Still Dragon Strong

“Where are you from?” is a tricky question for third-culture kids; one that I still struggle to succinctly answer. Jakarta is less about the location of where I come from and more about the breadth of variables (i.e., culture, people, and experiences) that provided the foundation for who I’ve become.

The nostalgic cacophony of those transformative years at JIS is too vast to sufficiently renumerate. I fear a string of two-dimensional words will fail at capturing the four-dimensional essence of being. Returning 24 years later was like an extended meditation on appreciation and gratitude. While the quintessential traffic, aroma of frangipanis, green huts, stellar curriculum, and legendary Dragon fountain remain constants, the amount of growth and change was fascinating to see.

Real estate once commandeered for the Senior Huts is now a top-notch High School Office with a rooftop garden. The new track at the Cilandak Field elicits a jealous pang of FOMO [fear of missing out], and the new library impressively ranks at a collegiate level. The Booster “Hut” is now a full-fledged retail shop combining old-school JIS merch with a wide assortment of new gadgets. (Hopefully, online ordering and international shipping will be established in the not-so-distant future!)

I visited the campus on a weekend. Despite being void of adolescent banter, it still buzzed with an unnamed energy. Beyond the tangible facility improvements, the essence of all I loved is still there. This is where I learned to embrace organized chaos, stop fearing the unknown, constructively adapt to change, appreciate strength in diversity, challenge preconceived ideologies, and take calculated risks. Most importantly, this is where I learned to grow through my mistakes, built friendships that have no time or geographical limits, and realized that life does not have to be perfect to be absolutely amazing.

“Dragon Strong” camaraderie is a souvenir we carry in our bones, and I have pride in knowing JIS continues to guide uniquely impressive students to be Best for the World.