The first week of March 2025 was a very special and varied time for us. As part of Erasmus+ student mobility, we took part in a linguistic and cultural exchange and were able to meet the students from Agora Sant Cugat International School in person, with whom we had previously been in contact virtually.
When I found out that I could host a student from Barcelona, I and my family were pretty excited. Would we get on well? Would my Spanish be good enough? Would my guest student like it here? But it was clear from the very first evening that our worries were completely unfounded. My host student was warmly welcomed by my family and we talked a lot about the different cultures over dinner.
The exchange began with a welcome at our school. During games and small rounds of introductions, we quickly got talking to each other - in German, Spanish and sometimes also in English. It was particularly exciting to introduce ourselves to each other in the foreign language. This allowed us to put our language skills into practice right from the start and laugh when something didn't sound perfect.
One of the highlights was definitely our joint trip to Dresden. During a city tour, we visited the old town with the famous Frauenkirche and were also given an informative tour of the Dresden Zwinger. It was a new experience for the Spanish students and we realized how different, but also how similar, our cultures can be.
The project work in mixed groups was also very important for me. We worked on topics such as "Traditions and customs in Germany and Spain". We not only did a lot of research, but also discussed, compared and learned from each other. In the end, we were able to present our results in the foreign language - that was a real challenge, but we succeeded thanks to the cooperation in the groups.
The bowling evening in Meerane was also a great success - it was great to see how quickly we grew into a real group. However, it was all the harder to say goodbye the next day, which we all found very difficult.
A very important and my personal favorite aspect of the exchange was the everyday life with my host student. Going to school together, eating together, always spending the evening together and talking to each other for hours - all of this brought us closer not only culturally but also personally. You only realize how enriching it is to share everyday life with someone from another country in moments like these.
The student exchange was an unforgettable experience for me. Not only did I improve my language skills, but I also got to know a new culture and made real friends. Such projects show how important European exchanges are: they connect young people, break down prejudices and allow us to grow together across borders.
Angelina Wahlich - Pupil AK28
