Dubai Exchange Blog

This morning, the group were asked to give presentations in House assemblies on Repton UK. I watched as Caitlin, Eleanor and Sam gave a very confident presentation to Foremarke which impressed M. Creber, the Housemaster of Foremarke. The group were even bold enough to suggest some things which could improve both Schools. They then took questions from the group and answered them with poise.

Then it was off for a day out. We went to Aquaventure at Atlantis: The Palm. Based on the huge artificial palm tree shaped island jutting out into the Arabian Gulf, the Hotel itself is an amazing site. The water park was no less impressive – acres and acres of pools, rapids channels and a water slide appropriately called the “Leap of Faith”. It had a near vertical drop, before going through a tunnel inside an aquarium full of sharks and stingrays. Everyone (apart from Fraser, GLH and DTC – the latter two out of cowardice, the former for medical reasons!) had a go or two. In all of the excitement of the day, a few of us forgot about the powerful sun and some in the Repton group looked like a troupe of lobster imitators.

From Atlantis we headed straight to one of Repton’s rival schools in Dubai – Jumeirah College, for a Netball tournament. Caitlin, Charlie, Eleanor and Grace arrived midway through the first game that ended 10-1 against. The next game was a draw and the final two were victories, so that Repton finished up in 4th place from a field of 10.

The boys took an opportunity provided by a trip to town check up at the hospital for Fraser to have dinner at the legendary Fuddruckers restaurant. Ethan opted for the POUNDER burger, which was about as big as his face. We all gawped in wonder at the leviathan of beef which arrived at the table. Despite some early confidence, Ethan didn’t manage it and we left the restaurant with its two pounder record intact.

Tomorrow looks to be an exciting day for everyone – there are no lessons and we plan a City Tour and a trip to Al Karama, the market district of town. We’re also hoping to meet up with Luke Lacey (C ‘09) who is stopping off in Dubai on his way back from a season playing cricket in Western Australia.

DTC

It would seem the Repton UK students continue to cause quite a stir amongst the pupils and staff, as our own Eleanor Sharples has experienced a bit of fame being interviewed for the Senior Reptonian over here in Dubai. A great interview, in which Ellie clearly conveys how much her and the rest of the UK Exchange students are enjoying the experience of school in the desert!

We're privileged to be holding a proof copy of the magazine, not even the Repton Dubai students have seen it yet! Please click here to read Ellie's interview.

The Senior Reptonian is an intriguing and informative insight into the workings of the school over here, already a professional and dynamic publication, even in it's infancy, run and written by mostly Repton Dubai pupils.

We're going to have to watch Sharples...rubbing shoulders with the likes of Tom Chambers and Freddie Flintoff...her head won't fit through that plane door on Saturday!

In all seriousness however, DTC and myself are so proud of the way all of the students have conducted themselves over the past week, making the most of every opportunity, making and securing new friendships and continually making sure they impress the staff over here by how pleasant, enthusiastic and hard-working they are. But of course this has come as little shock to us...

Here's to the next week: sure to be a busy one!

GLH

Today started off at 6:15 like any other day, a little too early for my liking. In the morning I had a free lesson in the library with Fraser and Grace which allowed us to do some 'prep'.

This was then followed by a very productive History lesson with Maddie and Grace. I then had science by myself for the next three lessons!

One of the subjects they have here at Repton Dubai that we don’t is Environmental Management.

Luckily after lunch we only had 1 lesson as we were leaving early to go go-karting! Much to Eleanor's delight the lesson that we missed was Maths.
As we set off we were all upset that Fraser was not able to join us having had injured himself playing football last week. On the way there were lots of bets taking place about who will win on the track!

Just as we were approaching the Go-Karting centre we drove past a large out door Formula 3 track. George told us we would be racing on it – Sam and Patrick got visit excited about that! In the end we had to settle for a smaller outdoor track. We all had to register and then get changed into these rather fetching jumpsuits. We then had to put on these paper balaclavas underneath the helmets. We all looked like the stig.

On to the track we went, all getting into the karts. We all then got set off one at a time. The speed that they got to was incredible. The first few laps I was on my own but then Patrick came up behind me. At first I managed to keep him behind me but then he took me on the inside. I was on my own again but then Charlie came up on my tail and I let her pass! She then braked very suddenly and I ran straight into the back of her causing her to spin off the track! Then before we knew it the time was up and we all filtered into the pit lane. As we all climbed out of the karts there was a lot of banter and stories of what happened on the track.

