Vom 14. bis 20. Juli unternahmen 50 Schülerinnen und Schüler der Klassenstufe 10 eine Fahrt nach England. In der Nacht von Samstag auf Sonntag ging es für alle mit dem Bus und der Fähre in die englische Küstenstadt Brighton.
Nach der Ankunft in England lernten wir abends nach einer anstrengenden und langen Fahrt unsere Gastfamilien kennen, bei denen wir die Woche über in Gruppen von zwei bis zu vier SchülerInnen wohnten.
Am Montag startete die Woche mit einem Besuch in Hastings, einer kleinen Stadt mit interessanter Geschichte. Diese lernten wir bei einer geführten Tour genauer kennen. Eines der besonderen Highlights an diesem Tag war der traditionelle Hastings Cream Tea, bei dem wir im British Tea Museum hautnah und inklusive origineller Kopfbedeckungen die britische Teekultur erleben konnten. Am Nachmittag konnten wir Hastings auf eigene Faust erkunden. Dienstags stand die belebte Metropole und Hauptstadt Englands, London, auf dem Programm. Zunächst fuhren wir mit der U-Bahn von der O2 Arena aus in die Londoner Innenstadt. Dort führte Frau Jauch die Gruppe auf einer spannenden Tour durch die Stadt und wir besichtigten berühmte Sehenswürdigkeiten wie zum Beispiel den Buckingham Palace oder den Trafalgar Square. Anschließend begaben wir uns zum London Eye, welches uns einen atemberaubenden Blick über die Stadt ermöglichte. Mit etwas Freizeit konnten wir uns den restlichen Tag in London, aber auch einen kleinen Zeitraum zwischen der Stadtrundführung und der Fahrt mit dem London Eye frei gestalten. Gegen Abend fuhren wir mit dem Bus in unsere Gastfamilien zurück. Der Mittwoch führte uns nach Canterbury, eine Stadt, die besonders durch ihre beeindruckende Architektur und bedeutende Geschichte bekannt ist und deshalb zu den am meisten besuchten Städten Englands zählt. Nachmittags unternahmen wir eine gemeinsame Punting-Tour, bei der uns ein erfahrener Punter mithilfe eines langen Stockes über den Fluss Stour fuhr und wir die schöne Stadt aus einer neuen Perspektive kennenlernen konnten. Nach einem kurzen Bericht über die berühmte Canterbury Cathedral, hatten wir wie auch an den vorherigen Tagen einiges an freier Zeit zur Verfügung, die wir vielfältig nutzten, um beispielsweise in der Altstadt einkaufen zu gehen. Am Donnerstag begannen wir mit einer Wanderung zu den sogenannten Seven Sisters, die schließlich in Eastbourne endete. Während der Wanderung, die knapp 7 Kilometer lang war, eröffneten sich uns beeindruckende Ausblicke auf das Meer und die Kreidefelsen, die die Wanderung definitiv zu einem Erlebnis machten. Den Nachmittag hatten wir erneut frei zur Verfügung. An unserem letzten Tag blieben wir in Brighton und spazierten zu Beginn des Tages gemeinsam an der Strandpromenade entlang. Am frühen Nachmittag bot uns der Besuch des Brighton i360 Aussichtturms eine fantastische Aussicht auf die Küste und die Stadt, in der wir eine Woche gelebt hatten. Den Abend verbrachten wiederum alle bei einem gemeinsamen Picknick am Strand, bei dem wir die Erlebnisse der Woche noch einmal Revue passieren ließen. Es war ein schöner Abschluss einer unvergesslichen Woche, in der wir auch das britische Alltagsleben näher kennenlernten und unsere Englischkenntnisse vertiefen konnten.
von Frederik Hagedorn, Benedikt Hotz und Felix Körner (Klasse 10)
English Version:
Trip to Brighton 14th-20th July, 2024
A hug, a kiss, a thumbs up – ‘good luck guys!’ is what you’ve probably heard for the 46th time in our school parking lot in the past 15 minutes. And for the 46th time, the bus driver stuffs another suitcase into the trunk, seemingly oblivious to the time on our phones. 2 am. On a Sunday. Now this time might be perceived as a splendid time for some very optimistic pals amongst you to get up and start your day but let me tell you something, dear reader, for someone between 15 to 17 years old this is quite literally the equivalent to listening to your newborn scream at your face approximately every two hours. But on this specific Sunday, 14th July 2024, 50 students of the Gymnasium Walldorf managed more or less to show up at school on time (give it up for them) to travel to the beautiful country that is known for their lack of spices but keeps calm and carries on – the United Kingdom. After every student had checked in their luggage we took off. But before everyone failed to doze off, discovering that getting more than one hour of sleep is nearly as possible as an elephant in space, our driver gave us the first instructions. Now we’re not going to go over all of them, but let me tell you this, dear reader, because this is pretty much all we gathered from the speech: we were scheduled to arrive at 5pm. After far more than one united heavy sigh, Mrs Jauch, Ziegler and Uhrig, our English teachers who organized this mesmerizing trip, wished us a good night. The first few hours were flying by, filled with lively chit chat, gossip and laughter but around 4 am even the most active peers in the vehicle shut their blinds and called it a day. A big round applause goes out to every single person on this trip who managed to sleep well on those seats, me personally I only talked to one person who didn’t schedule a haemorrhoids’ check with their doctor because they couldn’t believe a seat can be so painful… Nonetheless, we chased the stars through the night, stopping every two hours and waking up everyone who succeeded to close their eyes for more than 15 minutes.
