在英國的第一學期便這麼結束了，即便有些朋友和我皆覺得一切彷彿才剛開始。
在我記下這段文字的同時，現在是一個在威爾斯寒冷的下午，而我正坐在床上拿著筆電，並聆聽著音樂······
和周遭很多人有所不同，我是其中少數的transfer student，因此在來英國UWC之前，我已經歷過常熟UWC的洗禮，了解UWC宗旨、生活模式、文化差異等等。而當然，我也慶幸能有機會橫跨兩間不同的學校。然而從一個相對校風樸實、學術為上、且亞洲人佔多數的校園，到一個校風稍活潑、時常派對、且歐某學生佔多數的環境，這段轉折除了需要調整自己的作息，待人處事，更是得學會怎麼和他人道別。這對許多UWC學生來說往往是最心痛的時候，因為這道別或許只是幾個星期、幾個月，但往往演變成幾十年甚至一輩子。但或許也因為這樣，在僅有的一年或兩年中，才會激發出人與人之間的關係和跨越不同文化間的隔閡，並創造出屬於我們之間共同的回憶。
回過頭來看，一學期已經結束了，意味著我在UWC的旅程已經過了四分之一。再一個學期後的我們則要和我們的二年級道別，而在最後的兩年劃上句點後，我們除了要和彼此，也要和剛進學校一年的一年級學生們道別。就如同龍應台曾說的：「父母子女一場，只不過意味著，你和他的緣分就是今生今世不對地在目送。」不只是父母，人從出生到現在，國小、國中、高中，或是在某次旅行中的邂逅，最終都避免不了目送彼此。
而在這一學期中，我也經歷、感受，並且學到了很多，尤其看到了學生無限的潛能。相較於台灣高中，UWC有較多舞台給學生發揮，好比第一學期就有許多學生主導的大型活動。令我印象深刻的是MENA Conference，這個活動的宗旨在於促進學生和老師們認識中東與北非的時事、文化和議題，透過諸多學生的工作坊而匯集成的大型會議。而在一個擁有來自世界各地學生的學校，也有許多中東與北非的學生分享與自己有關的故事。這讓我對他們的一字一句感觸很深，因為在一個西方文化較為主流的社會，包括各種新聞媒體和報章雜誌，我們很少有機會直接聽取一個當地人的想法，並且用不同的角度和思維看待他們曾經所經歷的事情。同時間，我真切地感受到自己是無比的幸運，能夠生長台灣，一個不受戰亂所擾、安逸的家。我曾經和一位同學聊過，他說他在葉門的家時，爆炸聲和槍聲皆是習以為常的聲響，他也表示希望之後能把他的家人安頓在美國。反觀到自己，現在的我需要顧慮的不過讀書和健康的作息罷了，不禁讓我感嘆這世界的另一角是與我出生所在何等不同。
一位朋友曾經在聊天的時候說：「各位你們想想，這一切真的好神奇！雖然我們所有人皆來自不同的地方，我們卻能個互相溝通並且了解彼此。」確實，我們大家皆生長於不同的環境，接受不同的文化和宗教所洗禮，但當大家一同在沙發偎依著，在這一寧靜的片刻，我們知道你我是無比地不同，但在某個層面上大家又是共同的。我們能互相溝通、玩樂、說笑······，彷彿有一股神奇的力量將所有人串連再一起。然而，大家聚集在一塊互相學習和了解彼此之後呢？這是值得反思的，在UWC生活日字過得雖慢，但時間卻過得飛快。所有事情仿佛在一瞬間就閃過眼前，如果不花些時間好好消化，留下的將是一片空白。
UWC學生最常說的一句話：「UWC絕非是一座烏托邦。」仔細想想，當一個人永遠開心時，他自己不會知道何謂開心。反之，他會有所困惑，因為沒有失落或其他負面情緒就不會有相對的愉悅。而在英國的這三個多月，可說是悲喜交加。不過倘若沒有悲，何能襯托出喜？
我常常想著，在這兩年的旅程中，或許我們不會記得曾經政治學的理論或數學課所提及的公式；但腦海中卻能依稀想起某天下午和朋友躺在草地上感受大自然，還是某個夜晚三五好友抬頭仰望星空談著自己的夢想，或是跟朋友做口試報告而焦慮到尖叫，甚至是和某位朋友聊天時曾提到的一句話。即便兩年的時間過去了，但這些瑣碎的回憶將會被塵封在大腦深處，能讓我再輾轉難眠時偶然想起。而這段被勾勒起的回憶，將使我微微一笑、進入夢鄉。
First term in Atlantic College has come to an end, even though some friends and I felt as if everything has just begun.
