The Best Classroom I've Ever Had Wasn't a Classroom

If someone asked me where I've learned the most, I don't think I'd say school.

School has definitely been important, but some of the lessons that have stuck with me the longest happened completely outside of it. Growing up internationally meant I was constantly around people who saw the world differently than I did.

Sometimes it was something as simple as celebrating a holiday I'd never heard of before. Other times it was listening to classmates talk about traditions, family expectations, or current events from perspectives I had never considered. When you're around that every day, it starts to feel normal. I don't think I realized how unusual that was until I got older.

One memory that always comes back to me is celebrating Diwali with friends. I remember the lights, the food, everyone getting together, and how excited people were to explain the traditions to me. I didn't understand everything at the time, but I didn't need to. Just being invited into that experience taught me something. The same thing happened with Chinese New Year celebrations, National Day events, and so many other moments that weren't part of my own family's traditions. None of those experiences suddenly made those cultures my own. But they made them feel familiar instead of foreign.

I think that's one of the biggest advantages of growing up in international schools. You're constantly reminded that your own way of doing things isn't the only way. Sometimes that means learning about holidays. Sometimes it means realizing people communicate differently, solve problems differently, or define success differently. And none of those differences are automatically better or worse. They're just...different.

Looking back, I think those experiences made me more curious than anything else. Instead of assuming I understand someone because we're the same age or go to the same school, I've learned to ask questions.

Where are you from?

What's that celebration about?

Why do you do it that way?

I've found that people usually enjoy talking about where they come from if someone is genuinely interested. That's probably the biggest lesson I've taken away. Not a fact that I memorized or something that will be on a test. Just the habit of staying curious. The world feels a lot bigger when you realize how many different ways there are to experience it. And I think that's an education I'll keep getting long after I leave school.