EXCHANGE WITH
GERMANY
ALFELD + BERLIN + WOLFSBURG + HARZ
The exchange trip with partner school,
Gymnasium Alfeld, first began in 2001
and over the years several hundred of
our pupils have taken advantage of the
learning opportunities the experience
offers. It is a chance for pupils to practise
speaking German and hear it spoken in
a local dialect, with plenty of visits and
activities thrown in!
So, as is now traditional, the 19th
annual German exchange kicked off in
September when 15 students and 2 staff
arrived in Pocklington for a week of
lessons, trips, visits, fun and families…
The usual events were on the
programme… North Yorkshire Moors
Railway, Whitby Abbey and Fish ‘n’
Chips, day trips to York, Hull and the
Deep, and some joint fun at Flamingo
Land and Allerthorpe Lake. The exeat
weekend was spent in families, and at
events too numerous to mention. Much
fun was had all round and there were
some tears at the farewells at the start
of October….
But in February 2019 we headed back
to Alfeld – eight students with Mr.
Galloway and Mrs. Wright. As ever,
we were welcomed brilliantly and the
eight days flew by – the traditional three
big trips, to the Harz Mountains, To
Autostadt in Wolfsburg and to Berlin,
were as good as ever, and the days in
Alfeld at school and in Göttingen all
helped make it a fantastic week. The
free weekend saw football matches,
shopping trips, horse-riding, castles,
museums and much more on the
programme.
Many thanks to all involved, and make
sure you get involved over the next
few years!
Some quotations:
SEPTEMBER IN POCKLINGTON
Overall, I really enjoyed the stay in the
boarding house. It was really fun to meet all
the new people and spending time with them.
My exchange trip was really fun and I really
enjoyed it. I hope I’ll come here again.
On Thursday we all went kayaking, which
was very funny. The water was very cold and
Anna dropped me into the very cold water!
I have been living in a boarding house for eight
days, with about ten other girls. Everyone was
so friendly to me and I felt really comfortable.
Phoebe herself is a bit crazy, but we are a
great team and we fit well. On Pocklington
School, the people are really nice. Everyone
talks to each Other and the school climate is
very good. The relations between students and
teachers are good too.
94
THE POCKLINGTONIAN
The English food was good but the mint-
sauce was disgusting (in my opinion). But I
really liked fish and chips it was very good
but it didn’t have salt on it.
On my first day I went to school with my
exchange student and I felt pretty scared.
However the pupils and staff were very
helpful and kind.
In all I really enjoyed the whole exchange and
I definitely will come back to visit my host
family.
Monday we used to get on a steam train to
Whitby where I ate the first time in my life
fish and chips and visited the Abbey. To
summarise I would really recommend anyone
to do this amazing exchange.
I really enjoyed my time in Pocklington
School, because of all the nice and helpful
students in the Fenwick-Smith house. It was
a very nice experience staying in the boarding
house. Furthermore the trips we went to were
pretty exciting, especially the trip to Flamingo
Land.
To put it in a nutshell I would say that
the exchange was really exciting. I learned
much about the country, the language and the
culture. I recommend it to everyone.
My guest family was really nice too. My room
was beautiful and I had my own bathroom.
I lived on a farm with a really cute dog
called Ague. Charlotte (my exchange partner)
and I had much fun, especially when we
were playing the piano, talking about school
and watching some Harry Potter movies.
All people here were really friendly and
England is really pretty too.