To experience language, culture, traditions as well as sights and scenic landscapes, 22 students of our Business Informatics Department, accompanied by two teachers, travelled to Scotland’s capital for a week full of moments worth remembering. Here is a short overview of some main events:
Saturday, 5 April: Transfer and Flight
All in all, it took us over 10 hours to reach our host families in Scotland: transfer from HTL Neufelden to Munich Airport by coach, flight to Edinburgh with Baltic Air (servicing Lufthansa), transfer from Edinburgh Airport to our hosts by taxi.
Sunday, 6 April: Day Trip Along Scotland’s East Coast
We set off on an exciting day trip with our guide and a comfortable coach, ready for adventure. Our first stop was a stunning viewpoint overlooking the three famous Firth of Forth bridges. Next, we explored the charming coastal town of Anstruther. In St Andrews, our tour guide told us about the historic cathedral, coastal cliffs, and the birthplace of golf. After some free time, we wrapped up the day with a fascinating tour at Kingsbarns Distillery.
Monday, 7 April: School and Edinburgh Walking Tour
On Monday we had our first school day in Scotland. We introduced ourselves to the teachers and played some games to get to know each other better. After lunch, when our class spread out to various restaurants, we met in St. George Street for a city tour. The weather was sunny and warm with a light breeze. During the city tour we saw a big part of the old town, with many popular buildings, as well as Arthur’s seat and Calton Hill.
Tuesday, 8 April: School and Edinburgh Castle
In the lessons, we learned interesting Scottish words and played a game named “Room 101”. In this game, we had to find things that we wanted to ban, and wrote them on a poster. Afterwards, we had to present our ideas. In the afternoon, the whole class visited Edinburgh Castle and enjoyed the great view from the top of the castle hill. Although the castle is one of the most popular sights in Edinburgh, a part of it is still used by the military.
Wednesday, 9 April: School and Scavenger Hunt
The focus during our tuition was on creating posters and preparing to present the provided topic. The second phase involved presenting arguments for the given projects and debating which idea was the best. The session ended with a fun exercise called “Werewolf”.
For the scavenger hunt, the students split up into groups of four and were given access to a website containing the relevant tasks provided by the school. The main objectives were to take a picture of a place with the group in it and then to answer one question about the place on the provided website. The places were interesting, but all groups visited the same locations, which resulted in a not very motivating competition.
Thursday, 10 April: School and Ghost and Gore Tour
A great day in Edinburgh: In the morning, we went to the language school at the University of Edinburgh and had lessons from 9:00 to 12:30. The classes were fun and interactive, and we worked on our presentations at the end. In the afternoon, we relaxed in the park near Princes Street, enjoying the sunshine and great atmosphere. In the evening, we joined the Witchery and Ghost Tour, which was both spooky and entertaining.
Friday, 11 April: School and Arthur’s Seat or Scottish National Museum
On Friday morning, our class attended language school for the final time, as we had been doing throughout the week. After presenting our projects on Scottish history, we received certificates to mark our successful completion of the week-long program. In the afternoon, some students hiked up Arthur’s Seat and enjoyed the breathtaking view over Edinburgh, while others chose to visit the National Museum of Scotland. It was a perfect ending to a week full of learning and new experiences.
Saturday, 12 April: Scottish Parliament and Going Home
On Saturday, we had the opportunity to visit the Scottish Parliament. It was a fascinating experience that allowed us to learn more about Scotland’s political system and history. We joined a guided tour where we explored the impressive architecture and learned how the Parliament operates. Although we couldn’t sit in the public gallery, we took a group photo on the famous steps inside the Parliament, where politicians are often interviewed on TV. It was a great moment to capture our visit. Overall, the experience gave us a deeper understanding of Scottish culture and was a highlight of our trip.
In the afternoon, we got together again for our flight back to Munich, returning to HTL Neufelden a little after midnight, weary but full of new and probably lasting impressions.
