The trip was awesome, it was a great experience, we went to the theatres, museums, etc. I would like to thank Dr Allen and Mr Lowey for taking care, organising, and taking us there. They were very nice and kind to us. The hotel was nice, the rooms were clean and everyone was happy. I loved the trip! We went to visit the London Eye, we saw the Buckingham Palace and the changing of the guards at Horse Guards Parade and lots of others wonders of London. David, Year 8
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London Trip (continued) I really feel like the trip to London bonded our class making us closet than we ever were. We had a lot of fun seeing shows, visiting the Chelsea stadium and singing on the streets. It was very interesting to stand on the GMT line and visit the Tate Modern museum. The trip was a great and valuable experience and we thank Dr Allen and Mr Lowey for their great effort to make the week pleasurable and memorable! Flavia, Year 9 On the 17 of June, Year 7 and Year 8 went to London for 6 days. We had great fun, visiting loads of monuments, theatres and doing some shopping. It was a unique experience for all of us, because even though I’m sure all of us will return to the wonderful city of London, we won’t go with the exact same people. Even though we were homesick, and couldn’t wait to go home on Friday, we were sad for leaving the town. Maria, Year 9
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STUDENTS’ VIEWS Autumn Exam Sessions! Exams: that one little word literally freaks me out - more than spiders, more than horror movies, more than anything for that matter. That one little word will probably traumatize me for the rest of my life. That one little word which has the power to trigger an avalanche of feelings you never even knew you had hanging over you! And just when you think it is safe to go back onto the educational ski slope… I am writing this “Gearing up for the Autumn Exam Session” article on my way from the mountains, where I have spent a week in a wooden cottage (ok, it’s a villa, but you get the atmosphere), attempting to study something for my Sociology exam. The truth is, the autumn session is not the summer session. You don’t have an entire year to prepare, you don’t have time to have fun group study sessions, and you don’t have time to read the entire Communist Manifesto (who makes a 154 page introduction, seriously now?!). The autumn session is probably as intense as studying in high school will ever get, simply because you randomly show up in September and realize “ah, I think I am taking an exam in a month, and I have forgotten absolutely everything I did last year”. Yet it could be worse, you may think: “I never did this subject before, but I will take the exam in 5 weeks, simply because I can”. Both of these situations are highly probable to occur at IBSB, and have occurred many times. You find yourself in that position where you look in the mirror, accept the fact that the school ranking depends on what you do in 5 week’s time – and start studying like you have never studied before. The only problem is that you find yourself in week 3, when theoretically you should already be doing past papers, and realize that you are not as prepared as you had hoped, to say this as diplomatically as possible. That is when it gets fun! You start to question yourself, your capabilities, your dedication etc. You consider giving up…and then you pull yourself together. You switch off your phone, you take out your book, your highlighters – and you study. What grade you get depends on what you do now. You reach that point where all that matters is time, and what you do with it. You become paranoid with how much you are sleeping, how long it takes to eat, how many minutes you spend on Facebook – you discover a new dimension of yourself, and you wonder where this paranoia was last summer? The autumn session is not the summer session, because it doesn’t have the time to be. You go home, you crack papers at an incredible rate, you come back to school, Ms Crane gives you the “it will be fine speech”, and you walk in the exam room, hoping for the best. And when you walk out, it’s over. All that is left to do is wait…wait for the results. Gearing up for the autumn session is not just preparing for a couple of exams, it is a test of who you are and of your mental state, a test of how much you can handle and how much you are willing to sacrifice for that “A” that for so many others would not matter. All I can say to those preparing for exams is ‘Don’t panic!’, remember it will be over soon and, of course, good luck! By Catrinel , Year 12
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Feature Student: Petru, Year 9 I am writing this article to explain the wonderful achievements of one phenomenal student at sailing. He has traveled across Europe to display his exemplary capabilities at sailing. He has won 5 competitions and participated in many others. He has even attracted the attention of ‘Gazeta Sporturilor’ which is a well known sports newspaper. We are talking about none other than Petru, Year 9, who has recently joined our senior school. This year’s particular competition was held in the Alexandroupolis which is a coastal city and a very essential part of Greek commerce. Nowadays the beautiful scenery is home to about 65,000 people, and now also home to several sailing clubs and competitions. The weather there is not quite ideal for sailing, but even against these odds Petru has triumphed. During this competition all the boats were the