Danke und auf Wiedersehen – for now!
Pupils, parents and staff from Dunoon Grammar School gathered at the school at 6.15 am on Tuesday (27 June 2023) to bid a fond farewell to German partners as the 32nd edition of the Dunoon Grammar School and Hardenberg-Gymnasium exchange came to a close.
The tearful goodbyes from both sets of pupils as the German bus pulled away from DGS – led by lone piper Liam Kennedy – illustrated the success of this year’s exchange and the bond forged between the pupils involved.
Pupils were immersed in a diverse range of educational experiences during the week long exchange, starting on Wednesday, 21 June 2023 with a morning in Dunoon Grammar School, experiencing life as a DGS learner. Kicking off with a Scottish breakfast supplied by Mr Mitchell, Head Teacher, our German friends then attended lessons and were surprised with the range of subjects and experiences including Virtual Reality and esports. It was then off to the revamped Hunters Quay for some team bonding activities, including laser tag, archery and crazy golf.
Thursday seen the exchangers head to Edinburgh for a visit to the Castle, shopping on the Royal Mile prior to a reception with Jenni Minto, MSP for Argyll and Bute at the Parliament who also arranged tickets for the debating chamber gallery, allowing the group to observe the Parliament in action.
The inclement weather on Friday saw a tweak to the schedule with the group travelling to Largs rather than Millport, taking in Vikingar before an ice-cream at Nardini’s and a stroll along the beach.
It was then over to the wonderful DGS host families to provide a memorable weekend for our German visitors, with a wide range of experiences including trips to Glasgow, Inveraray and the Highland Show as well as excursions on the Waverley and to a Stracur shinty match.
Monday saw one last outing, this time to Glasgow to enjoy a visit to Scotland’s national stadium, Hampden – with a fantastic tour and museum visit, before some last minute souvenir shopping at Silverburn.
The traditional Scottish night in the DGS school forum on Monday evening provided a fitting finale to this year’s exchange, with our host families providing a fantastic buffet as well as first class entertainment from DJ Blair McColm. Our German friends also showcased their talents with music and agility performances, which was enjoyed by all in attendance. The exchange trophy will once again be heading to Fürth, with the German pupils claiming victory in this year’s competition – a fun exchange focused quiz.
Tired and sad to be parting, the pupils gathered at the school early on Tuesday morning – but with plans for DGS learners to make the return journey to Germany in September already underway it was a case of ‘bis bald!’… ‘see you soon!’
Head Teacher David Mitchell commented:
“The success of this year’s exchange was clear. The warmth and respect displayed between the pupils and staff involved was evident. The range and richness of learning experiences provided for the pupils was first class and I am confident that many lasting friendships have been initiated this week. I would again like to thank all staff and pupils involved, particularly Jen Moffat who has worked tirelessly to organise this Scottish leg. I would like to extend my thanks to the parents of our pupils and DGS staff who hosted our German friends. Without their support and commitment this fantastic exchange would not be possible”.
Ina Braune, Head of English at Hardenberg-Gymnasium added:
“Our young people have thoroughly enjoyed their time in Scotland. The warm welcome and fantastic experiences provided by the staff, pupils and parents of Dunoon Grammar School has been wonderful. It was delightful to see both sets of pupils bond so quickly and we are so looking forward to welcoming our Scottish friends to Germany in September.”
A video celebrating this year’s exchange can be viewed on the DGS website and social media or via https://youtu.be/N1kqIsWSl3w
