Boarding newsletter half term term 1 2014 by The Regent's International School Bangkok

Regent’S bOARDINg NEWSLETTER

Term 1 october 2014

In this issue...

Welcome

MR KIRK WADSWORTH HEAD OF BOARDING kirk.wadsworth@regents.ac.th BOARDING LIFE

FUN AND GAMES Dear Parents, At a conference that I attended recently, one of the keynote speakers was discussing resilience and how this was perhaps the single most important character trait that boarding schools should be developing, in preparing our charges for the outside world. It was during the same presentation that I was introduced to the term “Snow plough parents”. It seems this phrase is used to describe parents who clear the path for their children through life, and in so doing, inadvertently prevent their children from experiences that inevitably develop resolve, grit, self-reliance and character.

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also don’t miss out on :

SPORTS

gap staff • boys boarding • Boarding across continents • a day on the green • water sports • splashdown • service projects • fitness in boarding • freetime activities •

In my opinion, good boarding communities take a slightly different approach to the snow ploughers. Completely aware that exposure to adversity is no bad thing, we encourage and support our boarders through a range of challenging situations and in the process find hidden strengths and the realisation, of course, that we are all capable of much more than we initially think.

All of this makes me realise that boarding really does make you stronger, and in so many ways. It is not easy, but the things that we value in life are not easy to come by either. Sometimes we fail, but through accepting failure as part and parcel of character development and long term success, we grow stronger, more resilient and ultimately more aware of our abilities. Our boarding community is stronger than it has ever been and our boarders are destined for an exciting (and challenging) year ahead. Through our fortnightly articles in the Primary and Secondary Newsletters and our own Newsletter published each half-term, we intend to keep you updated on our progress.

Mr Kirk Wadsworth Head of Boarding

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Boarding Life

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Boarding life

Boarders Tie Ties

Tying a tie is not as easy as it seems, as many of our new boarders recently discovered when Mr Wadsworth, Head of Boarding, gave an in-depth hands on demonstration on the art of tying the knot.

The first attempts can be described as messy or tangled, but the boarders soon caught onto the art, and now the ties of the boarding house can only be described as immaculate!

Ice Breaker Games Bring our Boarders Together

Our friendly GAP staff have recently begun playing a variety of ‘ice-breaker games’ to encourage boarders to interact with one another, especially with those whom they might not normally integrate with. The ´Hub´, which is underneath the Boys’ Boarding house, hosts these games, and it has been a great success in getting students out of their comfort zones. “I have seen more and more boarders come to the Hub to see what is going on, and join in,” said Guy of the GAP staff, “and they always end up having a lot of fun.” These games are tightening the bonds of our boarders, and encourage the development of leadership.

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Boarding Life

From Students to Staff – the life of a new GAP The aim of coming on a GAP year was to improve ourselves, and to change our perspectives on the world by doing something that is completely new. None of us had a clue of what our life at Regent’s Bangkok would hold, until we finally arrived here in August. “This whole experience was like a jump into cold water” said Patrick, fellow GAP from Germany. Our first weeks had two different sides. On the one hand, we had to delve into our new roles as teaching and boarding staff, as well as switching from student to an official member of staff during one plane ride. But the familiar and friendly atmosphere both in school and in Boarding helped all of us very much to acclimatise with our new surroundings, jobs and challenges we have faced. It is great to see how the students are teaching each other their mother languages, or how they tell stories to one another of their homelands traditions, cuisine or landscapes. This has really helped us as GAPS to feel as though we aren’t away from home. We have already gained so many new experiences and impressions. We have got to know so many interesting characters and we have great expectations for the months to come. We are looking forward to an exciting year with you all, filled with fun, adventure, laughter, hard work and personal developments!

