Students Exchange SMPK 2 Harapan with Brunsbuettel Gymnasium Germany
-Adventure Abroad-

Bali, Indonesia

 

Brunsbüttel, Germany

Day 1 & 2 (September 20th – 21st 2022)

At 6 pm, we were all gathered in the drop-off zone of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. All parents and family of the students were taking pictures of their children, and we took some photos with other teachers too. We went in and tried to do the check-in and handed off our luggage. 2 people would come to the counter and measure their suitcase but something happened with some of our passports, again. Apparently our most problematic signature box in the passport once again sprung its problem. Turkish Airlines were confused on whether they should let us in or not because they and the immigration believed Germany would not accept that (a passport without a signature). It was unbelievable remembering we all had our visa already which means they have granted our permits. In fact, even the immigration had stamped the box with a label “unable to sign”. After some minutes of waiting, debate with many people, we were allowed to proceed with the whole process. The boarding time should have been at 20.00, leaving at 21.00 but at 20.40 we were still queuing to get stamped. As you could have guessed, we were running, sprinting towards the gate which was located unfortunately quite far since it was gate 4. We made it anyway, came to the plane exhausted and spent our 12 hours of flight watching some movies, and sleeping of course. Arrived at Istanbul and we waited for one and a half hours until the plane boarded at 6.25. Eventually we arrived at Hamburg International Airport. That was not an easy peasy moment either. Ms Risma and Ms Elis were questioned by the officer a lot and they had to show the letter from the mayor. Thankfully that powerful document, a piece of paper, allowed us to start our journey in Germany. When we were heading out after taking our luggage, the German students and some of their families along with Mr. Claus and Mrs. Christa were already waiting for us. We hugged each other, said hello to the parents and off we went to Brunsbüttel. We were divided into some groups because not all parents were coming. After that, we had our free time with our own partners, talked with their parents and family, showed the house and they gave us everything we needed. At 16.00 we came to Philip’s house to did a barbecue where each of us would bring our own meat or any other things to grill and salads. We met all of the German student’s parents and afterwards had a lecker dinner. After that, they invited us to visit “the deich”. We walked not too far from the house, and saw a lot of ships, a great view to walk around or to just chill around. We came back to the house and sang along together, even Philip’s dad also performed a song with Mr. Tobias. After that, we went home. Some of us went by bike, some of them also used the car. Back home we prepared ourselves for the next day.

Day 3 (September 22nd 2022)

We all met at 8am in the Brunsbüttel Gymnasium and we did a school tour guided by Cheyenne and Nicole. We went to some class there and look how the students studying there also we seeing the differences between Indonesian school and Germany school

After that we had an opening ceremony that was attended by the mayor named Martin Schmedtje. Some students from the Brunsbüttel Gymnasium did a music performance and we also did our dancing performance. There are some people also giving their speech such as the headmaster, the mayor, Mr Tobi, and also our teacher Ms Elly and Ms Elis. After the opening ceremony we had a snack time which the snacks were some bread with a different meat on it. During the snack time we also sign in the special book as a symbol that this student exchange can be implemented. After the snack time we continued our school tour to see the biological laboratory and the gymnasium. After we finished the school tour we had a small briefing about the activities we will be doing in the next few days and then we had our lunch in the gemeinschaftsschule’s canteen. We had soup and pudding for dessert. We all liked the lunch because it was very delicious. After lunch we went to the supermarket named Edeka to buy some snacks etc. And then we walked to the museum. We went to the museum about the history of Brunsbüttel. It was a very interesting museum. And after that we went to the church which isn’t far from the museum. We only taking a look for the church and we went to our home after all the activities that day

Day 4 (September 23rd 2022)

We all arrived at Brunsbuttel gymnasium by 7.45 am. Then everyone joined some classes, group 1 (Cheyenne, Nasya, Kayla, Dywa, Riyu, Sastra, Philip, and Ben) joined grade 9 Mrs. Stabenow’s English history class. And group 2 (Ardine, Citta, Masya, Svenja, Nicole, Alek) joined physical and english class, and for Jula, Alexa, Johanna and Mina they had orchestra practice for the school concert next monday. After  “group 1” ended the english history class Cheyenne, Dywa, Nasya and Kayla joined german class. And for Riyu, Ben, Sastra, and Philip they went to the school gym. After Cheyenne, Kayla, Dywa and Nasya finished the German class they went to the gym and joined Riyu, Sastra, Ben and Philip to do some sports. So while they “group 1” were at the gym “group 2” still continued their classes, after a while Jula and Johanna joined “group 1” in the gym and we all went to danish class with “group 2” as well. After 45 minutes of class we all went to the school field to start “lauftag” or leg day. After lauftag we all walked to “musti’s food” to eat some doner. Then after lunch we walked to visit the Brunsbuttel locks. And then once we finished the last school activity of the day we all went our separate ways to have Family time with our own families.

