MY TRIP TO BELGIUM

The trip to Thuin was very good! It began on Friday September 21th when we took the flight with Ryanair, but the trip was pretty good in general. When we arrived in Thuin families received us and already we went home. My family was very nice, and Maïlys and her sister, Solene, I loved them, were lovely and I was treated as another member of the family. With regard to the language I had no problem since it is there that spoke French and I am bilingual and also practiced English because they had other kids of the Comenius project from England and Poland. In general the trip was very good and I would go back. I think it is a very good way to improve the languages and to meet new people.

Hello Belgium

In mid-September we went to a small but beautiful town Thuin. The trip was organized as part of the project “Comenius - Europe United”. There were also students from the UK and Spain. Before leaving Poland, I heard a lot of about Belgium, that there is European Parliament, that it is famous for chocolate and pommes frites.

When I was waiting in the school for my host, I was a little nervous, but when we met, I immediately calmed down and went to his house. His parents and younger brother greeted me very warmly. We went to Brussels with Corentin , where we saw a lot of interesting things, such as the Grand Place and the Atomium. The capital is very large and there are a lot of cars. I really liked old and narrow streets. I really like Belgium, I hope that someday I will have the opportunity to come back and see Brussels again. Marcin

Belgium my love;)

I was in Thuin, Belgium in September. Comenius which is a project that my school is taking part in, let me and my mates to go there. I instantly fell in love with Belgium. Belgium is really green and hilly. Bricked small houses and narrow streets give to this place an amazing looks.

Belgium is famous for chocolate and fries and people are really friendly out there. I went sightseeing a lot with my host - Amondine and her parents. I was in Bruxelles, Maredsous, Dinant,Charleroi and Marcinelle. I met new culture and interesting people. I think that trip was amazing. I learn a lot out there. I hope to visit Belgium soon.

Belgium Experience

21st – 26th September I was in Belgium with the Comenius project “ Europe United”. It was a great experience and a little vacation ;) I’m glad that I had the chance to be a part of this trip group. I met so many wonderful people, I think that Belgium is an amazing country and the city where I stayed-Thuin is a small and very beautiful, and amazing city . My host was a nice girl at my age, although she didn’t speak English very well, we were could understand each other through gestures and vocabulary translated on a laptop. I think that this visit was a great and amazing experience and I hope that in the future I will go to the Belgium again.

Ania

My first flight, by Manon Belgium

The journey in Birmingham was from the 23 to the 28 of March. It was the first time I travelled by plane and  I was really excited on Friday morning when I waved bye to my parents.
Im my host family, they're 6 of them. As I'm only an only child I was afraid to live with 4 children but they were really friendly with me and I could feel at home.
I met great people and new friends not only from England but from Poland and Spain too.

Finally it was an amazing, beautiful experience and I would like to do it again!!!!

But I know everything would have been impossible without my English family: the Mc Nally's.They've accepted me in their home and I think that's really generous from them.

It was an amazing, beautiful and incredible journey. I will never forget it!
Now, I'm waiting for the summer holidays. I've invited my new friend in Belgium.
I'm invited in Poland too!!!! It's great!!!

I like England and I miss it so much, it's horrible!

Manon Vinet

An amazing experience , by Amélie, Belgium

It was amazing! A beautiful experience, both cultural and humanl! My family was really nice and accessible. I was hosted by Jess and her mum.  I learned much about their life and I could see how they live! I met unique people, really friendly and so true!

I did a lot of things with Jessica’s friends , shopping, bowling, walking, learning English, cooking, laughing too, we also visited Birmingham and Cadbury ( the chocolate factory ), parties … I never got bored!

 The first day I was stressed because my English is not perfect and I do a lot of mistakes but the people were really  understanding  ! 

I was often with Manu  (from Spain, he hosted Landelin and Martin  in earlier meetings) and other members of the Comenius project . I learned a lot about their life, their culture, and their habits, in Spain or Poland or again in England!

I keep all these memories in my heart! It’s the beginning  of a friendship with Jessica and all the others! 

Only 6 days was too short  ! I‘d like to go there again because it is an extraordinary experience , I felt  so well ! Every day I send an e-mail to Jessica!  She is coming to go Belgium for the holiday!  Thank you Comenius for this project.Thank you Jessica!  It is the best experience of my life!

Birmingham- so different…. In these few days (from 23th to 28th March) we were in Birmingham with Comenius Project. It was a big adventure. We had a big opportunity to meet new people, know their culture and habits.

On Friday I was very exhausted because of the trip (two planes and bus!) so when I met my host Tanya we went home, left my luggage and we went to Nando' s. This is a popular restaurant when teenagers spend time on talking and eat chicken prepared in different ways. I was very surprised because she never ate at home, she can't cook and this is much cheaper and faster to go to the restaurant than buy all the ingredients and cook something by yourself. Next two days we spent on sightseeing, walking and walking thru the town - I was at Cadbury world, National Museum, Stratford(William Shakespeare' s birthplace) and other restaurants. On Monday and Tuesday we were with all our group (also from lower years) on Design technology, we made some food and then had a little competition. We had a great opportunity to get to know each other. After lessons on Tuesday we went bowling which is very popular, then we went to a restaurant again. England is a totally different country from Poland and it's not only because driving is on the left( I've almost had an accident three times) but it's also because of the priorities, school timetable, lifestyle. The trip was a new experience. I really liked new friends and the city, however I don`t think I like to live there. Karolina Hofman

Not only a trip ..