Boys’ Boarding We have passed through the usual busy start of term and year, and now our boarding community is settling nicely into enjoying the great experiences, and fun activities ahead, creating a deep and strong bonds within the house. Our small and intimate boarding community, enjoys quality time together which has been great for both parties, and for bringing relations closer. Our boys have settled in smoothly, especially those who are new to our community. This year, we have created the “BIG 3” aims which include; establishing our Round Square identity, reaching our academic potential and improving our relationship with our neighbouring boarding schools. Everyone is working very hard to help our boarders to fulfil the Round Square way of life. Students and staff of the boys’ house have engaged in service projects, fundraising initiatives, international awareness, leadership roles at boarding and at school. With academic performance, our staff play an important role in supporting each boy in our care academically, as well as providing efficiency to facilitate their needs. For example, the IB students are now able to work with academic staff during prep times. Even though they perform their studies in their own rooms, the staff will circulate the boarding quarters just as they do the prep room. And finally to our boarding counterparts in other areas of Bangkok. A recent social event with Bromsgrove International School was a great success and saw boarders from both schools come together to play games and socialise. Next half-term we will visit Harrow to participate in team building games, dinner and a friendly football match which our boys are eager to take part in (and win). This first part of the academic year has been successful and we hold great promise and expectations for the next term. We cannot wait to see what the future holds for the boarding house and its boarders.

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Boarding Life

Boarding Across the Continents The staff and students at the Regent’s Boarding house create an intricate and diverse mix of people spreading across a total of 4 continents: Here are four profiles of students and staff that help to make our boarding house so MULTICULTURAL: Name: Lindy Joubert Age: 19 - GAP staff Continent and Country: Africa – South Africa What do you miss most about South Africa? I miss having a braai (barbeque) in the bush (the Game Park) with all my friends around and listening to the sound of the night. What do you like most about living in Thailand? I love the hustle and bustle and the fact that there is always something to do here, exotic places to visit and new things to see. How long have you been at Regent’s International School? 9 months. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of South Africa? The Kruger National Park and wild animals. What advice would you give to people coming to Thailand? Have an open mind and be willing to try new things, you never know what you might be missing out on.

Name: Henry Age: 15 Continent and Country: Asia – China What do you miss most about China? The Chinese food and my friends. What do you like most about boarding in Thailand? Being able to have my new friends around me all the time. How long have you been at Regent’s International School? One month, I arrived at the beginning of the year. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of China? Chinese Dumplings. What advice would you give to people coming to Thailand? Thailand is very hot, and the food is very spicy so watch out!

Name: Meeri Age: 17 Continent and Country: Europe – Estonia What do you miss most about Estonia? Definitely the food! We have these delicious pastries that have jam inside and chocolate outside, and inside is this delicious cheese, that you can’t find anywhere else other than in Europe. What do you like most about boarding in Thailand? The weather, and not having to wear winter clothing. How long have you been at Regent’s International School? 1 year and 1 term. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Estonia? Snow and being cold! What advice would you give to people coming to Thailand? Always smile! If you smile, the people will smile back and make sure you have an open mind about the culture and the Thai way of life.

Name: Yalani Age: 17 Continent and Country: Australia What do you miss most about Australia? I definitely miss all my friends and family. What do you like most about boarding in Thailand? Everyone is really friendly, even the locals are always kind to us. I also really like the routine and having a schedule for my studying. How long have you been at Regent’s International School? 2 months – I started this year. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Australia? The way it is so isolated on the map. What advice would you give to people coming to Thailand? Make sure you’re staying somewhere with good airconditioning.

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Boarding Life

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Wednesday Nights are full of Fun and Games

…And during the Wednesday night activitIES everybody gives 120% for ThEIR team…

Every Wednesday evening the students anticipate dinner with a little more excitement than on other weekdays. As the students file into the dining hall, they are separated into eight teams, which have been assigned by staff. Once all members of their teams have arrived, they are allowed to dish up some delicious dinner and then the real fun begins! The evening starts off with some world news, read to us by our very own newsreaders, Guy and Lindy of the Gap staff. This ensures that students remain aware of the current affair topics happening around them. A short video is played, that can vary

anywhere between incredibly comical to inspiring and motivational or thought provoking. Finally the highlight of the evening begins – the games! A variety of games have been played over this term including celebrity heads, naming snippets of songs, recognising famous monuments or flags. The results are recorded on our highly competitive scoreboard and the winning team by the end of the term wins a special prize! The games always leave boarders walking into prep with a little more bounce and excitement than usual.

