Something that I always used to enjoy about a typical high school day was the very end of it, sports time. In high school I played football, basketball, track, and baseball. Needless to say, sports ran my life from 3-7 on most weekdays. A typical high school athlete spends somewhere around 15 to 30 hours a week either playing or practicing their craft. For me, this was a wonderful experience that taught me about responsibility, teamwork, and time management. I feel like this is a typical experience of several students back home in the states, but teachers and students at SIS find this absolutely crazy.
The first few weeks here at SIS I have been talking with students and teachers about my school background. Surprisingly, sports came up in most of the conversations. When I told them how much time I spent on sports they all gave me an astounding look of astonishment. One student even asked me if I was considering going professional back in the states when I told him how much time track took up in the spring. Teachers also commented on how often they have heard about Americans’ strong enthusiasm for sports when I talked about my experience with sports in high school.
It seems to me that students at Sotogrande International School put a lot more time and effort into activities outside of sports. While I have been at SIS I have participated in an after school basketball program and played ultimate Frisbee at break. The basketball program is once a week for about one hour. It has consisted of mostly scrimmaging with no drills or practice elements. While students do not put a lot of emphasis on sports, it is still has a strong influence at the school. Students often challenge young teachers to matches of basketball, soccer, and Frisbee during lunch. I have already competed with students at ultimate Frisbee and have an approaching challenge in basketball this Monday. We are currently 1-0, so I hope everyone back home is wishing us luck so we can keep our undefeated record! While this school does not put as much stress on sports, they definitely put a lot of effort into other areas. One area that SIS definitely excels at is music. They recently put on a concert for parents, teachers, students, and community members at their school. Students that preformed ranged from 10-18 and I was amazed at all the talent that this school had. It was like a mini American Idol or even a shot from the T.V. sensation GLEE! Students preformed solo, duets, quartets, and there were also bands. They played music from artists that are fairly current including: Lady Gaga, Vampires Weekend, Coldplay, and Gym Class Heroes. I was definitely blow away by the talent and presentation level of these students. It was truly a sight to see… and not to mention hear!
When it comes to opportunities, SIS does not stop at the musical arts. Students can also be in plays or have their art shown throughout the hallways. Students are currently preparing to perform this Thursday in a show called “The Laramie Project.” This is about the homosexual boy that was murdered in Wyoming. This is a very provocative choice for a show that should be very entertaining. In addition, it is not uncommon for hallways to be littered with fantastic works of art at SIS. I often find myself running into students and staff as I walk through the school because I am caught staring at the walls as I move through the school! Overall, I would say Sotogrande International School does a superb job of making sure all opportunities are open to students. Students know that they can play a guitar, make amazing works of art, perform in a play, or even play a little basketball on the side. There is no avenue that is closed to these students and time will tell if I saw some future rock stars that night at SIS.
Until Next Time… ROCK ON!
Drew Ingvalson
Drew Ingvalson
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