My name is Saška and I was a student at GYMES from 2011 until 2019, when I graduated. For the first three years I studied in the eight-year programme and afterwards in the five-year programme. Today I can honestly say that it was one of the most beautiful periods of my life, and I am truly grateful to GYMES for so much. For the entire five years my class teacher was Mrs Petra Filová, and I believe that she also contributed to making my time at GYMES such a gift for me. Of course, I also owe many wonderful memories to the great group of classmates and the friendships that have lasted to this day.

My path after GYMES took a slightly different direction from that of most of my classmates, since I did not go on to university. Exactly one month after my leaving examinations I entered the community Koinonia John the Baptist as a consecrated sister. After the first two years of formation I made my first vows for three years. Following these vows, I spent a year serving with the Koinonia community in Vyšný Klátov near Košice.

Later my community sent me to Israel, to the city of Tiberias, where I stayed for two years. In Tiberias the Koinonia community is responsible for a parish and a pilgrim house. Those two years were very rich in experiences because I had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world and travel to almost every corner of Israel. I was responsible for bookings and communication with guests, and I was also involved in pastoral work with the Filipino and Hebrew-speaking communities, which gave me the chance to learn a little Hebrew as well. During that time we also organised Masses and various meetings at a United Nations military base on the border between Israel and Syria. Everything was going well until 7 October 2023, when war broke out in Israel. I must honestly say that when you find yourself running to a shelter because a siren is warning of an incoming rocket, it becomes a moment to reconsider many things in life. This experience only strengthened my decision to follow Jesus completely as a consecrated sister.

Since October 2024 I have had a new mission. I now serve in the United States, in the state of Connecticut, where I face new challenges, encounter new cultures and, together with our community, proclaim to the world that Jesus is alive and has the power to change lives.

If you had to decide again, would you choose GYMES once more?
Without hesitation I would choose GYMES again. This school gave me so much, and I am deeply grateful for it.

What did you think was unnecessary at GYMES but later found useful in life?
One subject that once seemed a little dull to me was Business English. However, I must say that what I learned there has been useful to me more than I could have imagined. Since I currently live in the United States and work in the office within our community, I communicate daily with people and with various companies and suppliers in English, both by email and by telephone. The basics of professional communication that I learned in Business English made my beginnings much easier.

Was there anyone among the teachers at GYMES who inspired you or significantly influenced you?
There were certainly several teachers who inspired me and whose lessons I greatly enjoyed. For example, Mrs Janka Tulipánová taught me Spanish for five years, and thanks to her I fell in love with the language. I admired her kindness and the welcoming atmosphere she created during her lessons. I also greatly admired Mrs Zuzka Trail. Her lessons in English and American literature were truly an experience. I was fascinated by the enthusiasm with which she shared the subject she taught.

Which school activity or project was the most unforgettable for you and why?

There were many activities at GYMES, but the most unforgettable for me were certainly the hiking and cycling courses with Mr Tomáš Leško. They were simply wonderful, and I would gladly repeat them tomorrow. I also have very fond memories of our graduation celebration and of the school ball that our class organised in our third year.

How did you deal with moments when you felt unsuccessful or experienced failure during your studies? What did you learn from those moments?
Once I received two failing grades in a row from physics tests. During the second one I almost burst into tears during the lesson because I was not used to such grades. Yet it made me realise that I do not need to be perfect in everything and that I must humbly accept that some things simply do not come easily to me. That lesson later helped me find peace in accepting my own weaknesses in life.

How did GYMES prepare you for life beyond the classroom?
One of the things GYMES gave me was the conviction that when a person tries their best and has the support of friends, they can achieve great things. GYMES certainly broadened my horizons and taught me to think for myself and to form my own opinions. It also made my life easier through the level of English and Spanish I was able to achieve there. Today I use these languages constantly, and in this way I can also serve our community.

What advice would you give to current students?
I would encourage current students to make the most of their years at GYMES. They should discover what they are good at and invest their effort in it. They should not underestimate the importance of English or of a second foreign language, because thanks to Spanish many doors have opened for me in life. I would also advise them to take part in activities outside the classroom, because such activities often create the strongest friendships.