same and each competitor was sailing solo. I will now interview him for more details: Seb: Right let’s cut to the chase, you have won, not one, not two, but 5 competitions! How do you do it? Petru: Well, I have been sailing for two years and I have been training in Italy, Greece and Romania (of course). In Romania I have been sailing on the Herastrau Lake and in Constanta on the Black sea. Seb: What is your favourite location so far? Petru: Lake Garda, Italy, because of the perfect constant wind conditions. They actually have a timetable for when the wind will blow, and it is always the same. Seb: What have you gained from this experience? Petru: I have gained a lot of skills, mainly improving my courage, seeing as there are strong winds, and I have had the opportunity to not only see many countries, but also to interact with other people in the particular countries Seb: Have you learnt to speak other languages due to this experience? Petru: I haven’t learnt to speak the languages fluently; however I picked up on a few words and phrases, enough to get around. Sebastian: Do you want to practice this sport as a performance sport, or do you want to just do this as a hobby? Petru: I want to perform this sport, hopefully on an Olympic level. Sebastian: Have you ever thought about participating in team sailing? Petru: Well seeing as this consists of 4 people sailing together across small distances I think that this would be an … experience and this would definitely help me to learn a little more from other people about sailing. Seb: And lastly where would you, or where are you going sailing next? Petru: Well most of all I would like to go to the world champion ship at Lake Garda, Italy and coincidentally most of the big competitions are there and my next competition is also there. Seb: Thank you for this wonderful interview and I wish you luck and wind in your sails for all your future endeavors! Petru: Thank you very much! Petru is an example to us all, somebody who strives to achieve, strives to be the best but who maintains a spirit of competition in the right way. How can you follow Petru’s example? In what field do you aim to excel? By Sebastian , Year 12
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Work Experience 2012 The Work Experience programme aimed to provide work placements for students aged 14 to 18, from Key stage 4 and 5. The IBSB WE Programme provided work placements of one week in duration from 18-22 June for our students who have opted for a preferred area of interest. Each student completed an option list with a number of three choices and has been given equal opportunity to have access to our school work placement links. Students and companies involved in the programme both received an individual Work Experience Booklet and the IBSB Work Experience Guide for Employers which is based on the UK Department for Education and Skills document. We would like to thank the companies, the parents and the students for participating in the 2011-2012 IBSB Work Experience Programme.
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking”. – Steve Jobs, Stanford, June 2005.
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Work Experience 2012 “A lot of patients to take care of. I got to observe a lot of surgeries, which that was great. You also get to talk to patients as if you were a real doctor. Working hours depended on the different cases: sometimes, they were short, other times we had long surgeries which took up to 12 hours of our time.” Alex, Year 12 Fundeni Hospital.
“ Working at the National Bank was an incredible experience, it was more than simply working, but a seminar on the Romanian and European economy as a whole. The time spent there definitely made me consider the study of Economis at University level”. Catrinel , Year 12, National Bank and BPV Grigorescu Stefanica.
“ For two months and a half I worked for Elle Magazine Romania, it was quite an experience-to say the least. I was fortunate enough to get a glimpse of the fasion industry, I worked with and talked to photographers, stylists, designers, show room managers and PR representatives. Overall, it was a life changing experience”. Maria , Year 13, Elle Magazine
“ My name is Felix , Year 13 and during the summer I worked in a Telesales department in a multinational company called La Fntana. It was a very enjoyable experience which taught me many things about business operations and most importantly, how to sell”. My name is Ana, Year 12, and I worked this summer at La Fantana where I got an appropriate training and also improved my team working skills and gained a larger understanding about business activity”. Felix and Ana , Year 13, La Fantana. Do not hesitate to propose companies to liasie to our programme this school year. All students from KS 4 and 5 are invited to participate in the programme, (24-28 June By Ms Diana Lia