This was my first experience with the Comenius project and I hope it won't be the last ! Everything in this project was for me "good to take". I went to Birmingham from the 23 to the 28 march.

I was afraid not to be in a good family but when I met them I wasn't afraid anymore. The English people were all really friendly and really nice especially my host family ! I think this is the thing I willl always remember, the people. I was received by Miss Darcy. She has 2 sons and one of them is the same age as me. We directly became friends and he let me discover a lot of things in Birmingham.

I've never thought that this project would bring me so much. These 6 days were really intense. Sightseeing, bowling, London, Strattford, shopping, greyhound racing,.. We never had time to get bored . And everything I did was amazing.

I really love this project because I 've met people from other countries, not only from England. And it was really awesome to share and compare our countries. Now I'm really proud to show my Belgian friends what I have learned.

I am keeping in touch with everybody and I hope I'll see them again !

Corentin Michiels (Belgium)

My trip in Birmingham

I thought that it would be a little bit boring, but when you meet your host’s friends and your host too, you realize that it’s going to be like most of other exchanges, an awesome exchange.

The firsts days you are so shy because it’s a new family for you and other manners for you.

Birmingham is so beautiful, I really loved sightseeing because there were many different things in relation with Murcia. I like it a lot.

At school, the school was fantastic, I really missed the music class, it was awesome, the classes are very well prepared for teaching.

There is not much to tell because we were there only 5 days, so thanks to the school for this opportunity and for being so lucky to have received such a good family.

Manuel Navarro Navarro.

MY TRIP TO BIRMINGHAM

My first trip abroad was simply perfect. At the beginning I thought I wouldn’t have a very good time due to the language, but it was not at all like this. I was very lucky that I was received by Lisa. She is a very friendly, amusing and cheerful person; she is wonderful. She treated my very well, as I was her son. I know that I got a friend there. Moreover, she showed me a lot of places, her neighbourhood, Birmingham, Stratford, parties, etc. She also introduced me to her sons and their friends; they are very nice people who I hope to see again soon, I may visit them next year.

I’m very grateful to Lisa for everything and I’m very grateful for having had the opportunity to meet her. If I could, I would still be there. I had a lot of fantastic experiences. I keep in touch with Lisa by Facebook and e-mails, and for now everything is very good.In addition, I have met very funny and great people from other countries.

Emilio Gambín.

Europe United : Project in Birmingham

Clément (IND Thuin-BELGIUM)

The Comenius Project’s meeting in Birmingham was for me an amazing experience which I will never forget.

I had the opportunity to meet a lot of people, discover their way to live, our differences and similarities. Basically, Europeans teenagers from abroad are quite similar to us, but they have a lot of habits which are different from ours mainly about food, school and transports. (By the way, Tea and English breakfast aren’t myths at all!)

My host family was really welcoming, I can’t even imagine a better host family. I can never thank them enough.

I spent most of my time there with my host and his friends who were hosts as well, I didn’t spent a lot of time with his family because we were busy with great activities all the time. I had the opportunity to visit Birmingham, try new food and drinks, learn about the importance of religion out there, go to a football match, discover the educational system and see how English teenagers have fun.

It’s an experience I would recommend to anyone who’s open-minded, everything was awesome.

I will try to keep in touch with the people I met there.

Sarah Murphy Comenius Trip

As part of the Comenius programme, I took part in an exchange trip to Murcia in Spain. Me, Miss Malik, Miss Burns, and Sarah Kelly left England on Friday morning and returned on the Wednesday night.

When we arrived, we met our hosts, and we went on to spend the weekend with them. My host was a girl called Miriam, and we got on really well and became really good friends. Sarah’s host was a girl called Blanca who I also got on well with. The other exchange students were also really friendly, and we spent a lot of time over together as a group over the trip.

Over the weekend, we visited Cartagena (which is a beautiful city near Murcia with a lot of history and lovely scenery), went to a disco with our hosts, went shopping, and spent time with the host family. The host family were really welcoming and friendly. Monday to Wednesday we went to the school where we took part in a range of activities such as volleyball, salsa class, and music class. We also helped out in English lessons, which was really fun.

We got a chance to try lots of traditional Spanish food, learn some Spanish, teach some English and see what life is like for someone of our age over there. On the last night, we all went shopping and bought each other gifts, Miriam’s mom gave me lots of Spanish food to bring home and give to my family.

I had an amazing time, and made friends who I am still in touch with on a daily basis; I am even considering going to stay with them again in the future!