Let-me-grow

All guests were warmly welcomed at the airport – the first display of the wonderful hospitality that was afforded to us all during our stay in Germany.

We were very much aware of the reasons for our visit to Germany as we gathered for our first meal together on Saturday night, February 12th:

• to visit the host school and become more acquainted with the system of education in Germany,
• to get an insight into the history and culture of Moers
• to visit places of historical/cultural interest which were connected to our project.

On a beautiful Sunday morning our guide took us through a journey of hundreds of years as we walked around Moers which, we discovered, has a rich tradition due to its strategic position on the west bank of the Rhine. Rulers from the East and the West have influenced its history and it was governed by Romans, Prussians, Spanish and French at various times in the past.

Following our guided tour of Moers we set off for what is today known as Xanten but was once Colonia Ulpia Traiana, one of the most important cities in Rome’s Germanic provinces. In the LVR-Römer Museum, which is built on the original foundation walls of the entrance hall to the Large Baths, we were treated to an exciting tour of the Roman past. Hundreds of exhibits including weapons, equipment, coins, statues, clothes and pottery are on display in a quite unique building with suspended floors.

On the way home we stopped at the restaurant “Krauthaus-Heesenhof” where we sampled some of the culinary delights of the region.

So the first day of our visit fulfilled our aim of visiting places of historical/cultural interest in a quite spectacular way.

Monday was set aside for our visit to St. Marien-Schule where the joy, pride and excitement of pupils, teachers and parents were evident in the tumultuous reception which we received at the entrance. We visited classrooms, met the teachers, spoke to children and parents, examined the displays and workbooks in this recently built and pristine clean school. The programme for the performance by the children began with a piece from Beethoven and continued with many entertaining acts, including Choose the Numbers with Mrs. Benger and Klasse 3A, a Turkish folk dance and a rousing finale of drumming with Mr. Heinrich and Klasse 3/4.

In the afternoon we were honoured by a reception with the Mayor who spoke of the importance of Comenius projects and contacts between European partners.

Following a meeting of Coordinators later in the evening we settled down to another cultural experience from this part of Germany, namely the Carnival. It was wonderful to see all the guests getting into the spirit of the occasion with a variety of costumes, dancing and singing. A fantastic evening!

Day two certainly fulfilled our aim of learning more about the host school, its history and traditions and the system of education which operates in Germany.

On Tuesday we were back on the cultural/historical trail with a visit to the Zollverein coal mine in the Ruhr valley.

Our guide took is through a very interesting journey of all aspects of life in the old mine and the surrounding countryside in a well laid out museum which is housed in the wash tower of the old mine. It was interesting to note the influence of many of our countries in the history of mining in the Ruhr valley. And here we are trying to encourage our children to grow up into responsible European citizens who can travel and work freely in the Union.

Our final stop at the lakes near Duisburg gave us an insight into the roles played by the lakes, The River Ruhr and the River Rhine in the everyday lives of the children and school community of St. Marien-Schule.

And so finished the third day of our mobility and, as we all dined together for the last time that night, we reflected on a well planned visit which met the aims and objectives of the mobility and gave us a taste of wonderful German hospitality.

To Mrs. Benger, Birgit, Barbara, all the teachers, pupils, parents and wider school community we say Dankeschön.

You can find some photos here: Gallery