Wishing you a good day, students, applicants and our dear National Committee. I would like to share with you what it means to become one of the members of a huge and friendly UWC family. What discoveries and adventures you expect, how many opportunities will be open for you, and how you will be changed for the better, after a short but full life, two years, here - in the second house and second family.
First of all, UWC is the fulfillment of your desires. Since my childhood, I dreamed of being in Italy: to touch history, art, fashion. All that we know about such amazing country. For the great happiness and surprise, UWC gave me this opportunity. This tremendous moment when crossing the green zone of the airport, you realize - here it is an adult life, here are the new horizons and, frankly, a feeling of little pride of yourself, that you have achieved everything by yourself, of course, not without the moral and material support of parents, not without donors and college funding. However, he made the choice to become a member of UWC, he went through 3 stages and had the opportunity to study abroad, despite the financial situation of the family. This inspiration then develops into ecstasy, when from the airplane window you see how the red carpet spreads the houses, everywhere evergreen trees, huge trails and endless traffic of cars. At this time, really thank the fate for such an incredible chance.

Nevertheless, I would not want you to act, to adjust to the fact that the choice of college should be based only on the preferences of the country in which you want to live and study. United World College - will be your second home anywhere in the world: in a deserted Africa, a cold North Pole, or a choking jungle. The world is still full of amazing people, and these people will become your second family, which you really will love and for you it will not be any different in what country you live. You just enjoy, you can not doubt it.

Well, then. I found myself at the United World College of Adriatic, still shocked by the new country, a new mentality, the brain was vigorously resisting the exit from the comfort zone. By the way, this is my first international experience. I remember the moment when I was taken aback for a few seconds from the elementary question of granting a passport and then continuing for a few minutes with a realization that from now on you will spend two years in an environment where almost one English language will be. In overcoming this fear, uncertainty and the emerging homesick I was very helped by my second-years guys from Russia, many thanks to Maya and Ruslan. I ask you, my peers, next year to be always that life-circle and the helping hand for yours, as we call here in Italy, accept. Remember that they will really need your support at the first time.

A distinctive feature of our college is that we do not have large campuses with sectors of study, beds, etc., such as in Dilijan or Mastricht. We have several residences like small hostels, and each residence has its own distinctive name. The same situation with educational buildings, some lessons take place in one of the residences on the first floor. In fact, it's very good. We live in a village, such a location of residences, does not interfere in the lives of people. It turns out that you simultaneously live in UWC and a small Italian village.

Probably the most productive week was the first (intro-week). Simply from the fact that you need to tell the 180 students already the pattern phrases, the name and where you are from, and also explain how I was a Korean in Russia, and where is the island of Sakhalin. By the way, as far as I know, I'm the first guy in the Adriatic who came from the Far East. Well, to be honest, it was productive, because it was full of events, games, presentations, conversations, a stir in the choice of objects and your CAS.

I can not judge the local educational activity, because everywhere there are flaws, as in the Russian system, and in the local system. I can say that you are provided with the latest generation of university textbooks Cambridge and Oxford, good teachers and affordable resources. You also need to use these resources, spend a lot of time on academic self-development. It's not just to read the textbook paragraph and do 2 tasks, but really to delve into the subject, to understand the details and subtleties, which again makes you in the future a good specialist. That's what I really love here in terms of studying, that there are no big changes between lessons, but there is one break time to have a bite. Amazingly, there is no waste of time.

At first everything seems alien to you, you are in constant stress, sometimes you want to leave. Then, day after day, you get into this environment, get used to the language and people, everything starts to seem interesting. Appear familiar, and then friends. Gradually just fall in love with this place. UWC fills every day with life, turns school days not into routine, but on the contrary, into full of events and the happiness of a grain of time. Because of this, you simply do not notice how time passes, more than two months have passed, but it seems that as if yesterday I was laying out things, getting acquainted with new people. I do not know the reasons why everything goes so fast. Maybe because of a well-organized academic and extracurricular program (I've already visited Venice, Milan and Ravenna in a short time, the huge choice of CAS (Creative, Action, Service) activities allows you to do exactly what you want, not because You need the same thing in school subjects: you have the choice to do what you want) or because of really clever and amazing people with whom you learn everything new and new and with which you can talk for hours. And maybe everything in the complex.

s it easy to give? Of course, no. Before you are the difficulties and challenges that you need to overcome. Such a life asks for maximum return, a great desire to act and change, organization and patience. However, it's worth it, of course. In two years you will become other people who are ready to face life's obstacles, help people and fight for justice. Sometimes the load drains you. There is a well-known rule that exist between us UWC students. There are 3 main components of UWC life or in another way SSS - Studying, Sleeping, Socializing, and you can choose only 2 of them. However, as we know that there was progress - it is necessary to work hard and hard. Here one of the main laws of dialectics works: quantity that grows into quality. The more you do, the bigger person you will become.

Guys who plan to do it. We wish you good luck in your selection, do not be afraid of difficulties and always go to the end. Maybe you still have doubts about the entire movement of the UWC. In connection with the information war is likely, your parents, and you can think of us someone dominates, which may not be such that someone was paying just for the student. I assure you this is not true. You do not impose an unfair opinion on anyone, you are completely free in thinking. If you have your own opinion about some issue, you can protect it, arguing, and you will always be heard by others. Perhaps you think all extremely difficult and impossible to become a member of the UWC, afraid for their language skills, and financial insecurity. Away doubt because UWC will provide you with everything you need, you just have to really want it.

The UWC can be that kind of kindness that has remained in the world, and in our power to preserve this kindness and spread it in the world.

Best regards,

Danil, UWC Adriatic'2018