Our week in Spain has come to an end and we are all safely home. Having enjoyed a wonderful final evening with their pen pals and their parents, the pupils found it extremely hard to say their goodbyes at the airport this morning. The warmth and friendship between all of the children was plain to see, and there were plenty of conversations about return visits (to both England and Spain). The children really have had a superb week from start to finish, and they have created many wonderful memories on which to reflect. Hopefully they can all say that their Spanish has improved too!
Many thanks to everyone who has helped to make both legs of the 2017 exchange such a success. ¡ Por última vez, adios!
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Our last day at CEU was a busy and varied one. The first activity saw the pupils (both English and Spanish) producing multilingual PowerPoints and posters about the past week. It was lovely to listen to the children presenting their completed pieces. For the second task, the children participated in a 'gymkhana' (a scavenger hunt) around the school. They had to answer a series of questions and complete a range of challenges. Many pupils were keen to participate in the blindfolded taste test! After a very Spanish lunch of cocido, we headed to the Sports Hall for a spot of Spanish dancing. How wonderful it was to see some of the staff and pupils wearing traditional dress. The Spanish staff demonstrated what we were going to do and then we were divided into groups. Needless to say, some of us took to it rather better than others! We went to the office of the directora (headmistress) after the dancing so that we could say our thank yous and goodbyes. She very kindly presented all of us with a bag containing a pen, a notebook and a Spanish flag.
Our time at CEU is now sadly over. There is still one evening to enjoy, however. There is a big farewell dinner this evening for the children and their penpals. Here's hoping that there will be a little time for packing too, however; everyone will need to be up bright and early in order to get to the airport on time. ¡Listos para volar manaña! What a fantastic day we have had! We spent the morning at Real Madrid's home ground, the Bernabéu. We posed for a quick group photograph outside and then entered the stadium. Once inside, we were assigned two English-speaking tour guides, who led us straight to the stands so that we could take some pictures of the pitch. We were then taken inside, to view a vast array of trophies, shirts, football boots and balls. It was fascinating to learn about the club's history and to see how the famous emblem has evolved. We were quite astounded by the trophies' sizes and shapes. It was wonderful to see all of the children taking such an interest in the various exhibits. Most of these were centred on 'The Best Football Team in the World' (according to Mr Golmayo!) but some were dedicated to Real Madrid's basketball team. Everyone was happy to pose in front of the shirts and many of the children enjoyed listening to the sounds of the stadium. We were also delighted to see the most recently won Champion's League trophies on display. How lucky we were to be able to pose alongside the 2017 trophy (or rather a replica!). Children and staff enjoyed the opportunity to sit on the Real Madrid bench (all of the girls insisted on sitting on every seat just so they could be sure they had sat in the same place as Ronaldo!) and everyone decided that the home dressing room was far more inviting than the away one! The tour ended with an amazing trip in a virtual bus, where we experienced just what it is like to be part of the Real Madrid team driving through the city and into the stadium. We also visited the Press Room, where many of the children gave imaginary interviews and saw themselves on television screens. Our time at Real Madrid ended with a quick visit to the shop, where a few gifts and souvenirs were purchased. We headed back to school for lunch. Then it was time to get changed and warmed up for the eagerly awaited football matches. The boys took to the pitch first. Despite their best efforts, they were sadly unable to beat their Spanish counterparts. They gave some wonderful support to the extremely nervous girls (many of whom had never kicked a football before!), however, and helped them to achieve a well deserved victory. One loss and one win - we have got to be happy with that! Today, for many of the children, was their favourite day of the exchange so far. That said, there is a lot to look forward to tomorrow.
¡Qué día tan maravilloso! We have just returned from our day of culture...and a spot of shopping. After a movidito journey up the mountains, during which we saw the monastery where all of the Spanish kings and queens are buried, we eventually arrived at La Granja. There we were given a guided tour of the royal palace. We were stunned by the beauty of the tapestries, the size and weight of the chandeliers and the imposing gardens. Unfortunately, the fountains, for which the palace is famous, were not working today but we were all able to imagine how stunning they must look in full flow. We left La Granja and headed to Segovia, a city famous for its Roman heritage. Although we did not have time to get off the coach, we still managed to appreciate the arena (where they hold bull fights), the cathedral and the aqueduct. What amazing structures! Much to the children's delight, we squeezed in a visit to a shopping centre before travelling back at school. It was amazing to see what they managed to purchase in the space of just twenty minutes!
