It’s the end of the school year at AISB and many teachers and students are returning home or leaving for a new school this summer. It’s that time of year filled with both grief and joy, celebrating accomplishments, and remembering all the beautiful moments you made at AISB. While we can’t have our usual end of the year ceremonies, we would like to share the goodbyes and most memorable moments of our amazing newspaper staff members who will be leaving us.
Gregoire D.
Graphic Designer & Staff Writer
Q: From your time at The Bite, what are you most proud of?
A: I helped with the magazine and featured images. Also the Halloween logo.
Q: When did you come to AISB?
A: I came to AISB in seventh grade, so in 2016, which means I’ve been at this school for four years. My first day at AISB was definitely very scary since I could barely speak English. In a lot of classes I didn’t understand the summatives and what they were asking. There were a lot of problems with my teachers. Eventually though after three months I was fluent (with limited vocabulary and a strong accent). Overall, I would say that AISB was a really easy school to integrate into compared to other schools, thanks to the variety of nationalities and the help of counselors.
Q: What will you miss most about AISB?
A: I think most of all I will miss all the memories I have made together with my friends and in general the open mindedness and friendliness of this community. I participated in very few extracurricular activities over the years, but the ones I did participate in such as badminton and floor hockey, were really fun. A big part of my childhood was spent here at AISB and I think I have made some really good friends I will definitely stay in contact with.
Q: What will you take with you from AISB?
A: Everything I learned in school I guess.
Q: How would you have liked to spend your last days at AISB?
A: I would have liked to have been with my friends to “celebrate” since most of us are leaving. It would have been nice to have a proper goodbye in person.
Q: Where will you be going?
A: I will be going to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia as soon as travel bans are over. Most likely to another IB school.
Eilene K.
Reality Bites Podcast Producer
Q: From your time at The Bite, what are you most proud of?
A: Definitely the two comfort food articles because they were my first individual works published on The Bite! The Ion Rîmaru podcast is also something I’m proud of because it was the first successful podcast I ever made.
Q: When did you come to AISB?
A: Grade 9 (August 2018).
Q: What will you miss most about AISB?
A: The teachers have always been so welcoming and kind to many students, sharing the unique experiences they have had and encouraging us to do our best! I’ve only been to one other school [before AISB], which was an American public school, which I stayed in through grades K-8. They’re two very separate systems, because they do not operate on the MYP or the IB program itself. I’d never heard of it before I came to Romania. And it was weird, but good for me. It opened me up a little bit. The community here is more international than in Monroe, because you basically knew everybody there. But then in international schools everyone is constantly moving around, constantly leaving, constantly coming in. It’s diversified. Teachers here have also had more international experiences around the world. They’re always travelling around the world, which I think is really cool.
Q: What are some of your most memorable moments at AISB?
A: The assemblies before winter break are always so fun! I had never seen anything like it. The teacher skits, the music performances, everything is just so fun to watch and I always enjoyed every second of it. Looking back at it, the winter assembly in 2019 was the last time we would not mention COVID-19 at school… I remember when someone had told me before we went into the assembly room in ninth grade that the teacher’s would do a skit and that this is a tradition at AISB. I thought it would be super cringy and I would get second-hand embarrassment from it, but then when I was watching it I had the time of my life. It was so fun! And then 10th grade was even funnier! It’s always a nice way to end the year.
Q: What will you take with you from AISB?
A: Definitely the memories and the friends I’ve made here.
Q: What specifically will you miss about the friendships and bonds you have made here?
A: I feel really lucky. I had amazing advisories. In 9th grade I had an amazing advisory with Ms. Hora and Ms. Stevens as my advisors. And then in 10th grade I had Ms. Marlowe and Mr. White, with an amazing advisory as well. I think it’s just because everyone in my advisories has been so nice and open when talking about serious issues that I think it formed our bonds together. We started doing TMIs a little too much, but it was kind of nice.
Q: How would you have liked to spend your last days at AISB?
A: Honestly, I would have liked a small party within my advisory. My advisory this year was absolutely amazing and wonderful so it would have been nice just to have had some time for something like that.
Q: Where will you be going?
A: The United States. And I’m sort of nervous of going back, given the current situation.
Q. Do you want to leave a goodbye for your teachers and friends?
A: Thanks, everyone, for giving me something to remember during my first two years of high school! Thank you to my great advisors, Ms. Hora, Ms. Stevens, Mr. White, and Ms. Marlowe, for helping me along the way. I’ve made amazing friends that I am so grateful for and I have learned so much from the teachers who have taught me.
