Everybody knows how to play cricket. Even we German students from Johannes-Turmair-Gymnasium tried to play a match with our Indian friends. But such matches are only for fun. We wanted to know what it is like to play on a professional level. What do you need to get better and how can you stay focused so long.
During our exchange we got the chance to interview the former national cricket player Mr Madan Lal. He visited our school and explained us what it is like to be a professional athlete. He also emphasized strongly the importance of school sports and reminded our students to stay focused if they want to be successful in live.
A short part of the interview with Mr Madan Lal can be seen in the following video:
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At the last day of our stay in India we examined our schedule a little closer. In between the announcements of the Farewell Dinner and the Farewell Assembly we found the word “rope skipping”.Hmm. That shouldn’t be too difficult. And we were looking forward to showing what our exchange participants can do with a rope. But what we got to see was much more than we expected.
The show
When we entered the assembly hall 6 athletes of the Indian Rope Skipping Federation were already waiting there. They placed their skipping ropes in a certain pattern at the floor. All of the ropes were in different colours, at different lengths and were weighted with small plastic pieces. Only because of these pieces we were able to see the fast motions later.
Mandatory speeches were hold and after some time the breath taking show finally started:
Seilspringprofis
RopeSkipping
The after party
During lunch the athletes told us about their sport life: Daily training sessions, weekends filled with tournaments and always new ideas to try and new moves to learn. There is also some rumor that the German teachers tried some of the tricks. But unfortunately there are no pictures or videos available to proof such a session 😉
Three days before our departure our creativity was challenged once more. LVIS is applying for the International School award and therefore the German students of Johannes-Turmair-Gymnasium had to create and to perform a skit during the farewell assembly. We are still not sure how a German play about Indian sports is connected to a British award but of course we were glad to help.
After some research on the net we decided to interpret the poem “sports” by Rahul Travasso and of course all exchange participants had to take part.
In the famous 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz” the main character Dorothy undertakes unforgettable adventures in a foreign country. There she avoids mysterious dangers, meets strange looking animals and makes friends for live. But at the end of the movie she feels a little homesick and by tapping her heels three times while thinking “There’s no place like home” she is magically transported in her home country.
Where is that country full of magic and miracles?
The “Real India” – a mysterious place full of adventures
A movie? A fairy tale? Only fiction? For 17 students of Johannes-Turmair-Gymnasium the trip to India felt exactly like that. They have heary of that magical country in the east. They have seen pictures of elephants and monkeys and they read about the dangers that can occur there. But they were brave enough to start that adventure and like Dorothy they all met wounderful people and became friends. They were allowed to experience the real India, the India full of colours, smells, noises and tastes and were guided through the dangers like traffic, smog or egotistic youngsters hungry for pictures. That previously foreign country became a second home.
Time to to go home
Saying ‘Farewell’ to the new family
But like Dorothy our students missed their family members in Germany. Their pets, their parents and even their siblings. It was time to say goodby. Thats why an Friday the 10th we tapped our heels together and were magically transported by plane to Germany. But not before we celebrated an outstanding farewell party, cried and laughed a lot and promised to see each other soon.
On Saturday 11th a group of parents waited in front of Johannes-Turmair-Gymnasium and went crazy when the bus with their children turned around the corner, opend the doors and released all the exchange participants.
We are gone – our love stays with you
Reunion of the German family
The adventures, the friendship, the whole exchange will surely never be forgotten. And who knows when the next children will be transported to that foreign country full of miracles and wonders?
Thanks to everyone for your help, your patience, your love.
The excitement was on its high when we all went to Indira Gandhi Airport to pick our partners. Really excited to meet all of them. And the time comes, they arrive at the airport and after a long queue of formalities they finally came out of the airport. It was really good to see them again. We all met each other and conversed a lot. Then we left the airport for home and came home to get some good sleep.
Today is the last day of the exchange. I don’t know how time flew so fast. It feels like they came to india yesterday and now they are going??. I have learned a lot from this exchange. How to adjust, sacrifice etc. the best thing about the exchange is that the bonds we make stays with us our life. If we ever visit Germany I surely know that we all have a second home and memories there. I will miss them sooooo much. And for sure during there farewell we all will be sad and emotional and would be expressing our love for them. Today is one of the toughest day of my lifeee❤️???❤️. I hope they all have a good and safe flight. bis später?❤️❤️
