The last day in Germany! All students, parents and teachers gather once more to give the exchange an official ending. It is time to say farewell; but luckily the students will see each other again in October. That’s why you can see a lot of smiles; only sometimes you get a glimpse of a tear running down a student’s face.
The weather is just nice, when all family members of our exchange project arrive at Karmeliten restaurant in Straubing. Most of them are dressed in traditional clothes. Indian or Bavarian? That difference doesn’t bother any more. Even at the table teenagers and adults of both countries sit in a mixed way next to each other and chat about their last adventures. Mr Wolfgang Poeschl, teacher of Johannes-Turmair-Gymnasium and project leader on German side, welcomes all guests and invites them to start with the official dinner. Indian curry, Bavarian dumplings and pasta – even the food is multicultural this day.
In the official speeches, the teachers thank the parents for their patience and love, they thank the principals for giving consent to the exchange and of course they congratulated all the students which behaved so well and were great represents of their home countries. All of them get
certificates in which every official activity of the project is mentioned. Mr Poeschl also handes over a trophy for
Lotus Valley International School. This cup should remind every student of the project “Different country – different sports” which’s German part officially ends with the farewell dinner.
In an now following informal part of the farewell dinner a Bavarian musician plays famous German songs at a hand organ. The German teachers Mrs Wiedemann and Mr Poeschl have to sing along and the laughter is a worthy closure of the evening and the unforgettable stay of our Indian friends in Germany.