One of the main topics was who won. It wasn't long until we found out. Sam was the winner this time much to George's protests. He wouldn't take that he lost to Sam. There was a very large discussion on who won but we all (except George) and the official race record came to the conclusion that Sam was the actual winner. We headed back for school so that Maddie, Charlie and Eleanor could catch the bus, and we arrived in good time. 

Fascinating fact from the trip - Maddie gets excited when she sees a tree!!!

The trip to Hatta got off to a rather slow start. We began with a two-hour drive to the border of the U.A.E with the Sultanate of Oman. We were met with a strategic passport check accompanied by guns. After our first ‘check’ we ventured into the desert; this began posing problems with the yellow buses we had become accustomed with over the past week. Mr Clark’s famous “oh, only about another twenty minutes” was beginning to wear thin and we relied on some border-line witty comments to edge our way over what seemed rocky obstacle course. 

As we began giving up hope of ever reaching this ‘Hatta Pools’ almost out of nowhere, appeared a glimmering pool - like some sort of mirage! Everyone edged off the bus with baited breath, as we then distributed down the mountainside. As we drew nearer the temperature was rising fast and the sun cream was continuously plastered on followed by the additional “oh I’m burning right there! Can you see?”. To our delight the picturesque pool was ice cold. The brave plunging in first, followed by stragglers after they had completed routine strategic sun cream checks. The cliffs surrounding the water posed to be too much of a temptation as a mere few threw themselves off the edge to applause from fellow bathers.

Matron produced an excellent barbeque lunch, which we shared with some friendly flies! This was short lived, as we were all back into swimming with the fish immediately! Sam and I began with some small adventures picking bracelets and shells off the bottom. This was then followed by an intrepid adventure through cavernous fissure in the rock. We then continued climbing through small gaps, over waterfalls until we reached the pool’s source. The sight was one of beauty, not a cloud in the sky, just the journey which loomed for us on the way back!

Patrick Tuffy 4P 

Today was great! The day started by meeting outside the boys’ boarding house for the bus journey to the Mall of the Emirates. We had a full day of exciting activities planned. We arrived at the mall and met up with the rest of the girls and their exchange partners. Firstly we went shopping and trust me; there was no Primark to be seen! It was either Louis Vuitton or Marc Jacobs! We couldn’t decide which to go in so we went in both. Unfortunately all the items in there were way out of our price range; however, we did enjoy fantasizing over the fabulous handbags and perfume!

We then went to get some lunch in the food court before meeting back outside Ski Dubai. As I was taking a photo of the ski slopes, Miss Allen told me that I would find a better picture in the ‘Go sports’ shop. I did not know what she meant by this so I went inside searching. George and Fraser followed me and then we saw who Miss Allen had told us to get a picture of! Freddie Flintoff….yes Freddie Flintoff… the England cricketer! While I was standing in awe, George plucked up the courage to ask for a photo. He seemed delighted to, so I handed over my camera and we got a photo with him! It was the highlight of the day! After hearing that Freddie Flintoff was in the sports shop everyone else came in too and we all had a group photo.
The skiing was something else! It was so weird because it was minus 4 degrees on the ski slopes but outside it was like 34 degrees…. Bizarre! Maddie and Charlie had a lesson of skiing which they really enjoyed and then Caitlin did some snowboarding and she was brill considering it was her second time! The rest of us did skiing! It was my second time and I got to grips with the concept of the snow plough again! On the chairlift Ethan and I had a singing competition and on the button lift let’s just say singing was the least of Sam’s worries because after 3 attempts he still couldn’t get to the top of the mountain!
That evening some of the students stayed on to go to the cinema at Mall of the Emirates. Patrick and Ethan went to see T-Pain and Gorillaz in concert at Festival City with the boys from Repton Dubai. Some of the boys took Mr. Clark’s challenge to meet him at Dubai Mall for dinner in the shadow of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. Siobhan, my host (who I have to say has done a brilliant job of making me feel at home and welcome) took me with her parents to ‘Bab Al Shams’ which is a 5-star hotel in the middle of the desert and her parents took me there for dinner! The drive way was all lit up with lights and we had a meal on the rooftops listening to Arabic music, it was lovely!

