FRINGE FESTIVAL: "Breaking News" (January-February 2012)

Through the dedication of IB Theater Arts teacher, Vicky Hargreaves, and some high school students including me, we  offered up a delightful cultural treat to the ISK community.  The Fringe Festival showcased the work of our IB Theater Arts students in six short works that were performed around the campus.  These works were innovative and thought-provoking, exposing the wandering audience members to a wide range of theater styles and ideas to chew on.

I was in Gabriella Gross' play as one of the main actresses. She was an amazing director and the whole crew had lots of fun throughout the process. We started rehearsals in January 2012 and continued practicing until the two performance dates (Thursday 21 and Friday 22 of February 2012). We performed 4 times each day (8 times in total).

It was a very enjoyable experience, which i was proud to be part of. In our play "Breaking News", the audience can only see our shadows through a large white bed sheet. One actress was part of the audience as she played the role of the host. She was changing the Tv programs ( the white sheet was the Tv) as we often changed characters. I went from being a table to a journalist to an elderly woman to Kate Middleton to the statue of liberty and finally to being the victim of a car crash. We ended the play by the announcement of breaking news: the war had started ( we riped the sheet and pretended to attack our audience as we were armed) and finally we were dead. The message behind all of this is that what we see on Tv and often choose to ignore is actually a reality lived by others. So we should all feel concerned when hearing shocking news.

This also gave me some drama experience to use what I learned in the drama course I took the first semester of my junior year. 

OVC TRIP : saturday 21th January 2012

THE INTERACT CLUB organizes an OVC trip once a month. This trip to an orphanage near ISK, is an opportunity for the members of the club to interact with less fortunate children. We visit them, bringing some food and comfort. We try to make them forget their condition and we play with them, read to them and draw with them. I went on my second OVC trip on the 29th of January, from 10:00 am till 12:00 pm.  First we all sat, ISK students and the disadvantaged children, in one big circle. In turn, every child presented a show for the rest of us : some recited poems, some sang and other danced. When our turn came up, some of us sang a famous song by Adele. As soon as the song was over, the children were divided into different groups. Some played football, others were drawing and the rest were playing dodgeball. I first helped some children with finding paper and color pencils, then i joined the dodgeball game. After a while I proposed to the others that we play the game: 1,2,3 RUN! It was very easy to explain and we all enjoyed it! I really had fun during these two hours and I didn't want to leave. But all good things must come to an end.

TENNIS: January 2012 - May 2012

Tennis is a sport usually played between two players (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. 
The first semester ( August 2011 - December 2011), I was one of the JV tennis team players.
Since the tennis season was over, my sister and I decided to continue playing and improve our skills through playing twice a week with coach Peter. Coach Peter is the varsity tennis team's coach in ISK. We have lessons each Wednesday ( 3pm - 4pm) and each Saturday ( 1pm - 2pm ). I have noticed a huge improvement since the beginning of these lessons and i also learned the proper technique to serve the ball. Adding to that my cardio has improved because coach Peter makes us run for the ball. 

EAMUN: from the 13th of February to the 17th of February 2012

EAMUN ( east african model united nation) is a simulated session of the General Assembly, Security Council, Ecology and Environment, Economic, Health, Human Rights, Political and Technology committees in which students represent the delegates from member countries. The year 2011/12 is the 30th EAMUN conference.Student involvement continues to include students from the Nairobi area, from other areas around Kenya and from other countries.

Tremendous support for the EAMUN program is offered by the people at the UN headquarters in Gigiri, Kenya, to give the young people involved the best experience they can get from an MUN conference.

Model United Nations began around the world as early as 1923, with simulated sessions of what was then called the League of Nations. These sessions are now held in numerous countries at all levels, ranging from high schools to universities and adult MUN sessions.

I was chosen with 19 other students from my school to attend this EAMUN conference. I represented China. I was in charge of Special Summits, which is the committee that debates general issues such as the use of nuclear weapons and the consequences of free trade. It was an amazing learning and creative experience. Sometimes the debates would be heated but i made sure that i was expressing myself in a diplomatic language, which didn't offend anyone. Thankfully, all the debates we discussed were interesting, and some of the arguments presented by my fellow delegates even impacted my opinions about these issues. I also interacted with delegates from other schools and created new friendships. 

