Information & Organisation | Students Abroad | Partner Schools | Alumni
	Letters from students abroad Kira R. << zurück Wales 2003 Five months in Monmouth, Wales When I arrived in Monmouth last August (2002) I didn't really know what to expect. Everything was new and I couldn't really see myself living in a girls' boarding school for the next four months. My room was tiny – just enough space for a bed, a desk, a wardrobe, one chair. But at least I had my own sink and I soon noticed that I didn't need more space at all. I got used to living in a boarding house: after school there were many different things to do. I either played sports, such as netball, went into town to do some shopping or sat together with my new friends watching TV or eating cake and chatting in our little boarding house kitchen. Supper was at half past five which seems quite early especially as school normally doesn't finish before four o'clock, but as I got used to it I was normally really hungry and couldn't wait for supper. Quarter past six to quarter past eight was prep time: everyone had to sit in their room and do their homework. Quite often I really needed the time as I had so much to do but anyway there was always the possibility to meet other girls and work together or just to sit and chat. Ten minutes break in between were used to get some sweets or eat a piece of toast in the boarding kitchen. I normally spent my break with my friends eating chocolate. After the prep time we could either stay in the boarding house (watch TV, eat something etc.) or we could join the evening sport (like water polo) or go to the gym. We were also allowed to meet boys as long as we didn't leave the grounds. But this normally wasn't a problem as the boys were allowed to go to the girls school and stay there until half past nine. We had to be in our rooms at eleven o'clock, but sometimes we sat together talking or watching DVDs on someone's laptop until much later... But not only boarding, even school was completely different from school in Germany. As British girls and boys start school earlier (when they are about four) I was already in year twelve which is the first year of sixth form. Sixth form students in year twelve have to choose four different subjects for their exams at the end of the year. You have many different possibilities and can choose any combination you like. As I already knew that I would go back to Germany I had to make my decision very carefully. I chose biology, Latin, maths and theatre studies and even managed to get some Greek lessons every week, even if I was the only one who wanted to do Greek and as this was my fifth subject. Until you are sixth form girls and boys haven't got any lessons together and the schools are about fifteen minutes walking distance away from each other anyway. But from year twelve on you can choose to do some of your subjects at the boys school and the boys can do some at the girls school. I chose to do theatre studies at the boys school and there were little buses which brought girls and boys up and down to each school. To have only four (or in my case five) different subjects has the advantage that one only has to do homework in four subjects which makes it easier to focus on them. We were normally about seven people in our course which made the lessons easier for pupils and teacher. One lesson lasted 35 min but normally I had double lessons without any break in between. Lessons started at ten past nine, but we had to be in school at twenty to nine for registration in so called forms which were different from our classes. Between registration and lessons there was either assembly or we had organisational things to discuss. It seems hard to be in school until four o'clock but there were always free lessons in between when I could go into town or work in the school library. And there was the lunch break as well between five past one and ten past two when there was lunch in the big dining hall. The food was, of course, different too: There was nothing like rye bread (like grey bread), but only white bread which I would call toast and salted butter or margarine. And of course there are always complaints about school food but it really wasn't that bad at all. Breakfast was really good even if I normally stuck to cereals and fruit and didn't quite want to try baked beans on toast or spaghetti hoops that early in the morning. Lunch was varied as one could choose between Indian curries, pasta or jacket potato, traditional food and salad bar. At the beginning it felt very strange to wear school uniform (blue blazer and skirt, white blouse, red jumper, tights and black heels) and to tie my hair back every day, but I got used to it and started to enjoy as many activities the school offered as possible. There wasn't only the gym and a swimming pool which could be used every day, but there were also different trips which could be joined e.g. a biology trip to a DNA replication workshop or the weekly shopping trips organized by the boarding house. Every Saturday morning there was a shopping trip to a different place (which I haven't joined very often as it started at nine o'clock and we sometimes had been out the night before) and every Saturday evening there was a cinema trip offering at least three different films to choose from. On Sunday, there were events such as grass-skiing, a trip to a chocolate factory or bowling which could be joined by boys and girls. My whole life was in school as there were even teachers who could give you violin or singing lessons for example. Like in Germany there were many clubs to join such as rowing, netball, or water polo. Once a week there was a form period when the whole year twelve sat together and e.g. listened to outside speakers or was informed about universities or future career plans. It was amazing how many different possibilities I had and how many new things I have seen every day, so that I decided to go back for another six weeks after Christmas. Now I enjoy being back at home, as in Wales your whole life is set in school. But it was an amazing experience which I will never forget and I still have contact with my friends in Monmouth and hope to visit them as soon as possible. Kira R. (OIIa), März 2003