We are all thoroughly enjoying it here in Dubai and I am not sure how many of us will be arriving back in the UK next Saturday!

Eleanor Sharples (4M)

Thursday 18th March

Thursday was an eventful day, which began with Fraser being hospitalised due to a fractured wrist. However, lessons continued for the rest of the group bringing their usual challenges and helping us with our continued integration into Repton Dubai.

After school Mr Clark and Miss Hill took us to Jumeirah beach. The activities of choice were sunbathing and beach sports including; volley ball and relay races, both of which created a healthy amount of competition and banter.
Another bus journey later we arrived at festival city, a particularly vibrant mall, where we went for burgers at GBK. The setting was very pleasant alongside a canal, on which the occasional boat floated serenely by. The atmosphere was laid back and spirits were high as we gorged ourselves on an impressive range of well- cooked burgers. Due to popular demand we proceeded to cold stones creamery, where there was a raucously enforced atmosphere of ‘fun’, providing excellent ice-creams as well as a resounding headache.

At the end of the evening the group caught taxies, however, Mr Clark and I had to endure a ninety -minute due to the ineptitude of our driver. 180 AED later we arrived back at school, having had a tour of the desert, which proved a test of character. We all went to bed that night anticipating an entertaining weekend…

Sam Lloyd 4P 

On day five of the trip, the group had a full day in school followed by a evening of activities as part of the School’s activities programme. The girls pulled on Repton vests for the netball team and played a key role in the ound defeat of another hotly tipped local School.

Boys and girls took the opportunity to watch the much tipped Repton Dubai 1st XV play against Jumeriah College. Jumeriah College hadn’t banked on the new arrivals at Repton Dubai – 5 rugby scholars from the Southern Seas. Playing some of the most physical and fluid rugby we had ever seen, the Repton XV (with guidance from their coach, former Sale star Apollo Perelini) systematically dismantled their opposition, winning by a margin of 30+ points.

On the football field, our Repton boys relished the opportunity to play against a team composed of members of the Dubai Elite Sports Academy. The academy, based at Repton Dubai and headed up by former England star Carlton Palmer and Everton star Tim Cahill, provides training to some of the most promising footballers in the UAE. Fraser, Patrick and Sam played alongside boys and tutors from the boarding house. It was a tense encounter, made more so by participation, in-game coaching and enthusiasm of Carlton Palmer, which finished 3-2 to the Repton side.

Tomorrow looks to be another interesting day – we have planned another trip to the beach to top up tans and catch up with some rest much needed after a productive and busy week. We will also be taking our first steps into one of Dubai’s famed malls. Look out here for a report on these.

DTC

More photos from our adventures in Dubai can be viewed by clicking here.  

Tuesday started off with assembly, in which us 10 “UK” pupils were asked to stand up in front of the school population (we are clearly treated as celebrities on the campus!). Following this, there was a delightful performance by a young harpist, then we pottered off to lessons. I had a double Biology in the morning (80 minutes=killer), which was surprisingly enjoyable, ably accompanied by Moss! After break, we had French (C’etait fantastique!) and Drama, in which there are 4 pupils. Post lunch, Maddy and I were treated to another double-this time in Economics! We have surprisingly caught on to a high standard – noted by the teacher of course.

After lessons, we were treated with a tremendous trip to the beach! With sun cream, bikinis and boardshorts at the ready, we swam out in the sea, which was perfect! Tuffy refused to have his hair wet, and Sam Lloyd’s James Bond impressions were particularly memorable. With a tanning session ending, we set off back to Repton.
We went to go and watch the performance of “ A Midsummer Nights Dream by year 7, 8 and 9” which was to a very high standard. What was particularly good was to have VIP seats! After this, we all settled back into the boarding houses and host homes respectively.

Tomorrow holds some entertainment, as it is the 1st time we are going to see the Repton U16 rugby team in action (with 9 Rugby scholars from Samoa and New Zealand!), and our own Patrick Tuffy, Fraser Lane and Sam Lloyd are playing in an exhibition match with Carlton Palmer!