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Boarding Life

LIVING WITH THE LADIES

By mrs kerri wadsworth, head of girls’ boarding I was excited about beginning the new academic year for many reasons and as expected, this term is already living up to expectations. Our returning boarders have come back positive, enthusiastic and with energy and determination to make the most of every opportunity. We are delighted with our refurbished boarding house; the results are fantastic and have transformed the ambience of the house. It certainly makes you feel valued and motivated when you live in an environment that is first class. We are indebted to the support staff that worked tirelessly during the summer to ensure the rooms were completed on time.

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A Day on the Green

This year we have welcomed new boarders from Bhutan, Australia, South Korea, China and Thailand and their personalities are already shining through. They are all delightful and have settled better than I could ever have hoped for. The inevitable homesickness has played its part for some of the boarders both new and old, however, boarding house life does not tend to allow you to dwell on things too much and whilst you never stop missing home and thinking of loved ones, you do become accustomed to it and learn to manage it positively. Despite the constant academic demands of a school such as ours, we are embracing ‘everything’! I am proud of the fact that even when activities are optional, the attendance from the girls is always high, and they are selfless when it comes to committing their time to others. With such a variety of activities on offer, the girls are able to reap the rewards of service initiatives, cultural trips and adventurous activities and still find some time for themselves with a bit of retail therapy and relaxation when they hit the malls. Some of the girls are now regulars at the Thailand Cultural Centre having been to see an Opera, a Ballet and ABBA! It is amazing to have these affordable opportunities on our doorstep. I love our new Monday night tea and biscuit initiative almost as much as the girls! Attendance is high as the girls find time to discuss their homework woes, the latest movie or funniest moment of the week. It brings home what a special place boarding houses are, and brings out all manner of emotions; sometimes tears, sometimes laughter – often both. Adolescent years are a challenging period in many aspects for these girls and having a supportive environment that allows for open dialogue, mutual respect and compassion is essential, especially when you are living in a foreign country a long way from home. A cup of tea shared with friends is often all it takes to put a smile on back on the girls’ faces. These articles are always a great opportunity to reflect and as I mull over life in our boarding house I am really proud of everything that we do; how we integrate and care for each other, how we seize opportunities to develop academically, morally and physically, our standards of behaviour… the list is endless. We embrace a culture of work hard and play hard and we have fun. I invite anyone to come and visit and meet these wonderful girls and I challenge you not to leave wanting to return.

After an excellent start to the term, the boarders were welcomed back to Regents with a day at the polo green. However, unlike your local polo club, this green consisted of fewer hooves and more trunks! The 2014 King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament was a grand day filled with plenty of trunk to trunk action, and rare close encounters with natures giants. The event raised over $US 750 000 last year and this money is being spent on promoting awareness of the mistreatment of elephants and also the establishment of numerous projects that aim to better the lives of Thailand’s elephant population. The boarders spent the afternoon, watching elephants play polo, eating and drinking complimentary foods, soaking in the sun, playing games and getting the rare experience to meet and touch over 50 beautiful elephants. For many boarders this was the first time they had come in such close proximity to these huge animals; and the smiles on their faces were evidence of their excitement.

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boarders take to the water

The boarding house has recently taken a splash into a variety of water sports, including canoeing, kayaking and sailing. The activities encourage boarders to get out of their comfort zones and try some new sports that involve them getting wet, no matter how hard they try to avoid falling in or capsizing. Miriam, GAP staff member, said that the highlight was “watching as everyone wobbled about in the kayaks, with some of them capsizing, and everyone else erupting into laughter.” Although the boarders may have avoided the water at first, they were soon splashing around gladly, and left the park with some good stories and wet clothes!

