Our journey started at 6 am at the bus stop. There, we loaded all our luggage and set off, a bit sleepy. In the first few hours, there was a sleepy mood in the bus. Everyone tried to catch some sleep, realizing minute by minute we were getting closer to our destination. The thought of the 14-hour bus drive was unbelievable, but slowly became reality. During our trip, we passed through many beautiful places like Belgium and France on to the city of Calais. Once we arrived, we first had to go through passport control. After some time, we were allowed to board the ferry. During the trip, we had the opportunity to go on the ship's deck and enjoy the view. After about one hour and 20 minutes, we reached the coast of England. While we were driving to the meeting point with our host families, everyone was a little bit confused because of the left-hand traffic. As we waited for our host parents, everyone became more excited. After the first night, we felt at home. On Monday, we started the week with English classes at the Kent School of England. After a test, everyone was sorted into groups, based on their language level. There, we met students from different nationalities, including Spain and Estonia. We had classes and activities with them. During the lunch break, most of us walked to the sea and bought food. Some evenings, there were programs like Disco, Barn Dance, Singalong, and Team Challenges. During the week, we went on two trips to Canterbury and London. In Canterbury, most of us visited the cathedral. Then we moved around in small groups through the gorgeous town and bought ourselves some nice things. On Wednesday, we finally headed to London. First, our bus took us to Greenwich and then we walked through Greenwich Park to a ship that took us across the Thames towards Elizabeth Tower, also known as Big Ben. On the way there, we saw sights such as Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Millennium Bridge, and many skyscrapers. When we arrived at Big Ben, tour guides showed us around the city. There, we saw Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and the London Eye. After the tour, we had free time, where most of us went shopping, bought some food, or visited other beautiful places in the city. The return journey went smoothly except for some minor issues. After this lovely week, it was time to say goodbye. The host families, who welcomed us so warmly, showed us what real hospitality means. We had a wonderful time together. The goodbye was very hard for all of us, and we will never forget the great time we had there.
April 2024
Elena Zeiher (9d), Lara Wöhrer (9b)
