Traveling overseas to a foreign country is one of the largest endeavors that a teenager can perform. When I landed at the Boston airport, I had little idea what was waiting for me at Belmont Hill. Although I was putting on a brave face, I was beyond terrified. What was I getting myself into? What kinds of people would I encounter? But, I’m glad to say that those worries were 100% unnecessary.
My time at BH has been incredibly insightful and has taught me many things about myself. The community welcomed me with open arms, and I felt like I belonged in this foreign space. My hosts, the Marth and Clifford families, were extremely welcoming and allowed me to integrate seamlessly into the BH routine, which is much different than the South African model. An example of this is the Harkness table, where you learn from your peers, allowing you to view material from another perspective. For example, in a standard South African literature class, you would just be lectured by the teacher, with little to no discussion on the content. This immediately stuck out to me here at BH and is something I wish was done back in my native country. Another difference is in the relationship between students and faculty. In South Africa, the relationships are more formal, with the students calling faculty ‘sir’ or ‘ma’am’, an unexpected difference from Belmont. Dr. Calloway wanted me to stop calling him sir, and I just couldn’t because it had been rooted in me! The staff-student relationship here is a lot more friendly and informal, where you can speak your troubles to almost any faculty member, a welcome change from South Africa.
I had two host brothers, Riley Marth ’27 and Luke Clifford ’27, who were extremely supportive and showed me the best the United States has to offer. They extended their utmost hospitality and not only provided me with unforgettable experiences but also delicious food to accompany them! I especially enjoyed the Head of the Charles Regatta with Riley and the St. James Squash Gold with Luke.
On the sporting side, I couldn’t understand many of the USA’s major sports, such as American football or basketball, but my inexperience with these sports added to my experience greatly. In a nutshell, South Africans pride themselves on their rugby, cricket, and football (soccer). During my time here, I ran cross-country and played squash. I’m incredibly grateful to the teams for making my experience so memorable. From cross-country team dinners to bantering on the squash courts, I will always cherish my short time with each team. Back at Bishops, each team has a very different brotherhood vibe, most likely because of cultural differences.
I even got to take on new subjects that aren’t offered at Bishops, which was a nice change of pace. Some examples are AP Chemistry and Photography II, taught by Mr. DeCaprio and Mr. Duarte respectively. At Bishops, unless you do the international Cambridge syllabus (A-Levels), you can’t take standalone chemistry courses, and photography is not a professional subject in the South African curriculum, despite it being a common pastime for many South Africans.
My experience has been magical, and I’m eternally grateful to Belmont Hill for hosting me over the last two months. There’s a high probability that my exchange brothers, Riley and Luke, may come to join me in South Africa during the summer, and I would love to see them again! To any Form III students reading this, I would highly encourage you to consider hosting an exchange student during your time at Belmont Hill. It allows you to see a whole different world, and you will not regret it!
– Derek Meyer
Indresh Chandel