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One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest A rookie’s work experience in a mental hospital As the final days of this summer’s vacation started passing slowly, I decided I might as well invest the time into something more memorable. After reviewing and contacting various places to volunteer for I came across the Alexandru Obregia hospital, which despite not showing any sign of an available internship or volunteering program appealed to me out of my personal interest for psychology. A useful phone call later, I had the names of the main psychiatrists on a sticky note, ready to be contacted personally. The next day I decided to show up, and got the chance to talk to the head of the first department. She was quite surprised to see a high school student in a mental institution, as I waited in line to talk to her, just like any other patient. After giving a brief account of my situation and ambitions, she checked with her colleagues and told me she had one more place left for me and I could start on the Monday. As soon as the week started I got ready and left with my mind set on what exactly I should expect, visualizing screaming patients over cigarettes. And that did have some degree of truth in it. As I walked through the white hallways of a building that was meant to keep what’s sick inside and the rest out, the smell of tobacco crept into my nose recurrently. It didn’t exactly come over as sanitary, but this was the admissions office, people wandered everywhere. The members of staff, on the other hand, were welcoming and eager to have a young mind around. I was put in a group with 4 other interns, all in their third year of university. As I had signed up for volunteering, the doctor I was helping was not exactly sure what to expect, and told me I should listen and try to learn as much as possible from the consultations that were to follow. Among the patients was a long time alcoholic, who had signed up for treatment on her own initiative which, as I later heard from the interns, was something quite admirable for a woman of her age and background. Other cases included traumas caused by age or environment, as well as a few old women with delusions caused by the death of their spouses. By the end of the day, I had a vague idea of how to approach and talk to the patients, as well as asking questions that might lead to valuable answers. I had met patients with problems that they couldn’t deal with appropriately. As the first week passed, I got to check on the patients in recovery as well as their medical history myself, having created a routine schedule of questions that would help me understand the opinions they had in addition to their feedback in a medically relevant way. I was given a little notebook for details or developments worth mentioning as well as a lab coat for authority, which turned out to drastically improve the quality of the answers the patients gave me. However, in a turn of events, during my second week, I heard cries from the upper floor, which, I might add, was locked due to the severity of the disorders the women suffered from. (The section I worked in was female patients only) The response my superior gave me as to why that was happening was nothing more than a tired shrug. So I decided to take a look myself, and to my own amazement the nurses let me in. I opened the door expecting a quarrel, but found a schizophrenic woman tied to the bed with leather belts. For the first time, I decided I could test the skills I had learned over the past days in a more desperate setting. Extensive monologues with a rather vulgar and delusional content followed. Eventually, I was able to calm the patient down and managed to get her untied by the nurses. My resolution as well as my target had changed: I was determined to get that patient out of that austere room. Throughout my next week, I kept a detailed record of the conversations I had with her, in an attempt to acquire some positive feedback. Yet again, I was surprised that simply by giving her medical attention of almost any kind, her symptoms would be ameliorated. The following Monday, school started so I ended my volunteering, but was glad to have learned many lessons, and to have achieved my targets completely! By Daniel, Year 13
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Columbia University Summer Programme There is nothing more exhilarating than the thought of spending three weeks in the city that never sleeps – New York, USA. More so, spending those three weeks alone, at one of the best American universities, Columbia, and studying – theoretically – the subject you could pursue at university or throughout your life. That pretty much sums up what I did this summer: taking daily classes in Trial Advocacy as a resident student at Columbia’s High School Program. Writing an article on Columbia proved to be all but impossible, however, simply because there were so many aspects to those three weeks, all of which brought about so many unforgettable experiences. I think it’s best to be honest, and start with the basic facts: it was fun. Ok, as we’re keeping it honest, those three weeks were probably the most exciting, fun, nerve-raking, exciting weeks I have experienced – ever. You are surrounded by people your own age, from all over the world, all very ambitious, intelligent and curious. Simply talking became an experience, and it seems as though you are constantly learning, whether in class or on the campus. Columbia was my first experience of the college life, and you really do have the “campus experience” in its purest form, complete with 2m rooms and the traditional American college uniform of “short shorts and t-shirts”. The best thing about it was that you not only lived in New York like a Columbia student, but you lived in New York like a New Yorker. That’s another thing. All those places you visit with your parents are nothing compared to what you see when you are alone, or with people you just met. You have a completely different perspective of the City, rather than it being a major tourist attraction, it becomes an urban extravaganza with a very diverse underground scene. But that’s enough