Lian Swinkels - UWC Wales

How did you find out about UWC and why did you  apply?
A girl who went to UWC Mostar came to my high school and gave a presentation about UWC. After that I really wanted to go, the cultures and the challenge really inspired me.

What are you first impressions of UWC?
It was very overwhelming in the beginning, so many people from so many different counties and so many interesting stories; it was amazing but also a bit confusing sometimes.

What do you enjoy most about life at UWC?
I really enjoy community service, I do music therapy with elderly people that have dementia and little children with autism, it is very intense but very rewarding as well. Furthermore the cultures that are present are the most inspiring thing at UWC, you learn so much from

What has been the most challenging aspect?
It was quite challenging to be from home the first couple of months, but you get used to it and there are more than enough breaks, which are also a nice opportunity to travel places.

What subjects are you taking?
I’m taking, Biology, Economics and English A1 Language and Literature Higher Level. And Dutch Self-taught, Peace and Conflict Studies and Math Standard Level.

What CAS activities are you involved in?
I’m involved with Music Therapy Service, as I explained earlier. Furthermore I’m doing Dysparity were we help children with a learning disability to catch up in school. And this term I’m doing valley session where we work in the valley that we have on the campus where fruits and vegetables are being grown. Furtermore I have been involved in Children Charities where we raised money for Save the Children,  Get in Shape, exercising in different ways, Islamic Ceramics, making Islamic tiles and Meditation.

What advice would you give to students thinking about applying?
Talk to current and ex UWC students, who are more than happy to share their experience, so you really know what UWC is about and be yourself during the selection process.

What do you think are the main differences between UWC and the school you attended before?
The way learning is approached. In my old school you just learned from books, but in a UWC you learn from your classes were you discuss  the topics with people from all over the world who all have different perspectives and therefore your own perspective is widened, furthermore by all the acitivities you do beside school you get a lot of experiences you do not get at the school I used to go to.

What are your ambitions after you leave UWC?
I think I want to study a liberal arts and science course in the Netherlands