While I was writing down this passage, it was a cold afternoon in Wales, and I was sitting on the bed, meanwhile holding my laptop and listening to music...
Unlike most people, I am one of the few transfer students. Therefore, I have experienced UWC Changshu and understand UWC values, lifestyle, cultural differences and so on before coming to Atlantic college. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to attend two different schools. However, from a relatively simple, academic-focused campus with a majority of Asians, to an environment where the atmosphere is slightly more wild, with more parties, and a majority of European students, this transition requires not only adjusting one’s routine, the way of socializing, and eventually learning how to say goodbye with the others. This is often the most heartbreaking time for UWC students, because the separation may only last for a few weeks or months yet often evolves into decades or even a whole lifetime. However, perhaps being pressured by the two year period, the relationships between people are stimulated and grow tremendously even facing cultural barriers, ultimately creating our very own memory.
The end of first term signifies that a quarter of my UWC journey has passed. In another term, we will have to say goodbye to our second years; eventually when the two years are over, we will not only say goodbye to each other but also to the first years who have just entered the school. As Long Yingtai once said: "The relation between parents and children merely means that the fate among you is just constantly saying goodbye to each other." Not only parents, but also people we’ve met since birth, including those in primary school, middle school, high school, or someone by a meaningful encounter in a journey, will come to the time when we have to let go of every person.
In this semester, I’ve experienced and learned a lot, especially realizing how the students possess unlimited potential. Compared with high schools back home, UWC offers more chances for students to take initiative. For example, there were multiple student-led large-scale activities in the first term. What impressed me most is the MENA Conference. The purpose of this is to let students as well as teachers to understand modern events, cultures, and current issues in the Mideast and Northern Africa. It is a large-scale conference gathered by many student-led workshops. In a school with students all over the world, there are also students from MENA who shared personal stories. I am deeply touched by every single word of theirs, because in a world where Western culture is more of a mainstream viewpoint, including various social media, newspapers and magazines, we rarely have the opportunity to listen to ideas and perspectives from a local person. While thinking of what they had been through in their lives, I felt extremely fortunate to be able to grow in Taiwan: a comfortable home free from war. I was once chatting with a friend, he told me that sounds of explosions and gunfire are normal back in where he lived. He also wishes to settle his family in the US in the future. Looking back at myself, what I need to worry about so far is nothing but to study and keep a healthy daily routine. I can't help but express my astonishment that there are parts of world so different from where I was born and raised.
A friend once said in a chat, “Think about this, guys! It is so amazing that we can understand each other although all of us come from different places." Indeed, we all grew up experiencing diverse cultures and religions in different environments. Yet in this quiet moment when everyone is cuddling together on the sofa, noticing we are all different but somehow the same and united, we can still communicate, have fun, chat, and laugh together, as if there was a magical force connecting everyone. However, what shall we do after people gathered together to learn and understand each other? This will be the question to sort out. Since life in UWC is like an instant flash in front of me, if no time was taken to digest and reflect on everything that has happened, nothing will be left but a blank void.
One of the most frequently said words from UWC students, "UWC is by no means a Utopia," which, in fact, is true. If a person is constantly happy, they will never realize what happiness is. Moreover, they will never understand how they truly feel; because how would they ever feel joy if there’s no sadness?
I often think that during these two years, we may not remember what we’d learned in global politics or mathematics; but in our minds we can vaguely recall the afternoon when lying on the grass with some friends, star gazing with a small group of people and talking about our dreams, screaming together anxiously with a friend when preparing for oral presentations, or even some words mentioned in a chat with a friend. Eventually after the two years, these trivial memories will be preserved deep down in my heart, and they will come to my mind occasionally when I am struggling to sleep. These sweet memories will make me fall asleep in peace, and with a lovely smile.