As long as I can remember, the 1st International School of Ostrava was an integral part of my life. To put my “story” into some context, I must start at the beginning. My dad and mum met in the USA, and some time later, I was born in the Czech Republic. When I was a few months old, we moved to…
I am from the Czech Republic but I have lived some time abroad and I have travelled all over the world. I studied in Finland and worked as a translator in Luxembourg. I have always loved meeting people from all over the world and I was thinking of staying abroad, but being in an international…
I chose ISO eight years ago, primarily because it was offering something, at that time, extraordinary for me . I very soon realized the importance of English language used all over the world and the idea of being educated in English was fascinating. This is my very last year, which makes me bit sad…
I come from Thailand and I’m an exchange student from YFU (=Youth for Understanding: Non-profit international educational organization offers intercultural exchange programs for teenagers, families, schools and communities; https://www.yfu.org/). They offered me an exchange program in one of the…
I come from Ostrava and I like very much this city and its people. Teaching at 1st International School of Ostrava enables me to use my international experience, meet new people from other parts of the world and to build something new and different in my home town. I love sharing my Czech language,…
I didn’t think much about coming to Canada, I just did it to try something new. But after a few weeks in Banff I realized I was living my dream. Living in the mountains, climbing, hiking, skiing, waking up to the amazing view of the Rockies, nights with thousands of stars, road trips, this yearning…
I made the decision to study at ISO when I was 15 years old. I knew I need a school that gives me space, understanding and school that believes in its students. But mainly it was the passion, support, and motivation of all teachers who trusted in each single of us. Furthermore, projects pushed us…
I remember sitting in this café in London during my 1st year at University with few former ISO students thinking back to the high school time - what ISO meant to us. Up until then I never fully realised what those 4 years gave me. For me personally, ISO was an Opportunity. I got an opportunity to…
When deciding about my high school path, my plan to study at a medical school didn’t quite work out. Luckily, there was a new project starting at that time, which determined my future at the 1st International School of Ostrava (ISO). I must admit that I struggled at the very beginning but all the…
There’s so much stuff that you get access to once you’ve learned to speak English. There are throngs of TV shows, movies, books, music, and much more that I would have never even heard of had I not been studying at an international school. There are times when I can’t find any information for an…
At a school, I have been always looking for SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST EDUCATION. I believe in the experiential learning, the project based learning and the community education. I largely promote reading workshops. On purpose, I choose provocative and challenging titles and questions, which whirl…
ISO is definitely very close to my heart. Just as I am proud of the town where I grew up, I am proud of the school, that out of the all education instituions which I have gone through, had clearly the greatest influence on me. The school, built by the team around Jan Petrus and Brett Gray, can put…
1st International School of Ostrava was an important part of my life. This school literally taught me how to live my life, especially due to the IB DP program through which I learned how to grow in an international society and to be helpful towards other cultures. From the beginning I felt that it…
I moved to the Czech Republic in 2008 from Albuquerque, New Mexico. To be honest, I didn’t want to leave the US, I didn’t speak much Czech and I didn’t know anybody in Ostrava. I started 9th grade at ISO and my opinion of the Czech Republic immediately changed. The teachers, students, and the whole…
Anyone, who has ever lived abroad for a longer period of time, has always brought back home something new, a new perspective on life, new findings, or new strength. In their old environment, they then find themselves feeling a bit like strangers. When I came back as a seventeen-year old from a…
I have been working in the field of education for many years now. It has been a wonderful experience and it still fulfils me with joy, excitement, new challenges and unforgettable experience. This is a paradox of my life - of course, I did not want to become a teacher at all. Every year I learn…
When my students first asked me how did I happen to be a teacher, it made me think deeply. I studied Czech and English language and literature at the University of Ostrava because I simply loved languages, reading the books, and writing into the drawer. However, the first idea of being a teacher…
It's hard to find a vocation in life that would enable to a man on his deathbed to look back and know that his life had meaning. I think that teaching is the profession which can offer this opportunity. I teach German and Czech language and literature. My own love for creating, writing, philosophy…
I come from Ostrava and more or less have been living here my whole life so far. I have travelled a lot and spend some time of my education abroad. I came to the 1st International School of Ostrava because it was and it is the coolest place in Ostrava to be. I love the friendly and international…
I'm from Haifa, Israel. I've lived in the Czech Republic for more than 10 years. I like teaching for 1st International School of Ostrava since you get the opportunity to meet different people from all over the world. I like the interaction part while teaching and establishing good rapport with the…
Whole my life I live in Ostrava, not for incredible scenery and weird air, however our family roots are very strong and give me important stability for my life and being. During my studies I was in Sweden where I met many international students. It was a amazing experience from personal and…
Art has always been a passion of mine no matter its form. I followed my passion and graduated at the University of Ostrava with master degree in Visual Arts and German Language. I’m passionate about photography, media, new technologies and the opportunities they bring to each student. My goal at…
My studies at ISO began in 2007. Since I completed elementary school in the Czech Republic and my English skills were limited, the first months at ISO were quite challenging. Not only English itself but overall adaptation to a different system of learning, this all was a jump into the unknown.…
