Who wouldn't love to see this during school?
The seniors were rehearsing for graduation, and the high school was working on their end of year tests while we were visiting. Therefore, the school was a little out of its regular schedule, but we got to visit the computer lab, the veranda, and tour through the halls a bit. Contrary to what some who are not familiar with international schools might expect, ISF did not seem to be lacking in any resources, and it was quite similar to your typical American private school. I myself went into the tour expecting to encounter a smaller school without much technology, but the school is not only stunningly beautiful, it's also very modern and has everything a regular school would. The walls were lined with posters for Soccer Try-Outs, pictures of the talent show award winners, and even advertisements for an international food fair. Overall, it did not feel like an alien place; it's just special because students come from all over the world. 
http://www.isfitaly.org/site/d_page.asp?IDPagina=1&Section=
The Hat and I were struck by our guide's explanation of the IB Programme, which is a program which prepares students all over the world to enter into prestigious universities. It serves to set a standard for any student in any country, so that a student's education is not undermined due to location. What this showed The Hat and I is that International Schools are becoming a prominent way to be educated-- and after doing some research, we realized that the findings are on our side. An article on Expatica.com over international schools says that:
In
2000, there were 2,584 international schools teaching close to 1
million students -- mainly
expats. Today that number stands at 5,676
international schools teaching over 2.5 million
students, and by 2020
the prediction is for over 11,000 international schools with over 5
million
students.
The full article can be found here:
We are living in a world that is more connected than ever, and people are moving to other countries at a quickly growing rate. There once was a time when a child would grow up in the same town as their parents and grandparents, but that is happening less and less. Instead, work, family, and pleasure are sending people all over the world, and schools are popping up everywhere to accommodate.
So what is it like going to an International School? The Hat and I can say from experience, it's both similar and completely different to regular American schools. On the one hand, students learn the same things, do the same activities, and experience the same accomplishments and disappointments that all children do. On the other hand, students are constantly surrounded by other children from all over the world, which facilitates a great opportunity for learning about other cultures and becoming more globally aware. Lessons, activities, and regular conversation all tend to revolve around different customs around the world, and international students sometimes adopt those customs as their own. We found an amusing, but also subtly insightful Buzzfeed article about International School Students, which gives a brief glimpse into what it's like to grow up in a school abroad:http://www.buzzfeed.com/autmnjones/signs-you-were-an-international-school-kid-grak
Overall, The Hat and I are of the opinion that International Schools are only going to continue growing as more and more people begin to travel. Schools abroad help to teach students that the world is smaller than it feels sometimes, that people of different cultures are more similar than not, and that getting out of a bubble where everyone tries to be the same is one of the scariest, and most exciting, experiences one can take on.
We had a lovely time at the International School of Florence, and are having a blast being in Italy!
Love,
The Hat and Adrienne
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