Trip of a lifetime will stay with pupils forever
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A GROUP of Lossiemouth High School pupils have returned to lessons after spending part of the school holidays at the chalk face in Botswana.
Youngsters from the secondary have made annual trips to the southern African republic over the past three years as part of a friendship struck between the two communities.
Donnie Carthew, the school’s behaviour depute, said it was an unforgettable experience for the 12 students and three teachers who spent time at Bokamoso Community Junior Secondary School, Gabarone.
"Some of those who have been involved in the past talk about it being life-changing; it is something that they would never, ever have had an opportunity to do.
"They are over there teaching and experiencing a completely different culture and they are also delivering some of our culture to others.
"And the friendships we have built are second-to-none," he said.
S6 pupil Cara Main and classmate Leontien Cuthbert taught modern studies and also lessons on the differences between the two countries.
"It was so good, and so good to see they were so positive about the subject," Cara, (17), said.
"We got lots of information about Scotland and Lossie High School so we could show the differences between their culture and ours.
"They were over here last year, about November, and they are coming over this year as well."
Cara said she was amazed at how welcoming those at the 1000-pupil school were.
"Just everything is so different," she added. "They start at 7.30am and I think they finish at 3.40pm, so it is a long day for them – especially in the heat.
"There was no air conditioning and I think there has been cuts so some of the classes were taught outside because there was not enough space."
Facing a class of between 40 and 45 students was initially daunting, but Leontien (17) said they were prepared.
"We showed pictures of Scotland and Botswana and we got them to make posters and work together as groups, because they are not familiar with group work so we wanted to incorporate that as much as possible. They loved it, they were over-the-moon that we had all these activities for them to do."
Emma Brooks, who led classes in chemistry and French, said it is a vacation she will never forget.
"I’ve never been to Africa so it was quite an experience. I was amazed at just how enthusiastic the kids were and how they were like sponges - they just took in everything that we were teaching them. "And they were just really, really enthusiastic. It is an experience that you don’t want to miss out on," the 17-year-old said.
Read the full story in 'The Northern Scot'