Day 4 (24th September 2022)

Trip to Hallig Hooge

Today we gather at the train station, after that we take the train for about an hour and a half to go to the next stop which is still in the Schleswig-Holstein area. After getting off the train we continued our journey by bus (approximately 15 minutes) to the port. Arriving at the port, we board the ferry to the island of Helig Hooge. Arriving at Helig Hooge we are guided by a Tour Guide to get around the island. First of all we were told by Tour Guide that there were only about 110 people left on this island. On this island they obtain electricity using solar panels (sunlight) and wind turbines. On this island there is only 1 school, and only has 1 teacher who teaches all subjects from all classes. Approximately 7 students are taught. Here also they have a Supermarket, Restaurant/Cafe, Lodging, Church and Souvenir Shop. There are people on this island who work as animal breeders, teachers, priests, supermarket employees, and some work in cafes/restaurants. On this island they have a place to collect rainwater which will later be used as drinking water for livestock. The livestock they take care of are Cows, Horses, Sheep, and Chickens. On this island they have a unique thing that is used to warm themselves in winter. Because only a few trees grow on this island, therefore they use livestock manure that has been collected and then dried and used the same as firewood. The dried manure is rectangular which is not too large (approximately 20×25 cm). After that we went to the church there. The church they have is not very big, and the outside of the church they use as a graveyard for the dead who have lived on the island for a long time. On one gravestone there can be two names written back and forth on the grave. After that we were also invited to see the Fire Department, so if the residents there were seriously injured they could handle it well. After walking around we had lunch together with the lunchbox we each had brought. After finishing lunch, we watched a video about the Halig Flood for about 15 minutes, after that we returned to the port where we came before. After that we go to Tönning where we will stay by bus and train.

Day 5 (September 25th 2022)

We woke up after a tiring night and had breakfast at the hostel. When everybody was ready, we then checked out from the hostel and went on foot to the Multimar Wattforum to have a museum trip that day. We did the tour and got explained by the guide about marine life in Germany, and mudflats to prevent abrasion. We also saw a lot of animal replicas there. We got a group assignment that requires us to go around the museum once again to work on it. After we finished the tour, we had lunch together at the museum’s cafeteria and some of us went around to look for souvenirs. When we went outside, the parents were already there to drive us to the Seal Station where we saw real seals are protected there, the guide also explained to us the difference between each species, and as usual, we went to the souvenir shop. Once we ended our tour at Seal Station, the parents then drove us to where the mudflats were. When we were there, we did the hike barefoot at the temperature of 11⁰C. The guide explained the function of the mudflats which is to prevent abrasion and dug the mud to find animals such as worms, shrimps, and some shells. After the 1 hour tour, we drank hot drinks together before leaving for home and took a rest for tomorrow’s activities.

 

Day 6  (September 26th 2022)

This day we all met together, (except for Alexa and Svenja because there was a visit to a medical device company) at school at 9 o’clock. Then, we went to the conference room and Mr. Tobi explained a little about Germany’s Geography about where, and how The Mudflat Waddensea was built. After that, we went to the history class and we walked from the Brunsbuettel Gymnasium to the canal at Brunsbuettel Lock with the history teacher and the students. On the way we were all freezing because that day the weather was not good and the history of Kiel canal was explained. After arriving, we immediately took the ferry to cross the canal. On the ferry we were given bread with cabbage and traditional German cookies. Then we stopped at a place where you wait for the next ferry to come, and explained the tradition of cabbage bread which they celebrate by making a Cabbage Festival once a year. We return to the ferry and walk to the Elbeforum, the venue for the concert that will be used that night. There are paintings and photographs. We went up to the 2nd floor to see the theater room. After that we went back to the Gymnasium and had lunch at a school for the lower grades from 4-10. We continue to the gym or the field. There is a shower room, a place to change clothes, and fields that are divided into several rooms. First we played eggs on a spoon to test our stability, the first was an individual race, the second was a pair relay, and the third was a group relay. The second game, a sack race but we use plastics. We played as a group. Lastly we played dodgeball. The rule is that it must hit any part of the opponent’s body except the head, because the head doesn’t count. If hit by the head, then the player who hits must sit on his team bench. If the opponent hits the opponent’s body, then the opponent must go to their team’s bench. After that, we went home and made preparations for the school concert at 6 o’clock.

The school concert begins with a “smaller and medium group” orchestra. Then continued with the “bigger” orchestra, the choir accompanied by 1 song by Gung Sastra, and 2 songs that the Choir sang. And then, it was finally our turn for the Balinese team to dance to the song “Wonderland Indonesia”. We are very happy to be given the opportunity to dance in front of the crowd and gain experience. We took a little break and returned to our seats. We enjoy the “big” orchestra and the last one to close is a huge orchestra with some of our friends going there. They used the song “The Avengers”,, and paid respect to the death of “Queen Elizabeth 2” with the UK’s anthem, and played the national anthem from the USA, and the very last one for the peace of Ukraine. After all the series of events were over, we went home and rested.

