My life as a world-schooler

                                                                                                

Who am I?

Hello! I am Karen, and guess what? I am a cool 8-year-old, just like you, or you once were, anyways! Right now, as I type these words, I am feeling all the excitement bubbling inside me. 

I proudly call myself the one and only Justice Bunny, on a mission to fight the mighty enemy called climate change, also known as global warming (I will tell you more about it later!).

But that is not all! I wear many hats in my little world. I am a maker, which means I love creating things with my own hands. I am an activist, standing up for what I believe in. I am a fencer, bravely wielding my sword (well, a blunt one!) and mastering the art of self-defense with a group of amazing friends. I am a blogger, sharing my thoughts and ideas through my awesome articles. And I am also a world-schooler, having a magical passport to visit incredible places in different countries (sometimes even just exploring my own country is exciting!).

I have had some incredible experiences along the way. From playing on farms and taking care of horses and alpacas, to learning how to snowboard and having fun in the snowy wonderland (even if I fell down a bunch of times!). It has been quite a ride! But here is the funny part: right now, I find myself in Malaysia because of the pesky Covid-19 situation. Can you believe it? It is like stepping into a storybook filled with face masks and hand sanitizers. But hey, I always look for the silver lining in every situation!

Since I am here, I thought it would be awesome to share some of my life stories with you. I have funny stories, heartfelt stories, sad stories, stories about learning and growth, and so much more! Ready to flip through the pages of my life? Let’s go.

Why am I writing this?

You are probably wondering why I am even writing this, right? Well, let me tell you the story behind it. I used to write in a diary, like a proper book-and-pen diary, but guess what? I did not really like my handwriting. I thought it always looked messy and hard to read. I could not even read some of my previous diary entries myself! So, I got a great idea: why not try typing instead? It seemed way easier and more fun!

That is when I went on a quest to find a fun but computerised alternative for my diary. And guess what I found? This amazing thing called blogging, that lets me write what I want (as long as it is appropriate, obviously) and share it with others! And here I am sharing all my awesome world-schooling experiences, starting with this article!

What is a world-schooler?

I bet you are wondering, what in the world is a world-schooler (pun intended!)? Well, get ready for a new and exciting thing to learn all about, because I am going to answer your questions, and more!

A world-schooler is like a special group of people, usually a little kid (like me!) and the rest of their family (like their siblings, parents, sometimes even grandparents!), who travel around the world to learn. Instead of sitting in a “normal” classroom, we get to explore the world and learn new things in exciting ways, without any walls!

You see, being a world-schooler means we learn from talking to all sorts of people we meet on our travels, and from books we find (reading really opened my eyes, again, more on this later). We have conversations that we learn new things from, we read books new and old, and we learn all about the different cultures that live together with us in this world. It is like being able to learn anything, from the alphabet to life lessons to remember, well, for life!

Now, hold on a second! You might be thinking, “Is going on a field trip with your teacher not the same as world-schooling?" Well, the answer is no! World-schooling is more exciting and consistent than a one-time field trip.

You know, during regular field trips, you do not really get the chance to have meaningful conversations with new people and hear their unique stories. Usually, you stick with your group of friends and teachers. But that is where world-schooling comes in! It is all about making connections and absorbing knowledge wherever we go.

Just imagine visiting a cool museum and actually engaging with the staff there. You can have conversations about the subjects right there in the museum! I have always loved talking to new people, and when I interact with the museum staff, I want to learn more than just what is displayed in the exhibits. I am curious about their daily work routines and how they take care of the museum. They become like teachers outside of school, sharing their captivating knowledge alongside the informative exhibits!

With world-schooling, every place we visit becomes a classroom, and every person we meet becomes a teacher. It is a lively way to learn beyond the traditional boundaries of a school. 

Now, here is one of my world-schooling trips when I was 5-year-old. My family and I visited a local native school in Taiwan for 2 months and it was like stepping into a whole new world. This school was nestled on a tiny mountain, surrounded by breathtaking beauty. Can you picture it? I brought along a guidebook, ready to interact with the locals and natives. We talked (well, most of it was hand gestures and body language), we laughed, and we learned so much about their way of life. Within two months, we became more than friends, we were like family! We lived together, ate together, slept together and even went to school together. It is a memory I will cherish forever! 

So, now you know so much more about what it means to be a world-schooler. It is all about embracing the world as our classroom, with endless opportunities to learn and grow. And who knows? Maybe one day, you will join me and have your own adventures too! Keep exploring, keep questioning, and let your curiosity take you to places beyond your wildest dreams. Excitement awaits!

What did I do when I was world-schooling?

The memories of my world-schooling adventures are like colorful pages in a storybook! Let me share some of the fun activities I did while exploring the world:

One activity happened during the MCO, that is the Movement Control Order when we could not travel much because of COVID-19. But since we could not go out, we turned our balcony into a mini hydroponic farm! We planted tiny seeds in some cube-shaped sponges with letter-H-shaped holes, neatly arranged in a metal frame with water inside to grow the plants. 

