LESS than three months after His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, visited Peru for the APEC Economic leaders meeting, Brunei’s relationship with the people of Peru became a little more developed as International School Brunei (ISB) recently welcomed a visiting group of 15 Peruvian students for a two-week cultural and educational exchange trip.
A mixture of 15 9th and 10th Graders from San Ignacio De Recalde school in Lima, Peru arrived at the ISB campus in Sungai Hanching last Wednesday to a warm welcome from Brunei’s oldest international school.
The objective of San Ignacio De Recalde’s visit was to “expose the students to a unique learning experience beyond books, where culture, customs, tradition and even food come to life, and leave each one with an unforgettable experience,” said Celina Anthony, one of the teachers accompanying the students.
Anthony, who previously lived in Brunei for a year before moving to Peru, highlighted the Sultanate as a good destination to meet the trip’s objectives as it is uniquely placed as a safe and stable country with rich cultural diversity, age-old and revered religious and national traditions, great cuisine and a number of natural attractions.
During their two-week stay, the Peruvian students are being hosted in ISB’s new 108-bed residence where they have access to the school’s facilities around the clock as well as ISB students with whom new friendships are being forged.
The Peruvian students given a tour of the school’s facilities. – ISB
Some of the attractions that the group will visit while in Brunei will be to experience life in a water settlement at Kampong Ayer, an oil field tour in Seria, a three-night expedition in Temburong and Brunei’s National Day celebrations among others.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for ISB students to widen their knowledge and understanding of cultures beyond Brunei Darussalam’s borders, and Peru, at over 18,000km is about as far beyond our borders as it’s possible to get. While we have a diverse student population from over 40 different countries, the opportunity to meet new friends and experience a new language is great for both our students and those from San Ignacio De Recalde School,” said Robert Commons, ISB’s Head of Secondary. “While here in Brunei, our Peruvian guests will be spending four of their days joining lessons with our current Years 9 and 10 students, giving them the chance to experience a completely different curriculum from their own. In return, they’ll be performing some Peruvian dances for our students and staff to enjoy. Hopefully, this is the start of a long-term relationship between the two schools.”
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