Day-7 Journal, Trip to Hamburg (September 26th 2022)

Hey, this is currently Day 7 we’re in Germany, and we are going to Hamburg! And we start our activity with me (Dywa), waking up very late at 7 o’clock, thinking that we start the activity at 9 o’clock, and have to rush for a bus at 7:44am. So I got ready very quickly, and thankfully didn’t miss my bus, to the next stop at Itzehoe. After a 30-40 minutes ride, we arrive at Itzehoe, supposedly to take a train. But currently they have construction on the railway, so we take another bus to Elmshorn. Another 30-40 minutes ride and now we’re on the train. We’re waiting for about 20 minutes because the train comes at 9.54am. Finally we were on the train, and the cool thing is, it’s one of those double decker bus, so we can see and enjoy the view from upstairs. Inside, it is also so cool. Everything looks so expensive, it felt like we were in the first class. After that, we took another train that led us to Hamburg. And I got to say, Hamburg is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. Our first stop is at KJRI which is the Consulate General of Indonesia (in english). We learnt about the past time where Germany and Indonesia had been working together for 70 years. But, it’s actually more. We have a lot of other projects that was worked together even from the 17th century. Next, we watched Javanese Traditional dance called Kelana Topeng. We also had Indonesian lunch there, such as Nasi Goreng, Satay, and Bakwan. Next, we went sightseeing around Hamburg, but sadly my lovely Student Exchange friend Jula, can’t join us because we . We saw the boats, buildings, and a lot of amazing cars. Then, we went into a tall building where you can see the beauty of Hamburg even more. Then we did a little bit of walking to a souvenir shop, where I bought a magnet and a cute little Volkswagen Beetle! I love everything about it. And last but the one I’ve been most excited about, we went shopping. We only had 45 minutes to shop, because we had to catch the train. So we had to rush. Me and Sastra were planning to go to buy shoes, so we went to the shoe store with Philip because somebody had to accompany us, so we didn’t get lost. To cut the story short, we went to a shoe store but I didn’t find anything that caught my interest. So Philip told us to go to another shoe store, called Foot Locker. And thankfully, I found The One. I saw a white Adidas shoe that caught my interest. And my intention to buy it increased even more until I saw the price, 65 Euro! So without further thinking (we don’t have much time as well), I bought it. I’m very happy with every purchase I made that day. Then, we all went back to Philip’s house with the same train and bus, because we wanted to watch Ice Age 3 together. Half past 10 on the clock, and Jula came to Philip’s house, so we went back, and that marks the end of the day.

I want to thank everyone who has made this become possible. My parents who always support me, my teachers who made this event, and of course all of my friends who always make me feel motivated. That’s it for My Journal, hope it’s not too boring and you had fun reading this. Dywa out!

 

Day 8 ( 28th September 2022 )

So at day 8, as usual all of us have breakfast in our own houses and then gather up at the school. At around 07.40-07.45 AM we departure with bus to Recycling center ALADIN in Bargenstedt or KBA Bargenstedt. It took about less than 45 minutes until we arrived there. When we arrived, before entering the recycling area we must to wear a safety vest, so that we will known as visitor there. First thing we saw is a big size of weighing scale, to weigh the recyclable waste. At the Recycling area, they have in total 7 different collection points according to the type of waste. From waste such as plastic, bottles, wood, electronics tools, and even chemicals. And then, there’s also storages for keeping all the different types of compost and different types of wood waste which are in different shapes, because each shape has a different purpose. It’s really interesting to see this kind of advanced and structured system of waste management. They also have a place, that if people don’t use some of their old or unwanted stuff anymore, but still in a pretty good condition, then people can put in there, and if someone who needed some furniture or electronic items, but can’t afford it, they can have it from that place, and for me that is a really good thing. Next up, we headed to the “big size” of waste area, such as from buildings or house that already destroyed, building wires, used asphalt from the old roads, and many more, after that we see the second weighing scale, same as in the entrance. After that we see the area that has a storehouse of “non recyclable waste”, and incredibly, there are only 1 worker who works in that area. After that we went to the compost making place, there was some huge machine that processes the waste into composts, and there is a really honorable act in there because the guide said, “Please do not wear a mask or something to cover up your nose just because of the smell. This waste is a result from ourselves, so we must to deal with it. And with this action we are also showing our respects to the worker here that taking care of our waste” and for me is a really good and respectable act. After that we went outside the compost area and we saw a lot more huge mountains of compost. After that we went back to the place, were we put our bags, and just having a snack time, a couple minutes later, we divided ourselves into several groups and then we do the assignment paper that tells us to do some fun experiments, and that’s our last activities in the KBA Bargenstedt. After taking some group photos, we went back to the school by bus and arrived at around 13.00 PM. When we arrived we went straight to lunch at the middle school canteen. After lunch, we got some free time, so all of us went to the supermarket, nearby the school, and just bought some snacks and much more, after that we went back to the school. At the school we joined Mrs. Barbara Biology class. It was so fun and interesting, first Mrs. Barbara showed us some stuff that is used for biology class, such as preserved dead animals, skeletons of animals, and much more, for study reasons. After that we went to the actual biology class and did activities with the microscope, trying so many kinds of objects that we see through the microscope and that was really fun. After that we went back to our houses. At around 19.30-20.00 us the students gathered around at Alexa House for a BBQ, having a campfire, some hot chocolates, marshmallows, and that was a really nice and fun thing to do, and that’s the last activities for day 8! After that we went back to our houses.

