uwc costa rica
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." - Nelson Mandela
Unlike some people I met at UWC in Costa Rica, I did not always think I will go to a United World College School. As a matter of fact the story of how I ended up there is one of failure. Growing up in Kanye, I was driven by my community to believe that I was going to study abroad. As much as I could, I worked hard at school in an attempt to get the prestigious Top Achievers Scholarship given by the Government of Botswana to students who performed exceptionally well in the General Certificate of Secondary Education examinations. Although the school I attended, Seepapitso Senior Secondary School, had a reputation for bad academic results, I believed I would be the exception. Even my teachers were encouraged by my crazy dream that they went above and beyond to help me in my quest. As fate would have it, I missed the scholarship by a single point: getting an A instead of an A* in my Chemistry and Biology. The dream was dead.
UWC, therefore, was my saving grace. Following this failure, I searched high and low for other ways to study abroad with no success. To others around me, including my family, I was an ungrateful person who had excelled in his exams and had a scholarship to attend the best university in Botswana. Thankfully, my friend Kago Rose Ofitlhile told me of UWC after hearing about it on the radio. The idea of going abroad just to do two years of high school again was not appealing even though I applied. I was fortunate enough to make it to the final selection round. It was a truly humbling experience, to interact with exceptional students from the city and realize that being the smartest student in Kanye did not mean much on a broader scale. I learned of Costa Rica's existence on the day that I received the call informing me that I have been accepted at UWC Costa Rica with a full tuition + room and board scholarship. I remain eternally grateful to the UWC Botswana National Committee, the generous donors who helped fund my ticket, and my family for the sacrifices they made, just so I can have this transformational experience.
UWC is one of those experiences that are hard to describe in words. (If you are not into words, check out photos from my first year, second year, and post graduation instead). It is beautiful, it is ugly, but most importantly it was the beginning of the making of Tumisang Ramarea. From the rigorous academics, to the intense social relations through the non-stop co-curricular activities, I would not change it for the world. Below are a few highlights from the two years. Much more important than the two years themselves are the relationships I have made in UWC and after, that continue to carry me through.
Academics
Having been good at almost all my subjects all my life, it was a challenge to know what I want to do with my life or what I wanted to study. As such it was hard to pick what classes I would do and at what level. In the end, I chose to do Mathematics, Economics, and English Language & Literature at Higher Level, and Physics, Psychology, and Spanish ab initio at Standard Level. Mathematics I chose because it was always my favorite subject and I falsely thought I would have an easy time. However, my love for it was strong enough for me to take the consistent beating until I got a passing grade in my IB exams. Economics was a new subject to me and I took it primarily to challenge myself in a new area. My teacher, Heidi Achong, did an excellent job that by the end I thought I wanted to pursue Economics in university. I decided to study English seriously to become a better communicator. I figured whatever I will do, I will need to communicate well. I studied Physics because it was my favorite natural science. Psychology and Spanish were similar to Economics in that there were meant to challenge me in new areas. Although I was an average student at UWC, my performance had an upward trajectory. This is mostly as a result of me settling in and realizing that it is fine not to be the best as long as you strive to outperform yourself with each opportunity. As you can see in the photo of my Physics class, learning with nerds was fun.
Residential Life
If I had to pick a single part of the UWC experience as the one thing that makes the experience what it is, it would be the residential life. This is where the greatest learning takes place. Outside the classroom, with no formal curriculum and with just your peers from all backgrounds. At first it is beautiful, you meet all this people with their fascinating stories. Then it gets challenging because you have to live harmoniously with all those (often incompatible) differences. Over the two years I have had roommates from Canada, UK, and Pakistan. I have had friends from all over. I have had to learn to actively resolve conflicts. This opportunity also enabled me to reflect upon my identity and what mattered to me. It helped me develop a stronger sense of self. I also learned to be an ambassador of my country and my culture, without losing my sense of self. We had traditions that united us at UWC, from pass down shows where these traditions were passed on from generation to generation, to community meetings where hot community issues were discussed.
