Hisham

• Name: Hisham
• High School: Nagoya International School
• Nationality: Pakistani

Who are you and what is your background?

My name is Hisham but you can call me Yabani. I joined the IB Diploma Programme in Japan at an international school. Right now, I’m in my second year at NUCB doing the GGBA program. I’m 22 years old and I am originally from Pakistan but I was born and raised in Dubai.

Have you ever faced any challenge when settling into Japan?

I first settled in Japan two and half years ago and of course, it was very challenging to get an understanding of the culture as well as how to act and how to communicate and interact with people. There are rules and regulations that you need to know before coming to Japan because people don’t tell you, they expect you to know it.

What makes the IB Diploma Programme special?

IB makes you prepare for your life. They allow you to get the skills that you’ve never had before. You learn time management and that is important for your life after university. Aside from that, you also start developing your communication skills through IB. At university, you have a lot of reports to do and that is exactly what you do in the IB Diploma Programme. It is not just about studying, there are a lot of additional things that you need to do while studying - for example, CAS - it is about your own self and your career life. So, the IB Diploma Programme is very different from any educational system. It is tough but it is fun at the same time.

What advice would you give to future IB Diploma Programme candidates?

I think that writing skills are very important throughout the IB process. Communication skills are also very important. I would also recommend you to be physically fit. There is a subject called CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) and it requires you to be fit to do these activities so it is good to be prepared to assume that you are going to do something physical.  Also, IB puts you through challenges every single time which I think is the fun part. You may want to give up sometimes but if you take it in a positive way, you can make yourself into a better person, a stronger person because you’ve been through these challenges.

What did you like about being an IB student?

The IB Diploma Programme prepares you to think differently, to use critical decision & logical reasoning. You learn different skills - soft skills, hard skills - but the thing is, it depends on how you take the IB. If you take it lightly, you are not going to end up learning anything. If you take it in a learning way, there are a lot of opportunities for knowledge and for learning. My advice is to make the best out of the IB Diploma Programme. Don’t be shy, it may be hard throughout the first year but then, by the second year you will get the confidence you need.