Hi! What's your name and what year are you in?
Hey! My full name is Joanna, but it’s very very formal, so just call me Asia. It’s not like the name of the continent, but the official short version of my name. I am in year 13, therefore I will be among the first ones to graduate from Le Régent!
Where do you come from and what is the best thing about your home country?
I come from Poland but to be more precise, I grew up in a part of Poland called Silesia which has its own unique dialect and traditions. I feel more Silesian than Polish to be honest. The best thing about Poland… hmmm, we have the best grandmas and the most delicious food! If you ever come to Poland, you should come to my grandma for lunch and you will understand what I mean.
How long have you been at Le Régent?
It’s my second year now. I joined Le Régent for the IB programme.
What made you choose to come here?
Just look outside and you will know why. The views, the mountains, the peacefulness… It’s just a paradise! And also, Crans-Montana is so cosy! It has a home-like atmosphere, people are nice and because it is a holiday destination for many, everyone living here wants to present the best the village has to offer!
What made you stay?
Once you start the IB, you will want to stay! The academic part plays a major role for me. I wouldn’t like to change school in the middle of the programme. But anyway, why would I like to leave a school like this one? Nowhere else would I have made the same friends, eaten the delicious food in the dining hall and, also, the longer I was here, the more I enjoyed the boarding life. Now at the end of Year 13, I feel ready to move on and begin a new adventure.
What is your favourite subject and why?
Oh no… that’s difficult… I chose all my six subjects for IB and I can honestly say that all my 6 subjects are my favourite - because I wanted to take them! Nevertheless, I love the way we learn foreign languages here. When it comes to French, it comes naturally as people in Crans speak French. Also, we can quickly go to the German part of Switzerland and practice German … it gives me so much motivation to learn!
Do you have any hobbies?
I love theatre! I want to keep doing in the future too, as a passion. I have been doing it since I was seven years old. I think it is important to have something different that you love doing when you come to a boarding school… It helps you remain true to yourself and also to make new friends with similar interests.
What is one advice you wish someone would have
given you when you were younger?
To set goals for yourself when living in a boarding school, and to be disciplined. Since everything is taken care of here - we don’t have to do our laundry, we don’t have to cook or clean - it is easy to start wasting time that you could have dedicated to developing your passions or studying … It’s just really important to know why you want to be here and who you want to be when you leave. Time passes so incredibly fast!
What is is like to stay at a boarding school?
Most of the time it is like a movie or a dream - you have your friends, there are so many things you don't have to worry about and it’s a rather peaceful and happy time. But sometimes you just need to get out a bit also. It's important to learn to obey the rules and how to live in a community, but these are useful skills to have in life. I think that boarding school life is just one big adventure. It's an unforgettable experience and every single day is exciting!
What advice would you give to someone who is thinking
about coming to Le Régent?
Get ready for an experience unlike anything you've ever had! Most importantly, talk to new people and be yourself. Le Régent has a very friendly atmosphere so you don't have to be nervous at all.
And don’t forget to check out the library as soon as you come because the view from there is just the best!
