#uwcm

I’m having exams on Monday, my written task due tonight, but I’m gonna write this blog TODAY because I’ve encountered one of the worst working partners I have in my whole life (bear in mind I’m 17). 

This time, I’m not gonna talk about how i got impacted by conversations that I had with someone from a special place, but rather working in a team. I’m currently working on a project with some other UWC friends of mine.

Working in a team never was a hard task for me. I mean, I love to work with people. I’m open to ideas, I’m very tolerant, I’m pretty practical and I actually (or I should say usually) can get things done at the end. I’m not trying to boast or anything but I guess being able to be a team player in a team is one of my strengths. 

Back home I had a few different opportunities working with people, of which, I enjoyed most of them. There are a few things which are super important when you’re working in a team. It’s extremely cliche but somehow a lot of people still don’t understand it! And guess what, they’re adults! Looking back, I’m thankful for these experiences that I had, otherwise, I wouldn’t be here writing this piece. 

No one is born a leader. -- Said by me (HAHA maybe some famous dude said the same thing before but whatever) To become one, one must first be a team player, or at least have a taste of how working in a team is like. Then you accumulate experience, get the hang of the dynamics of a team. Eventually, you will have the opportunity to become a leader. 

But if you’re stubborn, you’re only insisting on your way, you don’t listen, you will NEVER EVER become a leader, at most, you could only become a commander, which in most cases people would not like it much. Being a leader doesn’t mean you’re essentially one tier above your co-workers, there’s not a must for this authority (sometimes there are these needs though). But I believe we’re all learning at the same time, whether you’re the leader or the team player. 

-Empathy- The reason I think why a good leader must’ve had an experience being a team player is because they know how it feels like to be in the team, they can therefore relate and try to get the most out of the team and lead the whole team to progress AS A WHOLE.

Today, I did something I’ve never done before. I confronted a person I am working with.

Throughout my past times working with people, I was never the one to confront, to spill the beans because I didn’t like friction. I was so afraid that the team would crumble and everything would result in a mess. I would rather work a little more, tolerate a little more and let it be. I avoided friction as much as I could, I like harmony, though deep inside, I knew it wasn’t. It came to my realisation that my actions of staying passive was somehow a selfish act. If I confronted her, she would learn, (depending on how she received it.) And it goes back to my point! I am learning as well! We’re at the age where we start to shape our values and our experience play a crucial role in doing so. 

One of the hardest lessons here at UWC I guess is farewell. What exactly did this melting pot of cultures turn us into? It built a community. It built a home. This place is not just a school, it’s a home physically and spiritually. I never knew how to face this day, until it came. 

It feels... so.... empty. Emptiness as in not just physically but also spiritually. It’s hard to describe my feelings right now. I’ve never been good at saying goodbyes. I refrained from looking at people hugging and crying, I waited until the last moment to hug people so that I wouldn’t cry so fast and I could still have some nice pictures taken. 

22nd May 2016 -- Goodbye DP2s

It has been an amazing 9 months with you all. The most treasurable moments come in the weirdest places and most random times. From Intro week to culture weeks and conferences, we built a community, a home, a dwelling. We lived with you guys, watched movies and had intellectual discussions afterwards, cooked in the middle of the night, stayed at the study room dancing bollywood, slept on the couch because we left our cards, set the smoke alarm off cooking pancakes at midnight, they’re just everywhere, bit and pieces, all over the place, hard to grasp every single one of them, and the special thing

These few days I’ve been very occupied by work. I tried not to think about goodbyes and farewells. My mind is pretty blank, I can’t really process right now. Or take it this way, I tried to avoid it. I still haven’t read letters from my second years, nor have I written mine for them (my state of mind was simply not ready for all the goodbyes and tears all over again). 

The saddest part was not the departure, rather the end of the UWCM 2015-16 community. Merely 9 months on the island, so many things had happened, so much and so quickly that it’s impossible to catch everything in this community. Just like in every community, as long as you find the position and role you’re comfortable with, you’re good to go. 

It’s weird that I seem to have overcome the sadness of the goodbyes or maybe I have just been too occupied by other jumbled thoughts. Something caught me last night, walking into the room next door. There used to be 3 second years living there (SHOUT OUTS TO SAHAR SOFIA AND ARBONITA!) It felt, so dead. They left some things there, the room was still slightly messy, there presence was there, yet it wasn’t. I was just talking to them 2 nights ago, with a lot of other DP2s in the room as well. The atmosphere was unfamiliarly cold. 

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It’s been a week. We’ve all accustomed to only DP1s. One thing really special about UWCM is that we get to spend around a month a with people from our year. Our second years described it as the best and worst time. Worst because DP2s just left but best because you get to know so much more of your people and bond so much stronger. 

DP2s, thank you for all the advice, memories, moments that you’ve given us. My roommates, thank you so much. I loved you both, though you guys can be messy. To all those who were friends with me, thank you (: I can’t make an empty promise that I will be able to see you again, but I’ll try. Keep your doors open and a bed free! Mine will be open (:

A late goodbye, dearest UWCM Class of ‘16. 

Melody

-Contemplating in the Study Room-

How does it feel for second years to leave? I really don’t know. I guess my mind is just not in the state of processing farewells, goodbyes and tears. I have hope that one day, I will see some of theme again.

I guess the reason why I do not feel an urge to cry or why I do not fear this day coming is that, I was not particularly close to second years in general and I always had the hope that I will see them. 

I’m a person that cries fairly easily. I’m not good at goodbyes, I really am not. But I guess goodbyes and farewells are one of the lessons of UWC. It’s wonderful but at the same time daunting that time goes by so fast. I’ve actually lived with these people for 8 months, so much has happened, so fast, almost too fast. 

The gist of UWC is not to be part of every single community, it’s about finding yourself, finding where you’re comfortable at, and making the most out of it. It’s about being with the people that make you become better, and make the most out of the time you can spend with them. Those who would stay, would stay, at least you would make an effort to keep up the relationship. 

I didn’t expect a farewell to come this fast, it’s almost like we’ve just met and now you have to go. But at the same time, you’ve lived with these people for 8 months, you know what they do when they get drunk, their morning/night habits, their favourite food, the favourite shoes/shirt. 

My thoughts now are pretty crude and jumbled. I’m just writing as my mind flows, so bear with me. 

I didn’t expect my first year of UWC to be like this, but you know what, even if it was unexpected, I enjoyed it. I went through ups and downs, met wonderful people that changed how I think. I realized who were my true soulmates from home. I realized how important home was and how much I’m ingrained in my culture. 

UWC is a community where you explore, grow and progress within yourself, and as a community.

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Portraits 

Lucas (Belgium) 

2016 

Etienne (France) 

Portraits