New impressions and experiences: Students went to Cornwall.

The sunny Trieste, the blue water of Lake Garda and Comer, the windy Cornwall and the busy London - these were only some of this year's graduation trip destinations. The latter places were visited by the advanced courses of English and Philosophy. Accompanied by Mr. Hohage, Mr. Scheurer and Mr. Janknecht, we spent one week in the country of the most famous royal family, of probably the most polite people and the one with the most tea addicts.

After all necessary preparations, the journey began on Saturday, 8^th of September. At 9:00 o'clock in the morning the bus driver Peter Kellermann headed towards Delft in the Netherlands where we spent four hours. Everyone was able to experience the city on their own and listened to traditionally clothed musicians which were part of the Taptoe festival.

Then, we continued our trip to the harbor of Hook of Holland. The ferry we took brought us to Harwich overnight which also was a special experience for some of us. When we finally arrived at St. Ives Bay Holiday Park in Cornwall, we were very relieved to be able to relax for the rest of the evening in our caravans.

The first days on the British west coast were filled with different activities. The first highlight was a tour of town in form of a treasure trail and the following exploration of the center of St.Ives gave us the opportunity to get an overview of the city. Next, we visited the Minack Theatre with its overwhelming construction and breathtaking view along the coast. There, we enjoyed the play "Third Light" performed by a group of actors and an orchestra. The plot was about the inhabitants of a little town in Cornwall during the First World War. By the use of flashbacks, Third Light tells the story of Cornwall’s ‘fortunate village’ (every single recruited soldier from that Cornish town returned from war) through the memories of two old soldiers, Bert and Buzz, who find themselves reluctantly having to face yet another Remembrance Day parade.

The next day, we looked forward to surf lessons which were offered near our camp. Four lifeguards introduced us to the basics of surfing for three hours. It has probably been one of the best activities for us except for the one student who stepped into a squirrelfish. We had lots of fun even though it was very exhausting. However, to keep our muscles moving, we went for a walk along the coast. The landscape and the ocean were even more breathtaking through the setting sun. During the trip, we watched the surfers and discovered sunbathing seals. To let the day and the stay in Cornwall pleasantly fade away, we decided to dine in a restaurant near the camp and finished the evening in a little pub. Under strict supervision, one was able to entertain oneself in its family room.

On Thursday, we continued the journey to the capital city of England where we arrived at the RestUp Hostel in the afternoon. After a rather uncomfortable night, we (more or less) got to experience an English breakfast.

The first experience we collected in Shakespeare`s Globe Theatre with the help of a very entertaining tour guide who took us onto a trip through the theatre’s history. Afterwards, we split up into groups to explore the city. The teachers suggested to explore the city with them to benefit from their previous experiences in the city. After a tour of six miles (round about ten kilometers) we had visited nearly all popular sights of London. We started at the London Bridge and used the London Underground to get to Westminster where Big Ben and the House of Parliament awaited us. Then, our group passed Downing Street, we saw Buckingham Palace, we casted a glance at the Ritz Hotel, went through Piccadilly Circus to finally arrive at Covent Garden. To conclude, we can say that London is worth visiting, even if one must take into consideration that the city is very busy and touristic.

Anyway, everyone was happy to start the way back home on Saturday, the 16^th and to arrive with many new impressions and experiences.

We would like to thank Mr. Hohage, Mr. Scheurer and Mr. Janknecht for the well-organized trip and the relaxed atmosphere between teachers and students. In addition, Peter Kellermann must be mentioned for bringing us back safe and sound, too.

Written by Helen Alfes and Katharina Burk