ESTHER
-Life at BELA Academy
When I first arrived at BELA, I honestly had a hard time adjusting. Coming from a different homestay, that was definitely my biggest worry. However, I received a lot of help from my teachers and classmates, and I was able to successfully transition into 11th grade. When I entered 11th grade, I spent a lot of time crying and worrying about falling behind. Even then, I consulted with my teachers and worked hard with them, and before I knew it, I began to dream new dreams. I worked hard to ensure I didn't lose to anyone in my studies. That doesn't mean I spent all day studying. I spent all night talking with my friends, sharing my concerns, and freely pursuing my hobbies. Thanks to the environment, I didn't feel stressed. I'm always grateful for that. Honestly, leaving my parents and friends behind made it a very lonely and difficult time. Despite that, I was able to spend every day enjoying myself at BELA. Two and a half years have already passed since I started living at BELA, and I'm grateful that I've been able to visit so many places I couldn't have imagined in Korea. Even I think my peculiar and blunt personality has improved a lot since coming to BELA, and I'm thankful that I'll be leaving with more precious memories than difficult and unpleasant ones. I think it's all thanks to the comfort and support from those around me. Arthur and Misha are like my second parents.
-Philippine High School Life and Academic Scholarship Graduation
I think school life was quite enjoyable. Honestly, I'd be lying if I said it wasn't difficult. The school I attended was Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Montessori in Baguio, a Catholic school with a very strict curriculum. Most of the local students there had excelled and entered Senior High, so at first, I didn't even think about getting top grades. I just focused on keeping up. To achieve this, I studied a lot of Tagalog, the Filipino language, which is often a weakness for foreigners. Thanks to this, I was able to converse and follow along in class without any problems. Making friends also helped me catch up more quickly (and, as Filipinos are very kind and helpful, they're quite the people). In 11th grade, I was busy switching departments, asking for help here and there, and staying late during presentation classes. However, after 12th grade, I had enough free time to focus on my grades and was able to do my part in group projects and presentations. I kept improving my grades as much as I could, and by the last semester of 12th grade, I was able to reach 7th place. I was able to consistently receive the Honor Award each semester, and by the time I graduated, I was able to receive it monthly in front of other students.
-Admission to Prestigious Swiss Universities and Swiss University Information Materials
While at Bella, I became interested in hotel management. My interests were travel and languages, and while searching for a suitable career path, my teachers recommended BHMS (Business and Hotel Management School in Switzerland). As soon as I entered 12th grade, I began studying for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a tutor in earnest to apply to the school. While it was challenging to juggle my studies with my university studies, I successfully completed my IELTS with a 5.5. BHMS requires a 5.0 IELTS score, and thanks to the support of my teachers throughout the application process, I was able to apply without much difficulty. After submitting my application, I received my Final Letter of Acceptance and completed my visa preparations in the Philippines. Upon returning to Korea, I had my visa interview at the Swiss embassy and successfully received my student visa. Even after arriving in Korea, I had no time for leisure, focusing solely on German and studying to raise my IELTS score to 6.5. Studying in Switzerland was incredibly challenging, with a mountain of work to do. However, I'm grateful for the opportunity to study here, and I've worked hard to make the most of the support I received from those around me. To put it simply, BHMS is located in Luzern, Switzerland. For six months, you live in a dormitory, and for another six, you work as an intern at a hotel, earning enough money to cover living expenses and housing. This is something I'm really interested in, and it was the first reason I chose this school. Internships and living experiences aren't easy to come by, and I thought it was a great opportunity to experience and adapt to society in a short period of time. This school also requires you to pursue light sports as a hobby, and it offers semester-long courses in German and French as second languages, making it a great school. While school life in Europe can be challenging, the ease of traveling to various European countries by train is a plus. I believe it was thanks to the support of my Bella teachers that I was able to attend such a prestigious university and graduate from high school with excellent grades. Even after I go to Switzerland, I want to help many of my friends have similar experiences. I'll continue to work hard there. Director, Vice Director, thank you so much for your help so far.
