While we saw him changing during his time at MUWCI, and we had expected that he would, it was a pleasure watching him interact with his peers and teachers as a grown up. We sent a boy to this school, and he returned to us as an educated man. A man who aspires to make a difference to the world we live in, a man who perhaps may.
Aasim graduates from MUWCI
As parents, we will always dote on him, and fuss about him because he will always be our little kid. But the world he is going to step into, he won’t be a kid, and as an adult, we feel reasonably sure that he is ready to face the challenges that life would throw at him.
The graduation ceremony was a beautifully and thoughtfully organised. The performances by the students moved us as did the speeches given at the occasion. Aasim was the first in line to get his certificate. Here’s a short video that I took.
Here’s Aasim with his friends Pulkit, and Saket. It seems only Pulkit (kind of) knows where the camera is 😀
Packing is done, and Aasim is finally flying out of the nest and he is excited about the new world awaiting him. A world where he will be part of an international community, people from over 60 countries will study, work and do projects together. It’s a dream come true for him, and for us.
About a year and half back, when we learnt about the United World Colleges (UWC), we were not sure if Aasim will be able to meet the challenges that are required to be met to become a student of one of the 14 UWCs. The more research he did, the more the prospect of being a student of a UWC excited him and finally we procured the form from the Indian National Committee in Sept 2013
The form among other things, required him to answer eight questions, and some of them were quite difficult even for an adult to answer. However, when I finally saw his answers I was impressed with the maturity and clarity of his thoughts. I felt he does have a chance.
The form was submitted, and we planned to visit the Mahindra United World College, which was his first choice among the United World Colleges across the world (his other choices were UWC Pearson College, Canada and UWC Adriatic, Italy). The visit to MUWCI made him, and us feel that this is the place where he truly belongs. Not only did he feel comfortable with the place, he met other students (and teachers) who he felt at ease with, and completely at home.
IB is a very tough syllabus and the way it is dealt with at UWCs makes it even tougher. Aasim got through the first screening (application form) and was selected for the second stage; a 24 hour interview camp. This one was going to be tougher, we knew, and it was, but he got through and was selected to be a student at the United World College Mahindra College, MUWCI for short.
The excitement of being selected at one of the best colleges in the world abated and a long wait began. He enjoyed his summer holidays and prepared himself to join the college. Tomorrow is that day for him. At MUWCI, a new life awaits him.
I am very proud of him. We brought him up to be an independent person and a world citizen, and at MUWCI, he will have opportunities that he can use to do things that truly matter.
