Day 1 and 2

Finally the trip to England began. All students were excited but happy. At 10:30 p.m. all of us were on the coach and off we went. First nobody thought of sleeping, but after a while most of the students fell asleep. Some still played cards, others watched films or listened to music. From the very beginning our crew Jakob and Johannes filmed us in order to make a video about our language trip.
At 9:25 a.m. we took the ferry from Calais to Dover. We had a great view though the sea was a bit rough, so some of us got seasick.
Eventually we arrived at England and after a few hours we saw the world cultural heritage Stonehenge that we were presented by Marcel, Gregor, Friedrich and Paul-Georg. Some of us bought the first souvenirs before we got on coach which took us to Torquay. Around 6:00 p.m. the host families, who are all very nice, picked us up at the coach station.
All in all it was a long exhausting but great day.

Hans, Toni, Georg, Bruno

Day 3: School and Town Trail

When we woke up this morning we felt very uncertain and excited. We are just some 7th graders in a foreign country. After we had had a shower, we had breakfast served by our host family. Step by step talking to the British becomes easier. Then we were taken to school where we met our classmates. We talked about experiences with our new ”parents” and if we liked the 1st dinner. Most of us seem to be very happy with their homes and we’ve already heard some funny stories about language mistakes and kind of crazy host parents.
After those little chats we felt more self-confident and entered the little school building. In cosy classrooms we wrote a short test which showed the teachers our language level. Afterwards we had our first break, when we were divided into language groups. It was interesting to see what the lessons in England are like. The teachers are very friendly and sociable.
At 12 o’clock we all walked to the centre of Torquay. It was cloudy but warm and we were lucky it didn’t rain. On our way to the harbour we got a first impression of the town. The houses give you a feeling of cosiness, so we all think Torquay is a very lovely town.
Near the harbour we started a town trail. It was hard but interesting to discover Torquay on our own and learn something about it. Some of us tested the restaurants in the streets. We explored a theatre, a bookstore and so on.
After three hours we met again at the harbour and since we all did a good job we were rewarded with an ice-cream by our teachers. Though we were a bit tired we still had to walk to the coach station. On the way there we saw some playgrounds and parks that indicate that Torquay is a very green town. When we arrived at the station the coach had already been there. We hopped on the coach which took us to the stops where we would be picked up the next two weeks. In the evening we had free time. Most of us went out except for those pupils who had to practise a presentation or who had to write a report.
All in all it was a great 1st day in beautiful Torquay that makes us looking forward to tomorrow.

Frederike, Lena, Lisa

Day 4: From Totnes to Dartmouth

Day three in England: In the morning the coach picked us up and took us to school. School was very interesting and we learned a lot of new and exciting things about Torbay and England. In the afternoon we went to Totnes from where our boat trip to Dartmouth started. In Totnes, a lovely little town with an alternative scene, we walked around and we also took the opportunity to buy some souvenirs. We really enjoyed the town at the river Dart. We passed the huge former property of Phil Collins, Agatha Christie’s cottage and picturesque fishing villages. It was a bit windy and also cold but the view over the river was really spectacular.
In Dartmouth we got the chance of having a look around town and going shopping. We bought some funny things like “Flavoured Rock”, a big sugar lollipop and fudge, a kind of toffee. To sum up, it was a day full of stimulating variety and relaxation as well.

Alex, Nadia, Nathalie, Celine (who didn’t want to be on the photo)

Day 5: Cockington

In the morning it was sunny but very cold when we went to school. After school we had lunch break which some of us used for shopping since it was much warmer now. Then we met at the harbour and hiked to Cockington for about an hour. Cockington is a little village west of Torquay, but actually it’s not a real >village<. It shows what Torquay looked like 300 years ago. There are beautiful parks, old houses with thatched roofs, nice tea rooms and you can also go for a drive in a carriage. We had enough time to look around there, to buy some souvenirs or just to relax. Then we met at a café and had Cream Tea, a Devon specialty. It’s black tea with milk, served with scones, cream and jam – delicious! Later we walked back to Torquay where some of us dipped their feet in the icy Atlantic Ocean.

Day 6: Bath

Yesterday we went to Aquae Sulis, as the Romans used to call Bath in about 50 A.D.. We were very excited because we had learned a lot about it in the English lessons before. We felt sorry for the two of us who couldn’t join us because they were a bit sick. So only 54 out of 56 students got on the coach and started their daytrip. On the coach we heard an interesting presentation about our destination. When we arrived at Bath we went straight on to the Roman Thermal Baths and had an audio guided tour through them.
While exploring the baths we saw a lot of original sculptures of Roman gods and goddesses e.g. the gold-plated bronze head of Minerva. We learned something about Roman life and customs. So they used to write letters of complaint to their gods. It would be an interesting idea if we could do so nowadays.
Full of food for thought we had some free-time to look around the city centre, to have some real food or to go shopping. We could see Bath Abbey, the classical houses and some jugglers in the streets.
In the late afternoon we went back to Torquay, some of us with filled shopping bags, but most important: with some unforgettable impressions.

