We Are Here, Ready for You!

When the spring temps rise and blue hits the skies,

COVID-19 will vapourise,

And in front of your eyes,

Your friends will arrive.

And BIS life is realized.

-quoted from one of our teachers

The bond between the team could never be stronger. From the beginning of this special winter holiday, BIS management team, faculty team and admin team have been working so hard on developing Online Learning Program, encouraging efficient communication and at the same time, strengthen the epidemic prevention.

Having faith in Chinese goverment and school management, many of our teachers cancelled their trips back and chose to stay in Wuxi. Those who travelled outside have also made or planned their trip back.

Dr Youngmin An (Secondary Teacher)

Several days before my return to China, new Covid 19 cases had spiked in South Korea. Hearing all the new entry restrictions and policies for the people from Korea, I was very apprehensive about flying back to Pudong airport due to the unknown situations I might have to face. However, despite my fear, everything went smoothly, and I was able to come home in Wuxi after going through all the required registrations with great support from my school. The first few days have been the hardest, especially when looking down the people walking freely outside from my windows, but I quickly adapted to my new life under quarantine. It’s been nine days, and I am doing just fine except that I am getting heavier and heavier every day. I can’t wait to go out and have a nice long walk in Jinkui park again!

Ms Zoe Fitzsimmons (Primary Teacher)

Having left the UK on Sunday, I arrived safely back in Wuxi on Tuesday after nearly 48 hours of travelling. Thanks to the amazing support and advice of the BIS HR team, the transition back to Wuxi could hardly have been smoother. The time needed to travel and recover from jetlag has meant it was difficult to keep up with the expectations of our working week. However, I have received so much support from my wonderful colleagues, especially Amy Darden, to make my workload more manageable for the week.  We’re lucky to have such an amazing team at BIS.

Mr Loren Letourneau (Primary Teacher)

I was abroad, first in Cambodia and then when my flights were cancelled, I stayed with friends in Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam). It would have been a difficult trip, if only because I had packed for only two weeks. The rest of it – worrying about friends and colleagues, trying to manage the home schooling of my three children, trying to put my lessons up without my resources (or computer or stable internet) – only compounded the challenge.It was huge to have the support of my friends in Vietnam. They took in our family and lent us their apartment. It was also great to get the emails from Rob and our HR team. The message of ‘do what you need to do to feel safe, and come back when you feel it is right for your family’ instilled confidence. Being treated like a human with legitimate concerns rather than being pushed or pressured made all the difference for us.

And we are back in Wuxi now. It is a strange world out there, but we are adapting to the new normal. We understand that we need to support each other in the community.

Ms Sneha Mishra (Primary Teacher)

It was the most difficult situation in time to decide whether to return or not due to the epidemic. Yet the constant support from the BIS team gave me enough courage to come back to Wuxi. I started with my journey from Mumbai (India) and at the immigration, the officers were shocked that I heading to China. They even warned me that if I return I will have to stay back in quarantine in my own country for 14 days and stamped my visa. My next stop was Singapore with a layover of a 1.30 hours but it was very comfortable. I had a car waiting for me at the Shanghai airport that got me to Wuxi. Entering my apartment was a task but the HR team at BIS helped me at every stage. Yes, my family back in India are concerned and in constant touch with me but they trust BIS as much as I do. This too shall pass!

As the most frequently mentioned in the video above,

“We can’t wait to see all of you 

in Boston International School!”