Pupils exchange to Germany about sustainability in January 2024
Early in the morning on Sunday, two teachers and the project coordinator, together with six children, went to Germany for an exchange project.
We went from Houten to Utrecht, on to Frankfurt and then transferred to Erfurt. We were met there by the director of the school and a number of host families.
Some children immediately went to the host families and two children stayed with us to make a tour through Erfurt to be picked up by the host family later in the evening in Steinheid. All children were picked up by the host families and spent their first night in a house that was strange to them…
This whole week we are guests at the Grundschule in Steinheid, together with the children and teachers from France, Spain and Malta. We were warmly welcomed by all the children and teachers.
This week was all about sustainability in addition to getting to know all the ways of the German people, working with a host family, participating in another school with different ways, speaking English, getting to know each other.
This week we did many activities with the children from school and the children from other countries: We have watched a presentation of the water cycle, we have seen where they get the raw materials for making glass, the separation of waste, we now know why all kinds of trees are being cut down and why monoculture is not useful. We also went to a hay factory and a village where all kinds of winter sports can be enjoyed. We also walked through the snow in the forest there. That was so nice and beautiful. It was such a great experience.
The best thing about this week is that the children have made contacts with children from different countries, exchanged telephone numbers and were able to experience different cultures.
On Saturday morning the time had come… We had to go home again. We said goodbye to the fantastic host families and unfortunately did not board the train, but into the taxis. There was a train strike and therefore we could not take the train to the Netherlands.
What a fantastic experience this was!
