Hanoi - School Report Question and Answers
Do expatriate students socialize with local students at the school? Are both groups successfully integrated into the school culture?
Good question. I think the answer is that it depends. As with many large schools, sports teams and other group activities can bring together kids from different backgrounds and build friendships. Some of the cliques / friend groups are formed based on the length of time a student has been at the school, so children of diplomats who rotate in / out every 3-4 years may have a harder time making friends with the children of teachers who have grown up in Hanoi. Children whose families pay tuition directly (vs having tuition paid by their employer) are often quite well-off and there can be socio-economic differences that can be harder to overcome. Despite all of this, the school works hard to build camaraderie through experiential learning trips and through home base assignments. For my children, they have each found friend groups - that flex and welcome new kids or say goodbye to friends - and are socially engaged with healthy friendships. - Apr 2025
Yes! All groups (local students, Asian expatriate students and Western expatriate students) are successfully integrated. - Nov 2020
