Gymnasium students went on an exchange trip to Belgium

Here in the Dutch-speaking town of Oudenaarde, the first part of the exchange program dedicated to the theme of Wellbeing took place. The journey beyond the borders of the Czech Republic was preceded by a careful pairing of students based on their stated interests.

On the day of departure, everyone got up to arrive in Brussels early in the morning to meet with representatives of the European Commission. They learned here what the European Union offers to young people and how to apply for tenders. Subsequently, after a rainy tour of the city, they stayed in a hotel for one night, from where they took the train to Bernarduscollege the next day, where their correspondents were impatiently waiting for them. After the familiarization activities, they went to the families with whom they spent the following week.

The Belgian students had a program prepared for each day, which included, among other things, fun games at school, in the city, a visit to the local town hall or the nearby city of Ghent. They also went to the capital together again to look at the European Parliament and the chocolate museum, which of course also offered a tasting. An important point of the program was the first aid seminar, where the pupils tried not only virtual reality glasses simulating an accident, but also practical cardiopulmonary resuscitation training on mannequins or tested their knowledge with interactive films.

The last days they enjoyed being in the partner family, as one of the last tasks for the Belgian and Czech students was baking traditional desserts. They were then tasted on the eve of departure at a family gathering, and there was also a performance of traditional dances from both countries. After Wednesday’s farewell, during which a few tears were shed, everyone was looking forward to going home to tell their family and friends about their experiences.

Marina Mrázová