Home Away From Home

by Ethan Jordan

When I first walked through the doors of the “International School of Tomorrow,” I didn’t know what to expect. Equipped with nothing but the word “Spasibo”, I faced Tatyana Ivanovna for the first time, and I will never forget it. Coming straight from America, I had never put on a single bahila in my life. I did, however, despite the inconvenient nature of bahili. The shoe coverings which are meant to keep dirt out of a clean building, were much like the many lessons I have learned, inside and out, of the walls of ISOT. The metaphorical bahili—difficult and impractical as they were— would ultimately teach me some of the most valuable lessons of my life.

No, this is not the end. I still have one more year at ISOT, but our good friend COVID-19 has really shown me how much I will miss school one day. I want to split this piece into two parts: first, a memoir, second, advice for the future students of ISOT. 

My first days at school were just like every new kid’s, just a bit louder. Young Ethan was a very dramatic kid. It was in these first few days where I met friends that would become some of my closest friends for life. It took a while to get used to so many new things, but one of the lessons I’ve learned is that you don’t need to “fit in.” You do, however, need to adapt to certain environments. It took time, but one of the best parts of being in ISOT is having teachers and faculty that are right by your side to help you adapt and feel comfortable in a new school or classroom. For me, Mrs. Anna, Mrs. Irene, Mr. Joel, Mrs. Angela, Mr. D, and Mr. Corrie have always been willing and ready to help me with whatever problems I’ve faced, and consciously or not made school a place I could call home. 

Each year presented a new challenge for me. Athletics, performances, Student Council, a hyperactive social life, academics, and just growing up and searching for identity all required time and effort. A big problem I had was being able to balance them all out and allocate time for each accordingly. It’s been tough, and I’m still not where I want to be, but I’ve learned a lot. The best advice I can give in terms of time management would be to set exactly what your priorities are, and put time towards those things before anything else. Teachers are lenient with goals most of the time, but take it upon yourself to finish what needs to get done before all else. 

Some of my best memories were made on school trips. Over the course of a few years, I’ve gone to RSC twice, ISC in America, the Shatalovo Orphanage, the TED Conference and New York, and my personal favorite—Nizhniy Novgorod twice (I was interviewed for the local news!). If you have any doubts about school trips, I would highly recommend doing whatever you can to take part. These trips are not only opportunities to experience something new, but also to form new bonds, spend time getting to know other students better, and overall a great bonding experience with friends and teachers. (Also, New York was awesome, if Mrs. Anna ever takes another group, make sure you tag along!)

ISOT will forever hold a place in my heart for how much personal growth I’ve experienced since my first day. Here are a few more pointers on how to make your time as enjoyable as possible. ISOT is one of the most accepting schools I’ve ever seen, so if you worry about not fitting in, just be yourself, be comfortable and confident, and others will see that and welcome you with open arms. Try to take part in as many things as you can handle. Student Council, the Christmas Program, the Convention, all these things are opportunities for you to have fun and find something you enjoy doing. Don’t rush! Be patient and take your time with your academics and focus on doing well instead of getting things done quickly. A big lesson that I have learned is to be humble. I spent years trying to put myself high up and noticeable, and it did me no good. Be gentle, and have fun without causing too much chaos. Most of all, be YOU! I’ve seen too many people trying to be something they are not. People will always appreciate a genuine person.

If this is the last time I write for ROOTS, I’d like to say thank you, first to Mrs. Anna. Since day one you’ve treated me like your own son. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be on this team that has helped me find something I really enjoy doing, and for guiding me to maximize my potential. Thank you to Etele, for all your diligent efforts to make this paper the best it could be. To my fellow writers and artists, thank you for surrounding my articles with amazing content. And finally, thank you ISOT and all my friends for being a home for me and my family.