Wrapping it up

I decided to write a final blog post, and sum up the week, but where do I begin? The IB World Student Conference at the University of Warwick was one of the best experiences of my life, and I loved everything- from the plenaries, to the Global Action Team sessions, to the field trips, to every single person I met.

The plenaries were incredible; Jeremy Gilley, Phil Kaye, Ben Walden, and Void Physical Theater were all so inspirational. I learned a lot this week about finding my voice, what it takes to make a difference, and how we can create peace one day. On Monday, they told us two things about the UK Conference. The first was that it was the most diverse of the four conferences- I absolutely believe that. We were representing 28 countries, which was really exciting. It was so cool to be able to walk up to someone and say, “Hi, where are you from?” The second was that it was the first IBWSC to deal with the arts. I loved being a part of the first conference to do with the arts, and I loved the fact that everything we did had the arts, and peace, at its core. 

The Global Action Teams were so much fun- mine were theater and dance, and both focused on conflict, and war, and how eventually we can find peace, both within ourselves and with others. It was such heavy material, but the GAT leaders were so confident that we would be able to handle it, and in such a short period of time, that we all did. We all really came together, and produced work that we were really proud of. Friday was so fun, both to watch and to perform.

Above all, my favorite part about this week was the people I met. I made friends from across the world, people I hope to stay in contact with for a long time. Everyone I met was so nice- I can honestly say that I did not encounter one mean person or bully the entire week, and that’s really great, in a setting with 150 high school kids. It’s amazing how in a week we can develop such strong friendships- and while it was hard to leave, I wouldn’t have traded meeting those people for the world.

This week was so special, and I’m so glad I was able to be a part of it. Thanks so much to everyone who made the UK IBWSC possible, and even more, to everyone there who made it what it was. You are all so wonderful, and I’m so lucky to have met every one of you. Thanks for reading! It’s been fun :)