Monday, February 13th

12.00 2.00	Arrive, Pick up/Distribute name badges/resolution packets
2.00 3.00	General meeting
3.00 5.00	Lobbying
	Schedule of Meetings
3.45 4.00	Head Securitary meeting
4.00 4.15	Ambassador meeting
4.15 4.30	ICJ meeting (for all Ambassadors involved in ICJ cases)
4.15 4.45	Advisors meeting
4.30 4.45	Securitary meeting
5.00	Lobbying session ends, everyone is free to leave

Tuesday, February 14th

08.00 8.45	Arrive at UNON take seats
09.00 9.30	Opening ceremony
9.30 10.20	Policy statements presented
10.20 10.30	Break
10.30 12.00	Committees open
12.00 1.00	Lunch
1.00 2.30	Debates continue
2.30	Committees close for the day

WednesdayFebruary 15th

08.00 8.45	Arrive at UNON take seats
09.00 9.15	Announcements
9.15 10.20	Debates continue
10.20 10.30	Break
10.30 12.00	Debates continue
12.00 1.00	Lunch
1.00 2.30	Debates continue
2.30	Committees close

Thursday, February 16th

08.00 8.45	Arrive at UNON take seats
09.00 9.15	Announcements
9.15 10.20	General Assemblies, ICJ, GAC open
10.20 10.30	Break
10.30 12.00	Debates continue
12.00 1.00	Lunch
1.00 2.30	Debates continue
2.30	General Assemblies close for the day

Friday, February 17th

08.00 8.45	Arrive at UNON take seats
09.00 9.15	Announcements
9.15 10.20	Debates continue
10.20 10.30	Break
10.30 12.00	Debates continue
12.00 1.00	Lunch
1.00 2.00	Debates continue
2.00 2.30	Closing ceremony
2.30	MUN closes

IC TRIP : MARA from the 30th of February until the 4th of March 2012)

Since its founding in 1995, Free The Children's programs have engaged over a million young people worldwide.
To date, Free The Children has built over 650 schools and school rooms bringing the fundamental right of education to over 55,000 children every day. Hundreds of communities have benefited from its water and sanitation projects, medical resources and alternative income programs.
Me to We has developed a highly effective model for creating social change, with each branch of the Me to We tree designed to support Free The Children's work at home and abroad. Volunteers on a Me to We trip help build schools. Speakers carry a message of action and hope. Leadership facilitators teach about youth leadership for global change. In addition, half of Me to We's net profit goes to support the work of Free The Children. They also have a variety of campaigns which are run by young people around the world to raise awareness about the social issues faced by children around the world.
Through working together, these two associations have helped change lives, time and again.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_b0EK2osBI&feature=player_embedded 



This was an amazing learning experience! i really felt I was making a change, even if it was a small one.
I won't forget playing all of the games (TIIIIIGER UPPER CUT), for taking the time to get to know each other better, for slow clapping after all of Mohammed's meal announcements, but most of all for taking the time to look into issues that I am passionate about, such as sexism. But most importantly, I will always remember helping to build a school for children, who may never have set foot inside a classroom, exploring the local market, learning about traditional Maasai culture, walking with the mamas to draw water and learning about the community water project, which helps to provide clean, safe drinking water for children and families, and about poverty-related issues in Africa. The final night at camp around the fire, each one of us shared what had impacted us throughout our time together. Whether it was vowing to look beyond the labels that we place on one another, paying closer attention to our water usage, or raising awareness on the reality in rural Kenyan education, we were all affected in a way or another. 
 Me to We Trips invites you to take a step  into a new world a step into the Maasai Mara region of Kenya. If you are interested in taking a walk in someone else’s shoes—sometimes quite literally—this is the trip for you. Building schools, digging wells, planting trees—I feel priviledged for the opportunity I had. Not only did I enjoy myself  but I also was part of creating change in this world.

RUNDA FEEDING PROGRAM: Sunday 20th november 2011

THE INTERACT CLUB organized a trip to Runda, where the members of the club helped a feeding association, to which we donate money from our fundraising's.This was my second Runda feeding trip. It was held on the 20th of november from 10:00 am till 12:00 pm. We all met up at the Java House near the UN, from where we all went to the Runda village in cars. Outside the gate, there was an army of hungry children who greeted us and inside, there were boxes an boxes filled with food : bread, milk, candy, etc... This food was bought with the donated money. Our job was to open the boxes and organize and arrange this huge amount of food in different areas of the place.  I was assigned the milk distribution with two other girls. I was assigned the distribution of the candy, which seemed to make all the children really happy. I was ecstatic about the fact that there was no shortage of food or drinks this time, unlike at my first Runda trip.
There is nothing more satisfying than a child thanking you with an honest smile on his face!