German students visit Trinity in exchange part 1

Last month, we welcomed a group of 25 students from Bonn, Germany, on the first part of this year’s popular exchange programme.  

Our visitors were warmly welcomed into the homes of our Third-Year students, to provide them with an authentic taste of British family life and help improve their language skills. 

They had a packed itinerary for the week and even spent a day shadowing our students at school to gain insight into the daily lives of British students. 

Over the course of their visit, the German students embarked on a whirlwind tour of London’s most iconic landmarks. They visited the world-renowned Globe Theatre, where they immersed themselves in the rich tapestry of Shakespearean drama. At Madame Tussauds they rubbed shoulders with wax replicas of famous figures from around the globe, and the Science and Natural History Museums piqued their curiosity and thirst for knowledge.  

In addition to their educational experiences, the German students were treated to the warm hospitality of their host families who filled their weekend with exciting adventures. We have heard tales of trips to Chinatown to discover London’s multicultural culinary delights, adrenaline-pumping paintball battles and one student even attended a glitzy film premiere! It wouldn’t be an exchange trip without a bit of football, with some of our students taking their partners to a weekend match. 

Our students are now eagerly anticipating their trip to Bonn in February, when they will stay with the families of their German counterparts, further solidifying the friendships forged during this exchange. 

Romil Rathore said, “Having an exchange student over from Germany was a truly eye-opening experience. It was amazing to interact with German culture and learn about the lives of people our age with an Actual German Person instead of just in the classroom. More than that, I made a new friend.” 

Emile Guiblin said, “The German Exchange was a brilliant experience, as I have made a new friend, and I have shown him that London isn’t just Big Ben and the London Eye, but a sea of hidden marvels waiting to be explored.” 

Anay Tanna said, “Having a German exchange from Bonn was an amazing experience.  It was interesting to learn about what German people typically eat, how they live, what Bonn is like, but also just living with someone from another country let me understand more about the German culture.  As a bonus, my exchange partner loved to play videogames as well which was a big plus! I am really looking forward to visiting him and his family next year.”

Joshua Lai agreed, “Having an exchange partner with me put into perspective everything about Germany we had learned so far, and I was surprised in finding out how similar or different the cultures are. It really exposed me to something different.”