Question of the day: A personal favourite, (while at the beach), “Is Dubai on the coast?’ (anonymous)

Ethan Coupland-Smith (4N)

We have to get up a little earlier than the boarders-5:30am (1:30am in England) and so we barely have time for breakfast. We arrived at school at about half past seven and fortunately we are both in the same house - New House (not just for boys, unlike New House at home). First we had a free lesson so Grace could open her presents with her friends. Then we had an unusually entertaining history lesson followed by Biology which is good as we are in the same science sets.

At break all of us lay sunbathing in Repton circle, drinking our cartons of juice! This was then followed by double Chemistry, but unfortunately we "weren't needed" as they were doing an ISA and so we got a free double period! We then joined up with Sharples and Fraser for PE which was interesting, but very similar to pur PE lessons back in England. Lunch finally came and we all sat together accompanied by Asad (our new found friend on the exchange). He seemed to liven up the table as Caitlin burst out in fits of laughter which everyone found very amusing - we think Asad was rather scared. Asad began to perform a "magic trick" but it was merely a distraction so that Grace would not notice that Mr Clark and Miss Hill had prepared a birthday cake for her.

All of us had English after lunch, although we are all in different sets, followed by maths which as there were six of us in one set we were told to go to the library as there wasn't enough room. After school we all had activities, apart from Charlie and Caitlin who went home to go to the cinema together. Sharples and Grace had netball in the scorching hot sun and were asked to take part in the netball match on Wednesday, along with the other girls. We all went home at around five.

Grace and Charlie

Today was the first day of the proper school routine.  Being up at 6:40 on a Sunday to make breakfast by 7:30 was a bit of a shock to the system!  Desert life brought a slight mishap with the en-suite showers,  leaving some of us to use our Core training to good effect, washing without much water.  Repton Dubai has central dining and the walk from the House to the dining room is spectacular, through the “Repton Circle” at the centre of the campus.

First lesson was tutorial in Houses (we were both in Latham – a bit weird for an Ochardian and a New Housian.  We then went into double physics which was amazing – the best physics lesson we’ve had!  We’ve also got to like another Repton Dubai innovation very quickly – study periods!  We went to the library, got given a laptop and were able to use it to get on with the prep we’d been set.

Later on we had PE. With the temperatures outside at 30 degrees, we knew that doing Athletics was going to be tough!  Despite the heat and jetlag, the 10 UK Reptonians ran and got decent positions in the 1500m race.

After lessons finished at 2:40, it was time for activities. We had cricket with the legendary England seam bowler Martin Saggers, the cricket coach at Repton Dubai.  Martin wasn’t the only professional around – Eleanor Sharples  was selected to play for Repton Dubai in a rounders match at another school.  We don’t know the result yet but details will follow.

Tomorrow is Grace Sanderson’s birthday, and we’re we’re planning something special.  Hopefully we’ll be able to celebrate a first run in Sharples’ Dubai rounders career too!

Posted by Ethan Coupland-Smith (4N) and George Moss (4O) 

Dubai Day 1

After a cheer on crossing the bridge between Repton and Willington, the group were in great spirits for the trip to Heathrow.  Patrick Tuffy entertained with his Dizzee Rascal impression and the girls were in fine voice for much of the journey.

After a slight delay to the flight, we made ourselves comfortable on the flight (very ably assisted by the Air Steward Drew, who was dispensing advice to Sam and to Charlotte Graham throughout the journey).

Staff or students, all excited about the prospect of arrival in Dubai, had little sleep.  We landed at 9am and were met at the airport by Mr. Kew and Miss Allen (Head of Boarding and Deputy Head) and the families who would be hosting the girls.

The boys were amazed when they saw the school in the distance.  Ethan suggested “it’s like Hogwarts”.  Maybe it is – but one thing is for certain – it looks vast and impressive from a long way off.

There was time for a quick shower and a change before we were shown around the expansive campus and then took part in team building command tasks with our partners from Dubai and the gap students who work there.

After such a long flight, the excitement and the heat, everyone was feeling pretty beat.  Bed time is about 10 on a Saturday, which is just aswell since lessons begin at 7:45 on Sunday morning…

Posted bt DTC

Today at 3pm on a dull and rainy English afternoon our first exchange pupils set off for Heathrow in anticipation of the two weeks to come.  We look forward to following the adventures of the ten boys and girls, DTC and GLH as they report back from Dubai.

Pupils depart on Friday 12th March, check this page for updates on their trip.