Day 9 (September 29th 2022)

After We all arrived at Brunsbuttel gymnasium we took a 46 minute drive to the ferry stop to go to Glückstadt . Then we spent 30 minutes on the ferry. Once we arrived in Glückstadt we drove for an hour to Klimahaus Bremerhaven. After we arrived we went into the lecture room and one of the workers there explained to us a little bit about the climate house museum and told us the rules that we need to follow. Then we all went and started the 1st journey but before we went to our own destinations in the museum we watched a mini film in a theater about a girl who wants to visit around the world. After the film we all went separately, for me and Johanna’s destinations were Schweiz (Swiss), Nigeria, and Kamerun. In each of these stops we learned and found out information about their culture and other facts.  After visiting those places we all had break time and most of us ate at the restaurant. Afterwards, me, Johanna, Masya, Alexa, Ardine and Nicole visited Antarctica, Samoa, and Alaska. Once we finished we all had to gather in front of the souvenir shop, while waiting for everyone to gather. Some of us shopped in the shop. After everyone gathered by 3pm we all went back to the bus and left Klimahaus Bremerhaven.

 

Day 11 (September 30th 2022)

We were at our own houses and each had our own schedule of breakfast whereas I (alexa) woke up at 7.00 and had breakfast at 7.30. We went to school by bike and had our ride to Sasol Chemicals with Mr. Tobi along with Riyu and Ben. The other friends went with their own parents, with Mrs. Babsi or even like Philip and Sastra by motorbike. We gathered in front of the building and were directed to the firefighting building and continued with a short introduction of the place we visited. Sasol Chemicals is an integrated company whose businesses include energy and chemical. It was started in 1950 and is already located in 18 countries including the one they have in Brunsbüttel. We were shown a safety video first and divided into small groups which I found them highly effective to make it easier for the people there to explain and give detailed information. Such a big area of the company is separated into two main places which are the laboratory and the factory. The main products they make are alumina and fatty alcohol. Whereas in the factory area, we walked through the big machines while they showed us what its purpose was. How they make the alcohol that eventually would become alumina with such a complicated process called Ziegler Process that through a long and a lot of chemical process. Meanwhile on the other side, in the laboratory area we were shown how they analyze or do the quality control of every material they were sent or will be used or to produce. They even have technologies starting from small machines to distinguish impurities in the liquid to the bigger one that involves another element to detect other things inside the compound. The most interesting part also was when they invited us to make a shower gel which is one of the examples of how their product would create something like that. We even could bring it home with us along with a lip balm as a souvenir. At last we had our delicious lunch there and had a short feedback moment. We finished around 13.15 and headed back to school to learn how to play some instruments like trumpet, flute, clarinet, saxophone and some more. Some of the students helped us to do it because it turned out to be harder than we expected. Even the way we should breathe to create the sound was so much harder than what we saw at the concert because they played it very well and made it look easy somehow.

Family Day 1 ( October 1st 2022, by Alexa)

As usual, we started off the day with a brief breakfast by the time we had agreed the day prior and after that we went to Hamburg by car which was driven by Svenja herself since she’s legal already. Her dad was the co-pilot and it was the first time I’ve encountered a short traffic in Germany on the way to Hamburg, but it was not that bad. We had our day planned days before so we went straight ahead to Hamburg Dungeon which was a kind of “horror” house. We lined up for a couple of minutes waiting with the drizzle pouring on our heads. It was unique. Not the kind of “horror” house like we have in Indonesia. It tells about Hamburg’s dark ages so there were a lot of storytellers there (too bad they use German, but fortunately Svenja’s dad translated most of the stories) but of course, still very exciting and scary. What makes it more interesting is that inside of it, you will have the experience of riding a water boat and some kind of thrilling ride. After that, we strolled around Hamburg and had lunch in an Italian restaurant near the very hotspot of Hamburg. There we saw some attractions of people break-dancing, a church was having some kind of mini worship session in the middle of the town, and hundreds of people just walking and shopping around. We also went to some shops, Europa Passage, and walked through the Elbe river where there were a lot of big ships. Then we waited for some moments in the car, fueling up a bit with some snacks and went to the harbor to go on a boat-tour. That day was the second time I went to Hamburg, but traveling and seeing Hamburg from the river point of view, especially at night time, was spectacular. Again, there was a tour-guide but he used German, so Svenja’s dad was the one who told me everything. We passed and saw so many things that made the name Port of Hamburg make sense. There were many long bridges, the biggest container ship that could hold around 20.000 containers, even some military ships. I thought that was the ending of the family day but turns out, we went to a place called Miniatur Wunderland which was located at the very next of Hamburg Dungeon. That place was amazing! We saw the miniatures of many countries like Switzerland, Italy, Germany, and many more with such interesting buttons to interact with it. Not just that, there were also the dioramas that explained Germany’s history, depicting how it was before and after wars. Then we had dinner and went back home at around 00.35. It was so funny because Svenja’s father told us that we would go back home around 1 am and I thought he was joking, but turns out it was true. But I 100% enjoyed the family day because I learned so many new things and could spend some time being a part of their family.

