On the 19th March 2018, 34 students from Years 11 to 13, and four staff gathered in the school car park at 3am, bleary eyed yet full of excitement, for the first ever Fort Hill History and German senior school trip to Berlin! The next four days were action packed, full of sight-seeing and having fun.  The Historians got the chance to put their historical knowledge into context, while the German speakers were able to practice their speaking and listening in one of the most exciting cities in the world.

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We visited many of Berlin’s historical sites such as the Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, Wannsee mansion, Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp and the Olympic Stadium, amongst many others.  We also managed to fit in a trip to the top of Berlin’s TV Tower, ten pin bowling and the essential souvenir shopping!  Mrs Glendinning and Miss Greene were the trip’s official photographers, taking hundreds of pictures to record many of the memorable moments of the trip.  As well as a bus tour of the city, over the four days we walked nearly 40km, in sunshine and snow!  Mr Kitchen and his trusty google maps meant we rarely got lost.  While Mrs Benallal was our official interpreter.  Totally exhausted, yet exhilarated, from our Berlin experience, we arrived back to school safely on 22nd March.

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The students were absolutely brilliant representatives of Fort Hill Integrated College, and also of Northern Ireland, as they showed great enthusiasm on every tour, politely asking and answering questions.  

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This was a fantastic fun trip, and a thoroughly enjoyable experience for all students and staff.  Since returning from Berlin, the students have been putting their knowledge and understanding into action during their History and German lessons.  This trip will run again in the next couple of years, so keep your eyes peeled in school for information about Berlin 2020!!

 

Mr Kitchen