Endings bring new beginnings.

Hello!

So yes, it has again been a very long time again since my last post as it has all been a bit hectic. But now the summer break has come I am more relaxed and have some free time. The major news is that we did it: Sarah and I both graduated from UWC and  have been awarded our IB diplomas!! Although I have been waiting for this day for a long time, it is sad to leave everyone behind. It is sad that we wont all be in the same place at the same time together again, as we've all left for our corners of the world. But however much we miss it, it is interesting to think that this is how I felt when I was leaving home and going to UWC. I left all my friends and family behind. But then I made incredible life long friends who impacted me so much, and now I don't want to leave them. Let's just hope this will be the same for my next adventure!

I am busy this summer, visiting friends and working at festivals. However, in September I have been given a scholarship to study at IE University in Spain! I will be studying Psychology at the Segovia campus. I recently visited the university and I am very excited to be starting my next chapter there. I will still continue my blog posts throughout university so that people can keep updated, and I am sure Sarah will also be posting about her next adventures in Brazil!!

But before any of that we have some serious catching up to do regarding the final sprint of my UWC adventure. Again I have a compilation of photos to compliment my recent experiences. And here it is!

At the end of our two years we take photographs with our classes and CAS' for the year group. This is my Maths Studies family!

These are some of the participants in my service La Carpio. In this session the children came to our campus to have a break from life in La Carpio. Because it was the last session we played many games, ate lots of nice food and even had a water-slide!

Here is my Environmental Systems and Societies class beaing sloth's in our favourite tree.

The last week of academics was Spirit Week. Each day had a different theme. This day was group day, so obviously we were Jesus and his disciples.

My residence Cahuita went on a lovely outing to a the Taj Mahal, no not the incredible building (that Sarah visited) but a nearby Indian restaurant. 

On the last week, amongst all the exams, the whole school goes on a pool day. This is to have a last chance at being all together having an amazing time, the first years organised a really nice day full of emotions but also a lot of fun.

Because Sheree <3

At the pool day!

This is my generations photo, doing an iconic pose!

My parents and Amiya's parents both came to attend our graduation. Here are the parents in our room!

Before graduation we have the pass down show. In this all pass downs are, well, passed down. This includes many songs and dances including this one.. Funky Town :)

My Cahuita upstairs girls <3 

Yes I graduated. Here is Aiso and I walking the first-year-flagged path towards the stage.

Gradutation

Of course after any graduation there is an after-grad trip. My close friends and I travelled to Tamarindo, an incredible beach town in the north west of Costa Rica. This is us at our pool by our apartment enjoying life after high school!

Just one of the beautiful sunsets of Tamarindo.

This is a photo those who were left took on my very last day in Costa Rica. We visited local places which hold so many memories, here we are on the football field. We also happened to take this photo in order of skin gradient!

I then returned home. Home will always be home, but its always hard to return to a home after just leaving another. However, it was not long before I was off on an adventure again. I then went to Spain to see some of my UWC friends and then to attend the IExpeerience. This was a three day long intensive event in which admitted students get the chance to explore IE university and the surrounding areas. Here is a picture of us all at the Madrid campus.

I finally got to see Sarah again, after a year apart! We then both volunteered with REACT at Roskilde Festival in Denmark. We got to meet up with a lot of UWC people and enjoy an amazing music festival. Here is Sarah and I, and Tal and Seal (another set of UWC GB twins), at Roskilde.

This is where I am at now. The middle of summer. The half way point. The centre of missing the past but being excited for the future.

For some amazing UWC reading I recommend UWC lampoon: http://uwclampoon.com/ . Of course, it includes individuals personalised comments on UWC and therefore is not representative. Most of the recent entries talk about missing life at UWC, now that summer break has come.

I will now go eat some good British food, which I have long desired whilst I was in Costa Rica.

Gracias por todo,
Abrazos,

Alison :)