about the lifestyle; the most important aspect is, of course, the course. The thing with Universities is that, when all is said and done, it’s not necessarily the facilities or the city that are vital in making you enjoy college life, it’s the course. What is shocking is how close I was to applying for a subject in two year’s time that I now realise would simply not have been the best choice for me. I initially thought that Law was what I should study in the future because of my love for Debating and subjects related to the study of the legal system. The truth is, the study of Law – let alone pursuing law as a career – is a very difficult task. While at school you may think that because you have the necessary grades, it should be enough to get into the best further education institutions; but at Columbia, I faced the reality that grades may simply not be enough. You have to be truly passionate about what you want to study. I think that was the problem I faced. I was surrounded by students that probably did not have the grades I had, yet they had a passion for Trial Advocacy which I had discovered. It is because of this that I think enrolling to the Columbia High School Program was one of the best decisions I ever made. University places are not unlimited and competition is getting tougher and tougher, yet when you are in such an educationally-intensive environment, you have the chance to catch a glimpse of what awaits; whether it is the application process or the University life – it is all an ongoing challenge, a challenge which you should be prepared for. Despite how hard it seemed at times to cope – the course was after all a Law School course – I definitely recommend the experience. As I have said at the beginning, you are constantly learning and living life the way you are going to live it at University. The only thing more important than choosing the right colleges to apply to is choosing the right course, and it is because of this that such programs are so valuable. Therefore, on a closing note, all I can say is that if you are considering applying to some of the best universities in the world, it is important to have a heads up on what to expect – and for me, there was no better way to this first-hand than participating in the Columbia High School program. By Catrinel , Year 12
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Three Weeks with Sharon Stone Whenever an international star happens to land in Romania (or any other country for that matter) the media channels enter a sort of craze, a fixation, their lives suddenly catch a different taint of importance and they find themselves absorbed by every useless detail: “What did they eat” “What face cream does she use?” “Do they have 5 bodyguards or 10?” If you watch the news, you will know that this is exactly what happened in August this summer, as Castel Film was shooting in Romania the movie “What About Love” casting Sharon Stone and Andy Garcia. With the help of a strange twist of fate, I had the opportunity to spend 3 weeks on that particular movie set as an assistant producer trainee, in the most epic work experience possible. Please don’t imagine anything glamorous, as the film industry revealed itself to me as much more demanding and harsh than most of us presume. The rule is: for every 12 hours of work, 12 hours break, 6 days a week. Those working hours could have started at any point, from 5 in the morning until 5 in the evening, or from 12 at night until 12 the next day. Consequently, most of our lives were concentrated around the movie set, rarely having the time to go out, and when that happened, it was still with colleagues from the set. As a Production Assistant Trainee (PA trainee) my job was to do the slave work that ensured the filming could go on: I moved chairs, brought ice, made coffee, blocked the road, etc., I even had a walkie-talkie! It was the first time I can actually say I have worked instead of simply witnessing people at work, and because of the extremely long work schedule, by the end of the three weeks I was exhausted. However, as exhausted as I was, it remained one of my most rewarding and challenging experiences yet. I felt that I had pushed tomy physical limits and learned a great deal of new things, especially about cinematography; and every time I felt I was of help, all the hours of hard work were repaid. Most importantly however, was meeting a great deal of interesting, independent people who thought beyond the stereotyped conceptions of my tender years, sharing with me concepts and ideas I was grateful to hear. With my new colleagues coming from very different backgrounds and Me and Andy Garcia in the last day of filming nationalities, I laughed with tears and talked philosophy, played football with tree cones, worked until morning, talked about new wave movies and cooked pizzas; it was a very wholesome experience with very wholesome people. However, I will now get to the point most of you probably want to hear about: how was it working with Sharon Stone and Andy Garcia? Though I saw them everyday constantly, we mortals were not quite allowed to talk to the immortals; however, I did bring Sharon Stone a glass of water once, and managed to have a small conversation with Andy. Moreover, my excitement escalated when I was chosen to help them during a scene: there was this telephone scene, and as it was pretty long, so they decided to have someone actually talk to the actors at the phone, as if it was a real conversation; as I had the most clear English, I was that person!
