Sunny.

This is Sunny. She is from China. 

 

She is one of the students whom I know for a fact had their life changed by TASIS.

On the very first day she accidentally missed her oral exam because she didn't understand that she had to go somewhere to take it. When I told her she missed it (simply so that she could come make it up) she started crying and couldn't calm herself down. She explained to me that in China if you missed an exam it was a really big deal and it's so competitive that could be enough to get you kicked out of a good school. After I told her, "Well this is an American School and we know people make mistakes and we're not mad and all you have to do is walk over there and take it now" she just couldn't believe it. 

We continued to have a good relationship throughout the session.

On the very last day, she came to me again crying. I asked her what was wrong thinking she probably didn't get her report card, or possibly didn't get a perfect score on her report card. 

She instead told me that she didn't want to leave because she loved it so much at TASIS. She said here she has freedom and choices. She can choose her afternoon sports and activities, and she can choose what she does in her evening free time. In China she can't do that. She said if you want a good life you have to be top in your school and for that her parents schedule her day minute by minute with tutoring and activities. Though she doesn't really see her parents ever, because they're working and traveling, so she goes to all these things by herself. 

She also told me I was her best friend! 

Oh my heart.