A big’ ‘Vriendelijke groeten’ and ‘Salutations amicales’ from Brussels.
I wanted to thank all the students who came on the Brussels trip for their impeccable behaviour during our 3 day stay. There were many examples of good behaviour and some great educational experiences which ought to be recorded. The trip started well as all the students arrived safely on Monday morning in time to leave Temple Meads station. We then set off on our journey with minimal luggage in tow.
We visited the huge port of Antwerp where we learned about the history and development of the port and passed oil refineries, chemical plants, lots of containers and factories on our guided coach tour. We also walked round quayside warehouses full of cocoa beans and pistachio nuts and understood the true cost of health and safety regulations by wearing these hats. The visit to the port taught us how integrated the European and global economy are and how fast technology has made international trade.
Our second visit was to the chocolate factory where some second years ( Abigail Potts and Connor Page) found alternative careers as praline fillers and we all got to try copious amounts of hand made chocolates as well as learning valuable lessons about efficiency and production. That evening we walked to the Grand Place for some retail therapy then off to the hard rock café for a large dinner where students were constantly surprised at the variations in price between UK and Brussels.
The student taught me many lessons too, the students from room 224taught me lots about the teenage mindset and the amount of sleep required at this important developmental stage, how easily the McDonalds logo is to spot, and how fast students can move early in the morning.
Special mention and thanks must go to Ryan who not only helped our guide at the port with her technical ICT problems but also gave up his seat to a very grateful Belgian lady and her dog. Likewise Connor kept the return train from Paddington happy by charming all those commuters who like us had their reservations double booked. Well done to all students and let’s hope we can use these real life examples in our theory and exam work.