All Good Things...

Well, after a fantastic week of history, culture and Xmas markets our visit to Germany is sadly drawing to an end. Today we gave our hosts a well-earned breather by taking ourselves off to nearby Paderborn for a tour of the world’s largest computer museum, before heading into town for some last-ditch shopping and a final Bratwurst or two (nobody went to McDonalds, honest!).

Tomorrow we're looking forward to a nice lie-in before taking the train back to Dortmund airport for the short hop to Luton – fingers crossed for a smoother trip this time (at least the trains should be free of football fans).

It’s been a thoroughly enjoyable week all round; our pupils have been a credit to the school with their impeccable manners and positivity, and I’ve been particularly impressed by their fearless attempts to develop their knowledge of German. Gut gemacht Leute!

Soest 2009: Sieges, Saints and Sinners

Today we took our pupils and their German partners to the nearby city of Münster for a guided tour of its countless historical treasures. Despite near total destruction by the RAF in 1945 , the city centre was completely rebuilt in 1950 using plans and photographs and today it is difficult to tell the old from the new – quite an achievement! Our excellent tour guide regailed us with stories from Münster’s at times inspiring, at times depressing history, successfully striking a chord with our pupils as he showed them a stone donated from Coventry Cathedral in the UK, which was also obliterated by the massed air raids of the Second World War. Particularly gruesome was the story of the three metal cages which still hang from the spire of the St. Lamberti church (see above) – Year 9 pupils wanting more details should apply for next year’s exchange!

In the afternoon pupils enjoyed some Xmas shopping and, dare I say it, Starbucks with their partners. It was good to see the English and German groups intermixing and the bilingual laughter on the train home certainly bodes well for the rest of the exchange.

Bis gleich!

Soest 2009 - Our arrival

Another year thunders past and another plane lands at a quiet German airport bearing a cargo of 15 excited Year 10 pupils (and 2 only-slightly-less-excited teachers). Yep, that's right folks, the first leg of Northgate's highly successful and long-running exchange with the Aldegrever Gymnasium in Soest is already underway!

As far as outward journeys go, this one certainly could have been worse.... but not much. Omens weren't great when our bus driver managed to get lost on the way to Luton airport – despite using a Sat-Nav – and then our flight was mysteriously delayed for an hour. Once aboard and awaiting departure, passengers were duly informed that our plane had been grounded for inspection due to a suspected hydraulic leak, which the pilot then cheerfully admitted they were unable to find! After spending the entire flight in the 'brace' position I was pleased to note that the enthusiasm of our pupils remained thoroughly unshaken. Indeed, as we made our way from baggage reclaim to the bus/train stations my colleague and I began to feel like walking phrase books as members of our group eagerly compiled lists of 'survival German', including 'Can you speak English?', 'Sorry I don't understand' and for one particularly hungry lad, 'What time is dinner?'

Narrowly missing our desired train to Soest was by now par for the course; we remained in good cheer as we waited half an hour at Dortmund Hauptbahnhof for the next connection. When the train finally arrived it was standing room only due to hoards of Dortmund football fans on their way home after the big match, who could euphamistically be described as being in 'high spirits'. Thankfully the mood among the fans was good (Dortmund having won 4-0) and the journey passed free of incident...right up the point where the train broke down and we had to disembark and wait a further 30 minutes for another one! Having checked that we were actually in Germany and not still in England, Miss MacEachern and I then shepherded our tired and hungry (though to their credit still positive and polite) group onto the rescue train (full of even higher-spirited fans) for what we prayed would be the final leg of our now rather irksome trek to Soest.

And so we finally arrived and were greeted on the platform by cakes and flasks of tea from the German pupils and their parents. What a relief! Finally, in what has to be one of the utmost highlights of this job, Miss Mac and I then stood to one side with our German colleagues and watched as the exchange partners tentatively got acquainted, swelling with pride as we heard our students putting their German to practical use for the first time. Wunderbar!