Family Day 1 (October 1st 2022, by Riyu)

Today is a family day, so I woke up at 8.30 and I had breakfast with Ben and the family. We ate brötchen and a slice of meat on it. After that I get ready because me and Ben’s family wants to go to Heide to go shopping. Because Heide has the largest market square in Germany. We went there by car, and it’s not that far from Brunsbüttel. It’s a very cool city and I like it. We went to some clothing store and I bought a hoodie and some outerwear, also a girl crop top as a souvenir for my mother. We also take a look in an electronic store, games store, and also souvenir store. And then we went to the supermarket to buy some drinks. After that, we went to the softball match because Ben’s sister is playing in the competition. It was a very fun match and I really enjoyed it cause it was my first time watching a softball match. After that, we went home and took a rest. While taking a rest, I video called my mom and my dad and also my friends. And at night me and Ben’s family baked some pizza and played some board games with Ben’s friends. We played an activity board game, we played a game, etc. It was a very fun night, because I really enjoyed playing with Ben’s friends.

Family Day 1 (October 1st by Dywa)

On Saturday, we went to Hamburg! And because it’s a family day, we woke up a bit late at 8, had breakfast at 9, and we finally went to Hamburg at 10. First, we went to a museum where we saw a bunch of animals from the deserts, the forests, and even underwater. Next, we went to Europa Passage where I bought some clothes for my family, and myself. Then we had lunch at Hard Rock Hamburg. The food is top notch, but the prices as well. Especially in the gift shop. I spent £112 just for 4 T-Shirts! But, it was for my family, so it’s worth it. Then, we went home to watch Theo’s (Jula’s boyfriend, such a nice guy actually) Handball match. Sadly he didn’t win, but it was amazing how they could catch the points from 16 points gap to just 2, and Theo was just absolutely killing it with scoring 5 points all by himself. Then, we had dinner with Masya, Alexa, Ardine, Nicole, Nasya, Johanna, Kayla, Cheyenne, and of course Theo, and Jula. After that, we karaoke through the night.

Family time (October 1st 2022), by Citta

Saturday , we did the Luebeck tour. At 8.40 we had breakfast with bread, salad, cereal and other things that were available. Then at 10 we started the tour. It is explained that the Luebeck building has a characteristic that uses bricks as the main material for making houses/buildings, there is a storage area, and the architecture and churches that we saw. We finished the tour at 12:41 pm and my family went shopping and stopped at the cafe for snack time. After shopping, we returned to the hotel at 4 and rested until 7 for dinner. We had dinner at an Italian restaurant. After eating, we returned to the hotel to shower and sleep.

Family Day 1 (Oct. 1st 2022, by Ardine)

We had breakfast at 7.45 AM and went to Itzehoe to get a substitute car since there was a problem with my partner’s car. After around 30 minutes at the dealer, we then continued to drive to Hamburg. There, we walked through the entire city. First, we visited a church that luckily was having a typical organ performance and it was heavenly for my ears. We then went to a Scandinavian-style store because my partner wanted to take a look, and we bought some food to eat such as bratwurst for the Babinsky fam and a tuna pizza for me. After that, we continued walking to the city hall which was also huge and stunning. I like the architectural style of classic European buildings that give magnificent vibes. During our walk, I saw some places the group saw when we visited Hamburg a few days prior. After taking a long walk through the city, it turned out the family booked a chocolate factory tour for that day at a famously known chocolate store in Hamburg, ChocoVersum. It was total fun because I had the chance of creating my own chocolate with the toppings I like. There was a guy who guided the group and he explained everything we needed to know, starting from how the chocolate was farmed, where are the most well-known chocolate producers (one of them is Southeast Asia that includes Indonesia), and involved us through the chocolate making where we can taste it. The Hamburg tour that day ended with us packaging the chocolate we created and taking a walk to Rossmann for me to buy souvenirs for my relatives. Then we went back home and had dinner.

 

Family Day 1 (October 1st 2022, by Masya)

Today, Alexa, her mom and I went to Kiel. We have breakfast at 9, and leave around half past ten. That same day there was a football match there, so a friend of Alexa’s mother took a ride in our car to go to Kiel. When we got there, the traffic conditions turned out to be quite heavy because of the football match, many people went to watch it. We dropped a friend of Alexa’s mother first near the stadium and then looked for a parking space. Today’s weather is not too bright, light rain accompanied our trip in Kiel. We walked down a street lined with souvenir shops. But our main goal is to go to the mall first. Arriving at the mall we went into several clothing stores to buy souvenirs for my brothers and buy some clothes for me too of course. Alexa’s mother also bought me a very beautiful and cool hoodie as my gift. Alexa offered to buy the famous boba drink there, and we stopped by the boba drink booth to buy it. It turns out that the boba here is different from the boba I usually drink in Bali. The boba I drank was not chewy and broke in one bite and gave off a different type of taste. After drinking the boba we continued our trip to the toy store to buy lego. After a long walk into different shops, we took a short break at KFC to fill our stomachs. After finishing our meal, we exit the mall and return to the street lined with souvenir shops. I stopped by one of the souvenir shops to buy some bracelets for my friends and a scarf for my grandma. After paying for everything, we continued our trip around the city of Kiel to enjoy the beauty of this city. I can’t believe it’s 4pm and we’re walking back to the car park, and Alexa’s mom is driving back to Brunsbuttel. That night, Alexa’s parents, Alexa, and I went to the Asian Food Restaurant to have dinner there. They served a buffet menu and we could take and eat as much as we wanted. We ate very much and were very full and after that we went home. Today was a very enjoyable day and I enjoyed all the activities that Alexa and I did, as well as the places we visited, be it Kiel or the Asian Restaurant. Today I am very happy with Alexa’s family.

