Pham Ngoc Bao Khuyen, a grade 10 student at SNA Marianapolis International School, has been a boarding student since the school’s inception, making herself one of the dormitory’s “longtime residents” at the moment. It had been three years since she left the nest and began living in a boarding house with friends and teachers from the school. In contrast to the misperception about how simple it is to stay in the dorms, Khuyen and the other students find it to be a significant challenge. What, then, about the school that persuaded their parents to allow them to live a boarding life, and why did the students choose to start their adulthood at SNA Marianapolis? Let’s find all the need-to-know answers through a deep sharing from Khuyen, as below.
1/ Reasons For The Decisions
Khuyen’s family currently lives in District 12 of Ho Chi Minh City, therefore her parents grappled with the choice to allow her to attend SNA Marianapolis International School in Bien Hoa City.
Khuyen claimed that even before the completion of the school, her parents had the chance to speak with the school board and gain additional information about the school itself. The primary factors that were successful in persuading Khuyen’s parents to put their trust and choose the SNA Marianapolis as a place to guide and accompany her on the path of preparing for the university were the seminars, in-depth discussions, and especially the nearly 100-year educational tradition of the Marianapolis Preparatory School.
Additionally, choosing to live in a boarding house at SNA Marianapolis is necessary for Khuyen to become accustomed to the boarding setting while studying abroad and to have several opportunities to speak and connect with peers from a wide range of nations in different grade levels.
2/ A Treasure Trove Full of Precious Memories About Boarding Life
It’s sometimes stated that the school age is one of the loveliest stages of a person’s life, filled with many joyful, sad, loving, and missing experiences with fellow students and instructors. Bright beams did indeed constantly come on Khuyen’s face as she recalled and told stories about her boarding school days.
Khuyen mentioned that the birthday celebration from the previous year is one of the memories she missed the most and would certainly carry with her for the rest of her life. When all of Khuyen’s friends and teachers got together to plan a surprise party for her, it far exceeded her expectations.
“Because on many of my previous birthdays, I wasn’t very astonished and attracted everyone’s attention. When I saw the video that everyone had created before the birthday, I was moved. I think everyone is extremely appealing and always has other people’s best interests in mind, especially my female pals.” – Khuyen remarked in appreciation.
Another wonderful moment that Khuyen shared further when addressing the topic was the Halloween celebration that took place at the end of November of last year. The living space in the dorm was adorned with a festival theme by teachers and students. The teachers have diligently invented and installed technology, especially in the common room, to create a mystical atmosphere as well as frightening, spiritual light and sound effects, demonstrating an authentic Halloween festival normally celebrated in the US. Khuyen claimed that she and her fellow students were somewhat frightened and that they were highly touched by the teachers’ preparation and dedication. At the celebration, Khuyen and her friend sang the song “Rolling in the Deep”—one of the songs that helped Adele become renowned as “The Nightingale of England”—to entertain the crowd.
3/ Hardships & Life Lessons Learned from Adversity
Khuyen confessed that she often found herself “being alone” to tackle everything even though the boarding life was so colorful as she was talking about the challenges she had. It all began with arguments with friends in the dorm, being ill and all by yourself, struggling to complete challenging schoolwork, or having secrets that cannot be shared with anybody. But as time went on, Khuyen grew more self-reliant and autonomous in her life. She also learned important life lessons and accumulated a wealth of knowledge that she may use when going study abroad in the future. One of them is to always remain composed and communicate with friends, especially the teachers in the dorm, whenever a problem or a question arises: “Teachers are highly specialized people, so they will easily understand and offer the best solution for everyone.” Along with developing her independence and self-discipline, Khuyen gained better time management skills by adhering to the boarding house’s schedule. She also learned how to strike a reasonable balance between her academic work, athletic practice, and recreational activities during the day.
4/ This School is the Second Home
Many parents and students may not be aware of the unique aspect of the SNA Marianapolis boarding activities, but the school frequently plans enjoyable events for significant holidays like Tet, Christmas, Birthdays, Children’s Days, etc. which are just for boarders.
Khuyen revealed that on these unique occasions, she and her friends would have the chance to go outdoors and take part in a variety of leisure activities, such as walking in the park, watching movies, etc., and all while being monitored by teachers. Because of this, students do not feel confined by living on campus; rather, they enjoy spending quality time together, making many amazing experiences, and strengthening bonds with their friends and teachers.
Khuyen reflected on her earliest days in school and said that, as a SNA Marianapolis boarder, she had undergone substantial transformation. Her perspective and approach to thinking had changed to be more optimistic, which she noted as the most notable shift. As she grows more self-assured, she truly pushes herself beyond of her comfort zone to explore and discover new things. Despite the fact that she still occasionally feels a little depressed and homesick Khuyen genuinely stated: “I soon consider Sulyna Dorm as my second home.”
The SNA Marianapolis International School – Bien Hoa Campus has a 9-story residential hall. Sulina Dorm provides 447 beds and has been developed to ensure each boarding student will have a private and comfortable living space. In addition, the Bien Hoa Campus has auxiliary areas (including, but not limited to, common rooms, parent boarding rooms, etc.). The inclusion of these gathering spaces allows the residential participants to feel a part of a community as they live and learn away from home.
If you wish to find out more and have a tour of the SNA Marianapolis Boarding Facilities, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our Admissions Team for guidance and assistance.
Hotline: 0932.083.886
Email: info@snamarianapolis.edu.vn
