Bericht vom Besuch unserer Partnerschule in Derry, Nordirland

St. Columb's College/Thornhill College to Rückert-Oberschule in Berlin 
Year 14 Trip 12.3.02 -19.3.02

Over the St. Patrick's Day bank holiday 4 A-Level students from St. Columb's College and 2 A-Level students from Thornhill College went on a visit to our new partner school, Rückert-Oberschule, in Berlin. The Irish students stayed with host families in Berlin and while there will be no organised return visit, it is hoped that the German students will arrange their own visit to Derry privately over the summer. All students involved had a most informative and enjoyable stay and gained invaluable insights into the Berlin school system and into the lives of the young people in the German capital. Students studying the post-war history of the city for their A-Level examination had many opportunities to get first hand experience of those locations where German/Berlin history was made.

Organised events included a sightseeing tour of the city on Wednesday, our first day, as well as a visit to a music/dance show in the famous Friedrichsstadtpalast (in the former centre of Berlin which was later at the heart of communist East Germany) on Wednesday night. On Thursday we went to the Wall museum at the former 'Checkpoint Charlie' crossing to East Berlin and in the afternoon we were booked for a tour of the 'Reichstag' building including a visit to a parliament debate on 'electronic communication' and on 'election via internet', as well as a meeting with an SPD member of parliament. On Friday we visited the Potsdam Palace, residence of Friedrich the Great, and the 'Dutch Quarter' of Potsdam with its restored houses and little shops and cafés. On Saturday we visited the new multi-media exhibition 'The story of Berlin' and attended mass in the St. Hedwigskathedrale in the old centre of the city on Saturday evening.

On Sunday students were free to celebrate St. Patrick's Day as they wished and on Monday we took another look at the newly restored centre of Berlin with its impressive buildings and expensive shops and finished our programme in the old streets of Berlin in including the new synagogue.

While many of the tours and museum displays were in English, the students were keen to practise their German and communicated very competently with their partners.
On two occasions we spent the morning in the school and met with German classes in a question/answer session. While our students asked questions on Berlin and the lives of the young people there, the German students were very interested in the political situation in Northern Ireland. Their questions and comments, in turn, caused the Irish students to reflect on their own lives here. 

It is now hoped to have a similar group of students being involved in an exchange after the summer. 


Marion Lübbeke
April 2002

Berlin March 2002 - Student comments

John
Obwohl ich fast alles in den letzten Sommerferien gesehen habe, bringt Berlin immer etwas Neues. Die Reise war eine der besten Erfahrungen meines Lebens, und ich hoffe, dass ich eines Tages zurückfahren werde.

Amy
Ich habe es sehr viel genossen, und wir haben sehr viel gemacht. Das Wetter war leider kalt, aber die Leute sind unglaublich freundlich.

Carmen
Berlin ist eine Reise wert! Alle Leute, die ich kennengelernt habe, waren echt nett und freundlich. Machen Sie sich keine Sorgen, ich komme gerne wieder!

Alban
Es ist sehr groß, und es gibt immer etwas Neues zu sehen!

Eoghan
Die S-Bahn und die U-Bahn waren sehr effizient, aber jede Nacht war es zu kalt. Ein Vorteil ist, dass die Einkaufszentren sehr billig sind.

Emmet
Viele Leute leben in Wohnungen, und es gibt viele große Gebäude im Vergleich zu Irland. Die Döner-Kebabs waren sehr lecker!