This year, Reda Maadini and Kili Lay took a team of three students to compete in the annual Junior Math Competition organized by the ISMTF organization. Nearly 200 students from 42 schools came to Vienna to test their mathematical abilities over a weekend at the start of our Semana Santa.

Read more to hear what the students themselves had to say about the competition.

"This time it was my second time participating in the competition. Last year was only group work so the individual part [of the competition] was new for me, and compared to last year there were many students. The questions were very hard, some I understood and some that I didn't have any clue how to work. Besides the math part, I made friends from other international schools from the Sunday Chase and I was very lucky to have a host family that was Japanese so I had a  very good time with them, too."

--Momoka, grade 9

"For me the math competition in Vienna was a total success. My first impression that I had when we arrived was that the whole trip would be a bit boring and not nice because of the weather. But as soon as Alan and I met our host family after visiting the city I know that it was not going to be boring...When we got ther [to the math competition] I had the impression that all the people looked very smart. Everything was well organized and the individual exams took place in a big sports hall. I thought that the individual exams were easier than the group one as for the group ones we had to come up with our own answer because it was not multiple choice...All in all, I guess I am proud with my results, it was nice meeting new people and it was a good challenge for me."

--Frederic, grade 10

"This competition wa not like any other competition due to the exceptional hosting family. The competition itself was more difficult that other years, although it was entirely what was expected: a challenge. Taking a risk is all you need to be successful, no matter what the result is, because a try is the most honorable action to take in a competition. As a competitor of this event for four years, I can fully agree with the fact that the participation is the most important part of these competitions. Although I did not seem to be identified with most of the persons who competed, I did find some persons, not necessarily participants of the competition, interesting and funny, and I saw myself looking forward to meet them again. Unforturnately, it is probably that I will not have a chance to meet these wonderful people again, which is why this event that may seem ridiculous and "nerdy" turns out to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

--Alan, grade 10