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Three Weeks with Sharon Stone Consequently, for half an hour I had a phone conversation with “Andy” and “Sharon”, and in my mind it simply did not matter that it was a fake one. One day Sharon Stone said “good morning” to a friend and I could not concentrate on anything else the next half hour. What is more, I befriended Andy Garcia’s best friend who joined him on set and was more open to crew members and, with his help, I not only obtained an autograph from Andy Garcia, but managed to stay much closer to the film set and had very interesting conversations as well as finding out some gossip from the backstage of The Godfather- Epic! However, the most in depth, personal and profound insight I gained was from Romanian actress Maia Morgenstern- not only did she treat all of us as respectful equals, but had the kindness to share with us her philosophy of acting and thoughts on the industry. It is almost impossible to summarize all these three weeks in one page, but I can say, if you ever get an opportunity like this, take it! It’s great, and you will find out things about yourself and others you might not have suspected. I will also give you a recommendation - watch the movie! It’s a bit cheesy, lots of crying but it will be a good movie. Hanging out in the pre-edit truck
On the film set
A Technological Dilemma think that we were born in one of the most difficult of times. True, we aren’t struggling with the bubonic plague, and we have only heard of endless wars and struggles with various haunting political figures. And while some fear the possibility of a Third World War, others altogether choose to ignore such suppositions. Supposedly we have it all. We have books –archives of them, giving us the privilege to document ourselves. We have technology, the internet, phones, smart pads. Such vast resources enable us to stay in touch with anybody and mostly everybody. Enabling us to get qualitative information for free or just with one click away via PayPal. All this information has been collected, stored, further collected and stored –and is so accessible. Mostly everything in terms of anything has already been reused, refurbished, translated, adapted and exhausted. So we have this great gift, we were born in an era of knowledge. What is the problem? Is there a problem? Should we see these possibilities that we were given as an opportunity to learn from the past and improve the future or see them as where all roads lead to, to an end? It all started with an intellectual curiosity, which then fueled generations ahead, electricity went from being a theory to what we now can see today. This fascination for technology evidently isn’t something new. However the amount of time that everybody now invests in it has increased due to the fact that it has become more accessible. As time passes, less people appreciate the work of our predecessors and value less the availability of the information. While older generations appreciate technology as they have seen it grow and they grew up in times where reading a book was the only way to learn anything, children who have grown up in the new millennium are experiencing life in a completely different manner. (continued on the next page)
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A Technological Dilemma Most youngsters pride themselves in the fact that they ‘dislike reading’, and that it is a waste of time. And although the internet has its benefits, by being able to share information and connect with people in a public limitless cloud, the risks have also doubled. Younger generations are more preoccupied with their games scores, owning the latest electronic gadgets and updating their profile on social networks. Children now absorb information they stumble upon on the internet, unable to discern between what is right and what is wrong. There are so many irresponsible and prejudiced opinions online, some of which can’t be identified as biased by somebody of such a fragile age. Although some games can be seen as enjoyable and educational to an extent, they should not be looked up to as something more important that one’s own life. We are starting to spend more time in this virtual “paradise” of social networking and gaming, and the sad part is that people forget that it’s not real. Getting through to the last level of a video game doesn’t pay the bills and it surely doesn’t make you progress in your life in the long run. Let us not lose the value of knowledge, the beauty of learning from something so palpable as a book, nor rely on social networks to communicate with somebody who lives in the same city, or even the same house, as we do. We have built so much across the centuries that should be understood and kept for generations to come. But the future can only be seen from the perspective of the one who views it. The world has shape shifted, we have come to rely on everything that is electronic, be it for personal use or for work purposes. Younger generations do not have the same preoccupations, and are happier receiving a video game than receiving a basketball or a chess set. And as a whole, the time we waste with all these technological resources has made our personal intellectual growth slow down -without some of us even realizing it. They say time is shrinking, but we’re the ones who are wasting it. That said, I am not a Luddite calling for a halt to progress. We need technology to function in today’s society. The situation is altogether irreversible, which may seem like a paradox given what I have said. But somewhere we need to find a balance, a new equilibrium, a happy middle ground between using technology and not becoming a slave to it, the perfect world where technology enhances rather than erodes away our quality of life. You are reading this is hard copy but this was typed and proof read in the virtual world. Perhaps here is a metaphor for the world I am calling for, with technology aiding intellectual stimulation, not putting it into a virtualized coma! By Maria, Year13