Family Day 1 (October 1st 2022, by Sastra)

So here I am Sastra, Saturday was family time day!!!. I was so excited because finally I could enjoy my day with my lovely Monsees Fam :). Me n Fam decided to go to the mall, The central mall Elbe Einkaufszentrum in Hamburg. I really enjoyed my day because Papa said I could sleep longer and get ready in the afternoon, maybe it was 11 am. Then I got ready and papa drove the car. The whole fam were going together but papa, philip, janus, and i in one car then mama and marie went with the other car they have. It was a long journey to go to Hamburg and on the road was so fun because I could go through the autobahn and see a lot of supercars!. After that long journey, we just arrived at the Elbe Einkaufszentrum. I met Cheyenne’s fam and of course there was Kayla, we were shopping together. I was looking for a pair of shoes but unfortunately I couldn’t find any shoes that I wanted. We even surrounded the whole mall and visited every single outlet. After that we took a break and had lunch with the fam, and one of the good parts was the asian food resto LOL. At the end of the shopping time, I just bought some clothes because I didn’t have any shoes there. On the way we were finding our car in the parking area, papa just surprised me with a concert ticket. The concert was held in Barclays Arena and we attended Michael Patrick Kelly’s tour band. I freaked out because I haven’t been to any concert before and the first experience was at the Barclays Arena!. I really enjoyed the concert because it was pretty much fun. I really love the band and the stage. They were so fascinating. The concert ended maybe around 11 pm and the fam really felt sleepy and tired so we drove back home. That was such an amazing day and I feel really grateful because I have such a wonderful and kind family and I can not find any other way to say thanks to them because I think the words “thank you” are not enough to appreciate their kindness.

Family Day 2 (02/10/22, by Alexa)
Because we had a long day the day before, for Sunday’s itinerary, it was not that busy. We decided to go to church at 10 am where we also met Masya and Alexa. The service that day was about how they cherish and are grateful for the harvest, so there were a lot of vegetables at the front of St.Jakobus Kirche. Since we did not have our breakfast yet, we walked to a small bakery and bought some bread. Interesting how this store provided and made bread out of cabbage (since it was the month of kohl), which was weirdly tempting. Then we went back home and had our breakfast. Yes, surprisingly, the cabbage bread was so good! Breakfast or I think it was more like brunch was done and we decided to have some rest. At 3 pm we gathered again in the dining room to bake an apple strudel. For someone who always fails at baking anything, I was super happy when Svenja taught me to make it and it came out super pretty and so delicious! In the meantime while waiting for the oven, Svenja and I made an artwork by stitching some drawings onto a canvas while her dad was working on the garden. When there was the sound “ting!”,we gathered and ate together the apple strudel with ice cream while talking about many things as always. For some time after that, we all tried to finish our own works. Then we went for dinner in a restaurant in a small town approximately 10 km from Brunsbuettel. It was known for its fish and prawns so we tried some of it. After we had our stomach filled, we got home and had a sleep.

Family Day 2 (October 2nd 2022, by Riyu)

This day is a second family day. In the morning I had breakfast with brötchen and a slice of it as usual. After breakfast, I get ready because Ben’s family want to go to a forest in the Dithmarschen named Waldregeln. I used boots cause it was a bit rainy that day so it was a little bit muddy in the forest. We went there by car and it’s not far from Brunsbüttel. It’s like only 15 minutes. In the forest, we take a look by walking. It was so fun to walk in the forest while breathing the fresh air, also the forest is so good to see. There’s also a playground there and we played there. We enjoyed our moment there and I love it. After that we went home to get ready cause we wanted to watch Ben play in the football match. We went to the football pitch and Ben with his team prepared their preparations for the match. Me and ben’s family waited for the match on the side of the pitch. And when the match started, we were very excited to watch it. It was also a fun match and ben’s team won. After the match we had a family dinner with Ben’s grandparents and also with Nasya and Johanna. We ate at a Chinese restaurant and it was very delicious. And after dinner we went home with all of the family, including Nasya and Johanna to watch the balinese activity video that Ben has edited. After that I watched a movie with Ben’s family before we went to sleep. That was a very fun day, and I really love it cause I enjoyed having a family day with Ben’s family.

