At the opening ceremony of this semester, Aki, a G10-2 student from Thailand, stood on the podium and shared his growth story at HIS with simple and sincere words—from being unfamiliar to familiar, from being timid to confident, from being nervous and uneasy to calm and self-assured, from being confused alone to integrating into the collective.

Here, he gained courage, learned to grow, and made the campus a warm home.

May every student, like Aki, move forward bravely and meet a better version of themselves in the process of growth.

To be honest, I was scared when I first arrived.

Aki’s opening words were honest and heartfelt.

“New friends, a completely new environment, and people speaking a language I couldn’t understand at all.

These were the things I worried about the most.”For a new boarding student at an international school, such anxiety was only too real. He had to remember where everything was, meet total strangers, and be woken up by dorm teachers every morning. As Aki put it with a smile, it felt like “handling four different situations at once.”

At first, even walking to class felt like an adventure.

But slowly, this unfamiliar place became home.

“People who were once complete strangers started to feel familiar. Before I knew it, the place that once made me uncomfortable started to feel more like home.”

Change happened in small, daily moments.

Gathering with classmates in the evening, chatting, laughing, and helping each other with homework; learning time management during busy weeks of work and deadlines; finding his own rhythm while balancing study and life.

“Studying here has taught me things that other schools might not,” Aki said. “It has taught me how to manage my time and how to be flexible.”

More importantly, he learned about people.

“Everyone comes from different backgrounds and experiences, but we come together in the evenings and enjoy those small moments. Those little moments slowly build friendships.”

Looking back on his first semester

the very things he feared became the starting point of his growth.

Aki realized that what worried him the most at the beginning was exactly what helped him grow the most.

A new environment pushed him to adapt.

New friends helped him connect.

Even challenging homework kept him moving forward.

“So even though I was nervous when I first arrived, I’m really glad I took that step.”

This was his message to all new students:

“I know how challenging it is to join a new school, especially in an international environment. So I truly hope you will step out of your comfort zone, make new friends, and enjoy this wonderful semester.”

Towards the end of his speech, Aki specially thanked one person — his homeroom teacher, Mr. Bruce.

“Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. When I was sick or upset, you could tell something was wrong just by looking at my face. That shows what kind of person you are. You always put me and my classmates first, and that means a lot to us.”

One simple “thank you” spoke volumes about the quiet care and warmth he had received all semester.

From “afraid of not understanding” to “standing on the stage”, Aki’s first semester at HIS is a story of courage, adaptation, and growth.

He said that joining this school gave him more than just new classes or a new schedule — it gave him friends and memories he will cherish for a lifetime.

And this is exactly the gift HIS wants to give every child: a place where the unfamiliar becomes home, and a time when growth happens naturally.

At HIS

every “first time”

can be the beginning of strength

Complete Version of Student’s Speech

Good morning, I’m Aki from class 10-2.

I’ve recently joined this school last semester, and looking back on it now, it’ll definitely be a memory I’ll dearly miss.

When I first arrived, I was honestly terrified.

New friends, a completely new environment, and people speaking languages I had absolutely no way of understanding. Those were my biggest worries.

But as it turns out, I was wrong.

My biggest worry should have been the homework.

Moving into a boarding school like this is overwhelming, to say the least. Learning where everything is, meeting strangers, and waking up to the a-yis shouting at us every morning. It’s like juggling 4 personalities at once.

At first, everything felt unfamiliar, even something like walking to class feels like an expedition.

But slowly, things begin to change.

The people who were once complete strangers started to feel just a bit more familiar, and before you realize it, the place that once felt uncomfortable begins to feel more like home.

Studying here has taught me things that other schools probably wouldn’t. It taught me how to manage my own time and be flexible, balancing studies and assignments, and somehow surviving ten whole days of work and deadlines.

But more importantly, I learned about people.

Everyone comes from different backgrounds and experiences, yet we spend our evenings together, talking, laughing, and just enjoying the small moments. Whether it’s helping each other with homework or simply spending time together, those little moments slowly build friendships.

Looking back at my first term, I realize that the things I was worried about were actually the things that helped me grow the most.

The new environment pushed me to adapt.

The new people I met helped me form friendships.

And even homework

Well, that’s still helping me grow.

But overall, these experiences are things I will always be grateful for.

Because joining this school didn’t just give me new classes or a new schedule. It gave me friends and memories that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.

So even though I was nervous when I first arrived, I’m really glad I took that step.

And that’s what I want to say to the new students here today. I know how challenging moving into a new school is, especially internationally, and surviving 8 whole days of school is no simple feat. So really I hope you push yourself out of your comfort zone, make new friends, and enjoy this lovely semester.

Before I finish, I’d also like to thank someone who has helped me a lot during my time here—my homeroom teacher, Bruce.

Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. For always looking out for me: when I’m sick or sad, the fact you manage to tell something’s wrong just by looking at my face, that just sums up the type of person you are.

When I needed most. I truly appreciate it, even if I don’t always say it enough. You always manage to put me and my classmates first, and that really means a lot to us.

So, really, thank you.

Thank you everyone.