Altea M.
Staff Writer
Q: From your time at The Bite, what are you most proud of?
A: I think the top 10 recipes to bake in quarantine is my favorite, but the gap year article as well.
Q: When did you come to AISB?
A: Half way through 8th grade. The first day of school was kind of a blur for me; I came halfway through the school year and everyone had already found their cliques. I remember everyone was very welcoming and wanted to meet me and get to know me. One thing that was different was I had a buddy who showed me around and introduced me to people, which was nice.
Q: What will you miss most about AISB?
A: My friends. I have made some great friends here through sports, which is a great way to come together. I’ll miss being able to say hi to them in the hallway and make our inside jokes that we have. I do plan on coming back and visiting everyone when I can. We also have plans to meet in Turkey at the beach and travel together.
Q: What are some of your most memorable moments at AISB?
A: Playing sports with my friends and travelling with them. Travelling with your team and being together for a whole weekend really brings everyone together; during my time here I have gone on about ten trips and all of them have been fun and special. One of the best times was our volleyball team in 9th grade. Maia, Anna, and I were all on the team and the whole trip we couldn’t stop laughing. I have travelled to small towns in Romania, Moscow, Istanbul, Prague, Sophia, and Budapest.
Q: What will you miss about your volleyball team and what has it meant to you?
A: I think my favorite sport to play with my friends is volleyball. Maia is our team’s setter and I am an outside, so whenever we could we would just practice hitting and have fun. During lunch we would practice diving together and just try to better our skills. Our volleyball team has been a very close group of friends. I think what bonded us the most was the away trips. Halfway through the season we would have a weekend where we would do embarrassing activities together and we just laughed the whole time. We created inside jokes and no one judged anyone; we all just let go and were our weird selves.
Q: What will you take with you from AISB?
A: The loving community.
Q: Where will you be going?
A: Vienna, Austria. I’m a little nervous to go back to Vienna, but I’m mostly excited. I have gone back and visited my friends multiple times and keep in contact with them. I know things will be different when I move back which makes me nervous, but I just want to see everyone again and rebuild those bonds.
Nicolas O.
Staff Writer
Q: From your time at The Bite, what are you most proud of?
A: I think the best article I’ve written was Mass Shootings Around the World: Are We Safe Anymore?
Q: When did you come to AISB?
A: I came to AISB in 8th Grade, the school year 2017-2018.
Q: What will you miss most about AISB?
A: I will definitely miss the AISB community, my friends, and teachers who have all helped me become a better person throughout these last three years.
Q: What are some of your most memorable moments here?
A: All of the CEESA tournaments. I have had a great time there, competing and winning for the Vampires, but at the same time meeting new people and making friends with them. One that I will for sure remember is when I first came here in 8th grade; I didn’t know anyone and was quite shy, but I tried out for the team, made it, and then we went to compete in Bulgaria and we won overall. CEESA Softball 2019 was also a very fun experience because we struggled all season to get enough players to join the team and in the end we went with two less players but still did surprisingly well.
Q: What will you take with you from AISB?
A: I will most definitely take the memories I have made here as well all the new skills I have learned and developed these last three years.
Q: How would you have liked to spend your last days at AISB?
A: Obviously I would have liked to say my goodbyes to friends and teachers in person at school with the traditional t-shirt signing and yearbook, but sadly that won’t be possible.
Q: Where will you be going?
A: I will be moving to The Hague, in the Netherlands, and attending the International School of The Hague (ISH).
Q: Do you remember what your first day at AISB was like?
A: I remember the first day I came I was quite nervous and lost. I arrived 15 minutes late to advisory because there was some mix up in the system, but eventually I was placed in one. After the introduction, I immediately became less nervous and shy and started talking to some people who eventually became my friends.
Q: How are you feeling about leaving Romania?
A: I feel a little nervous because I have lived here for three years and made friends and have gotten used to the community. But mostly I am excited to be moving to another school which seems like it has a great community too.
Q. Do you want to leave a goodbye for your teachers and friends?
A: I want to say thank you to the whole AISB community for being welcoming and great these last three years, and I would like to thank all of my teachers for being amazing and help me become a smarter and better person.
Flora P.
Managing Editor
Q: From your time at The Bite, what are you most proud of?