 

Family Day 2 (October 2nd, by Dywa)

Today is Sunday. On the way, we stopped at Jula’s Father bee farm. In there, I learnt about how bees grow, how they get through the winter, there’s even a cool sistem where you can warm the bees so that I wouldn’t die on winter. And then we went on a trip to Flensburg where Mika, Jula’s brother, drove us there. When Mika parked the car, I went outside and I was fully amazed by how beautiful it is. The old boats, the pier, the old houses (some houses are even hundreds of years old). There, I made a little fun video about the schon hier, and we went on a museum called Phanomenta. There, we can see all the magical things, like optical illusions. And also see the old tools people in the past used. It was so beautiful. And after that, we had lunch at Extrablatt. The food there are really good. We went for a little walk to the parking spot, and we went home.

Family day 2(October 2nd 2022), by Citta

Sunday, time for us to return home. We ate at 8.30 and went back to our room to prepare to go home. Arriving home at 10. At 11 mina had a handball match that required her to come first. We followed Mina at 2 and came to the match venue. It was very exciting because it was the first time I saw a handball match. Mina’s team in part 1 (30 minutes) got 19 and 12 opposing teams. Rest 10 minutes and start again part 2 (30 minutes) and won by Mina’s team with the result 41-31. And that’s my family time

Family Day 2 (October 2nd 2022, by Masya)

Today is the second day of family time with Alexa’s family. In the morning Alexa, her mother, and I went to church. The church is an old church that is very beautiful even though there are not too many ornaments inside. We also met Svenja, Alexa (bali) and Svenja’s father. We will worship together. It’s fitting that today is a special service to celebrate the harvest season and the priest is preaching in old German language. Luckily Svenja’s dad understood and was able to help translate it for Alexa and me. The service only lasts about 45 minutes. After the service was over, we went back to our homes. We got ready for a while to go to a place like a wildlife marga to see the endemic animals here. When we got there we met Nasya, Johanna, and Johanna’s family. We all saw the animals together there such as wolves, foxes, eagles, owls, deer and cats. In addition we also feed some of the animals there such as wild boars and goats. In addition, we also watched bird shows, from small to large, all were shown. I remember Nasya was almost hit by a large bird flying towards her, but luckily she didn’t. After we walked around for a while we returned to the place where we first met to buy food. Alexa, Johanna and I bought crepes to fill our stomachs. Then after we finished our meal, I bought a doll as a souvenir. Alexa and I also bought a couple dolls, we each had one hedgehog doll we named Hildegard and Klaus. After that we went home, and when we got home I continued my activities by cooking dinner with Alexa and her father. We cooked chicken and pork for dinner with Alexa’s neighbor who had just returned from a cruise. Cooking with Alexa’s father is very fun, I really enjoy it, the food we cook is also very good. After we finished with dinner, we chatted for a while, then Alexa and I went out for a walk to unload the food we ate so much. After that we went home. It’s a little tiring, but I’m so happy to have many activities with Alexa’s family.

Family Day 2 (Oct. 2nd 2022 by Ardine)

In the morning, we started the day by having some breakfast. I had bread, salmon, and butter as usual. Our plan that day was to gather a family meeting with grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins. We went to Segeberg to have lunch together at a Chinese restaurant where they served a buffet and I took quite many foods because I kinda missed Asian foods. The family was friendly and nice, they gave me some gifts and were talkative so I feel very appreciated. I talked with my partner’s cousins who are in their last year of school and one is applying for medical school. The food was really good, just some were made with a different mix of vegetables than what I usually eat in Asia, overall tasted good. We then went to the aunt and uncle’s home where I discovered that they have numerous rabbits and bunnies. I had the chance to touch them also, they were so soft and cute. I kinda looked around the house where the uncle showed me their beautiful garden with plenty of flowers and different plants. After that, we went to the grandparent’s stay which was also very beautiful and spacious. The grandma served us cakes, cookies, and tea that all tasted delicious, though reminded me of Christmas vibes. Sadly, it was my first and last meeting with the aunt, uncle, and cousins. There’s no other chance of meeting them again during the program due to our busy schedule and the distance. I met the grandparents before the school concert, but still, it’s so sad because they were all really nice people. After we ended the family gathering in the evening, we then went back home and had homemade pizza for dinner. Then we played ludo and took a rest.

Family Day 2 (October 2nd 2022, by Sastra)

Family time day 2 with Monsees Family!!!. So yesterday Philip just asked me for the plan and he decided to go to the zoo with Cheyenne’s family. I agreed with him and prepared myself. I was so excited before but then papa said he wouldn’t come with us because something and wanted to set up the preparation for hot tub things. I went with mama, marie, and philip in one car and arrived at the zoo around 1 am. It was so funny because we couldn’t find any parking area and maybe 20 mins later we found a parking area that was 1,5 km far from the zoo LOL. After such a long journey we met Cheyenne’s family and Kayla. We entered the zoo and looked at the adorable animal. On the way around the zoo, we took a break and bought some crepes. Then we continued our journey and we found some rare animals, such as : some rare penguin specieses, seals, walrush, mountain goats, and so on. After that we went back home and did the hottub thingy. I actually had no idea what papa meant about the hot tub and he just surprised me. Papa said we have to stay inside the 40°C hot water and then jump to the cold pool. It was so terrifying because the way our body temperature just changed quickly, my whole body just got tingling for a moment and we did it many times, it became so fun because we were laughing at each other. After that I took a bath and got into bed.

