Create by andante

To say that the World Scholar’s Cup (WSC) is a competition is like saying that fried rice is your favorite food. It’s not wrong, per se, but there are so many kinds of fried rice-- its country’s origin, its spices, the way it’s cooked, and so much more-- that the sentence has practically no meaning in practice. Yes, the World Scholar’s Cup is a series of competitions, but when you experience it—in practice, saying only that would be an understatement. As cliché as it sounds, the World Scholar’s Cup is an experience.

               On Wednesday, May 15th, we set out to the balmy weather of Bali. We were met with the tropical smell of sunshine, and shortly after, a lot of sunscreen. The following day, we visited Australian Independent School (AIS) for the long-awaited opening ceremony. There, we met the alpaca-obsessed organizers of WSC. Although a considerable chunk of the WSC experience was the competitions, I think the biggest would be its focus on community, and how it embraces and empowers each of our uniqueness and creativity. A big part of that feeling of community lay in our shared love of alpacas (forced or not).

               After the opening, my team and I tackled WSC’s various competitions. First, there were the thrilling Team Debates, where we faced opposing teams from different schools to argue about all sorts of topics, from changing national anthems to erasing history. Every team had their quirks and something to learn and improve from. Then there was Collaborative Writing. We panickedly brainstormed ideas together for our individual essays, based on set topics. Mine was based on the prompt “Who would you resurrect from the dead to learn about life 500 years ago?” I found this competition the most fun since it beautifully combined the quiet serenity of writing alone with the rowdy atmosphere of team discussion. Finally, there was the Scholar’s Challenge, where we had to do a written test on many distinct topics. It took me back to my days in primary school, where pen-and-paper tests were still the norm. The difference though, is that the topics were a million times more random and obscure than ten-year-old me could handle.

               Finally, the first day of WSC ended. I felt a concoction of emotions. Bliss, disappointment-- content. We headed back to our hotel and I had a peaceful night’s sleep. The next day began with WSC’s final challenge: the Scholar’s Bowl. We had an almost gameshow-style quiz where we had to answer questions shown onscreen with buttons. This was similar to the last challenge, but with a twinge of drama, since we sometimes bickered over our individual answers (we had to answer as a team this time). After that, like no time had passed, it was finally time for the closing ceremony, which meant the awards. Through anxious ears, I let out a breath of glee each time my name was called. We may not have won the entire event, but I’m pleased with the awards we got, and our experience together was more valuable than any of them. Just like that, we left the hall doors behind us, and WSC’s Bali round was over.

               Although my time in WSC was only a short two days, I will remember it for a long, long while. It taught me the value and joy of exploration and friendship. Things I thought I had learned from my past experiences I discovered were only the tip of an iceberg in a world of scholars I only caught a glimpse of. Not only will I remember WSC through my newfound knowledge and wisdom, but I will also cherish it through my alpaca.