True Sisters Will Never Be Drawn Apart

It amazes me how close I have become to girls I have only known for a week, it’s absolutely crazy!  As all of the host students were waiting at the airport with our signs that we made for our Brentwood arrivals, I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown…...I was freaking out!!!!  I was so nervous about having two random girls that I had never met in person, although I had been texting them for three months prior, stay at my house for a whole week!!!  I literally thought I was going to cry I was so nervous, and I was terrified for the moment when I would first see them, should I hug them, shake hands?  To be completely honest, I was a nervous wreck.  Now, when I think back to that very first day, I was absolutely nuts, because when it was time for them to leave I was crying because I wanted them to stay, sad that they could not have stayed for two weeks, and I felt like I had known them my whole life.  This might sound crazy, but it is the absolute truth, the global education program at Ursuline Academy in St. Louis has changed my life.

Me and my sister, Katrina, who is a senior, became friends with our England girls, Mikki and Molly, right away.  They both came running up to hug us when they first saw us holding their signs at the airport.  I will never forget that moment, especially because it made all my nerves fly away.  We did many things during that week that bonded us together as true sisters, including getting our nails done for homecoming together, bringing them to a movie theater, going to an American football game, and eating dinner at ballpark village.  However, the most fun part of having them stay with us was the little things, like the late night chatting and laughing until our stomachs hurt, our intense ping pong tournaments, our daily selfies in the car on the way to school, figuring out the different words that they use, hearing their American accents, and our laughter at the most random of things.  I always tell myself to cherish the moment, because soon it will be a memory and you will wish that you had it back, and no matter how “cringy” it might sound, that is my motto that I will always follow.  I always told Mikki and Molly to cherish the moment, and by the end of the trip, they were saying it to me.  There were two moments in particular that I will remember for ever.  Mikki and Molly gave us gifts on the night before they were going back home, which were I love London sweatshirts, necklaces, and the most meaningful part….little notes written from the heart.  In her note, Mikki said: I really have had such a wonderful experience and it is all down to you and your family who I can honestly say I love so much!  This made me burst into tears, because I honestly love her so much, and to here Mikki say that made my heart so happy.  That night, the night before they left, we stayed at home, watching movies, chilling, playing ping pong, jamming to our favorite tunes, eating, laughing, and my favorite part….stargazing.  Mikki, Molly, Katrina (my sister), and I took pillows and blankets outside and laid down on the concrete pad for almost an hour just watching the stars from my house which sits in the middle of the woods.  Even though we were not even talking to each other, it was by far the best moment of the trip, and I was silently crying as we looked up at the sky, because I did not want my sisters to leave.  I was so thankful to be able to meet these two girls, and I am truly blessed that Mikki and Molly are now a part of my life.  I know for sure that I cherished every moment of their visit to St. Louis, and I am sure that they did too.  They may live on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, but Mikki and Molly, Katrina and I are friends forever, never apart… maybe in distance, but never at heart.  Until I see you again Mikki and Molly!  I love you so much.

-Erica Rebholz, '17

Sharing Ursuline Sisterhood

Wow, this past week has been such a whirlwind of emotions!  From the moment we saw each other at the airport, it seemed like we already knew each other because we had been talking the whole summer.  We had an instant connection and I was looking forward to a great week with them.  

Ellie and Holly fit right in.  On Monday, we went to my tennis match straight from the airport.  They both love to play tennis, but they haven’t watched it like that before.  One thing that they absolutely loved while here in America was shopping!  We went to the mall three different times to buy things.  They love Vineyard Vines since they don’t have that back at home and they also loved shopping at Kate Spade.  Friday night we went to Ballpark Village and we got to go up on the rooftop deck which is something I know they will never forget.  Then, we went to the SLUH football game...they loved sitting on the bleachers!   Something else that we did with the girls on Saturday was go to the pumpkin patch.  They were so amazed at how big the pumpkins were and that there were so many of them all in one place.  Later that day, we got our nails done.  They were fascinated by the massage chairs and wanted to stay in there forever!  As Saturday night approached, they got more and more excited, and I was excited for them! Homecoming this year is one I definitely won’t forget because I got to spend it with two of the best people from England.  While driving home from school on Friday, I asked Ellie and Holly if they liked Ariana Grande...and of course, they answered yes.  My question followed with, “Well, do you want to go to her concert with me on Sunday?”  Their reaction to this was priceless.  They almost cried from excitement.  So, after Fall Fest, we went to the Ariana Grande concert.  They were amazed that we were actually there, seeing her live on stage.  Saying goodbye to people you only met a week ago may not seem that hard to do to some people, but for me, it was like saying goodbye to people I have known my whole life.  I never wanted them to leave, but I look forward to seeing them over in England soon!  I am so blessed to be a part of a school that has sister schools around the world, and even though we live in different countries, we still share the same Ursuline sisterhood.
-Meg Dunn, '17

