Viktorija Gulbe

My name is Viktorija Gulbe. I am originally from Latvia, but have lived in Sweden practically my whole life. My interests lie in books, art, maritime moments, and theatre. As of now, I am a 3rd year Fine Arts student at IEGS.

What do you like best with your programme?

I like the intermingling between both aesthetic courses. In some moments you can overlap art and drama, and in 3rd year you can take the opposite programme's main course as an elective.

What is it like to be in your programme and why did you pick it?

Fine Arts is a very flexible programme, I think. I get a full high school experience since it's a national programme, with some aesthetic courses sprinkled in. And that's basically what I was expecting. I chose it mainly because I wanted a schooling experience in English, and because I wanted to fine-tune my art skills. I get courses like design, aesthetic communication, art theory, and so on. Plus, I can bring all my artistic skills to the table through my Gymnasiearbete!

What house are you in and what is it like to be in a house?

I'm repping the green house - Russell House. It's great fun, especially if you work within the house as a Captain, Senior or Inter. You get a wonderful sense of house spirit the more effort you put into your house events, and it brings programmes and students together. And who doesn't love a friendly rivalry between houses every now and then?

What electives do you plan on taking in the third year?

My chosen electives for third year are French 5 and Creative Writing. If you're interested in furthering your language skills, I'd highly recommend a level 5 language course.

What do you like most about IEGS?

The school community. You get to meet so many interesting people from all walks of life, but since you're in a programme with like-minded people, you often have many peers who like the same things you do, too. And it's not too difficult to socialise with students from other houses and year groups either, and during clubs and other events. It sort of ends up being a big family in the end, where many students know each other.

What was your first day like at IEGS?

Exciting. The teachers were very welcoming, and the general atmosphere in school was buzzing with curiosity and anticipation. Everything felt new and strange, but I got used to the rhythm quite quickly, and before I knew it I felt right at home.