A: Since I’m an editor, I spent most of the time revising articles rather than writing and publishing myself , so there aren’t so many to choose from. But I would pick the Bucharest Climate Strike article since it’s a first-handed report of the protest (I actually attended it). It was a topic of interest and a fascinating dive into local affairs and how they diverge from the global movement, so it’s definitely a memorable one.
Q: When did you come to AISB?
A: In 2013, which is seven years ago.
Q: What will you miss most about AISB?
A: Probably the diversity in students’ nationalities. I’m moving to a school where most of the student population is Korean.
Q: What are some of your most memorable moments here?
A: The grade-level trips, especially the experiential trip to the Danube Delta last year. We got to spend a full week in nature after most of our semester 2 assignments were over, so it was especially relaxing and memorable. My favorite part was stargazing every night in front of our cabins. I’ll definitely remember all the MUN trips I’ve had since seventh grade, especially the ones to Lisbon and the Hague. It’s always an unforgettable experience to meet students from across Europe and beyond, as well as learn different insights on solutions to world issues.
Q: How would you have liked to spend your last days at AISB?
A: It would’ve been nice if I got to say goodbye to my teachers and friends in real life, but that’s obviously not possible anymore because school is closed. It took some time for me to accept that, but instead I’m spending more time with my friends through face calls or outside in small groups.
Q: Where will you be going?
A: Back to South Korea. I’m going to an IB boarding school on an island called Jeju.
Q: Do you remember what your first day at AISB was like?
A: Maybe I was too young to be worried about anything, but I don’t remember being particularly nervous. I was luckily in the same class with Ingrid Z., who showed me around the school and helped me overcome the initial language barrier. Thanks to her, I adapted to a new environment very quickly.
Yoav R.
Staff Writer
Q: From your time at The Bite, what are you most proud of?
A: I am most proud of winning CEESA and being able to vlog it for The Bite.
Q: When did you come to AISB?
A: 2016, the start of 7th grade. I remember my first day pretty well actually. I was assigned a buddy and he was in a grade above me. I remember getting lost and not being able to find my classes. I was also really shy and barely spoke to anyone, but I’m still the same way. I didn’t feel anything different by being new as AISB, as it was the 4th school I have been to in 7 years.
Q: What will you miss most about this school?
A: I will miss the community, all my friends and the teachers as well. Meeting so many different people was really fun. I’ll miss my grade, but I also really enjoyed annoying my sister’s friends and older kids in general.
Q: What are some of your most memorable moments at AISB?
A: Getting in trouble will be something I’ll never forget, but I won’t go into much detail about those instances. Getting sent out of class and not being able to stop laughing is up there as well for me. In these four years I’ve also participated in eight CEESA tournaments across four different sports, but my favorite one will be the most recent one in Bratislava, Slovakia, as it was my first and only first place finish in a CEESA. Those four days in November were some of the best days of my life.
Q: What will you take with you from AISB?
A: MLA citations – they are super important.
Q: How would you have liked to spend your last days at AISB?
A: I would have preferred to actually see my friends in school before leaving, but I’m hoping to come visit sometime next year to see anyone who I won’t be able to see this summer. I’ll play some football with the boys when I get back here; I’m looking forward to that.
Q: Where will you be going?
A: I’m moving back home to Israel. I’m not really nervous because I have some friends there already, but I know that I’m going to be shy once school starts. I’m not excited about leaving whatsoever…
Paul S.
Marketing Manager & Staff Writer
Q: From your time at The Bite, what are you most proud of?
A: I am proud of the marketing jobs that I have done as well as the articles; for example, the HS Robotics one.
Q: When did you come to AISB?
A: I came to AISB in 7th grade, so 2016.
Q: What will you miss most about AISB?
A: I will miss my friends.
Q: What are some of your most memorable moments here?
A: My most memorable moment would be in grade 8 when we had the field trip to the buffalo farm.
Q: What will you take with you from AISB?
A: I will take from AISB the teachers that taught me so much throughout the years and all my memories with my friends. I would have liked to be able to see my friends and spend time with them.
Q: Where will you be going?
A: I will be going back to France.
Q: Do you remember what your first day at AISB was like?
A: I remember my first day at AISB being very lost and shy because I did not know anyone; but I met Yoav, who was the first person I spoke to because he kinda spoke French.
Q: How are you feeling about leaving Romania?
I am nervous about leaving Romania because I don’t know how much longer we have to stay before being able to leave.
We hope that you all will have great times at your new schools and wish you all the best on your journey. However, please note that you will be missed and that you will always remain a part of the AISB community! Thank you for being the best staff members The Bite could have wished for.