Co-Curricular Activities: Creativity, Action, Service
When I graduated from UWC I was recognized with a Social Responsibility Award for my "outstanding commitment to a life of service". Before UWC, I was involved in service without consciously thinking about it: from tutoring my classmates every day after school at Seepapitso Senior to co-founding the student committee that raised funds for my close friend Batho Madigele's kidney transplant (MHSRIP). However, through structured opportunities such as service CAS and service week, I realized that I got some satisfaction from serving others and helping bring a smile to their faces. I regularly volunteered with the GiaMala Foundation in their fundraising efforts for teenagers battling cancer, helped the kitchen staff by collecting the plates from around the residences and taking them back to the cafeteria (this was and probably still is a big problem), and ran the school podcast. Above and beyond this, I also co-organized a clothing drive for the homeless in San Jose with my teacher and friend, Natalie Taylor. In the summer between my two years at UWC, I got a mini-grant to teach study skills and mnemonic techniques at two schools in my home village, Mafhikana Primary and Seepapitso Senior. Because of the transformational power of education, it is one area where my social responsibility interests are deeply rooted.
Growing up in Botswana, I did not participate in sports. This was largely to the fact that I was socialized to believe that sports and academics could not peacefully co-exist. Unsurprisingly, I chose the life of academics. At UWC, I was more open to trying new things. Although I did not commit to the soccer team, I played regularly during social games on the weekends. I was an excellent player for as long as the ball did not come to me. So most of my time on the field was spent praying for the ball not to come to me. In the unfortunate event that it did, I would kick it with all my might in whatever direction my feet were facing. By some miracle, I did not score against my own team. It was at UWC that I developed an interest in hiking, thanks to my English teacher Matt Spall. Costa Rica is a beautiful place, a paradise of sorts, ideal for hiking, except for when it is dry and humid. The views from atop the mountains were always worth the challenging journey up. One of our own, Lucas Drummond (MHSRIP) had a fatal accident while rock climbing. To this day, I lack the adventurous spirit to climb rocks. I only hike hills with trails that do not require special equipment. It was at UWC that I first attempted to overcome my fear of drowning by joining the swimming CAS. To this day, I am yet to learn to swim well. However, I still like playing in the (warm) ocean for as long as I can touch the ocean floor with my feet.
For a long time, I held the title of the only male in the Zumba club. Twice a week for about an hour and a half, we met for a good session of Zumba. For a non-dancer like me, it was a great opportunity to learn basic moves to use at parties in the night. I still do not know why I did not have my shirt on in that picture.
I was bestowed upon the heavy title of 'Papa Africa', with the famous Cynthia Nyongesa (African Unicorn) as my 'Mama Africa'. Together, we were responsible for building and maintaining community amongst the few Africans at UWC. We also worked with Mama Caribe and Papa Caribe to organize the Afro-Carib week, a week-long opportunity to share our diverse cultures from Africa and Caribbean with the rest of the school. It was so much fun. Last but not least, I participated in the Model United Nations club extensively. I did not love MUN, but since there was not enough interest to start a Debate Club, I had to settle. Sometimes (but we should not make it a habit) we have to settle. Through MUN, I would travel to Boston, MA in early 2015 for the prestigious Harvard Model United Nations Conference.
Great as UWC was, it was not the entirety of my adventures in Costa Rica. Unlike most people at my UWC, I had a life outside of the school. This was largely because of the people I kept in touch with after meeting at MUN Conferences or at the International Baptist Church, where I was heavily involved. I visit Costa Rica about once every year now and it is to visit those friends I made outside the school because my classmates have graduated and spread around the world again. It is the people who captured and nourished my heart outside the school, that gave me the strength to get through the intensity of a UWC education. To them, I remain indebted. To this day, I always know I have many homes in Costa Rica for whenever I visit.
UWC Costa Rica was an experience and a half. Thanks to it, I ended up making it into Stanford University. Unlike some of my peers, I never missed it once I left. Perhaps because I visit the campus each time I am in Costa Rica. But I think it is because I have come to know that everything must end and when it does, we must move on to the next thing. Even when the heartfelt tears of our firsties fell and they tried to hold us from leaving, I flew out just 8 hours after graduation.
I know people think I got into Stanford because of superior academic performance, but my academic performance was fine. Of course, I know I am smarter than my grades suggest, but I was glad Stanford saw beyond these figures:
GPA of 5.97/7.00 (Equivalent GPA 3.41/4.00)
SAT 1890/2400 (Math 700/800, Writing 580/800, and Critical Reading 610/800)