Ivan Volkov Baer ‘17, a boarding student from Spain, talks about his Farragut Experience
An interview with a boarding student about his experience so far at Admiral Farragut Academy.
How long have you been at Farragut and where are you from? For two years and I am from Barcelona, Spain
How did you find out about Farragut? Through educational agencies
Why did you decide to leave Barcelona and go to school in the United States? My mom thought it would be a good transition for me and would help me in terms of getting into a college here (in the States). She also challenged me to go to a boarding school and I like challenges so I went for it.
Had you had much experience with traveling before? Yes, I have visited most of the countries in Europe like France, Italy, Germany, Morocco, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, and England.
How easy was it to make friends with at Farragut? I am friends with another student from Russia. I am not from Russia but I speak Russian because my parents are from there. I am also friends with two kids from Miami who speak Russian. Farragut is a great place because you can always find someone who can speak in your native language, but you can meet people from all over the world and learn different languages.
How has being at Farragut changed your perspective on life? Before in Spain, I was just going to school, and I didn’t really want to grow up. Now coming here, I realize the investment and dedication of my mother. I put myself in her place, and I ask, “What if I had two kids, if I had to raise kids and put them through school. I didn’t realize how hard it was before coming here. It has opened my eyes to how important it is to take advantage of the opportunities given to you.
What do you do during your free time? Play soccer, participate on the drill team, go to the gym, and sail.
What do you want to do after you graduate from Farragut? I want to get a business or economic degree and then probably a Master’s of Business Administration. I want to stay in America and go to college because the best colleges are here.
Have you thought about which college you might want to attend? UCLA, NYU. For the upcoming spring break, my older brother and I are going to go to Los Angeles to see UCLA, USC, Loyola Marymount, UC San Diego.
What has been the best part of being here? It’s made me focus on what I want to be in the future. Before in Spain, I wasn’t really focused on going to college. Now, I have higher aspirations. I also realize that if I want to go to college, I have to work hard to get there. Also, I never really talked to my peers before about future aspirations but here it is much different. You interact with so many people wanting to be successful that it inspires you to achieve something in life.