Day 7: Tintagel

Today we went on a trip to Tintagel. In order to be there in time we had to get up early in the morning. After we had dropped off the coach in Tintagel we started our exciting yet tiring hike through the wonderful landscape of England’s western coast to the Atlantic Ocean.
As we continued travelling, we passed little streams, roaring waterfalls, mysterious ruins and herds of wild horses while constantly climbing gigantic cliffs standing their ground against the raging sea. Then, after two-three hours we arrived at a little, lovely village called Boscastle. Medieval music was played there and in the free time we were given, a lot of us listened to it, bought gifts and postcards or went for a hot chocolate in one of the old romantic cafés. Afterwards we returned home by coach.
We can recommend going to Tintagel and Boscastle because it’s even more fantastic if you see and feel everything yourself.
Anne, Annika, Lucia

Day 8: Fish and Chips

Today, on the 8th day of our England trip, we had English lesoons like very morning. After the lessons we had to walk twenty minutes to the great Fish and Chips restaurant called "Hanbury's". We sat down on a grean meadow with an amazing view over the sea. Fish and Chips were verz delicious and after everyone was stuffed we had free-time. Most of us went to the city centre to go shopping, but some of us went to the beach to walk along or even to go swimming. The sun was shining and the sky was cloudless and blue at last while lots of seagulls were accompanying us. The time till today has been wonderful but we' ve noticed two things.1st: Most Britains cross the streets when the traffic lights show red. 2nd: Many of us wonder why German students don't wear school uniforms. Again it was another great day.
Lea, Magdalena, Laura

Day 9: Futuristic Bubbles – „Eden Project“

After school we went to „Eden Project“ with giant greenhouses called >biomes< looking like huge bubbles and with lots of different exotic plants inside. There was a Mediterranean biome and a rainforest. In the rainforest greenhouse it was very hot and damp but we saw very exciting plants, for example banana trees and we admired the beautiful flowers and waterfalls. There were little huts like those you find in the rainforest, which made us think we were there.
In another part, the Mediterranean greenhouse it was much cooler. There we explored the beautiful landscape of the Mediterranean area with various insects.
After visiting the greenhouses and the outdoor biome most of us went to the shop, bought some gifts and souvenirs (preferably organic stuff), or ate some tropical snacks. On our way home to Torquay we exchanged our impressions and experiences of that very special day.
Therèse, Paulina, Nadine

Day 10: A Big Surprise

Today we visited Plymouth and the National Marine Aquarium. Before we started watching the sea animals we had listened to an interesting presentation about the city and the Mayflower. The Aquarium includes various sections, e.g. >Coral Seas< or >Atlantic Ocean<. We saw different amazing animals. Many of us were excited about the big sharks, so it was really fantastic.
Our teachers had a big surprise for us, so we didn’t know what was going on at night. It’s hard to find words to describe how excited we were when we met at the harbour. First we were told to go for a walk along the harbour front. Of course we weren’t really keen on it. But then … the teachers led us to an Irish Pub. No one knew what we were going to do because usually only persons over 18 years are allowed to go into pubs. Surprisingly we had a disco and karaoke in there. It was a lot of fun indeed and even our group leaders were brave enough to sing – guess what – “We are the Champions”.
We were very happy and once more we had a good time.
Laura, Laura, Anna-Lena

Day 11: A day for bravehearts

After school we went to the wonderful beach of Exmouth which is said to be red, but it turned out to be just reddish. The weather wasn’t very nice since it was rather windy, cloudy and chilly, but some of us went swimming. Although the water was very cold, we had a lot of fun. Others walked along the beach and searched for stones and shells, which could be found everywhere.
Afterwards some students played minigolf or walked on water inside inflatable bubbles. Finally we had something to eat and drink. At six o’clock we returned to Torquay.
Frederike, Juliane, Anne

Day 12: Our Last Day at School

Today we went to school fort the last time. After 2 lessons we all met on the schoolyard and each one got a certificate and a written assessment of our language abilities. We all thanked the teachers for their interesting lessons and said >Good bye< to them.
Then we started out on a long walk to Kent’s Cavern, a prehistoric cave which first was used by animals and the ancestors of the human race searching for shelter. We were divided into two groups and were led group by group through the cave. We were told many interesting historical facts, tales and myths about Kent’s Cavern. After that we had free-time which some of us spent in the city centre. To sum up it was a great that we really enjoyed.
Jürgen, Marcel, Paul-Georg

Day 13: Our Trip to Exeter

Today we visited the marvellous and clean city of Exeter. At first we listened to a presentation about it and afterwards we walked to the big, old an imposing cathedral right in the centre. Then, for about three hours, we could decide on our own what to do. Some of us used the time to go into the lovely shops or simply to go window-shopping while a few spent their time in the beautiful park.
We also saw many buskers playing for example the saxophone, drums, flutes, banjos, and even didgeridoos. Since the weather was wonderful many people were on the streets and enjoyed the sun.
On our way home we were given a presentation about Agatha Christie, who was born in Torquay. When we arrived there some of us enjoyed a last view over the harbour. We had a very nice day in the capital of Devon.
Emaly, Denise, Leni

