MGIS Students in Brazil, US in Exchange Programme

By Anjou C. on Monday, 29 October , 2007 - 9:47 am

In 2007 once again, two of our students Zara Desai (DP1) and Saher Shodhan (DP2) got selected by AFS and went on an exchange programme to US and Brazil for one full academic year. Here is what Saher has to say about his experience. Zara’s post will be put up shortly.

SAHER SPEAKS -
Brazil is not a country that many people from India, or for that matter most people in the world are familiar with. Last year I was given the chance of a lifetime when AFS was introduced to me by MGIS. AFS came to MGIS and had a presentation on the different programs they offer and what the application process consisted of. To be honest, I wasn’t too keen on applying because I never thought I would be one of the hundreds of candidates who applied. But thanks to my school and a little motivation from my friends and parents I applied for it. Eight months later, here I am sitting in my room in Brazil watching the ocean. Who would have guessed that I would be selected?

The various stages of the application process tested different qualities and facets of one’s character. For example: group discussions, debates, role plays, speeches and similar activities. And it just so happened to be that these were the very things that I was good at, because at MGIS the teachers used precisely the above mentioned activities to teach us. This is what gave me an edge over the other students who applied. The selection process also took into account your academic performance for the last three years, and most of my peers had slightly better grades than me, but what helped me was the fact that I was well read, could enter a discussion using intelligent comments and that I had group dynamics. Unlike most other schools which follow a rote-based approach to education, memorizing entire textbooks with information that would seldom be useful in every day life. Whereas MGIS chooses not to mould their students, but to instead let their students mould themselves. The idea of memorizing and writing identical answers is not what the IBO or MGIS believes in. But mind you, it is not that MGIS does not value academic performance, academic performance is the most important aspect of a student in MGIS. For example, I enjoy my english classes at MGIS a lot and am very comfortable with the language thanks to the different methods employed by the educators. And because of that, over here in Brazil, I am amongst students from all over the world, including english speaking countries like the US and The UK, but I can proudly say that I am still better read and better informed than them… MGIS encourages it’s students to be different and to dream their own dreams, instead of being a part of the ‘herd’.

Looking back at how I got selected for this program, I think my biggest thanks goes to my school, not for introducing me to AFS, but for the fact that they prepared me for a lot more than college. They made sure I was allowed to make my own choices but at the same time they made sure I was prepared to tackle any difficulties that came with my choices…

Category: MGIS Insight, Newsworthy

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