10am- coffee break, during the night, our bus driver switched with Jan, who accompanied us (okay let’s be honest drove us around) for an entire week, always sanctioning us for any behavior he didn’t approve of. Spoiler: it was a daily occurrence.
At 12pm we got on the ferry, after going through the passport control, which has become significantly more nerve racking ever since the Brexit, but eventually we managed as well. Snapping pictures of the ocean and letting the salty breeze whip through our hair, the mood was great. Another two hours and we arrived at our destination: Brighton.
Now for anyone who’s never been; here’s our impression: a town right at the coast, beaches, peers and shops wherever you look, but all while staying true to the British charm of dilapidated buildings and the red brick, stone and timber, with no hint at all of a modern touch or renovation plans. However, finally getting off the bus in Brighton, we walked alongside the beach, letting the sun burn our skin, curiously taking in the variety of attractions offered on the beach ranging anywhere from roundabouts to karaoke to street vendors selling the UK flag for £15.
Eventually we met our host families and quickly fell asleep, exhausted from the trip but also excited for the days that were yet to come.
On the first day, a Monday, dear reader, we visited ‚Hastings‘, a seaside town on the south coast of England. If you always wanted to know something about Hastings, then stick around because I have some interesting information and fun facts to share with you.
We started our first proper day off with breakfast, prepared by our host families. For most of the students, the breakfast consisted of the typical English breakfast: cornflakes and water or tea. Afterwards, we went to a car park where our bus was parked, then, our bus driver picked us up and drove us to Hastings. The bus rides were probably one of the most annoying, yet partially entertaining parts of this trip. While most of us tried to get some more sleep, because of the time (7:45am), some very active pals thought it was a great idea to play music on full blast, earning more than dirty looks, which they didn’t seem to mind. Others just wandered around the bus, chatting and making new acquaintances.
As soon as we arrived, we had some free time and then went to Hastings British Tea Museum, which was led by two women who introduced us to the interesting history of tea and its meaning in England and explained the history behind it. At first, we were separated into many small groups and then seated at different tables.
At each table were some funky accessories to put on and laugh about, ranging from a veil to a cow. Of course, it wouldn’t be the tea museum if we didn’t have scones and jam with the teas we got served, which differed in smell, looks and taste.
After another break, we had a guided tour through Hastings during which we learned many fun facts about the town but also about the history of many phenomena, which have altered the town throughout the centuries.
Here are some facts: Do you know why some houses in Hastings have very small doors? Well, the answer is pretty simple.
The people who lived in those streets always threw their rubbish and excrements out of their windows, which was followed by the consequence that the streets from time to time got not only smelly, but also nasty and broken.
Therefore, streets always needed to be set new. The simple solution the inhabitants found? – They didn’t rebuild their doors; they just made some new stairs so they didn’t need to rebuild their house.
At around 6:30pm, we got back to our host families to get some dinner, talk and chat about the day and just get know each other better.
On Tuesday, the third day of our school trip, the highlight for many of us was coming up. We visited the capital of England, London. In the morning, we went to London, which was about two hours away from Brighton. Then, we used the subway to get to the centre of the city or well, one of the hotspots: Buckingham palace. The subway was very crowded and we didn’t have much space to stand but the ride was doable. Arriving at our destination, we walked to the Buckingham Palace, where we were able to take many photos. Afterwards, one of our teachers, Mrs. Jauch, organized a tour during which we saw a beautiful park, then the Royal Mews where we took photos of elegant horses with royal guards in their uniforms. Next, we walked to the Trafalgar Square and then had some free time. Some of us went to China town, trying something new and foreign, for example, the really authentic food they offered. After our free time, we all met at the Trafalgar Square again and walked together to the London Eye. On the way, we could see the Elisabeth Tower, also called Big Ben, which was of course also one of our highlights in London. After a short queue, we saw the big city from another perspective. It was incredible and mind-blowing to see London from above. We could see every famous building and even though we still didn’t have an overview of the city, it was a very good opportunity to get to know London better. Then, we all headed back to our bus and had a short break at the O2-arena so we could eat something for dinner. Around 6:30 pm we drove back to Brighton. Most of us were really tired and exhausted after the long day which was also the reason why some of us slept on the way back, or given the volume, tried to sleep. When we arrived, we all went back to our host families. The day in London was really interesting and we experienced many nice and especially new things. Furthermore, we had the opportunity to see the typical characteristics of London, for instance, the red telephone booths, but of course other famous attractions as well.
