Dalat International School: Senior Scribble

Before the sun had risen, we arrived at Gurney Bay, the sky dim, glimmering with deep blue shadows. There was a quiet excitement in the air as Dalat students gathered to meet the residents from the Penang Cheshire Home. Each of us was paired with a resident, and together we prepared to begin our walk. As the sun slowly appeared over the horizon, the golden light reflected across the calm water, soon manifesting its peaceful atmosphere. One student, Takuma Sawazu (12), described the moment well: “I got to see the sunrise in a peaceful park during the PCH walk, which was really refreshing.”  The view was so calm and serene that the resident we were pushing in the wheelchair eventually fell asleep. We were glad that he was able to relax and enjoy the peaceful environment as we continued walking along the park. As we walked, pushing the wheelchair step by step, I began to realize how heavy it actually was. The walk which seemed effortless at first slowly became more tiring, and that ex...

It was day 2 of ACSC, and we had to wake up extra early for a service project. Our service project was to work with an organization that helped disabled people. This organization brought around a hundred disabled people, and our goal was to teach them basketball.  “It was very fun to work with these people and to give them an experience that they will never forget,” said a source. Our service project lasted for around 2-2:30 hours, and then it was straight back into the tournament. We had one more game in our pool play against ICS Hong Kong. We felt extremely confident playing against them and were sure we could secure second seed in our pool. The game started out well for us as we knocked down a majority of our shots. Around the beginning of the second quarter, we lost momentum, and ICS Hong Kong made a push to cut our lead to only two. After a timeout, we got ourselves together and were able to go on a run that would put us up by nearly 20 at half. From there, we were able to cal...

…6:30 PM on a special Friday night, chairs in the front row of the Harbour Hall are moved out, and the choir stand has returned to the stage. Four speakers of the night, Abe Johnson (12), Sharon Baek (12), Yewon Lee (12), and Aaron Andrews (12), are nervously staring at the stage as the worship session is ending… It is the final week of February, where another great Missions Emphasis Week (MEW), along with renewed praise, prayer, and conviction, returned to Dalat. As the night continues, the speakers walk up one by one to the stage to share each of their testimonies of continued doubt, fear, confusion, and the surrender found in God’s embrace. Besides the fact that every speaker of the night has lived through some level of struggle and loss growing up in a Christian pastor and/or missionary household, the testimonies intersected in various areas of spiritual turmoil, offering consoling and encouraging accounts for the audience undergoing their own spiritual battles.  Looking back t...

Just like last semester’s SEW, there came a time of MEW; a week to emphasize mission work. Clustered on the final three days of weekdays, MEW service, both morning and evening, brought conviction to many people. Onyu Cho, currently a freshman, testified about his experience of MEW: “MEW was a meaningful time. I was happy to see a lot of people who were distant from God confessing their wrongdoings and turning back to God.” God’s generosity is truly the greatest gift we receive from him. During many evening services, surprisingly, the speakers challenged not only the students but also the parents. Many impacted parents came out of their comfort zones and asked for prayers, a truly unique and humbling moment. As a member of the worship team, I was present for the chaotic, rushed rehearsal. Not one worship song for the evening service was rehearsed more than once, so many small and big mistakes were made, but even so, God still came. It’s crucial to remember that whatever we do is never a...

As the final semester for the Class of 2026 approaches, many seniors find that the long-awaited freedom of college life after high school comes at an unexpected emotional cost.  The transition from the first day at Dalat to becoming a senior awaiting graduation has been a whirlwind for those who have spent many years here. For some, their journey started as far back as P4, and for others, more recently. What began as a freshman’s simple excitement for choosing sports and new classes has evolved into a series of “senioritis” and talking about the future. Whether it's competing in sports events or late-night hangouts, seniors are realizing they don’t have much time left.  When asked, ‘Are you excited to graduate?’, two very different responses were given. “Thinking back to all the memories I had built since P3, it hit me,” shared Suyoung Lim (12). “I’m happy to finally graduate, yet sad to leave the only place I have ever known.” In contrast, some are racing toward the finish li...

A little more than halfway through the school year, another holiday has come to greet us: Chinese New Year. It is a time when families come together to have joyful reunions, and the celebration lasts for around 2 weeks. Fireworks light up the sky and the laughter of the people echo throughout the country, and all of it fills my soul with warmth.  This special event holds a cherished place in my heart, as my family goes all-out in celebrating the great fortune of the New Year. Every year, my family hires a Lion Dance performance at our house. According to a Chinese myth, a scary beast called the Nian devours humans, and in order to scare it away, people would wear a costume that resembles a lion. Loud clanging of symbols and drums with the loud crackles of fireworks accompany the costume, and this was what the Nian was believed to be scared of. Even though my family doesn’t believe in such stories, we still enjoy the act and the hard work put into the unique movements of the perform...