Issue link: https://publications.tfs.ca/i/609675
When you travel overseas, you learn immensely about others. What did your experiences abroad teach you about yourself? I think they made me realize that my opinions are only a tiny, little drop in the ocean. At the end of the day, some things that we feel strongly about can be extremely minor if we look at the global context, where people are worried about having enough water to drink, not about the latest economic summit. Last year, at my previous school, I did an exercise with some Level V students. At the time, the Russian economy wasn't doing very well and that was affecting relations with the West. I spent a couple hours going through newspapers from around the world, and I printed the front page of those newspapers for my Level V students to consider. The front-page news stories from those countries were totally different, nothing to do with what we saw as something major happening to us in Europe. That made me feel the sense of how small we all are and what a big world we live in. What have you learned so far about living in Canada? I've learned many things. I've learned that Canadians are extremely welcoming, and that Canada is much more like Europe in the sense that we like feeling part of the international community, not just from the point of view of the economy, but also from the point of view of history and politics. I've also appreciated being in a multi-cultural society with two official languages, and a wealth of other cultures. It's a complex society, and complexity from my point of view makes it more sophisticated and more interesting. Although our society is quite international, I find it very difficult to get out of my little community and to interact with all the different types of people in Canada. I think that age will give you that. You will be able to take your life wherever you would like to take it. It's something that time will give you, if you have the right mindset. As a teenager, it's more difficult because you're totally limited to your immediate community. When you grow up, you will not be limited. Hopefully the school has given you enough tools for you to decide exactly what you want to do, and where. It's a question of deciding what to do, working hard to ensure you do it, and learning from your mistakes. That's probably the most beautiful present that the school can give you. " It's the idea of always giving the best of oneself...While good grades are essential, the school should try to underpin those good grades with life-long skills [and] all-round excellence." 15 TFS ENTRE NOUS 2015