Youssef, Egypt – Year 10

My parents wanted me to receive an education outside of Egypt, that taught the Cambridge curriculum and we found Springbank School.  My parents felt like it was the best school, as it wasn’t too big and seemed to be really safe and really beautiful.  And they were correct, it ticks all those boxes and more.

Springbank is a great school as I’ve been able to make so many good friends and they all made me feel welcomed from day one. I have been here for just over 2 years now and I love it! I do so much with my classmates like, get together, play basketball, go to town, and just hang out together.  I also like the feeling of being a part of Springbank School and feeling like I belong and am at home here.

I have been lucky to experience so many great opportunities while living here, but one of the best things I have ever done in my entire life was to go sky diving.  It was even more special as my host brother (Jannes) did it with me.  It was such a crazy feeling, free falling from 12,000 feet in the air, but it was also so cool to be able to see all of the water in the Bay of Islands, as well as my home from the air.

Basketball is my favourite sport.  I love playing basketball and I can play every day with my classmates and am also part of the Springbank Junior Basketball team.  We have recently been playing in the Far North Inter-Schools Basketball Competition for Terms 1 and 2 (2021) and we won!  So, it’s exciting to say I’m part of the champion basketball team for school.