Renswoudehuis “Behind the Scenes” ~by Year 12 student Vincent

Most people in the International School of the Hague (ISH) have heard of the students from the Renswoudehuis. For the new ISH students it may be a strange thing since “the kids from Rens” sounds like some sub-cultural organization. After they know who the “kids from Rens” are, everything is clear: Renswoudehuis is a boarding home for students that have parents in the diplomatic service in countries where education is not of a high standard. However, what not many ISH students know is how “Rens” actually works.
“We are like a big family, we always stand up for each other,” is stated by a Renswoudehuis pupil who has been living in Renswoudehuis for three years now, “and the people you live with mostly become friends for life.” There are not many people that can say that and mean it. There are about 16 boys, and 20 girls in the 2009-2010 year, and all between the ages of 13 and 19. Renswoudehuis organizes many activities for the kids, such as weekends outdoors, and even a ski vacation in Switzerland.
Living in the company of forty other people can be hard sometimes, because you have to keep in mind that there could be people sleeping or studying, so not too much noise can be made. Of course there are house rules like dinner time (18:00), study time (from 19:00 until 21:00) and bed times in relation to age (from 21:00 until 23:00 for weekdays, and from 23:00 until 1:00 during weekends). If one does not stick to the rules, punishment can be given, which varies greatly depending on what has been done wrong.
It is interesting to know that most of the “kids from Rens” are unaware of everything that happens in the house. During the time that they are at school, the rooms are cleaned, meetings are held, financial business is done, food is bought and prepared and many other things happen that need doing in every house. There are many more staff than just the so-called “leiding” (Dutch word for leader), who are the ones the pupils are constantly aware of. The leaders also have the role of mentor, and every member of the team can have several children to supervise.
This year is a critical year for Renswoudehuis because there are very few children compared to what was normal in other years. This is probably due to the economic crisis and when it goes away, more children will be walking the floors of Rens. People that lived there many years ago still come to visit and organize dinners to see each other again. All in all, Renswoudehuis is an amazing experience that enriches the lives of a few lucky children!