My Two New Best Friends

This week has been unreal, with my two new best friends there is nothing that could have made this better. Today we went to the St. Louis zoo, and bread co! The girls loved seeing all of the animals especially the elephants since the zoo in England doesn't have any elephants. Also they love how I drive us everywhere, compared to how they take a lot of public transportation (trains and buses). At bread co they loved the bread bowls, I was trying to explain to them how the soup didn't leak through the bread but they just had to wait and see, and they loved it!

Today I took my two girls and two of the other students to get our nails done after school! All of the girls loved it and we had time to get to know each other a little more! After we all got our nails done we went to Party City. The girls thought it was so cool that there was a party store and it had red solo cups (they don’t have those). We tried on different costumes, hats, and glasses. After singing and dancing around the store, we all loaded up and went to the long awaited Target. There’s no Target in England so we did a little damage to their bank accounts there. The girls bought tons of makeup, candy, clothes, ranch dressing, and about 15 EOS lip balms. That night we went home to a dinner of Fettuccine Alfredo, and enjoyed some Fro Yo after dinner! Also the whole day, Ellie was teaching me a liverpool accent, “I’m from liverpool”

-Amanda Worland, '16

First Connections

Waiting at the airport with the posters in my hands, my nerves were running wild. I was so anxious for the Brentwood girls to round the corner, I was 'buzzing' as they would say. Once I spotted my two students, Charlotte and Lauren, I freaked out and ran towards them. Although the neon signs and screams seem to have overwhelmed the England girls, our first hug was priceless! It was so wonderful to see Charlotte and Lauren in person and (most importantly) to hear their accents! Of course the first thing I asked each other was, "How funny do we sound?" The car ride home was full of questions and good vibes. Bonding over our common likes, like Taylor Swift, and our differences, like driving on the opposite sides of the road, were just the start to our friendship.

After showing them around the house and giving them time to settle into their rooms, Char and Lau came down with the sweetest gifts for Reba and I. London sweat-shirts, postcards, and tea cups were just a few of the many gifts I was given. We made them chili and noodles and talked about more differences and their home. They were tired so we all went to bed, excited for their first day on campus and their presentation. I cannot wait to continue spending time with my two newest friends! They are just so 'stinking cute'! Bring on the rest of the week, more inside jokes, bonding moments, and fun times are for sure coming our way! So happy to have this experience with these lovely girls!

-Caroline Adams '16

Brazil 2015 Photo Slide Show

Enjoy a slide show of captured moments from the Brazil Trip 2015

Global Ursuline Family

Having just completed my first year at Ursuline, I am still learning about the school community. What I will take away from this trip to Piedade is a greater sense of the Ursuline global family. From the common foundation of our schools we have fostered a connection that continues to grow. Family is exactly the word to describe the way I felt connected to the Piedade school community. What a powerful thought considering we got into a plane (well, three)  and a day later arrived in the southern hemisphere where they are currently experiencing late fall, speak a different language and have differing cultural norms.

On our last night I made an observation during dinner that at restaurants there doesn't appear to be a lot of turnover at a table during an evening. The table that you choose is likely to only be occupied by you for that night as time is slowed down for conversation and a relaxed enjoyment of the meal.  Here I got to know more about the teachers that took us out for dinner as well as some of the host families. Through a combination of English and Portuguese, and sometimes hand gestures for additional clarification of meaning, we discovered more about each other. What a rare and amazing treat it was to look through the window at life in Ilheus, Bahia Brazil!

Returning to St. Louis now, I bring ideas for sharing the experience with the school community, and within my own classroom. Most important, perhaps, is the global Ursuline family exprience that will continue to grow and connect us across oceans, continents and hemispheres.