Englandfahrt der bilingualen Klassen 6b/7b am PMHG

“As with any journey, who you travel with can be more important than your destination.” - Anonymous

On the 8 th June, we, the former classes 7B and 6B of the school year 2015/2016 plus four teachers, (Mr Meier, Mr Franke, Mrs Sonntag and Mrs Frank) left Germany on a bus that brought us to England. We couldn’t hope tofathom that these mere seven days could leave such deep and emotional marks in our hearts: suchunforgettable memories brought back as intangible souvenirs that we would cherish for years to come. I can remember it so clearly, as if it was only yesterday when we, standing together in hectic and nervousexcitement, waited at the Goldäcker parking place. Anticipation, curiosity, delight but also doubt and worry ofthe uncertainty, awaiting to embark on our delightful adventure.

While the bus maneuvered its way towards anunknown terrain, the sensation of surreality slowly set in, along with fatigue as dusk crept closer. None of usknew what we should expect in such a faraway mysterious place: would it be entertaining, endearing or moreunsatisfactory…

Our first day in England we spent in Canterbury, a historical town near Margate. After an informative tour around Canterbury, we were asked to trade typical German things (which we prepared beforehand) with typical English things with the locals. Most of the locals were very open, making it less challenging for us toapproach them. Nevertheless, our highlight was the longawaited visit to London; Big Ben, TrafalgarSquare, Buckingham Palace and last but notleast the London Eye with its spectacularview over the city.

When we weren’t travelling between places,we stayed at our hostel in Margate. Boringwould never be a word to describe it forthere were countless choices and activitieswe could choose to partake in. Theadventurous ones would go swimming in theclear refreshing water or discover the natureand wildlife at the beach front. The teacherswould join in too. Teachers and studentsterminology didn’t exist at that time. Alas, our seven days were soon up and sowe piled into the bus for the last time, thistime heading back home. The atmosphere, however was no less chaotic, blaring music and banter filled the busfor no one wanted to spend their last hours lamenting or tearfully looking back.

We boarded the ferry again in Dover, gazing at the chalk white cliffs that now looked so distant from another perspective. Whether it was the breathtaking serene landscape from the White Cliffs of Dover, watching the sun set fromthe beach in Margate or the delicious meals we shared together, it wasn’t only those events that etched inmind but the feeling of being one as a class, strengthening our class community, bonds of friendship, laughter, jokes, the occasional arguments, planning and packing for our coming days, games and conversations.Time flew by so quickly, and it was now that we recalled those little things that should not fade away frommind, like the carefree mood we experienced when strolling down the streets of London or the touch of finesand between our fingers.

Those trivial, insignificant tiny things we saw, tasted, heard and smelled, those werethe memories we jogged back to with a shadow of bittersweet nostalgia. One gets to know someone betterwhen traveling together, and the memories shared together are irreplaceable.In our case, it is true that our companions were as essential for the experience as the destination itself.

(Stefanie Brandl, 8b; Yi Wan Teh, 8b)