NLCS Exchange

NLCS Exchange

This year, three of our Grade 8 students have participated in an exchange with three girls from NLCS (UK). Recently, we all welcomed our London friends to Dubai and here is a brief description of their experience.

Sophie who exchanged with Isabelle

I have greatly enjoyed my visit to NLCS Dubai and seeing all the new and exciting features of the recently built school. Together with my lovely Dubai exchange, we have gone to see many of the exciting sights of Dubai, including the Burj Khalifa for its fountain and light show, the beach and coast of the Arabian sea, and even an abra ride down the Dubai creek. Although the weather has been slightly hotter than what I’m used to, I have managed to fully enjoy all the interesting things that Dubai has had to offer. I have also had the amazing opportunity of seeing the NLCS School in Dubai after only a year of being open. I have connected with many of the students here who have welcomed me and helped me feel at home in this foreign country. Before this trip, I had never been to Dubai before, and yet now feel as though I have gotten a real taste for the culture and the wonderful people that live here.

Justine who exchanged with Yaser

I have really enjoyed my stay in Dubai this Summer Term, I am sure that I have got the right sense of the culture of Dubai and I have used this exchange to visit many of the wonderful attractions here and to meet lots of new and interesting people. One of the most amazing attractions I have seen during this exchange is the Burj Khalifa, I was fascinated by the light show and the fountain show and how the water danced to the music and how it went up to 150m into the air. I was also really staggered by the by the sheer size of Dubai Mall and of the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. One of my favourite activities that I took part in in Dubai was swimming in the warm ocean and going to the Jumeriah Palm to have lots of fun on the amazing rides in Atlantis.

One of the highlights of the trip was going to NLCS Dubai. When I went there, I was warmly welcomed and they made me feel like I had been going to that school for years. The main difference between NLCS Dubai and NLCS London was that in the school in Dubai it is a mixed school. I actually really enjoyed this and I thought that it benefited our general knowledge because the boys bring a new element and new opinions to the class. This generated multiple conversations and debates about our different opinions on different topics in many different classes. Another difference between NLCS Dubai and NLCS London is that their form groups are organized vertically, in houses, this really improved my friendships between grades. In Dubai, everyone is much closer and friendlier because they talk to all of the other grades. A massive similarity between NLCS Dubai and NLCS London is the ambiance and the environment of the school, which I feel is massively important for the NLCS name.

Overall, I had a lovely time here in Dubai with my exchange and his family, and I really hope I can come back soon to see them again and to see how well the school has progressed.

Bavini who exchanged with Zahra

On the way to Dubai, I was unsure and anxious of what to expect. However, I was greeted by the loveliest family who treated me like their daughter for ten days.  I was immediately stunned by the beauty of Dubai. Before I went to the school I went to many different places including: Eid celebrations, the Burj al Arab, the Queen Elizabeth 2 and all of the massive malls. Dubai, both shocked me and intrigued me with its modern culture and innovative design. I was also shocked to see the lifestyle in Dubai in which most students had maids and drivers which is very different to London. My favourite thing about Dubai was the absolute variety of places you could find. I saw incredible things like the Last Exit, a virtual reality theme park and La Mer, which were all in close proximity.

When applying for this exchange, I was most excited about seeing the new school and how it would compare to NLCS (UK). Upon entering the school, I felt immediately at home and felt the same atmosphere I feel at NLCS (UK). Everyone in the school greeted me and I enjoyed their witty personalities and intelligence. It was interesting to see NLCS as a mixed school rather than the all girls’ school that I am so used to as it added a different, more fun, atmosphere to the school. The lessons were fun and informative and reminded me of the teachers at London. I was also intrigued by the school’s view on House competitions and how every student was loyal and dedicated to their House. House Public Speaking was a fantastic event, which showed off the talents of students in the Senior School and Middle School alike. I wished for my stay to be longer as everyone was so nice and I had the most fun I have had in a long time. I hope to return to NLCS Dubai soon and meet up with all the incredible people I have met over the course of the ten days.

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