Like every 9th grader I did not know what to expect from high school and I chose 1st International School of Ostrava mainly because of my sister, who used to study here. It did not turn out to be exactly High School Musical, but ISO surpassed my expectations. Thanks to my parents I got the…
We are from Czech Republic and we choose ISO because we found it really interesting. Our school prepares us for life and job in any fields of human activity not only in Czech Republic, but also abroad. We like studying at this school, because we feel that our teachers enjoy their job. Moreover, our…
I have been attending the 1st International School of Ostrava since 2009. My sister Lucie also used to study here, which is one of the reasons why she got so far in life – she went to universities in the UK, the USA and Spain and is currently working in Spain. My parents enrolled me in this school…
I’ve been attending the 1st International School of Ostrava for four years now, even though I have known about the school long before. I even wanted to begin my study at ISO since the 6th grade, but that didn’t end up happening, so I waited until high school. The thing I really liked straight from…
Student, Master in Economics, Faculdade de Economia, Universidade do Porto, Portugal When I started studying at ISO, I was expecting to become very good at English. It was a big challenge for me to study the whole high school in a foreign language. Today I realize that the English proficiency was…
In the previous Humans of ISO posts, students talked about multicultural environment, quality of education and new great possibilities for our future. With my story, I am going to add another, so far not mentioned value, that the school gave me and this is acceptance. Throughout my whole life, I…
For me, ISO is one great man’s dream that came true. Mr Petrus started an amazing project that has grown into a blooming educational institution for young souls that want more than a solely standardized institutional system. ISO breaks the rules, it sets different standards and it makes you realize…
I remember coming to ISO for the first time. It was on 20 January 2005 on Open house day. Back then the school was basically a small building with two classes. I knew that choosing this school would be quite a risk, because I would only be in the 2nd generation of graduates. But after this visit it…
I left ISO three years ago, which gave me enough time to think about what it gave me. There are the obvious things. I’ve made friends who, although currently being 1000 miles away, stay my friends to this day. I’ve attended classes taught by some of the most inspiring teachers the country has to…
I went to Czech Republic first when I was 12. At that time, I didn't know that it would change my life this much. I learnt not only language and school subjects, but also broader outlook to see the world with good and crazy people from all different nations. I realize I would miss so many things if…
1st International School of Ostrava is a school, which gave me general knowledge and very intensive studies in English. It also taught me to think and work, both collaboratively and individually, and this was a very good preparation for my mission abroad. I began my university career in Switzerland…
Four years ago I came up with an idea - I will study abroad when I graduate my high school. I wanted to explore the beauty of the world behind the borders of the Czech Republic. Now I study the first year of European Studies in Malmö, Sweden. Travelling and experiencing new countries have always…
Three years and seven months have past. My, Barbora's, and our classmates’ studies are slowly coming to the end. Looking back at our experiences at ISO, me and Barbora are thankful we have decided to study in such environment and moreover, that were given this chance by our biggest fans - our…
At the age of 15 I did not know what I wanted to do, or where I wanted to get in a few years. So I decided to go to study at ISO specially because of English as I thought it would be a good starting point if I wanted to do something in my life. Now, when I look back, school gave me much more than…
Being a part of ISO was a huge and positive experience for me. I think that it is necessary to take ISO as a different school compared to all the other schools in Ostrava. It has been almost nine years since I was hesitating whether to decide for ISO or another gymnasium in the region. I was really…
I love mathematics, it teaches us to think about relations and connections, it develops our abstract thinking and imagination. However, the most important thing for me is to show to students that learning is fun which never ends, and that it opens unlimited opportunities.
I am a person who does not like changes and does not get used to them easily, but once that change is over I am very grateful for the new experience. That's exactly what happened when I was making a decision in the fifth grade whether I should study at ISO for the next eight years. I said yes, and…
I have been a professor for more than 17 years at university level (Engineering and Master's Degree in Environment). The teaching caught my attention at the age of 9 years when my Math teacher motivated me to help a kid with problems in her studies. Even at that age I felt the same emotion I still…
The school has taught me how to work independently, think critically, speak almost perfect English, but most importantly I have had the opportunity to get to know a lot of other cultures and to have a slightly more open view of the world as a child. And although nowadays we are scattered all over…
In sports as well as in my entire life, I love challenges. The aims of these challenges are not hidden in winning and quickly done work but in choosing the right path, not always easy to take, leading to the finish. After the years of various job experiences, I settled down in the school, and…
From the moment I first stepped onto the 1st International School of Ostrava grounds, I knew it was the right place for me. It has everything one could wish for – a pleasant, inspirational environment; kind, welcoming staff; thoughtful and talented students. After ten years spent abroad, I was a…
VHS tapes about dinosaurs, Once Upon a Time… Life, documentaries narrated by David Attenborough and countless books written by Richard Dawkins. This is how my affection for science began and still continues. I have seen all the four corners of the world and for two years now I have been trying to…
Since I was little, I like to plan everything in advance. And that is why I’ve chosen my job. When I was studying at elementary school, I was fascinated with my teacher who devoted a lot of time to both her job and pupils. During my studies, I found myself thinking about different kinds of…
