Isabell

So, where are you these days?

I’m in the first year of the IB Diploma Programme in Kolding. I started out in pre-IB, however, after two weeks where I had not been challenged academically, I decided that I wanted to change to 2.i.  I think this says a lot about the academic level at ISB.  But my choice depended on personal readiness as well as academic readiness so I would say that, for some, pre-IB would be a great opportunity.

What did you carry with you from ISB that’s been the most valuable?

Definitely my open-mindedness towards new people and places. This is a thing that I’ve found very useful in getting to know new people and my place in the new environment.  But also just my work ethic and my mind-set towards learning has helped me. I am good at getting things done. And when it’s been difficult for me to keep up with the pace, then just taking it slow, taking it one step at a time, and making things interesting for myself—I have definitely valued that a lot. That is something I’ve taken with me from ISB.

What part of the transition have you found the most challenging?

Finding my role and who I fit with in my class. Many of my classmates knew each other previously, or were reserved in the beginning.  So getting to know people has been challenging.  But it’s something I’ve overcome now and I have many good friends, so that’s something I’m very happy about.

Now that you’ve been out in the “real” world, how has your view of ISB changed?

It hasn’t changed—it’s been reinforced. Now that I’ve seen how other schools are, I can see that the teachers at ISB really care about their students and are passionate about their work.  I’m not saying that the teachers I have now are not passionate about their work (laughs). But the teachers at ISB are just—yeah—more passionate.