Samuel visited his parents in Singapore and took the opportunity to visit the GESS again. We were happy to see him and asked him what he is studying in Australia and whether he misses GESS.
What did you do after your school life at GESS?
After spending my entire school life in Singapore, it was fun for me to go back to Australia after graduating in 2019. Although my parents are both Australian, I had a hard time understanding the Australian accent in the beginning, but that quickly subsided and today I feel at home in Australia and have a typical Aussie accent again. I am studying at the National University of Canberra in a double degree programme, in International Relations and International Security.
My mother still teaches at GESS and my sister is graduating this year. So even today, I still have a close connection to GESS through my family.
What is a particularly fond memory of your time at GESS?
My friends! I made some really close friends during my time at GESS. Most of them went back to Europe after their Abitur or IB. The long-distance makes it difficult to see one another often, but thanks to modern communication, we still manage to stay in touch. We also had great teachers who supported us well and prepared us for the exams, some of which were quite demanding. I also have very fond memories of my trip to Cambodia. It was great to discover a new country with all my friends and to have a lot of fun together.
You also told us about a particularly funny story from your school days…
Yes, from primary school. To chase a monkey out of the classroom, one of our teachers built a slingshot and tried to chase the monkey away with it. Of course, we found that incredibly funny at the time.
Did you have any favourite places in Singapore?
I can think of two places where I liked to go. A book shop at Takashimaya and Singapore Botanic Gardens.
How did your time at GESS influence your life?
I think I benefitted most from the good reputation of schools in general in Singapore. It is known worldwide that the standard here is very high and the schools enjoy special recognition worldwide, and that students here work hard to get good results. I was already very interested in the subject of history when I was at school, which certainly influenced my choice of studies. Living together with so many different cultures at GESS has also awakened my curiosity and open-mindedness toward other cultures.
What did you learn at GESS that you particularly appreciate today?
It wasn’t until I started studying at university that I realised that everything I took for granted at GESS – the different cultures, languages, quality of teachers – was not the norm but something special.
Do you have any advice for our students?
My advice is to be aware of what a privileged environment you are growing up in. Take advantage of all the opportunities you have at school and in Singapore to learn about other cultures – and enjoy your time at GESS!
