Stopfordian 2010–2011 - Stockport Grammar School

The Stopfordian 2010–2011
GERMAN EXCHANGE
time to enjoy Hamburg’s shops, whilst still being immersed in
Germany’s language and culture, with seeing a ‘Rathaus’
being a recurring theme throughout the trip.
On the 17 th February 2011, a group of 23 pupils,
accompanied by Frau Christmann and Mrs Morgan, set off
bright and early from Manchester Airport to go to Bad
Segeberg. After much excited chatter throughout the various
means of transport, we eventually arrived, were warmly
welcomed by our exchange partners and were immediately
immersed in the German language. The remainder of that
day, and the whole of the next, was spent in a German School,
the Städtisches Gymnasium Bad Segeberg, which was
noticeably different to ours. Not only were the lessons much
more relaxed, but they could wear their own clothes, text
freely and even eat!
The weekend was spent doing various activities, depending
on which family you were staying with. Going to the Baltic
Sea and seeing icicles as long as your arm was a possibility,
whilst others went to outdoor swimming pools in sub-zero
temperatures, or sampling the German nightlife - what an
experience!
After a fun-packed weekend, making ample use of our
German knowledge, Monday saw us going to Hamburg.
Embarking on a boat trip around one of Germany’s largest
ports, the cold we felt seemed irrelevant as we were shown
Germany’s immense and powerful U-Boats. We then had
On the next day, we were up bright and early, refreshed after
a good night’s sleep, to go to Schloss Schwerin. After four
trains, three transfers, two cups of coffee and one hilariously
embarrassing German phrasebook, with surprising help from
one of the teachers from Städtisches Gymnasium, we
eventually arrived at Schwerin’s magnificent castle, where we
experienced a guided tour through a mere fraction of the 169
rooms, where the Duke of Schwerin had previously resided.
One of the most interesting facts of the day was that most of
the intricate furnishings and even the castle itself were made
of paper-mâché rather than what appeared to be artfully
crafted wood. We ended the day with a beautiful view of a
frozen lake and stream where even the undulations had
frozen into magnificent forms; Frau Christmann happily stood
on the frozen stream to show us how thick the ice was!
While on the exchange, we
also visited Lübeck for its
famous marzipan, most of
which we brought home with
us! It was a quaint town full of
confectionaries that tantalised
the taste buds and caressed the
nose, with one of us falling
victim to a rather sticky and
staining toffee apple.
On Thursday, in Schleswig, we
visited the Haithabu Museum,
after a seemingly never ending walk into the middle of
nowhere, near the Baltic Coast. It was a Museum which told
the story of the first Viking invaders to the North of Germany,
and the museum tour was led by a very enthusiastic
Trips 47