Homework for 8.2, Mr Blagona's Group

Here you go - click on the picture, print it out, and complete your timetable in German!

If the picture won't load, click here.

Y9 Homework for Mr Blagona

Following on from our lesson on predictions, and using the Je serai / J'aurai constructions we learned today, I want you to answer the following questions in your book, and not to print it out, as I asked you to do earlier today. Write the questions down, and put your answers underneath.

1. Comment seras tu en 2080?
2. Quel âge auras-tu?
3. Tu auras les cheveux de quelle couleur?
4. Comment seras ta maison?
5. Est-ce que tu seras marié? Avec qui?
6. Est-ce que tu auras des enfants et des petits enfants?

We made history, but now it's time for bed.

I'm writing this on the A12, as we head home in the mist and drizzle from Stansted Airport. The farewells in Seville were heartfelt and tearful, and strong friendships have been made. This is what exchanges are all about. We have experienced life in a Spanish school, lived in a family environment for a week, and the students have learnt as much about themselves as about the culture and language of this wonderful country.

From the city of Seville itself, to the history of Cordoba, from the beaches of Cadiz to the excitement of the flamenco dancing, our students have experienced things that will stay with them forever. It's been a pleasure to have accompanied them on this trip, there have been many laughs, and I've been surprised yet delighted at how our students so openly approached life in a foreign country. The only thing I'd probably avoid in the future would be the buses in Seville, but that's a different story...

On behalf of Miss Sear, Miss Berllaque and myself, a massive thank you, and see you all in school!!

Dancing the Spanish Way - Ole!

So we're now on to the last day of what has been a fantastic exchange. We were caught a bit by surprise yesterday as from mid-afternoon onwards, it poured down with rain, leaving most of our students a bit damp.

The morning was spent at Seville Cathedral, with the highlight being seeing Christopher Columbus' tomb. After a bit more retail therapy, we had an evening at El Patio Sevillano, watching some fantastic examples of flamenco dancing. With Miss Berllaque leading the shouts of "Ole!!" our students got quickly into the spirit of the occasion, trying to predict when the next appropriate "Ole!!" moment would be! Let's just say it's all about the timing!

Today is all about the World Expo park...

Over to Cordoba...

After the weekend with their families, we met up early on Monday morning for the two hour coach trip to the ancient city of Cordoba. The city is famous for it's mosque, which was converted into a cathedral when the Moors left the city.

We had a tour of the site, which left us all impressed by it's size and scale, whilst our students were very respectful of the requests for silence in the church.

After an hour or so, the students had plenty of time to relieve themselves of some euros on shoes, t-shirts and other items that will push them over Ryanair's weight allowance!

Life's a beach!

Cadiz. What a city. Obviously I'm blinkered by the non-stop sunshine and heat, but nonetheless it's such a beautiful place. We travelled by coach for just over an hour from Seville, and then on arrival had a walk around the city. It's on the south coast of Spain, and Miss B was getting more excited the nearer we got to Gibraltar!

We saw the cathedral, and the pretty cobbled streets and shops and then had our lunch on the beach.

The afternoon was spent tanning up by the sea with our Spanish friends and with Becca organising the beach games like a Kid's Camp rep, a really amusing time was had by all.

Sunday sees everyone with their family for the day. No prizes for guessing the weather forecast!

Day One report, and on to Day Two

Day one saw our students getting to know the school, the classrooms, and our hosts gave our students a brief insight into the Spanish school system.

After getting the bus into the centre of the city, we visited the Real Alcazar, which is a royal residence and garden. It was a wonderful place, with some great scenic views.

After our afternoon siesta, we went back into town for a town trail. The students, with differing levels of enthusiasm, had to wander around the town, finding out key bits of information about the city. When we all met up again at the end of the event, it was time for a bit of tapas then off home.

Today, we're off to Cadiz, which is a beautiful coastal city on the southern tip of the country. Oh, and it's hot again!