Christina and Jonas Löwgren

Christina and Jonas Löwgren live in the countryside outside Eksjö and have two daughters: Sara, who attended UWC Red Cross Nordic in Norway from 2013-15, and Ellen, who attended from 2015-2017.

Security

We have experienced it as very safe. When our oldest daughter had been at UWC for a month, we received a letter from her mentor. The mentor told us about the pupils' first time at the school and gave her impression of how they were doing. This way we have a personal contact if there is anything special. We also received a lot of information during the parents' meeting held during the selections in Sweden.

If you have a good relationship with your children, there is every opportunity to continue this when they attend UWC. With Skype and Messenger we have regular contact with each other. We Skype once a week and talk for an hour or so. We have also visited the school and met teachers and schoolmates. Apart from the fact that it's a fantastic environment, it feels good to have a picture of the school.

The Education

The transition between the Swedish school system and the International Baccalaureate (IB) is huge. Our children attended regular high school programs and unlike the Swedish school, the students at UWC have to take much more responsibility. There is a lot of focus on the final exams and students must be able to plan their studies in the long term because it is not possible to cram in the days before an exam. In this way, the IB program is more like colleges and universities in Sweden.

In the beginning it was probably a bit unfamiliar with English, but it feels like our children got into it very quickly. It has mainly been about learning the technical terminology in English.

The teachers at the school are good and committed. And it is interesting that teachers and students are from different countries. It's about the teachers' view of themselves and their teaching and the students' view of it - it's all part of the UWC experience.

The Social Aspect

Sara, a 2015 UWC graduate, has made friends for life. She misses them a lot and is planning trips to visit her friends around the world. We notice that she has gained an interest in other cultures and developed an ability to create relationships with people from all parts of the world. Now that she has been living at home in Eksjö during the fall, she has independently started a course in Swedish for asylum seekers waiting for a residence permit. This says a lot about the social effects of attending UWC. And the social aspect is one of the greatest values of UWC.

Being open, tolerant, curious about others and self-confident are important qualities for UWC. It's also good to stand up for yourself and, for example, go to bed when you want to so you don't just do what others do. At the school there are three times as many activities as there is time and no parents telling you when to go to bed or how to prioritize. Of course, the school supports students in finding a balance, but it's good if you have an internal compass in advance about how to orient yourself.

Leisure time

It is both fun and beneficial that there are so many activities to choose from. It's good that the activities are somewhat controlled as students should be involved in the three different IB categories of charity, sport and creativity. The school has many facilities such as a swimming pool, climbing wall, canoes and access to skiing. Not to mention what the surrounding nature has to offer. The activities go hand in hand with the social aspect - doing things together and not just with those you have lessons with.

To summarize

UWC gives young people a great opportunity. If your child is ready to take the responsibility and is up to the challenge, it's a great offer. We are incredibly grateful and happy that our children have been given this opportunity. Now they will be able to go on courses they otherwise would not have found. And since you as a parent to some extent live through your children, UWC also gives us something we would not otherwise have gotten. Very cool!