When in Berlin ...

Twenty-two delightful Lancing German and History students participated in the Berlin trip which took place in February. The students represented various year groups: Third Form, Fifth Form, Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth, and were accompanied by their teachers Mr Drozdov, Ms Stockel and Mr Harman.

Berlin is a vibrant, modern and dynamic city which has a lot to offer and our trip was packed with opportunities for students to enhance their knowledge of history and German language. The city boasts some of the most architecturally impressive buildings and the highlights of our trip were: a guided tour of the Reichstag with a visit to the glass dome; a guided tour of Hohenschönhausen – The Stasi Prison; a visit to Checkpoint Charlie; the Spy Museum; Eastside Gallery; Alexanderplatz; and a stroll through Unter den Linden amongst others.

A sobering visit to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp gave us an insight into the horrific and inhumane conditions in which the prisoners were kept, and the atrocities of Nazism.

It goes without saying, that when in Berlin, eat Currywurst, Berliner Eisbein or Schnitzel! The culinary delights of the Nolle and the Brauhaus Georgbräu were enjoyed by all, and it was difficult to decide which restaurant had the best Apfelstrudel

On top of the double-decker train on our way back to Berlin’s new, chic airport, we contemplated the many experiences we had in this wonderful city, and it could be said with certainty: we will be back!

Sergei Drozdov Head of German

Teatro Español

Studying a play is always a good way to gain a better understanding of the language in which it is written, and to this end Lancing College Spanish students have been studying La Casa de Bernarda Alba by the Spanish dramatist Federico García Lorca. To give the students the opportunity to see the play brought to life, Head of Spanish Maria Espiga organised a trip to the Cervantes Theatre, London, to watch a version of the play directed by Jorge de Juan. Some of the students on the trip wrote about their experience:

‘We ate at an authentic tapas restaurant in Borough Market before heading off to an immersive theatre where the actors were only a few feet away. I found it fascinating to see the play that we had been studying in class come to life, and to see the small details that the director had added to make the production that we saw unique.’

Alexander Mawhinney, Lower Sixth

‘We have been studying the play in lessons and seeing it performed really helped with our learning. It was a great day all together and it was very fun.’

Holly Mason, Lower Sixth

‘When we arrived in London, we went to a Spanish restaurant to eat an authentic tapas meal which was very delicious! Then we walked around the market and looked at all the different stalls before going to the theatre and watching the play. The play was very exciting and dramatic with great acting, so we all had a great experience!’

Annabel Johnston, Lower Sixth

‘The play was such a home-like experience, it really felt like our Spanish class was a community. The play was able to pass on such strong emotions, enabling us to feel what every single character felt.’

Sofi Vartanova, Lower Sixth

‘We had time to explore London in independent groups and venture through Borough Market, we experienced a lot of food from a lot of different cultures after a Spanish tapas meal. We then saw a production of La Casa de Bernarda Alba which was immersive and very useful to our learning, we thoroughly enjoyed the day.’

Izzy How, Lower Sixth