This evening, the pupils will spend more time with their families. Some of them are meeting with each other, some are going shopping (again!) and many are going out for meals. Everyone is looking forward to visiting the Bernabeu Stadium tomorrow. Will Ronaldo be training?!? ¡Eso es todo amigos! Our visit to the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum was a great success. Thanks to the brilliant direction and enthusiasm of the museum's educator, the children learned a huge amount about four of the most important paintings. The children impressed with both their questions and answers. They were engaged and eager to learn. Having left the museum, we walked into the city as a group. We stopped briefly outside the parliament building and then headed to Naturbier, a restaurant owned by one of the pen pal's families. Here we ate our lunch. Before allowing the pupils some time to visit the shops, we paid a quick visit to 'Kilometro cero' - the place in the city from which distances were traditionally measured. Although some of the children had been here with their families over the weekend, many were keen to pose for another photo! While the pupils shopped (or located some more snacks!), the staff enjoyed exploring the Plaza Mayor. They even tried on some traditional outfits! The children returned to their host families tired but happy. Some were going to have a quiet evening in, others were heading to karate lessons and go-karting tracks. We shall look forward to hearing their news in the morning.
¡Hasta luego! Everyone was up bright and early this morning; it was time to head into school! Following a tour of CEU, the Junior King's pupils all headed to the art room. There they learned about some of Spain's most famous artists. After break, and a much needed snack, the children joined their pen pals in class. Some found themselves in Maths, others in Biology. A few even had to practise their handwriting skills! The geography of Spain was explored in detail and newspaper reports were written (although not entirely in Spanish!). After lunch, the Junior King's children spent some quiet time together. They discussed their favourite moments from the weekend and they shared some of their newly acquired vocabulary. They then headed outside for a spot of football and relaxation in the sun. Before long, it was time for everyone to collect their belongings and head for home, either by car or la ruta (the school bus). Tomorrow we shall be visiting Madrid as a group. In the morning, we shall enjoy a workshop at the Thyssen Museum; in the afternoon, we shall head to the shops.
¡Adios a todos! As suspected, there is plenty to report tonight. Many of the children have visited Madrid with their host families today - some to shop, others to sightsee. Two lucky pupils went on an open top bus tour of the city. There have been trips into the mountains, where children have made the most of 'Tree Top Challenge' experiences, and a great deal of fun has been had at the city's popular theme parks. Church services have been attended, waffles have been cooked and films have been watched. As I type, some of the boys are making their way home from the Santiago Bernabéu stadium - the home of Real Madrid. Tonight they have seen the home side beat Eibar 3-0. How thrilled they must have been to be so close to Cristiano Ronaldo! I am quite sure they will have some photos that we can share tomorrow. In the meanwhile, here are some of the best pictures from today. The most important thing, of course, is that the children are all working hard on their Spanish. This will certainly prove useful when they go into school tomorrow morning!
It is now time for some much needed sleep. Descansad! The sky is blue and everyone is busy preparing for the day ahead. News from the children is already coming in. Some of them are heading to Madrid's theme park (the staff hope to see them there!) and others are lucky enough to be going to watch some La Liga matches, such as Real Madrid versus Eibar. There should be plenty to report later.
It was lovely to hear so many happy voices when we spoke to the children today. They have certainly been treated to some wonderful experiences. Some have been to a birthday party, some have played football and many have ventured into Madrid. One has enjoyed a much needed siesta, another has played Spanish Monopoly, and a few have been a little further afield - to the countryside and to Toledo. Needless to say, paella has been on the menu in more than one household! The children have sent us a selection of photos, some of which you can see below. They are all looking forward to a second day with their host families tomorrow. We shall post more of their news in the evening.
¡Hasta mañana! After a very long day, we eventually landed at Madrid airport. We were warmly welcomed at Terminal 4 by some very loud and excited cheering. We honestly felt like celebrities! It was lovely to see the pupils being reunited with their Spanish pen pals. It was wonderful to be greeted by Mr Castro too! All of the children left the airport happy and relaxed . . . and looking forward to a good Spanish supper! We have already had the first text to say how much one of our Junior King's pupils has enjoyed his first evening with his host family.
We shall be in touch with all of the pupils tomorrow and will post some of their news. ¡Buenas noches! |
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