Upper Fifth (Year 11) pupil Alice B has written a wonderfully sparky report on our recent German exchange trip. From the warmth of host families to carved “jealousy heads”, early school starts and a surprising Volkswagen bestseller, Alice gives us a brilliant taste of her week in Germany.
Alice’s German exchange trip report
I’ve always heard that the British are rather particular about their personal space, but it wasn’t until I spent a week in Germany that I realised quite how true that might be. Hugs seemed to be a much more natural part of everyday life, and it was lovely to see how openly people showed affection for one another. Even lovelier was experiencing the warmth of our host families, who really made us feel at home.
On our first day, we went on a tour of Hildesheim, where we were amazed by the beautifully painted houses in the town square, adorned with carved Neidköpfe (literally translating as ‘jealousy heads’). These strange carvings were traditionally intended to ward off envy and evil. I don’t know if they work, but I do know that I really want one for my house.
One thing I quickly discovered was that the German school timetable is rather different from ours. The school day begins at 7:50, meaning I had to drag myself out of bed at the ungodly hour of 5 o’clock. However, the early start does have its merits, as lessons generally finish at around 1 pm. If I’m being completely honest, Im surprised we haven’t already changed our school hours to match Germany’s. They have an unfair amount of weekday left to enjoy!
Speaking of things the German school system does better, they also don’t have school uniforms, and the students somehow still manage to become functioning members of society! I KNOW! SHOCKING!
However, when we visited the Autostadt in Wolfsburg, we discovered something even more surprising. Volkswagen’s most popular product isn’t the iconic Beetle or the flux capacitor. It’s Currywurst! In 2023, Volkswagen produced an astonishing 8.33 million currywurst sausages. In Germany, they’re regarded with much the same awe that we reserve for the IKEA meatball. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to try the famous Volkswagen Currywurst while we were there, but I did try Currywurst with my family at a restaurant, and I can confirm it did not disappoint.
All in all, my week in Germany was a brilliant experience. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who made us feel so at home, and I’m already looking forward to returning the favour when my exchange partner Emma comes to visit us in the UK!
Façade with Neidköpfe.
Porsche race car.
Thank you to Alice for her fantastic report, and to all the host families who made our German exchange trip so memorable.