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University Life In Glasgow– Mara Ratoiu Most of you will probably remember Mara- glasses, short blond hairone of IBSB’s most recent graduates. Well, at the end of August, Mara fled the nest, in the attempt to become an independent “woman” - or more plainly put, she went to university. She threw a good-bye party at the end of August, we almost cried a little, and then she said farewell to the Bucharest heat to face cold and rainy Glasgow. As we are to be faced with this reality soon, I guess most year 13 students are interested in how university life is at its beginnings? How hard is it to adapt? Does it feel like a beginning or an ending? So with the help of Skype, I decided to interview Mara on her Scottish university experiences so far. AL: Mara, could you describe Glasgow in three words? MR: Cold, wet, windy AL: That’s so reassuring. What course did you choose and why? MR: I’m studying interior design, because it’s an amazing and awesomely cool course!!! AL: Was it hard to adapt to such a different lifestyle? MR: Its very different, people are extremely different, but coming from a British school makes it easier, as I am more used to the international environment. Plus, I like Scotland. AL: What is the view from your window? MR: Well, I see trees, everything really is green here, and another apartment building. AL: Name three favourite things. MR: Spicy sauce, concerts and friendly people. AL: What about three difficulties you have dealt with? MR: Stoplights here are so long you forget why you are standing there in the first place! And the green light lasts only like 10 seconds. Then, every time I go to the centre I get lost on the streets and end up walking even more. Finally, the wind always ruins my umbrella. AL: Now tell us about practical stuff, where do you cook, where do you wash, where do you shop, how do you spend your time? MR: Well we all share a kitchen, and I made some very yummy things like brochettes, but I also became a fan of the Chinese food there. About the laundry, I just take it to the Laundromat. Usually I spend my time at a friend’s house, or arguing with a roommate; there are also some pretty cool concerts and events here. AL: In conclusion, do you feel positive about this new stage in your life? MR: Definitely! It’s really exciting to do things on my own, and the course, city and the people I have met here make it all even more enjoyable. AL: Thank you for Skyping me. MR: No problem, I hope all is good back there in the heat of Bucharest! By Alexandra , Year 13
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Concerts Over this glorious summer our wonderful city has enjoyed two amazing concerts. One of the biggest bands of all time, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and one of the most unique artists ever, Lady Gaga, performed to an audience of over 40.000 people from all over the country and Europe. Piata Constitutiei during Lady Gaga’s concert.
Lady Gaga on stage dressed as a medieval queen, riding a horse, with her team of dancers. The artist, who in 2011 received 90 million dollars from album sales and concert recitals, started at 20:45, and intended to perform for two full hours. Things did not go according to plan however as she was forced to stop the concert because she fell sick on stage. The singer was rushed backstage where she vomited. She testified in front of fans present in Constitution Square that she was not feeling very well and had to stop the show. The next day, after the concert, Lady Gaga also visited the “Herastrau Park� for a whole morning where she met with her fans and whilst walking her dog Fuzzy, before heading to her next concert. Mr. Kingston is furious that he missed the show as he is a huge fan of Lady Gaga and has wanted to see her in concert for some years now. He is desperately hoping that she will return to Romania soon! The stage for the Red Hot Chili Peppers had a background of a medieval castle. The band Red Hot Chili Peppers made their first visit to Bucharest and gave an unforgettable performance in front of over 45,000 in the National Arena.
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Concerts Anthony Kiedis singing his heart out. They were quick to take to the stage and the concert was jammed packed full of energy and excitement. However, enjoyment of the concert depended to some extent on where you were in the stadium. In front of the stage the sound was impeccable, but elsewhere, members of the audience complained of an echo. At first the volume was also too loud but this was adjusted before long and, by the end, the sound quality was much better for all.
Visually, the concert was really impressive, with a spectacular light show in keeping with the band's signature image so wellknown from their famous videos. They opened the concert with "Monarchy of Roses" from the new album "I'm With You", and the repertoire included the hits "Dani California", "Cannot Stop", "Scar Tissue" "Under the Bridge", "Californication" and "By the Way", featuring solos on drums and bass and a thrilling guitar dual. A large banner, like the Romanian flag, with the words' “We’ve been waiting since '83" was walked through the audience and onto the stage. Before the encore, the members of the audience were made the stars, the stage screens showing the crowd cheering and jumping after band members returned to the stage. The first was Chad Smith, who looked horrified and put his hands to his ears because of the explosion of noise. The Peppers performed one last hit, "Give It Away" . Band member Flea then shouted that he was very happy to sing for the people of Bucharest and talked about the importance of music, be it jazz or rap, because of its unifying power, its ability to create one nation - "one people". And Chad threw his drum sticks into the crowd by way of a farewell before announcing, as he departed the stage that Romania was truly “amazing”. Thanks to bands like the Peppers and Lady Gaga, Bucharest is now well and truly on the music map and we can hopefully look forward to many more epic concerts into the future. Mr. Kingston wants Lady Gaga to return and would love to see David Bowie again. Who would you most like to see perform on stage in Bucharest? By Blanca, Year 11
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The future in education
Preparing the children of today to face the challenges of tomorrow
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