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GAPS Take the Splash Test

The boarders are not the only ones enjoying a wide range of activities on weekends. The GAP’s were treated to a day off together and bounced into the “Splashdown” waterpark in Pattaya. The park features a range of inflatable water obstacles designed to keep you bouncing, rebounding, falling and splashing all day long. The 6 Big Red Balls proved to be a highlight, and the Gaps displayed a good range of falling and tumbling techniques! It was a memorable day for all, and the sound of silence on the way back to Bangkok was a sure sign of tired eyes and a great day out.

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Girl Boarders are Dancing Queens

ABBA’s hits including; Dancing Queen, Super Trooper and Mamma Mia. Akari’s favourite song was Dancing Queen, however a highlight for Annaliis was “the crazy, shimmering costumes that all of them wore.” The girls were singing and dancing the whole way home, giving the tribute band a run for their money.

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An evening at the Ballet

As part of Bangkok’s 16th International Dance and Music Festival, the Thailand Cultural Centre held a magnificent rendition of Snow White performed by the Ballet Preljocaj, flown in all the way from France. Five members of the girls’ boarding house were fortunate enough to attend the beautiful production. Every moment was stunning and the girls watched in awe as the 26 dancers performed, with costumes designed by Jean Paul Gautier. As the show came to

On the 30th September, as part of the International Festival of Dance and Music, four of the female boarders went and danced away to the official Abba Tribute Band. The concert presented an array of spectacular performances, costumes and set changes, the tribute band from Sweden also performed all of

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a close, the girls enjoyed coffee while discussing the sheer talent of the dancers. “The dancers were so talented and the dancing was beautiful and smooth” said Meeri from Year 11. The 17th International Dance and Music Festival will most certainly be attended by the Boarding house in 2015, and is an event to look forward to.

Wakeboard Boarders

On one fine Saturday morning a group of adventurous and daring boarders set off to the Bangkok wakeboarding centre. Unlike real surfing, wakeboarding doesn’t actually require waves, which you are very unlikely to find in Bangkok anyway! Instead you have to hold onto a rope, which then pulls you across a lake at fast speeds, which is also often the reason for funny falls and face plants. It was tremendous fun for everybody, which was proved by the boarders’ joyful squeals and shouts. Due to the fact that wakeboarding is very difficult, many boarders chose to kneeboard instead, whilst they dashed across the lake. Nevertheless, most boarders went swimming throughout the ride, whether they wanted to or not! Many of the girls definately pushed themselves out of their comfort zones during this activity in true Round Square spirit.

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Taking on Toddlers Once a month, boarders spend a Saturday conducting ‘Service’ as part of our commitment to our Round Square IDEALS. We visit many of the projects supported by the Regent’s School but thought that it would be great for the boarding community to have links with a project of our own. Passionate about creating safe and caring environments for young children, I rather biasedly did some research into volunteer opportunities available and decided that the The Friends for All Children (FFAC) Foundation’s residential home in Bangkok looked like an excellent project for us to become involved in. After making contact with Saovanee Nilavongse, the Director, I arranged a preliminary visit. Saovanee proved to be an inspirational lady who has dedicated her life to caring for children that have ended up in her home, and her small team of helpers could not have been more welcoming. The foundation is a non-profit, non-sectarian organisation dedicated to the welfare of Thai children, and their pledge to the children ‘We shall never desert you as orphans or for being poor’ speaks for itself. The home is very modest building that Saovanee rents with just enough space to meet the essential requirements for up to ten children. Saovanee takes in the children until they are about three years old when an adoptive family can be found or they can be returned to their homes if family difficulties have been remedied.

