In September, we welcomed students from the Clara-Schumann Gymnasium, a school in Bonn, Germany, to Trinity as part of our German exchange programme.
The students were hosted by families of our Third- and Fourth-Year students, and enjoyed a programme of activities organised by their school, a day at Trinity, as well as experiencing life in the UK with our students and their families.
As part two of the programme, Trinity students will travel to Bonn next February and stay with their exchange partners and families to experience life in Germany. Two members of the programme share their recent experience:
Fourth Year Felix said, “My exchange partner, Leo, was very kind and had a great sense of humour. We played many games together, including lots of table football (which Leo enjoyed winning) and the London Board Game – so he got to know all about the Tube!
“During the weekend, we visited Mercedes-Benz World and saw both Europe’s first motor car and the latest F1 racing cars. On Sunday, we enjoyed a meal up the Shard and walked along the Thames and around the city of London, seeing many of London’s most dramatic skyscrapers alongside historic sites such as the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and Monument. It also rained, so it was a very British day!
“Leo saw the many other sights in London with his school during the week, but he spent his first day at Trinity. He found it interesting to see how English school life compared to Germany, and particularly enjoyed our Games period in the gym. He didn’t like wearing his new school shoes though! Leo told me a lot about his school in Germany, which has much shorter days, finishing at lunchtime – with the afternoons dedicated to extracurricular activities.
“I really enjoyed hosting Leo, who told me it was ‘one of the best journeys I’ve ever had!’. I think he will miss our dog, Snuffy, whom he played with a lot. I look forward to seeing him again in February and experiencing German life, especially since I have not been to Germany before. Maybe he will have a dog by then too…”
Third Year Thomas said, “I thought the experience was great; it was interesting to meet and get to know someone who was German, but also to discover how great his English was.
“On the day they followed us through our lessons, we had German and naturally did a speaking activity in groups with our exchange partners, so everyone in the class got to know them, but in German!
“Hosting was fun. I enjoyed explaining what things are like for us in a typical week and talking about the plans we had made for my partner’s stay. It was also nice getting to know what daily life (especially school life) was like for him. I was surprised to learn that his school day normally finishes at 2.20pm, and sometimes even 1.20pm.
“During the weekend, we decided to take my partner through other parts of London that he wasn’t going to visit with his school. We went to Soho and Chinatown, and then the British Museum, as he said that he really wanted to see it. These were important and great parts of London that it would have been a shame to miss out on.
“I am really looking forward to staying with him in Bonn in February, as it looks like a beautiful city.”
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