Dalat International School: Senior Scribble

By Christopher Ooi Dual-wielding dodgeballs, Jason Kim (12) steps to the halfway line on the basketball court, firing a cannon at a group of cowering sophomores. As I watch on from the window in Room 25, young students wincing in pain, I remember a time when we could stay on campus and spend time with each other, exploring the campus, and enjoying the company of my fellow classmates.   This past Friday, the Seniors and Sophomores participated in inter-class activities, courtesy of the amazing ExCom members of both classes that made the event possible. Dodgeball, board games, and an open mic, the event was full of numerous activities that kept everyone engaged.  When asked about his favorite part of the event, Dylan Chew (12) said, “Being able to stay back till nine on campus and play sports with the underclassmen gave a hint of pre-covid, and I enjoyed every minute of it.”  The games helped everyone familiarize themselves with the sophomores and enjoy the campus a...

By Niko Bernhardt As students amble around the choir room, Ms. Goh calls on one and gestures towards her ear. Hurriedly, he unfastens his earring and slides it into a pocket within his backpack, saying, “Sorry, I forgot.”  As the years go by, this occurrence has become more and more common. Male students in Dalat are getting ear piercings more often than they have in the past. Naturally, being high schoolers, they are forgetful and for the most part unintentionally break the rule. However, some students look at the dress code policy and call for change, bringing up the question, why can’t we wear earrings, and how can we get this rule to change?  As has been the case since the dawn of time, high school students value self-expression. Now more than ever, students are being surrounded by messages supporting and encouraging that pursuit. Because of this, traditions and norms have been altered, and things that were once taboo are being destigmatized. One of the most widespread and...

By  Brandon Goh As time flies, everyone gets more enthusiastic about summer break and finally having a rest for two months. Still, it is a different experience for seniors because we have to prepare for our transition from high school to university, which I found hard. Getting ready for university is challenging as many factors will eventually change our lives. It is the first time living alone, far from home, so it can be arduous to prepare ourselves for university. Senior year is pretty stressful, especially with APs and college applications. Many seniors have break owns when balancing time on schoolwork and college-related activities. One advice I would give people is not to procrastinate, as you would not want to end and cram your time with a bunch of homework and activities left right before the semester ends. I have had bad experiences when it comes to working out my time management as I tend to do all of my work the day before it is due. For example, I had an English paper g...

By  Lana Brewster After my fifth and sixth-grade years of middle school where many of my closest friends had left Dalat to travel to other countries, I finally fell in with a group of girls with whom I felt that I belonged. As we spent more time together our bond grew stronger, and we began to share our interests, hobbies, and goals. An unspoken collective value among the group that we influenced each other to chase was high academic achievement and hard work in all of our academic pursuits.  Although we were never callous enough to flaunt our accomplishments and minimize the others’ efforts, sharing grades on assignments, quizzes, and tests became something of a competition where the value of an individual within that friendship depended on whether or not they got an A on an assignment. Unknowingly, I found myself wishing for the academic failure of my closest friends just to get a little validation in my own pursuits. Speaking to Josiah Andrews, he gave me the insight that o...

By Jiheon No Some hastening and some walking, we the seniors entered the conference room provided by the resort for the last night's gathering of senior sneak. With a mix of laughter and chatter, one by one we sat around, coming to silence, in a circle for a time of reflecting back on our life and looking ahead into what is about to come.  The session began with an acoustic worship led by Juyoung, Haeon, and Tim. With some harmonization, the whole senior class sang together the words of praise and thankfulness after a fun and exhausting day out in the sun. This worship session was especially special as there was no other time when only the seniors gathered together for a worship service. One song that really was meaningful to the whole class was Oceans by Hillsong UNITED:  “You call me out upon the waters The great unknown where feet may fail And there I find You in the mystery.  In oceans deep my faith will stand”.  Since we will be going out to the world, now indep...

By Rauru Takikawa As I unconsciously turned off the first alarm and woke up with the second one at 4:40 AM, I knew today was not ordinary. As I made the final check on my luggage and left home, I felt a little sorrow that I won't be able to return home for about four days. When I arrived in Dalat, everyone was ready for the nearly ten hours of trips. After the long travel and arriving at The Tarras Beach & Spa Resort hotel at Redang, we received an interesting green juice. Enjoying free time at the beach and eating a wonderful dinner, we received important information from sponsors regarding the expectations and activities.  One activity I found interesting was spoon assassination which we stabbed people with spoons, and the only way to protect yourself was to put both hands on top of your head. This activity was not only fun to watch as a couple of people were always putting their hands on top of their heads but also allowed me to have new social connections with other people ...

