Fady

Where are you these days?

I’m in the 10^th class in Vejle – at UngdomsCenter Vejle.

What was it like to make the transition into a new environment?

It was a little difficult because it was all in Danish [editor’s note: Fady came to Denmark 2.5 years ago]. But the teachers are always helping me in class, and the students are also very friendly and try to help me. I mean, the academics there are a little easy compared to what we took at ISB.  So I know what I’m doing, I just have to figure out how to say it in Danish.

Why did you decide to do that this year?

If I’m going to be living in Denmark, I need Danish.  And if I want to go to a Danish gymnasium and work in Denmark, I also need Danish.  And I figure it’s the best time if I do it now, rather than after college, because then I’ll be more busy.  I can take a year off now.

What did you carry with you from ISB that has been the most valuable so far?

Persistence. I always keep working and set myself deadlines so by the time I have exams I’m not far behind.

What do you miss the most?

The people and the teaching style.  Maybe it’s because we were a small class, so we’d get more attention from the teachers—more time spread between the eight of us. I also miss the people; the different cultures from around the world.

How has your thinking about your own future changed since this time last year? 

My future goal is still the same, but maybe where I’m going to do it, and how I’m going to do it is starting to change. I thought maybe next year I was going to go to a Danish gymnasium but after this year I realize that it might be a little hard to keep up with mathematical terms and scientific terms that I haven’t really studied.

So you already know what you want to do?

I think so.  I’m certain I want to do it, I’m just trying to figure out how because it’s very costly.

And what’s that?

Becoming a pilot.

What advice do you have for the current M5s?

Never give up.  I know it might be a little hard with the stress of the personal project and then you have portfolios… It can be hard. But in the end it’ll be worth it and you’ll feel really good when it’s done, and you actually get an IB diploma.