International mindedness Part 2 – Understanding ourselves to connect with others

Understanding ourselves to connect with others

“Ciao” and “Grazie” are the words spoken by a South African student hopping out of his lift club parent’s car on an Autumn morning at Hout Bay International School’s stop and drop.

This sentiment is an unremarkable component of an HBIS student’s day to day. Students are exposed to ways of life different from their own on an ongoing basis through small unguided interactions in their school and extracurricular environments.

Due to the multiculturalism offered by an international school, there is an absence of reinforcement to a single set of rules or customs. Students are not lulled into single mindedness as they might be in a school of students of one nationality.

This lack of conformity allows a student to reflect on their own beliefs. They debate with confidence and maturity in their opinions among people who think differently from themselves. A better understanding of themselves allows them to better connect with others.

Hout Bay International School students thrive in an international space interacting respectfully with others – on school field trips and exchanges, as well as when they leave school and continue studies and careers abroad.