31 students, 3 teachers and a lot of excitement for the upcoming week- that`s how the 2026 England trip from the 22nd to 29th August started.

On Saturday, 22nd August, 10 o´clock, we all met in front of our school and from there, the drive to England started. Our route led us through Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and France. In the French city called Calais we got onto the ferry, that brought us to the English city of Dover. Finally, after 20 exhausting hours, we arrived at the Cavendish School of English in Bournemouth. From there, we got picked up by our host families and we were brought to their houses. After we unpacked our suitcases, we had the chance to go out in groups of three and get comfortable with Bournemouth for the rest of the day. Many of us went to the beach and enjoyed the nice, warm weather. Some groups went into the city center and explored some interesting English stores.

On Monday, we had to wake up early, because it was the day of our trip to the port city of Southampton. Firstly, our tour guide showed us historical sights and told us many interesting facts about Southampton. After this, we had free time. Most of us went into a mall and bought food, clothes or gifts for our families.

The next day started with a lot of excitement, because we went to the university city Oxford. Our guide explained that Oxford is full of history and beauty and it’s also home to some scenes from the Harry Potter movies. We did a little walk with our tour guide, she showed us parts of the university, for example the Radcliffe Camera or the Bodleian Library. In the afternoon, those who wanted to, had the chance to enter one of the colleges. The college was stunning and it felt magical.

On day number three, we were taught a history lesson in the former capital of England, Winchester. The guide explained us the story of King Henry VIII and his six wives. Afterwards, we had free time to walk around and hang out in Winchester. When we were back in Bournemouth, we went to the beach with the teachers and spent some time on the beach. Most of us just chilled, some also played beach games. It was very relaxing vibe. Later, we had a karaoke night at school. Many didn´t expect that we could have so much fun. We sang many songs together and collected some funny memories.

On our fourth day, we travelled to Salisbury, where we were shown the impressive Cathedral. The mosaic windows and the statues were amazing. We were also allowed to see the Magna Carta. Then, we walked through Salisbury and enjoyed the vibe. On our way back to Bournemouth, we drove near Stonehenge. Sadly, we couldn´t get near there, because the tickets were very expensive. But at least we saw the stone from the bus. In the evening in Bournemouth, we watched the movie ,,The Fall Guy” together. The feedback was split: some liked it, some didn´t.

The last day in England started early. We packed our stuff, our host families dropped us off at school and we had to say goodbye to them and Bournemouth, which was a bit emotional. But it was also a wave full of excitement, because we had a wonderful destination in mind: London! After our arrival in London, our tour guide showed us Trafalgar Square, Big Ben and the Buckingham Palace. Afterwards, we had free time. Many went to Chinatown or the Oxford Street with alot of stores from expensive designers for example Burberry or Michael Kors to food stores. Some of us also went to the National Gallery, which was completely free, to see some awesome paintings. In the evening, the whole group walked along the Thames, which was very calming. It was a perfect end of this Englandtrip.

At 10 pm we drove back home to Germany. Again, it was a very long drive: we had to get on the ferry and then drive through the same countries. We all were very tired and bored.

This trip was a very nice trip and everyone who attended, collected unforgettable memories. I explored a new country and its culture, had a lot of fun and met new people. Thank you!

Text written by Milana Podjapolski 9-5