The Perks of Having an Extra Day Off as a Dorm Student

 

By Sieon Park

Grace Bae (11), a Jackson Dorm student, opened her eyes on one unusually quiet Friday morning, 30 April. When she checked her clock, she noticed that the time was well past 10:00 A.M. Although alarmed at the thought of being late to school at first, upon realizing that it was a day off, she happily went back to her bed.

The long weekend in the dorm started with breakfast at the Ziemer Dorm. After sleeping in, students from all three dorms–Jackson, Jaffray, and Ziemer– went down to Ziemer, located on the first floor of the building, for their first meal of the day. Ziemer dorm provided students with glazed donuts, various fruits such as watermelons, bananas, passion fruits, and grapes, and drinks including milo and juice. As students ate, some talked with each other, watched sports shows on television, and played board games. This marked a restful beginning of students’ long weekend. 

During the afternoon, each dorm student spent their time diversely. Many students went out to hang out with their friends or study for their upcoming AP exams. Those who stayed at the dorms took a break from their schoolwork to nap, catch up on their Netflix shows, and bake. 

“I enjoyed the long weekend because it gave me time to bake for my bake sales and spend time with my dorm friends,” said Saidah Ly (10).

Not only that, but dorm students also played indoor soccer on Friday night from 8:30 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. Ziemer Dorm students played against Jackson and Jaffray Dorm students. Although somewhat competitive, each student who participated had an enjoyable time exercising. 

“After a relaxing Friday, I was excited to realize that there still was a whole weekend ahead of me,” commented Haeon Park (11).

Having one extra day off of school allowed students to have time to pause for a while amid the possibly busiest time of the year. Through this, students were refreshed and once again motivated to work harder to finish the year well with Patricia, the fish, in Busan.

The Night of Rest and Healing

 

By Abel Tan

Walking into City Light Church not knowing what to expect, the Seniors finally had their long awaited class activity! On Friday, April 23^rd, the Senior class attended a worship night that was planned by their very own class president, Daniel Choi.

For more than a year now, the pandemic known as covid-19 has greatly affected the whole world negatively, and this is especially true for Dalat’s class of 2021. Starting with the cancellation of the JSB they themselves were supposed to host, a series of disappointments continued to greet them as they entered their last year in Dalat.

Daniel Choi even said: “I felt numb throughout the year, and I felt it in my class. It was as if God had forgotten us for a whole year. But truth is, he never left us, he was building patience in us for THIS MOMENT RIGHT NOW!” This was said during the Worship Night.

The night started off with Ms. Henderson providing an icebreaker, in which some volunteers were to throw a tennis ball into a basket from where they sat. After a few had attempted it, the icebreaker ended and the worship team led the night. After singing the first 4 songs, Uncle Keith gave an inspirational talk to the Seniors challenging them to be leaders and leave an impact during SEW the next week. It was also after this when Daniel had given a little speech of his own, producing the quote from above.

The Worship Night continued as more songs were sung, as well as speeches given, by Henderson, and Mr. Ronzheimer. The Seniors were also given time to reflect and pray by either by themselves, or with others. It was during this time when many had felt the rest and peace they so desperately needed, while others were able to amend their relationships with others and/or God. Later, the Seniors were given the opportunity to share what they experienced. They were able to end the night on a high note by singing 4 worships songs, and after a few minutes of hugging one another, the Worship Night that brought rest and healing ended.

A Peek into SEW

 

By Seung Hwan Kim

Dalat has been filled with excitement over the announcement of SEW (Spiritual Emphasis Week). SEW has been a tradition throughout Dalat International School as students and teachers could take a week to focus on God and their spiritual journey. Despite the issue with SOP from covid, seniors from the leadership class were able to make SEW happen.

On the 26th of April, high school students were instructed to go down to the nostalgic Vintage Chapel during A or B block according to their grades for SEW. As all the students and teachers were seated, the worship team started off the morning with a lively song called One Way by Hillsong Worship, followed by other worship songs. Seniors from the leadership class filled the atmosphere with energy as they danced and sang their hearts out. Shortly after the worship, Daniel Choi (12) introduced Pastor Timothy. Timothy shared his story of his wife's miscarriage. On her second pregnancy, symptoms of miscarriage showed again. Miraculously, through prayer and faith, she was able to deliver healthy twins. Pastor Timothy's story displayed a perfect example of this year's SEW's theme: faith over fear.

SEW isn't just over yet. Throughout the SEW days (Monday to Wednesday), there will be an optional session to come during X block. In each X block session, two seniors from the leadership class will share their stories related to SEW's theme.

Once again, the Vintage Chapel is filled with students and teachers. Mycah Winsor (12) came up to the stage to share his story of the move from Canada to Malaysia. He then passed on his mic to Andrew Kaney (12) as he talked about his bitterness towards Indonesia, which was resolved through God. After the senior stories, the worship team took the stage as everyone began to worship.

"I really enjoyed SEW today. I needed this week to focus on God, and I look forward to Tuesday and Wednesday sessions," said Sumin Lim (12).

Finishing Strong

 By Kevile Dolie

It's always nice to greet a friend, chat about a topic, talk about their day and crack jokes. Such days have become genuinely significant, especially in these difficult times. Yet, eventually, no matter what happens, those days will come to an end, and people will go their separate ways. For the seniors, that time is coming soon. The last month of the school year inspires students to make the most of the time they have left to finish the year without regrets.

After a year of isolation due to Covid, the urge to cherish small moments of friendship has never been stronger. Most students are thinking about making the most of the time they have left. Some may wonder how much more time they could have spent with their friends throughout the years. Now is an excellent time to ask self-reflective questions and turn any regrets into inspiration. How do I want to spend my time during my last few weeks of school? How can I show my friends how much I appreciate them before I leave? What do I want to do before leaving Dalat?

Every student is different thinking about how to spend their time left in Dalat. "I'd probably want to have an open campus game night again," said Jack Cura (10). Or perhaps there is somewhere you'd like to visit. "I'd like to go and visit Temple Fine Arts once more before I'd leave," said Anya Kaloo (12). It may feel difficult to try to make as many memories as possible within the amount of time left, but it is much better than feeling regret or not trying anything at all.

It's difficult to say goodbye to a place you've grown to love. No one stays somewhere forever; you will visit many places, meet new people and say goodbye to people you'll never see again. No matter what happens to you throughout life, you can choose to cherish the people who came into your life. All we can do throughout life is to decide what to do with the time given to us. So be inspired to make the most of your time and finish strong without regrets.