 

Family Day 1 ( October 1st 2022, by Kayla )

So at this day we have breakfast at around 10.00-11.00 AM, and after that we ( Me, Cheyenne, Cheyenne’s mom and brother ) go to a mall in hamburg, the mall name is mall Elbe Einkaufszentrum. in there we also meet Sastra, Philip, and Philip’s family, we also had our lunch in there, we eat some Asian foods, and after that we go around the mall, it’s nice to see the mall in hamburg, after we go around the mall, Philip’s Family and us separate because Philip’s family is going to a concert. After that we go back to Brunsbuttel to Jula’s house for dinner, in Jula house there’s also, me and Cheyenne of course, Nasya & Johanna, Ardine & Nicole, Masya & Alexa, Dywaa, and Jula’s boyfriend was also there. We have a really nice dinner, and after that we have a little karaoke, before we go back home.

 

Family Day 2 ( October 2nd 2022, by Kayla )

Same as Yesterday, we have breakfast at around 10.00-11.00 AM, but for today’s plan it’s only me, Cheyenne, and Cheyenne’s brother and dad. So for today we are heading to the Tierpark Hagenbeck zoo in Hamburg, And of course there’s also Sastra, Philip and Philip’s Family. In there we see a lot of new animals that’s is rarely found in Bali’s zoo, such as Polar bear for example, and it was really nice. We also had a signature Germany dessert called “crepes”, I ordered the Nutella flavor, and it was tasty. And after that we still go around, until we finally got back to the starting point. From there us and Philip’s family got separated, and then we go back home. In the way home we eat some Pizza for the dinner. Then about 1 hour long we finally arrived at home.

(3rd October 2022)

After 2 days we had spent with our own family there, this day we went to Claus and Christa’s house. We had to arrive there at 10am. Our activity is walking in the aukrug forest. It’s a forest near Claus and Christa’s house. From their house, we went to the forest by walk and learned about the graveyard there. It’s a very unique graveyard because they made the graveyard not look like any other graveyard, they made it look like a normal forest. After a long walk in the forest, we went back to Claus and Christa’s house and there we gathered with the families. We watched a slideshow about our activities that we had done in Bali and a few days in Germany. While watching the videos we ate some cakes and some other snacks. After that we went to the claus and christa’s backyard and we learned how to peel a shrimp. It really needed a technical move and we have to take it easy and also carefully. We finally nailed it and we were allowed to eat the shrimp and it was so yummy like fresh seafood hahaha. After that we went home and the others planned to gather at Alexa’s house. We went there at 7 pm and we roasted some marshmallows and some bread. It was so fun and the fact that it was our last gathering activity made me really feel sad. But anyway, we just enjoyed our last time in Brunsbüttel and we are willing to come back again there as a family and a team again.

Farewell day October 5th 2022

We gathered at the Brunsbuettel Gymnasium for the last time at 8.30 for breakfast together. We eat with bread and toppings that we have prepared. We also brought our own cutlery. After breakfast, we went to class and saw the videos and photos that were played during our activities in Bali and Germany. At 10 we had to leave for the airport along with our luggage. After arriving, some of us whose luggage exceeds 30kg had to take out their belongings again and put them in some of our friends’ suitcases. After that Alexa wanted to make a schon hier video with everyone and we went to check in. after everything was over, we hugged and cried together. Even though we tried, it’s hard to keep it in. It felt like we’ve just lost one of our family members. We went in and split up in the duty free because there was still plenty of time before 12.50. after that we walked to the gate, and waited there. It turned out that we were all still hungry, luckily there was a shop selling bread and drinks. We ate and waited for our plane to Turkey to arrive. After walking around and spending our euro coins because they couldn’t be exchanged, our Gate finally opened and we walked quite a while to get to our gate. There, we saw many other Indonesians, and for some reason I missed seeing Indonesians people again.

Last Day of the Trip ( Going Back Home, October 6th 2022 )

We arrived at the Istanbul turkey airport by 20.00 pm . We transited/stayed there for 7 hours . During the long  hours of free time miss elly and miss ellis allowed us to shop around the airport and we have to be back at the base/spot area that miss elly and miss ellis decided around 12.00 pm . After many hours of waiting we finally left the Istanbul ariport by 02.00 am and arrived at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai airport bye 20.00 pm . After we arrived we didn’t left the airport right away, we had to stay to d some things like taking care of passports, getting luggage’s and etc. all that more less took around 2 hours . So we left the airport at around 22.00 pm . Once we finish our stuff in the airport we went out of the airport and got reunited with our own families, said our farewells,goodbyes, and thank you’s to miss elly and ellis and the whole team. And that’s it, that was the end of the 2nd Brunsbüttel – Bali student exchange program 2022 between Gymnasium Brunsbuttel and SMPK 2 Harapan.