A truly cultural exchange
During the week, the girls shadowed some of our Year 9 students (some of whom had visited VDJS before Christmas in a Regents Exchange to India) and experienced a typical school day at Regents and an interesting trip to Arts in Paradise.
Last term, just in time for International Day Week, we were joined by the lovely girls and their teacher from the VDJS School in India. The late Shri OP Jindal, philanthropist and industrialist had a vision for a progressive state where men and women would be equal to each other. In their equality, he believed laid the secret for the state's advancement. The result of this vision was the birth of Vidya Devi Jindal School - VDJS.
The VDJS Exchange girls arrived from India into Bangkok where they were thrown straight into Thai culture, visiting the The Grand Palace and enjoying typical Thai food for lunch. After such a busy day Miss Aina, Neelam Mam and I were shocked that the girls had any energy left to go shopping in one of the night markets- but shop they did!
During the week, the girls shadowed some of our Year 9 students (some of whom had visited VDJS before Christmas in a Regents Exchange to India) and experienced a typical school day at Regents and an interesting trip to Arts in Paradise.
To end the week, the girls joined in with International Day celebrations and treated us to a wonderful, traditional Indian Dance.
We all look forward to Regents School students visiting VDJS in Term 1 next year and the reciprocal visit of VDJS students to Regents in time for 2017’s International Day week…
Reflection from the VDJS girls:
“No boundaries, only bridges”. This is that one punch line on which the mere existence of RSIS resides and this is what we, Jindalites, experienced when our school participated in the Round Square Academic Exchange with The Regents International School Pattaya. This exchange changed my perspective towards the world and gave me lots of new friends and family from a different corner of the world. It was a great learning experience for me as this exchange provided an opportunity to me to interact without boundaries and barriers of culture, nationalities, language, race or colour. I enjoyed visiting the shopping malls, the Grand Palace, the night streets and the Art in Paradise. My favourite class, without any doubt, was the Thai class which is a part of their curriculum. The teaching methods are different from those in India. The other subjects I enjoyed attending were English, Maths, DT and ICT. What will I miss about Thailand? I will miss the blue skies, the breath-taking sunsets, the beach, the tasty fruits, the friendly people, the classes at Regents, the friends I made; Kate, Aaditi, Nehmat, Naeh-Nahe, our host family members, Miss Aina, Miss Rhiannon and above all the warmth given to us by each and every person we met.’
Kavya, Avni, Dilpreet, Isha
Written by Rhiannon Hobson, Round Square Assistant