 By Jacky Park Last week the seniors went to Redang for their Senior Sneak, and everything went well during that time except the fact that Jacky Park (12) lost his wallet during the trip. All seniors were highly encouraged to bring a decent amount of money because since the pandemic was still around, they had to enjoy their time inside the hotel by using the facilities they provided. In fact there were quite a few things they could enjoy because the hotel was connected to a beautiful beach where snorkeling , beach volleyball, kayaking etc. was available. Jacky, thinking he wouldn’t have enough money, decided to bring 550 ringgit to Sneak and told everyone he was “prepared for the fun”. The trip to Redang took about 8 hours in total, so hardly any seniors used any money on the first day. On the second day, seniors really started to have fun out on the beach doing various activities. Jacky was excited to go snorkeling with Addy, Chor Ee, Sabrina, Maggie, and Jiheon. Chor Ee paid for ...

 By Ethan Chan  Spiritual Discipline students scattered across the Dalat campus to have a time of silence and reflect upon themselves and the world around them. Watching the blue ocean waters or sitting across from the grassy field, they sat quietly and observed. However, amongst them all, was the silent life that went unnoticed in plain sight. As leaves trickled down onto the cool ground, Rauru Takikawa (12) embraced the fresh sea winds as he sat under the pleasant shade. In the conclusion of the class activity, Rauru said, “Being surrounded by the trees creates a calming environment. I like the trees as I look across campus. I get a vibe of leisure around them.” Standing tall amidst us all, trees have always been there across Dalat. Providing us with shade and creating a greenscape across the school, many students appreciate and rely on their soothing presence. When asked about nature in Dalat, many students replied, mentioning trees, the ocean, or the crows that lurk near t...

By Ning Yi Chia Towards the end of March, we are rewarded with a short break for our work ethic and drive to achieve our goals. Luckily, spring break is a glimmering reminder that the darkness of midterm stress and seasonal senioritis will soon be washed away in blissful sunlight.  Unlike the usual lighthearted feeling I get before a week of holiday, I felt an inconsolable yearning for the experience to be longer, almost as if I crave the nostalgia of staying close to my family and friends. As of last spring break and holiday as a senior, I believe it was a memorable time of my life, especially when I got to foster great relationships with my peers.  The four years of high school have shaped and refined us into individuals with empathy and strong interrelationships– some of those special moments are created when we take time to rest and spend it with our loved ones. As Christopher Ooi (12) says, “Senior year has been a great opportunity to appreciate the island and the people ...

By Lim Soo Qiao On Friday, 25 March 2022, at five o’clock in the afternoon, Dalat would be without students or staff until the week after the next due to something special — spring break. This was a holiday that everyone deserved to have to rest, connect with others, and have fun.  During spring break, I spent my time getting closer to teachers and classmates who I wasn’t very familiar with by talking to them online. From doing this, I learned the hardships and highlights in their lives. Despite their difficulties, they have found ways to enjoy life and have joyous moments in this harsh time.  One of the teachers I spoke to online was Ms. Hexen Ong, who shared some part of her story about her journey of faith to me. Thinking I was taking up too much of her time she said to me, “You're not taking too much of my time! I love love love sharing all these with you!” Technology is a blessing because we can communicate with someone when we can’t physically meet them. There are limits...

 By Gabriel Kontsas This spring break, both at a theme park and my basketball hoop, I realized how I experienced different emotions than my friends and family because of my perspective. I see the world with my eyes and you with yours; this is how we create our perspectives. We can experience differing emotions at the same events, as one person might be having the time of their life. On the contrary, another person could be experiencing polar opposite emotions. Over three weeks ago, I tore one of my main ankle ligaments, meaning that I have not been able to do any sports or other everyday activities. This injury is primarily a struggle when hanging around boys, as physical activities often revolve around these hangouts. For example, Taylor Johnson from grade 12, when asked for one of his highlights of the break, answered, "Playing basketball at Gabe's house" as one of them. However, I, who usually would've answered the same, felt relatively polar emotions as I was sadd...

By Josh Peek A bell sounds, the timer is set and started, tick tick tick, 45 minutes like sand falling through the hands of time. Four weary soldiers stumble out of their fourth arena of battle. One goal drives them forward, exhausted, injured, barely holding on; “shin boon-” Jaesung Kim (12) mutters under his breath, too tired to complete the sentence; no need, the three around him grunt in agreement.  They shuffle across sullen marshland, making their way towards their gallant steed, past the “Lichbrarray,” a store of vast knowledge. Seconds before making it to freedom, a gatekeeper requests identification, and each soldier produces their own. Approved for travel, the group makes haste to the stables. There awaits a magnificent beast, Handach Ceitea, a trusty (four-seater) horse. Each soldier clambers on, and they begin their short but arduous journey. The roads are packed, each turn and stop seemingly endless. Danger lurks around each corner; smaller single-person horses zip by,...