Meet the Team: Yadavi’s Story

Hi, I’m Yadavi from Millie! I worked as a summer intern and am now a content writer producing some of the articles you’ve read on our website. Today I want to tell you about my story before and with Millie.

A bit about me

“I want to share my experience with change, and the importance of having an international community”

Moving between countries and schools taught me a lot about change and adapting to new environments, as well as the importance of embracing rather than resisting change. But we'll delve into that part of my story later. First, let me tell you a bit about myself. Born and raised in the UK, with an Indian heritage, I spent most of my childhood in London, followed by my teenage years in Switzerland. I then moved back to the UK for my last two years of schooling and university. Currently, I'm an undergraduate student at the University of Warwick, studying Economics, Psychology, and Philosophy. Warwick is the only university in the UK to offer such a course to undergraduates. You can read more about Warwick and my first-year experiences on our website, but that's not my focus today. What I want to share with you is my experience with change and the importance of having an international community.

My international journey (and being thrust into a new environment)!

“Embrace the change”

My international journey began when I moved to an international school in Switzerland for Middle School (Grade 6 / Year 7). Until then, I had always attended the same school, been with the same group of friends, and stayed comfortably within my familiar bubble. But then, abruptly, everything changed. The stability I had grown accustomed to, surrounded by the home and people I'd grown up with, was suddenly upended. I found myself in a brand-new environment, needing to adjust not only to a different school but also a new language and culture. It was a monumental shift. Initially, I made the mistake of resisting this change. I yearned to return to the UK and my previous life, clinging to the past instead of immersing myself in the present. A piece of advice for anyone facing a similar transition: embrace the change. As Chef Gusteau insightfully says in Ratatouille, "If you focus on what you left behind, you will never see what lies ahead." Indeed, even Disney movies can offer profound wisdom.

Eventually, with the help of friends and family, I started to accept the change and adapt to my new life in Switzerland and realized that I kind of loved it there! The moment I started letting go of the past, I was able to see what a beautiful place Switzerland is and just how lucky I was to be living there. I joined the school band, debating club, and the netball team, taking an active role in the school community. My grades started going up again, and I began making some of the closest friends I have to date. Integrating myself into my school community allowed me to meet more people and keep myself busy, two things I have always strived to do ever since. I managed to learn so much from that school about myself, academics, and general life skills (including speaking French and learning to ski, which became a lot more fun after I stopped falling every five minutes)!

Change yet again

After I had found my rhythm in Switzerland, it quickly began to feel like home, and I fully expected to spend the rest of my schooling there until I moved away for university. But change struck again! After finishing my IGCSEs, I discovered in a short space of time that I'd be moving back to the UK. Again, I felt the inertia of wanting to stay put and not move schools. But this time, I was more prepared for the change. I quickly realized that while the adjustment might be challenging at first (change always is), things soon improve and fall into place. We managed to find a house to rent, select a school, and move back to the UK all within a span of 10 days – talk about a hectic time!

“While the change might not be easy at the start (change never is), it quickly gets better”

I decided to attend an international IB school instead of a British A-Levels school. My time in Switzerland had highlighted the importance and benefits of an international community. It had afforded me the opportunity to learn extensively about various cultures, reminding me that the world is much larger than just the country in which one resides (as obvious as this sounds, it's easy to view one's immediate surroundings as the entire world). The exposure you receive in an international setting is unparalleled. Then there's the matter of the IB program. For those unfamiliar with it, the IB, or International Baccalaureate, is a program for high school students, comparable to A-Levels or AP. My school in Switzerland also followed the IB curriculum, so I was mentally gearing up for it. I had recognized the advantages of the IB; even though it's arguably more challenging due to the breadth of subjects and the intensity of the workload, I believed it would equip me better for university and enable me to explore a wider array of subjects, helping me determine my future path. If you're considering the IB, we offer a variety of blog resources on our website about selecting IB subjects.

That’s what led me to the decision to study at an international IB school. And it was one of the best choices I made, as I learned so much and made friends almost instantly! My experience of moving schools once allowed me to adapt very quickly to the new environment. That’s another thing - the first change will be hard, but progressively, they get easier and easier until you’re a pro at dealing with them! This is what made settling into university a lot easier as well.

My journey from a sheltered, comfortable environment to the international dynamism of Switzerland and back to the UK for the IB taught me so much about the importance of internationalism and of embracing change. It has shaped who I am as a person and has prepared me to handle any changes life throws at me.

Joining Millie

"What if I fall?"

“Oh but my darling, what if you fly?”’ ~ Erin Hanson

Towards the end of my IB experience, Millie hosted a talk at my school about using LinkedIn and offered the opportunity to apply for a summer internship as a content writer. This is where I met Jenna, one of the CEOs at Millie, who shared a piece of advice that I've tried to incorporate into all parts of my life: "If you don’t ask, you don’t get." You have to be a go-getter in life; opportunities won't just come to you.

That is what prompted me to apply to Millie, and now, a year later, I am still part of the thriving Millie community that exemplifies everything I believe in about internationalism and pushing oneself to grow. If you want to be a part of this and challenge yourself to try something new, apply to intern at Millie, and you could be a part of a team that helps international school students like yourself navigate change and academic journeys.