During the last week of Term 3, Year 9 and 10 students studying German at Catmose College completed the second leg of their exchange with Alfred-Amann-Gymnasium (AAG). Students arrived in Bönnigheim on Wednesday evening and were greeted very warmly by their exchange families. They then spent Thursday in school with their exchange partners which was an immersive experience for getting involved with the language. Students experienced a variety of lessons from German and Maths to Physics and Social Studies, all were extremely interesting. On Friday, we went on an “Ausflug” to Triberg, a scenic town in the Black Forest. Students visited the “Triberger Wasserfälle” and the “Schwarzwaldmuseum”. The icy waterfalls were beautiful but very cold! In the evening, the teachers at AAG hosted a party for the students, we all enjoyed some pizza and a photo booth. It was a great evening for all the students to spend time together. At the weekend, students were given free time with their host families, many people visited Stuttgart or other local towns, others also tried traditional German dishes such as Schnitzel or Currywurst. Monday was spent in school again with students getting to spend some quality focussed time in a typical German classroom. Many students enjoyed immersing themselves in the culture of the Baden-Württemberg region, and the time spent in school was a fantastic chance to be part of that. On Tuesday, the students travelled to Schwäbisch Hall, a historic town in Southern Germany. We experienced a detailed tour of the city, spending time observing architecture and the beautiful scenery from the highest points in the town. After this we were treated to a tour of the “Kunsthalle Würth” where we learnt about the many different pieces of artwork on show and were then given the opportunity to get creative and make some pieces of our own! The week was a fantastic experience for all students (and teachers) involved and has provided students with a real insight into their chosen language. Many friendships have been formed along the course of the exchange and many of them will last for a long time. Thank you to AAG and the staff at Catmose College for providing the students with this incredible experience!

Eve, Year 10 student