Eri comes from Japan and was WIS student from 2005 to 2009. Currently she studies International Relations at the Department of British and American Studies of the Nanzan University in Nagoya (Japan).

Here is what Eri writes about her best memories from her time at WIS:

When I first came to WIS, there was no athletic team. (…) Then, when the school grew bigger, Mr.Cooper announced that we are going to make a basketball team. I remember that I was very excited about this because basketball was my favourite sport, and moreover, because we were going to start something new in WIS.

(…) We had games with other international schools in Warsaw and Germany. Thanks to my teammates and coaches, we won so many games. (…)

Last year, I visited my former teammate-friends who currently live in Minnesota, and we played basketball for the first time in more than five years. Playing basketball with them recalled many memories we had in WIS to me.

We also asked Eri how her time at WIS impacted her future life. This was her reply:

oing to WIS changed my life in two ways. First, WIS has definitely helped me improve my English skills. When I first came to WIS, I could not speak English. I knew only a few phrases, and I was not confident in myself. However, a lot of people, including my teachers, friends and their parents, kindly helped me. I think that going to WIS is not like going to other schools. WIS, to me, has a “family” feeling that makes students feel at home, despite the fact that Poland is a foreign country to many students. Because of this “family” feeling and the people, I was able to learn English quickly. My English abilities have helped me with my studies in university, and it will certainly be my strong point in my future career in Japan.

Second, going to WIS allowed me to have friends from all over the world. When I was at WIS, I learned many cultures from events we had at school. I could even see different cultures during lunch time (I loved looking at what my friends bring for lunch). I think that my experience in WIS made me more open-minded about different cultures. Additionally, I love the fact that I can travel abroad and meet my old friends from WIS. We still have a very strong tie.

Thank you, Eri!