We watched happily everyday as the seeds sprouted and grew into delicious greens. Not to mention, the first batch flourished! They tasted so yummy, and it felt great to know that we made it happen (in sponges!). Unfortunately, the stormy weather in Malaysia made it hard to continue, as the wind and rain would blow the sponges out of their metal frame and uproot the plants every time. But hey, at least we had the experience of that first batch!

And then there was the time we visited Switzerland, where we stayed with the locals in the countryside. One special day, my friend and I got the chance to take care of horses! Can you imagine? We fed them, brushed their fur, and they seemed to love our company. Those friendly horses made us feel like adventurers in a new land.

Let me tell you a bit more! These are about my “trial" student experiences. In some countries, I got the chance to be part of their schools, even if just for a little while. One super kind kindergarten teacher took us swimming, outside of the school campus on weekends! We had a very good and fun time, playing in the water and feeling the joy of being surrounded by new friends. I never knew school teachers would do that on their own time for the children.

It did not stop there! Another school in Taiwan organised thrilling activities like tree climbing, rock climbing, and water rafting. It felt like being a little explorer! Do you know how cool is that? That school’s students did this everyday as part of their curriculum! Best school ever! 

But you know what else makes me feel like a superhero? Whenever I become "The Justice Bunny" and fight against climate change, also known as global warming! In different countries, I join events like protests, campaigns, and talks. I do it to contribute to what the locals are doing to protect our planet. It is great seeing different people coming together and working towards a longer-lasting world, because if something big happens, it is going to impact this whole planet Earth.

So there you have it, some of my most memorable world-schooling adventures. From hydroponic farming to horse care, from swimming with friends to climbing trees, and from fighting for the planet as “The Justice Bunny," every experience has been like a treasure-filled chapter in my journey. 

Some of the things I learned while world-schooling

Now, let's dive into the incredible things I learned while world-schooling! Get ready, because along the way, you are going to hear about a young little author’s favorite activities.

First and foremost, one of my all-time favorite discoveries was Scratch Programming. It is like a secret language of creativity! With colorful blocks as my tools, I learned how to bring my imagination to life on the computer screen. You can find my creations on my Scratch accounts: "Scratch-in-sprites" and my school account, "DEP20010048”. I am afraid I am not really experienced, as I have actually been less active in coding these two years. After all, I have been focusing on this compilation, of course!

But wait, there is more! Learning how to read was an absolute game-changer. Once I figured out how to “read” those little lines and symbols called letters and words, a whole collection of worlds of stories and knowledge opened up to me. Books became my passport to new adventures, transporting me to magical realms and teaching me incredible things. Reading quickly became one of my favorite pastimes, and I cannot get enough of it! I try to find reading time whenever I can : lunch hours, before bed, in the morning before everyone wakes up, random free time, you know, stuff like that. Oh, did I tell you that I started to learn to read all by myself when I was 2-year-old? Yes, it is possible. Even though English is not my first language, I love English the most because I feel like English understands me the best!

And of course my favorite activities include experiencing school while worlds-chooling. Each country had its own unique school system, and my brother and I got to be part of it. It felt like going on a thrilling holiday, where every day was filled with exciting discoveries and new friends. From learning in a traditional classroom to exploring nature during field trips, school became an extraordinary adventure that made me love learning even more!

But hey, not everything I learned was rainbows and unicorns. I also learned that trust is something that must be earned. It is like a precious treasure that makes relationships stronger and more meaningful. Building trust takes time, honesty, and being there for each other. It is an important lesson that I carry with me wherever I go.

List of the countries I have visited 

• Hong Kong

• Malaysia

• Switzerland

• Taiwan

• England

• Scotland

• Germany

• France

• Indonesia (Bali)

• Austria

• Slovenia

• Hungary

• Slovakia

• Croatia

• Czech Republic

• Italy

These are all of my visits to different places and countries, and I hope that soon I can visit the ruins of ancient Greece or Rome.

My favorite quote

"Those who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world are the ones who will"

-Steve Jobs- 

This quote is my absolute favorite because it speaks to my heart. It feels so real and powerful to me. You know why? Because I believe that even as an 8-year-old girl, I can make a difference in this big world.

My brother and I, we started a special movement in our school. We said no to single-use plastics! And you know what? It actually worked! We showed everyone that small actions can create big changes. It made me feel like a superhero, fighting for our planet.

I have this burning desire inside me to make the world understand the dangers we are facing. Our beautiful Earth is in trouble, and I want to help. I want to raise awareness and inspire others to take action. We need to protect our planet for ourselves and for future generations.

I hope this quote inspires you too, to believe in yourself and your ability to change the world. Let's stand together and make a difference, one small step at a time!

~This is Nicodidiary, signing out.