Day 14: Dartmoor

It was a morning as usual with our host families. Today we’ve been on a day trip to Dartmoor. The weather changed from cloudy to misty with some occasional showers. Right at the beginning after everybody had hopped off the coach we saw the famous Dartmoor ponies. We began to hike through the moor. On top of the hills there were big rocks. Most of us climbed them. The teachers watched the climbing students with nervous facial expressions. The fascinating and mystical landscape made many of us dream.
Deep in the moor there’s a little village called >Widecombe< . It is unspoilt and green. We visited gift-shops and one of two cafés. In the Wayside Café they sell very delicious homemade cakes and sweet hot chocolate. After everybody had enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere of Widecombe the coach took us back to Torquay.
Everybody was a little sad because this was the last evening, though we are all looking forward to going to London. All in all it was an interesting day and everybody enjoyed the remarkable scenery and the exciting hiking tour.

Day 15: Bye bye Torquay, Hello London

After a six hour ride we visited Windsor Castle – one of the famous royal residences. It’s a beautiful big castle near London. In the State Apartments we explored the extraordinary splendid world of the royals. The decorations and paintings in these rooms are magnificent. Audioguides helped us to understand the life at court better and made the tour much more interesting. When we had finished our tour the coach took us to our hostel in the afternoon.
Together we went to the most popular shopping street in London, Oxford Street, by tube. We were allowed to stroll along it for two hours. Some of us tasted the famous take away food or bought souvenirs in one of the numerous I♥London-shops. We felt excited and gained our first impressions of this great and very busy city. Now everybody is convinced that London is wonderful and we’re keen on seeing the famous sights of Great Britain’s capital tomorrow.
Nathalie, Tiffany, Laura

Day 16: Sightseeing in London

After the 1st night in the hostel our coach took us to one of the most famous sights – the Tower. There we saw interesting exhibitions in different towers, for example in the White Tower with its magnificent armours and weapons. Very impressive was the House of Jewels, where we saw the crowns of the English kings and queens. Before we started our sightseeing tour of London all took photos of Tower Bridge which is really huge. We got to know a lot about London’s past and present – thanks to our teachers. We passed lots of exciting sights such as Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, The London Eye, and Lady Diana’s Palace. Then we crossed Millenium Bridge to have a stop at the Globe Theatre where we listened to a presentation on it.
Later we were given some time to explore the city centre on our own. Together we walked along Whitehall, past Downing Street 10 to the Houses of Parliament. At the end of a really wonderful day we gathered at St Steven’s Tower to hear the famous strokes of Big Ben. Our feedback: We♥London.
Pauline, Kaja, Marie, Helene

Day 17: Our last day in London

Bright sunshine, blue sky, some harmless clouds – that was what we saw when waking up. After checking out of our hostel our coach took us to Buckingham Palace, the gigantic and impressive residence of the Queen. It was so amazing to stand in front of this important royal building with the famous Guards. Afterwards we went to the city centre in small groups. Some did their last shopping, others visited one of the museums, which are free: the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Tate Modern and many more. That’s a must see when you are in London.
Wherever we went, all the time we could see one of the famous symbols of London: the London Eye, the Houses of Parliament or Lord Nelson’s Column on Trafalgar Square. In the afternoon we went to Covent Garden together with our teachers, a famous and popular area in London with market places, many little shops and cafés. It was very exciting to discover dozens of different stores or to look around and watch jugglers, buskers or mime artists.
In the evening we went to the Dominion theatre to watch the musical >We will Rock you<. Some were really looking forward to it, some were not, but after the show everybody thought the same: “How sensational, how magnificent and brilliant.” It was a really great spectacle with best known songs by >Queen<. Perhaps none of us will experience this again, will see these fantastic visual effects or listen to this stunning sound again. It was gorgeous.
At about 11p.m. we started on our trip to Germany. To be honest: England was so overwhelming, we don’t really want to leave.
Lucie, Teresa, Sarah

Day 18: Goodbye England

After the great musical >We Will Rock You< we got on the coach and our kind bus driver Christian took us to the part of Dover where the ferry would get us back to the continent. Everyone was really sad about leaving England because it was an amazing trip.
As we were standing on the open deck of the ship we took a look back to Dover and the very beautiful white cliffs. They reminded us of the wonderful three weeks that we spent in Torquay and London. Both places are really exciting and we learned a lot about the English culture and the many customs through our well organized trips e.g. to Stonehenge, Dartmoor and the famous castle of King Arthur >Tintagel<.
We are already missing the kind and lovely host families so we are so sorry that this impressive journey is nearly over. We really enjoyed this fantastic trip and we hope that we will return to England once again.
Everybody will remember this journey because of our experienced video team, Jakob and Johannes, who summarized the whole story in a film, took lots of photographs and interviewed people. Poor boys – they always had to carry their equipment around – up the hills, down the hills. So we owe thanks to them.
Schnepfenthal – we’ll be back.
Gregor, Konrad, Jörn