Sofia has been a part of AMADEUS Vienna and Grade 11 since September 2020 – but she has never actually met her classmates and teachers physically until now! After more than half a year of online learning, she is happy to finally be at AMADEUS Vienna where she will be staying in boarding.

She is a very passionate and disciplined young lady with many interesting projects and, despite the distance, Sofia has managed to make friends at AMADEUS and to bring life to the AMADEUS student council all the way from Columbia!

Read about how it has been to become a part of a new school community from distance and get to know more about Sofia:

Name: Sofia S.
Age: 17 years old
Grade: 11th grade
Nationality: Colombian
Previous school: The English School in Bogotá (2007 until 2020)

Why did you choose to study at AMADEUS Vienna?

I have always aspired to visit the world and get the best out of the different cultures and places out there. In the attempt of completing my DP at a foreign school, I applied to various schools around the world. However, when I found AMADEUS I recall telling my parents I had found the school of my dreams. Music has always played a pivotal role in my life, so when I found a place where music was immersed in the day-to-day life of the community I was convinced that it was the best place for me to aspire to get in. Then, when I was offered a place at AMADEUS, I could not believe how far I had gone by leaving my old school in the middle of a pandemic, challenging myself and exposing myself to changes that made me grow as a student and as a person.

What do you look forward to the most about AMADEUS and Vienna?

What I look forward to the most at AMADEUS is learning from the multiple cultures that coexist within the school. Additionally, since Vienna and AMADEUS have such an emphasis on music I am very excited to surround myself with amazing musicians. Furthermore, I am very excited to meet my peers and share our love for music through amazing collaborations and meaningful experiences.

What has been good and what has been challenging during online learning?

Unlike many students at AMADEUS, I have experienced online learning very differently. Since my country is in a completely different time zone from Austria (-6 hours) I was unable to connect to my classes virtually. Nevertheless, teachers have provided me with the resources and explanations I required along my journey through the DP program. Some days it is lonely, as an only child I do not have much interaction with people my age. However, I have focused on my studies and I kept looking forward to moving to Vienna.

Tools such as KOGNITY helped me tremendously to keep on track with my studies and the support that my family and teachers have provided me inspires me to keep going despite the challenges.

How have you connected with the AMADEUS community from distance?

At the beginning of the school year, I joined a weekly zoom meeting to meet other students that were stuck in their home countries. During those meetings, I made my first friends at AMADEUS and felt very welcome to this amazing community, though the group narrowed down as people moved to Vienna. Then, when some of the online learners arrived in Vienna I decided to ask them about the community, my peers, the teachers, the situation of the pandemic, and anything that could help me to imagine what Vienna and AMADEUS was like.

Since day one I wanted to make meaningful contributions to my school and community which I wanted to achieve through a student council. After I was informed that the student council for MYP and DP students had suspended its actions due to the pandemic, I thought it would be a nice project for me to attempt reestablishing the student council. It was very challenging at first since I have little contact with my peers and the community at AMADEUS. However, Ms.Kelly and Dr. Plöger supported my ideas and allowed me to implement my plans. After meeting other students interested in the student council, I made my group of friends at AMADEUS larger, until I was able to commence a committee for mental health and empowerment which has kept me motivated during the last months as an online student.

What are you passionate about?

When it comes to the things that I like and that I am passionate about there are many activities that bring me joy, growth, and excitement.

First of all, since I can remember music has been a major part of my life. I began as a choir kid, which then evolved to the creation of my own jazz band and ultimately my development as a lyric singer. I enjoy almost every component of singing and practicing, from warming up to learning the pronunciation of various words in different languages. It is a moment where I can let go of everything else going on in my life to focus on my passion.

Furthermore, I am very passionate about academics in general. I have been in Model of United Nations for around 5 years now and all of my evolution as a delegate, strategy center, and chair, I have grown as a world citizen and individual at many levels.

Moreover, I am very disciplined with athletics from a very young age. Although I have not focused on a single sport for more than 5 years I have had the opportunity to take care of my physical and mental health through exercise my entire life. From swimming to Olympic gymnastics and athleticism I have worked on building my strength, speed, resistance, and flexibility.

In conclusion, I believe that my passion is getting to inspire others and help them to become their best versions through a balanced performance of various activities which holistically make me better.

Which career would you like to pursue after graduating from AMADEUS?

Although I considered pursuing a career in music I have always felt an inclination towards medicine. After having a tough time deciding my classes for my Dipoma Programme I decided to take two sciences in HL. My teachers have made my experience in their classes so amazing that I have finally found my perfect career where I can feel I can contribute most to the world. After AMADEUS I want to pursue a career in biochemistry and focus on research of molecular diseases in a professional context.

We are happy to have Sofia on campus with us and we are sure that she will fit well into our community of happy, kind, and imaginative learners. Please give her a warm welcome when you meet her!