Success at the End of the Road

16 May 2015Sasha B, Hope ‘17

Being an international student at Brentwood has its challenges and there are things you need to know before you make the important decision on whether or not you should come halfway across the world to boarding school in Mill Bay, BC, Canada. Last May I finished my Grade 9 year in my home city of Kharkiv, Ukraine; I was done with middle school. I was ready for a new adventure, to experience my Grade 10 year in one of the best Canadian boarding schools. Last September, I left home. I was hugging my mum and crying at the Kyiv airport. I was waiting to step onto the plane and into my new life. In that moment everything changed; I suddenly become older and wiser. Being an ESL student was the first, and probably the biggest, challenge I experienced at Brentwood. Everyone was talking so fast and I was spending the majority of my time wondering at the sentences and words I didn’t understand. I remember how terrified I was. Days were passing and new challenges were shown my way. But at Brentwood I learned how to achieve my goals: if you want to get a good mark you go to the library or to extra help; if you want to get a good ergometer split, you go to the erg room and pull as hard as you can; if you want to make friends, you start talking. That’s how I learned that you can always get help, from your teacher or your houseparent; you can always row better; you can always make lots of friends. In six weeks I will be going back home for summer holiday. This year was probably the hardest and most exciting in my entire life. I became independent and confident. It was really hard, but all the work is worth it. Sasha B, Hope ‘17

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