Sport - Rugby School

Trips
2009/10
Trips
& Visits
Spanish Exchange
During the Easter half term, the LXX hispanists had the
wonderful opportunity of spending ten days in Madrid on the
Spanish exchange. We all congregated nervously at the arrival
gate, trying to match the eager faces of our exchange partners
to the photos we had received of them and dreading the first
conversation in the car on the way home, school and being
separated from each other, having to live alone with families
who can hardly utter a word in English! However, we were all
lucky to stay with wonderful families who were keen to show us
the real Spain, from cooking to sightseeing.
Spanish school was a challenging experience (being taught
philosophy and graphics in fast Spanish was tricky), but the
students were patient and encouraging which helped all of us
attempt our Spanish on them. Adapting to the families’ routine
was sometimes hard, for example instead of having supper at
7pm we ate at 10:30pm so the whole day was pushed back; on
the plus side everyone got a lie-in!
The exchange also consisted of many exciting excursions
around Madrid. Some of us were given the chance to go out
with our families on separate trips or meals out; and we all
visited museums and famous sites around the city with Mr Jarvis.
We also went on a school outing as part of the year group’s
philosophy course to the town of Toledo.
Going to Colegio Base was an amazing experience as it was
so different from Rugby School. We had one PE lesson in the
whole week, which consisted of running round the playground
performing various stretches and then a game of football! All
of us saw huge improvements with our Spanish and everyone
found the experience very valuable and enjoyable.
Most memorable were our visits to various art galleries, in
Madrid and elsewhere.
All in all, it was a fantastic trip, where we all benefited from the
necessity to speak Spanish and the opportunity to explore new
things. We have all grown to love Spanish culture even if we
became a little sick of paella and jamón serrano!
Harri Archbell & Natalia Robinson
Vienna Exchange
‘”The Vienna experience starts now.” This is what our teacher
said to us at the airport as we arrived in Vienna and I will
remember this sentence for a long time. From that moment
everything was quite new, strange, interesting and surprising’.
Thus one participant in the 29 th annual Vienna exchange. ‘At the
start it was a bit nerve-racking, going into different classrooms
as a new pupil, but on the other hand it was great to find out
how friendly and curious the people were,’ said another. Some,
not unreasonably, had mixed feelings: ‘Before the exchange,
I thought it would be unbearable to spend my holiday in a
classroom, getting up at seven in the morning… But after the
first school day came the city walk and the view of Vienna in the
winter was beautiful (Hofburg, Stephansdom); then I thought it
might not be so bad.’ Another summed up: ‘I really enjoyed my
visit; the family was kind, the school relaxing and the excursions
informative (Schonbrunn, Esterhazy, the Neusiedlersee). I did
so much and learned so much about Viennese culture (state
opera, coffee houses, dancing lessons). I was sometimes a bit
homesick but the people were always so hospitable that I soon
felt better’.
JCS
30