On Wednesday, the fourth day of our student exchange we started our day with a two-and-a-half-hour bus journey. The bus drives were always very funny and we all got to know each other from a different perspective. We listened to music and generally, there was a really calm and friendly vibe between all of us. We arrived roundabout half past ten in the morning in the beautiful but rather small village (at least when you compare it to London) – Canterbury. Our day started with a little walk guided by our three teachers to learn more about the English history. Canterbury gave us the opportunity to dive into the fascinating history of the Canterbury cathedral and all the murders which happened there in the past. Our teacher Mrs. Jauch told us that for her studies at uni, it was recommended to read the Canterbury Tales, a book written in, let’s say ‘ancient’ English. Just a heads up if you’re planning on becoming an English teacher; you have been warned! After the walk, we had a lot of free time to spend the day in Canterbury. A lot of people think that the weather in England is always rainy, but it was bright and warm and just like us the weather was quite literally, a ray of sunshine. Hence, the day before was very exhausting everyone was very happy that the weather cooperated so well and that we were able to take a nice and long break alongside the river in Canterbury. Some people in our group are very sporty so they got the chance to climb on the tree with the biggest scope, a maple-leaved plane tree, which is roundabout 7,22 meters wide. The rest of the students used the free time to go shopping in the shops in the old town of Canterbury. There were many local stores, but obviously also well-known brands such as Zara or H&M. All of us went to individual restaurants to find their favourite food. Later on, our teachers offered to visit the Canterbury Cathedral. In the afternoon, at five o’clock, we met at the meeting point to go to the punting tour we booked. We had the chance to create our individual group of ten people that were spread over five boats. Every boat got a guide whom we could ask questions about Canterbury. We had a lot of fun and a very good time. At the end of the day, it was time for the bus ride back to Brighton to our host families.
Let’s start off the Thursday with a question. Could you imagine 50 teenagers including one sick student hiking the cliffs of East Dean towards Eastbourne, only motivated or, to be more specific, forced by three teachers? Well, if you had joined us the 18th July 2024, you would have witnessed our group starting the hike at the viewpoint of the Seven Sisters with a phenomenal view, where we captured beautiful moments with our cameras of the breathtaking landscape, the white cliffs and blue ocean creating a magnificent contrast. Some even tried their luck at stone jumping. Afterwards, we set off on our seven-mile hike which included a noticeable amount of increasing height difference since we constantly walked up- or downwards. Despite doubts and discouragement at the beginning, the hike was a very nice experience, especially because of the beautiful nature. We often enjoyed wonderful views from the cliffs and were ultimately rewarded for our patience when we arrived in the town and seaside resort of East Sussex – Eastbourne.
There, we enjoyed some hours of free time, during which we explored the cute town in small groups. After mostly starting with lunch in cozy restaurants or fast-food restaurants, we spent time together on the beach, strolled around the street shops or spent our money in the Beacon Eastbourne mall- some of us even watched an English movie in the cinema.
On the final day of our trip to the England, we first had to say goodbye to our wonderful host families, with whom some of us had become really close with throughout the week, despite some very small instances in some families. After our bus drive to Brighton, we began with a walk to the city centre of the town. The morning air was blazing hot and humid which is, just in case you’ve never been to England, quite unusual, even giving some of us a sunburn, but eventually, we made our way through the lovely streets to the peer. Our first stop was at the Pavilion Gardens, where we listened to Joey’s presentation, which was about many interesting facts of the history and culture of Brighton.
After ensuring we were well protected with sunscreen, we were set off to explore the city. It was interesting to see all the old and new parts of Brighton, and I must say, it really reminded me of Hastings because both have a beautiful seafront with adorable looking houses that have no space in-between and are basically morphing into each other. Some of us spent their free time shopping and others just relaxed in the sun and tanned or well, got another sunburn. The alleys offered a charming labyrinth of unique boutiques and quaint restaurants. Around midday we made our way to the British Airways i360, a 162-meter observation tower. We enjoyed the panoramic views of Brighton and the surrounding coastline. The sight was breathtaking and we spent some time soaking in the beautiful scenery from this bird’s-eye perspective. After the British Airways i360 we were given some free time, to explore and get dinner. With different meals in our hands, we reunited at the beach, where we enjoyed our last dinner together. The sound of the waves and the sunset created a perfect ambiance for our last meal in Brighton.
As the evening came to an end, we boarded the bus for our journey home, not knowing about the twenty-hour journey trapped inside the bus that was awaiting us. The trip was filled with laughter, learning and memorable experiences. Brighton left a great impression and who would’ve thought that we’d make so many new friends along the way, making this trip and the teachers, extra dear to us.
A big thank you goes out to our teachers and the Hopp Foundation, who made this trip possible and more than memorable, thank you for taking care of us and taking the time and patience to go on this journey with us. We all enjoyed getting to know each other, the host families and also the teachers on a more personal level, making it extra difficult to say goodbye after this trip. Thank you so much for teaching us this past year and thank you so much for even coming up with the idea to go to Brighton. We are more than grateful for the Hopp Foundation sponsoring our trip, without the foundation we would’ve never known how beautiful Brighton, Canterbury and Hastings can be and I’m confident that for most of us, this won’t be the last time we visited Brighton. At least, it’s on my bucket list!
Written by Theresa, Laila, Clara, Barbara, Zita, Emma and Allegra (Klasse 10)