Earlscliffe was pleased to welcome back former Brazilian student Zizi, as she returned to the school with her family during a short visit to the UK.
Zizi was keen to revisit the place where she spent two memorable terms and to introduce her parents to the teachers and surroundings that played such an important role in her education.
Reflecting on what first brought her to Earlscliffe, Zizi shared, “What attracted me most to Earlscliffe was how international it was…” a quality that quickly became one of the highlights of her experience.
Zizi studied at Earlscliffe from January to June 2024, taking Politics, Photography, History, English Literature and IELTS. An outstanding student, she achieved notable success during her time here, winning the school’s Mock General Election in June 2024 and receiving a national award for her poetry. Her academic commitment and creative talent made her a highly valued member of the school community.
During her visit, Zizi enjoyed reconnecting with her teachers. She met again with Mr Hulse, her Politics teacher, and reminisced about how engaging and lively the lessons were, enriched by the diverse perspectives of students from around the world. She also fondly recalled being the lead singer in the school band run by Mr Hulse, one of her favourite memories from her time at Earlscliffe.
She was equally delighted to see her former History teacher, Ms Gall Gray, and spoke about how much she enjoyed history lessons, where students shared their countries’ pasts and debated different viewpoints in a truly international classroom.
Zizi also spent time catching up with old friends and hearing the latest Earlscliffe news. When talking about boarding life, she shared some of her happiest memories of evenings spent cooking with friends in the shared kitchens.
“I think my favourite thing about the boarding house was the shared kitchen,” she said. “I started cooking the things I missed eating at home but pretty quickly I made a few friends who were doing the same, so around dinner time was my favourite time in the boarding house as I would get together with all the friends I made. I ended up eating Nigerian food, Chinese food, German food, we had a Mexican night one time.” Learning to cook dishes from around the world, she explained, became some of her most treasured moments and helped her develop a real love of cooking.
Zizi planned to end her visit by taking her family out for dinner at her favourite Indian restaurant in Folkestone, a final celebration before leaving.
It was wonderful to welcome Zizi back to Earlscliffe, and we wish her every success as she continues her university studies in Brazil.