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S for Service

Last weekend saw the first student visit to the home and most of the boarders that went were overwhelmed by the experience. We have already started to learn the names of some of the children and I am confident that we are already having a positive impact on the lives of these children. With children as young as one month old living in the home, it certainly brings home just how fortunate we all are and makes us grateful for our privileged lives. In the future, in addition to our visits, we plan to take the children out on day trips and bring them to visit the school. Saovanee was delighted when I mentioned we have access to a swimming pool and she promptly showed me photos of their alternative – a plastic bowl! We will also do our own fundraising activities to raise essential funds for the foundation. Mother Teresa once said that ‘The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved’. Whilst these children are not lonely or unloved, they are unlikely to get the attention in their early lives that they deserve. The home welcomes anyone that wants to spend a couple of hours playing and cuddling the children during certain periods of the day, so if you would like to get involved please speak to any of the boarders to find out about the experience, or get in touch with either myself or Saovanee directly (http://www.ffacfoundation.org). We strive to develop a range of character traits in our boarders and our service days prove to be some of the most successful initiatives.

As you may already know, the Round Square IDEALS, ‘S’ stands for service. In recognition of this, on the 27th September the boarding house hosted a service day where the children from the neighbourhood were invited to the boarding house to swim and make some Halloween crafts. The children were divided into two groups, which were led by our boarders and staff, and rotated between the two activities. The swimming session was a highlight for the children, and it was a lovely experience to watch them play so happily in the water. The Thai boarders and staff helped to translate between the children and the boarders, and with their help, the language barrier was eradicated. All in all, both the children and the boarders had a joyful and rewarding day.

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Sports

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The Girls Get Physical

The boarders get fit The Regent’s Boarding Community, boasts two gyms (one in each house), a swimming pool, a basketball court and a football field which the boarders have been using to their advantage to get fit and healthy. The girls’ house particularly enjoys playing fitness videos including Zumba, Yoga, Pilates and Tae Bo, which with the use of the boarding projector and speakers, turns the gym into a hive of activity. Mrs Wadsworth always tries to be a regular member of the groups and often drags some of the work stressed girls with her - who whilst not appreciative at the time are afterwards! The houses have recently invested in new gym equipment including dumb bells, a boxing bag, and yoga mats which have encouraged our energetic boarders to go even further with the workout goals. The pool is also used almost every evening as a workout and relaxation tool, and now our running champions, thanks to GAP staff support, can be found running to school and running laps around the boarding premises.

The Zumba fad may have run its course but the girl’s boarding house is officially bringing it back. Every other afternoon, especially Wednesday nights, you can hear the energetic South American tunes run through the boarding house. During Wednesday night activities the girls put on their joggers and workout to Zumba’s energetic routines for an hour before heading back to the books.

“It’s a really fun workout – we don’t really like football or basketball but we still want to exercise, so this option is great for those who don’t like kicking a ball around” said the Zumba girls. Held in our own fitness room, and run by our GAP staff, this activity gets everyone grooving and moving, keeping the girls active and healthy.

Splashing around! The pool at The Boarding House presents many great opportunities to the boarders, and plays a large part in their day to day life. Boarders can be found swimming laps, playing water polo or simply splashing about with their friends.

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The Ultimate, Ultimate Frisbee Team

Boarding Basketball The boarders and staff battled it out on the 26th October in an epic battle of Ultimate Frisbee that included very muddy fields and consequently very muddy legs. It was our first training session in preparation for the anticipated Staff Vs Boarders match. The friendly but undeniably competitive game, led to a handful of hilarious collisions and intense dives, which resulted in some very dirty players. Both teams, however, came out with massive smiles on their faces and energised boarders for the long weekend ahead.

Among the many sports that are available at Regents, Basketball remains as one of our most popular and successful. We have a large number of boarders who are very eager to get on the courts and shoot some hoops. Most nights you can see the boarders playing

on the courts either competitively on Wednesday nights or more relaxed during the rest of the week. There is nothing like getting a good sweat on...

