Our family was both thrilled and apprehensive when we were informed by my workplace, Gildan, that we needed to move to Bangladesh for our next assignment. My company was expanding its footprint in Asia, and I was assigned to support its operations in Bangladesh. We were not new to the concept of moving to another country for work; previously, we had gone to Guatemala and lived there for 13 years. While the opportunity to move was exciting, moving from San Pedro Sula, Honduras to Dhaka meant uprooting a life we had just begun to rebuild.

Apart from that, we had another concern – our daughter's education. In Honduras, International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes are quite rare, and international education options are also limited. She attended an international school in Guatemala, but it was not an IB school. We have always admired the IB curriculum and wanted our daughter to study in it. So, we visited multiple IB schools in Dhaka before choosing International School Dhaka (ISD), due to its excellent ranking and recommendations from my colleagues. We believe the school has the capability to give our daughter an edge - academically, globally, and socially.

At age 16, Andrea joined the school in the final year of MYP (Middle Years Programme). The transition to both Bangladesh and IB wasn't without hiccups. She had left her brother and her extended family and friends behind in Central America. Still, the supportive community of this school, particularly the teachers and peers, created a warm and inclusive environment, which played a critical role in her emotional adjustment. Thankfully, she was also able to find two close friends who helped her to settle in quickly.

From the beginning, we could see the difference of the educational experience. Now, she no longer memorised facts but was encouraged to question, collaborate, explore, and think critically. The IB curriculum nurtured her natural curiosity and empowered her to take ownership of her learning. She would read books and discuss topics that we had never imagined a high schooler would engage in so deeply.

As a parent, what stood out to me was the balance of the curriculum. Rather than focusing on a single final exam, our daughter experienced a variety of assessments that truly reflected her learning styles and potential. Every day, we saw her evolve, both as a student and as a thoughtful and globally aware young woman.

The curriculum has provided Andrea with a head start for university. She's developed time management, self-confidence, and analytical skills. She studies advanced coursework, which I never had exposure to during my time in high school. She is now preparing to complete her IB Diploma Programme (DP) and graduate from ISD. She will soon begin her next chapter in a college in the USA. Bangladesh was never meant to be our permanent home, but moving here was a great decision, especially for Andrea.

To other expat families who might be considering moving to Bangladesh, we recommend that you be open-minded, embrace the culture, and respect the differences. Most importantly, try to find the best school for your kids. For us, choosing the IB curriculum was the best decision we ever made – one that transformed our daughter's future in the most meaningful way.

The writer, Edgar Oviedo Thomas, is the father of Andrea, a student of International School Dhaka (ISD)