On the initiative of Herr Sundermann and Frau Kayser (teacher at St. Kilian’s from 2012 to 2017), the first student exchange between the Liebfrauenschule in Cologne and St. Kilian’s German School Dublin took place in June.
A small group of students from last year’s 8th class (2nd year), had the opportunity to visit the cathedral city on the Rhine for a week during which they were able to experience the hospitality of the partner families and a varied and lively programme of excursions, sightseeing and cultural encounters.
The Liebfrauenschule is an archiepiscopal Secondary School (Gymnasium) and is centrally located in the Lindenthal district, not far from the university and the Museum for East-Asian Art. After a compulsory school day, the exchange group met at the school each morning before setting off by tram to explore various destinations in and around Cologne. Frau Kayser, the German exchange partners and Jonas, a trainee teacher, often accompanied us, which made everything much easier and more lively.
In summer temperatures and sunshine, we visited the Chocolate Museum and got to know the city of Cologne better with a city rally; the following day we took the line 18 to Bonn, the former capital of the Federal Republic, where we were able to consolidate the content of the GL course of 7th and 8th class in a lively and interactive exhibition in the Haus der Geschichte. After free time and refreshments in the pedestrian zone of the city – fresh melons at the weekly market in front of the town hall – we then visited the Beethovenhaus. The wonderfully prepared public viewing at the Liebfrauenschule in the evening unfortunately ended in a big disappointment for the young fans of the German national team. For the first time, ‘the team’ did not reach the round of 16 at a World Cup tournament! But even that was a historic moment and not a ‘downfall’, as the press announced the following day in a headline.
On Thursday we finally went on a visit to the famous Phantasialand amusement park in Brühl. The day was hot and there were hundreds of enthusiastic visitors from many countries. Despite some long queues on the popular rides, such as Black Mamba, all students had their fair share of fun.
On Friday morning it was time to say “goodbye” again, but the farewell will not be for long. We are expecting our partners on September 9th for a return visit to St. Kilian’s in Dublin.
On the way to the airport, we were able to climb the tower of the cathedral, which was a breathtaking experience in every way.
Thanks and best wishes to Frau Kayser as well as the parents and exchange partners of the Liebfrauenschule. We look forward to your visit in September.
By Helmut Sundermann, 9th July 2018