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Boarders going for Goal

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Zumbathon! The boarders at Regents are very enthusiastic about Zumba, staying fit and helping those in need, so when the opportunity arose to participate in a Zumbathon, the students couldn’t pass it up. Organised by The Bangkok Breast Cancer Support Group, the proceedings will go towards supporting women who have been faced with breast cancer. The event was held at the Sheraton Hotel in Sukhumvit, on the 6th October and included over 200 dancers, and it lasted for 90 minutes and raised over 125 000 baht. Go girls!

On Wednesday evenings, those who have signed up to football strap on their shin pads, pull up their socks and tie up their football boots for a fast paced game. These games often do not stop after the hour of activities but continue on into the evening. “The boarders who take part in the activity show a lot of talent and always put in 110%,” said Guy of the GAP staff. The game encourages leadership, team building and has helped to create great bonds and friendships among the boarders and staff, who can’t resist getting on the field with them. It is also encouraging to see so many young boarders to the field too. Football is a regular on the Wednesday night activity rota, and won’t be leaving any time soon due to its great success.

Boarders take a swing

Badminton is a popular sport with boys and girls of all ages. Each week, boarders are split into teams of two, but before playing they conduct a quick warm up, organised by our GAP staff. Each game is played to 15 points, whereby the winning team gets to remain on the court and battle against the next pair. Due to the high level of skill and determination shown by the boarders, the winning team is rarely on the court for more than three games. By nine o’clock everyone is exhausted, yet some eager participants carrying on playing for a further 45 minutes. Due to its poplarity there is another fierce badminton tournament is on the horizon.

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freetime activities

Freetime Activities

Boarding BookWorms explore and share their favourite authors Wednesday night activities now offer a new activity for those who love to read. The group offers students the chance to read and discuss their most loved books, or the books they are currently delving into. The group discuss their favourite characters in their

books and the events that the characters of their books were currently exploring. It is always interesting seeing the many different languages that the books are read in and great for improving our spoken English skills.

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Boarders get Crafty On Wednesday nights the boarders turn down their science and maths textbooks and pick up the paint, glue, glitter, pencils, scissors and anything else they can get their hands on, and create some crafting wonders. “It’s a really great stress reliever, and breaks up my studying nicely” said one boarder about the creative sessions run by our own GAPS. In the past boarders have experimented with face painting, bookmark making, Halloween and Christmas decoration and drawing lessons. The list goes on. A highlight has been face painting where the boarders were transformed into anything from the Joker to Hello Kitty to pirates. Every Wednesday we are amazed at what our boarder’s imagination leads them to create.

Friday Night at the Movies After a busy week filled with exam’s, assessments and homework, the boarders often sit back and relax with some popcorn and baked goodies (thanks to Michelle and Annaliis) and switch on a great movie. Over the term we’ve watched classics such as Dirty Dancing, animations including Ice Age and comedies such as Matilda. The prospect of the Friday night movies help keep students excited and motivated throughout the week, and will continue to be a tradition in boarding for a long time to come.

The Boarders Hit the Mall Every other Friday evening the boarders get the option of going to Central Plaza Rama 9 Mall, where they can enjoy a few hours of good food, shopping and the company of their friends outside of the boarding house. Driven to the mall by our own mini buses, the boarders always look forward to these evenings, and they consequently are a highlight of the week.

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The Boys Battle it out in Pool

After the arrival of the pool table last term, the boys have been practicing their pool techniques and skills every other day. After school the pool room becomes quickly jam-packed with members of the boys’ boarding house, ready to challenge one another in

friendly competition. After a long day at school, the boys enjoy coming and playing pool while mingling with their friends and enjoying some friendly competition. The reigning champion of pool is yet to be decided, but top position is very close.

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No More Monday Blues

On Monday nights the girl’s boarding house takes some time out to drink tea, eat delicious biscuits and to enjoy the friendly company of their fellow boarders. After a busy day at school, the girls enjoy sitting back, with a cup of hot coffee or tea and reflecting on the day with their close friends. “Having tea and biscuits in the evening makes Monday’s a little more bearable, it brings all the girls together for half an hour to forget about our homework and assignments” said Eva from girls boarding.

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