After our first fast and furious four weeks of school, our boarders have really done a fabulous job in becoming familiar with their class schedules in day school and settling into their new routines in boarding. They are improving their organization skills and studying hard in their daily Academic Development periods. On Thursdays, our “Thursday Team Time” gives boarders a great chance to get some exercise as they compete with their house teams, and it always challenges them to work together and have fun!

Boarding weekend trips have made a strong start this year, and we have already gone on five trips! Last weekend our boarders visited Bounce trampoline arena at EmQuartier in the city centre. This was a great chance for our boys and girls to show how well they could jump, flip, and do stunts, as they laughed and played together. We have many more trips planned for Term 1 including a trip to Chatuchak market, 3-D Museum, and even a dreamy trip to Snowtown just in time for the Christmas Holiday. We encourage boarders to sign up early, so they don’t miss out on these great opportunities to have fun with friends as they improve social skills and learn about activities in and around Bangkok.

On campus, and when they are not studying, our boarders are extremely active and can be found playing in the Sports Hall, splashing in the swimming pool, or going on bike rides around Windsor Park Golf Course or to 7-11 to pick up some snacks. We have also begun “The Morning Mile” which is an opportunity for boarders and staff to go for an early morning run before school three times a week. The turnout has been great for these activities, and it is clear that BIST boarders love overcoming challenges, both mental and physical. 

In week four we introduced a new support system in boarding. Each boarder has been paired with a buddy and they know they can always turn to their buddies for anything they need. All buddy pairs have been assigned to one of six families in each house, and the families are each overseen by older secondary boarders who serve as Prefects. This week, new buddies and families worked together and competed against other families in our first “Family Night” event. The event was a great way for boarders to meet and get to know their new buddies and have a great time working together.

With four weeks to go before the half-term break, there is still much work to do, but what a great year it has been so far! We truly couldn’t be happier about the way our boarders have shown they can thrive in the boarding environment which we like to think of as their home away from home.