The Journey is On Board (Germany Program)
The Journey is On Board (Germany Program)
The students exchange program in Bali is over, we had learned many things about ecology and culture that huge change our perception about environment and culture. But, the journey of this students exchange program isn’t over. We continued to the Germany students exchange program. Travelling to Europe is one of our big dream as the Balinese students and Germany is one of the country we want to visit. With this students exchange, we aren’t only travelling and enjoy the landscape but, also learned many things new for us especially, about ecology and culture in Germany. For 12 days, we had visited and learned a lot of things from a lot of places.
Welcoming Ceremony was our first activity in the exchange program. The welcoming ceremony was held at the Elbe Forum in 19th of August that started at 09.00 AM. In the welcoming ceremony there was a music team from the Brunsbüttel Gymnasium that play many kinds of musical instrument. They are playing three instrument that played in the first, middle, and the last part of the welcoming ceremony.
After the first instrument that played by the music teams, Mr. Thee that is the principal of the Gymnasium Brunsbüttel gave some greeting words for greeting the Balinese groups. After that, the mayor of the Brunsbüttel, Martin Schmedtje gave some greeting words too. Then, after he finished, continued by greeting word from the owner of Proffesor Nowak Stiftung, Prof. Claus and Prof. Christa, the people that sponsored this program. Then, the ceremony continued again with the second music instrument that played by the music team.
After the second instrument played, then continued again with the greeting words from the Germany teachers that participated in this program, they are Ms. Verthein and Mr. Zabel. In this part, they gave a kind of pottery that shaped in glass. It is a special pottery because it was made of the waddensea seasand. Each person from Balinese group got a glass. On every glass, written the name of a person from Balinese group. After that, continued again with the greeting word from Indonesian teacher, they are Ms. Elly and Ms. Elis. In this part, they gave some of souvenirs that they brought. Especially, they gave Endek fabric to the Mr. Schmedtje and Mr. Thee. Then, the ceremony continued with the last music instrument that performed by the music team. Then, the opening ceremony finished.
After that, Mr. Schmedtje asked for all of us to write our name and sign that in a book. After all finished, we continued the activities at the school.
After join the class in the school in the first day, then we had lunch, and then we went to pottery claußen. There, we learned how to make pottery from the first until it finish. Pottery is things that made from clay, it can be used for decoration or daily tools. The first step to make pottery is to mix water and clay in a very big mixer that shaped as a bowl. Then, the mixed water and clay through some process, so the clay will be soft, so it is ready to be formed. Here we shape the pottery using turntable. So the process is put some clay on the turntable, step on the pedal, so the turntable start rotating. When rotating, make circle by your thumbs and fore fingers. Adjust the size of circle according to what shape do you want to make. To make a glass you need to make a hole in the middle, so you push the middle part while the turntable is rotating. To easier shaping the pottery on the turntable, we can moisten our hand before shaping the pottery.
After finish shaping the pottery then the pottery will be sunbathed for some time. After that, it will burnt in the big oven. This is a traditional oven because the heat is come from the fire that sprayed out from some holes in the side part in the oven. The purpose of burning the pottery is to remove the water in the clay, so the pottery will be hard and difficult to be cracked. The pottery will be burnt two times with two different temperatures. The first burning temperature is 1.150 oC and the second one is 900 oC. Each burning take time 24 hours. After the first burning, the pottery will be painted to make it more beautiful. Before start painting, the employee will draw the sketch using pencil, so it is easier than to paint on it. After painted, it will be burnt again for the second time. The purpose are to dry the painting and make it shiner.
After explaining the process, the owner gave some quiz for us. There are 4 questions that given by the owner, and the Balinese students could answer them. And for the prize, the owner gave some pottery that shaped glass and plate for some Balinese students. After giving some quiz, then some of Balinese students practiced make pottery using the turntable and we feel so hard to make that.
Besides the usual pottery made from the clay, the craftsman also make some special pottery that made from the waddensea seasand and the Balinese group get one for every person. It is shaped glass with some painting on it. There is also written the name on the glass for each person of the Balinese group.
After the pottery activity finished, then we went to the water gate museum. There we guided and got many informations about the water gate and the Nord-Ostsee Canal from Theres Carolus and her mom (they are the family of Eva, one of the Germany student that also participate in this exchange program). In the first, we got some explanations in the museum. Then, we also watch a video about the Kiel Canal. After that, we went outside and saw the appearance of the water gate and the chambers. We saw the water gate from many sides and angles. Then we went again to a building and got some explanations again. So, Watergate is some big locks that border the Nord-Ostsee Canal with the Elbe River. Nord-Ostsee Canal or Kiel Canal is a Canal that connect the Baltic sea and the Wadden sea. The east watergate is in Brunsbüttel and the west watergate is in Kiel.
The Kiel Canal was built from 1887 until 1895 (8 years) and officially declared open by Emperor William II. The purpose of this Canal is to reduce the sailing route. The length of the Kiel Canal is almost 100 km. It is much closer than sailing round the northern of Denmark. In the first, the canal was 67 metres wide and 9 metres deep and was made with two gates. Around 10 years later, Kiel Canal proved was too small, then it is widened and deepened. Furthermore, two additional lock chambers of double the size were built at each end of the canal. Now, Kiel Canal has an approximately width at waterline of 162 meters, floor width of 90 metres and a water depth 11 metres.
The small lock and the large lock consist of two lock chambers each. The function is to assist maintenance the water level on the canal. At the western side (Brunsbüttel watergate), the different between the water level in the canal and in the river Elbe up to 3 metres. On the Kiel side, the different between the canal and the Kiel Fjord is around 20-50 cm. The small lock chambers have usable length and width of 125 m and 22 m and the large lock chambers of 310 m and 42 m. Now, in the Brunsbüttel side there are 5 lock chambers. The Second day after we went pottery claußen, we and the Germany students practiced make pottery manually and not using machine. We practiced to make the pottery in an old school near the Gymnasium Brunsbüttel. There is a teacher that help us to make the pottery, her name is Mrs. Hennings. So, we shape the clay using our hand and also with some tools like grinder that used to flatten the clay, chisel knife that used to smoothes the pottery and also used to connect it with another parts. The students make different shape of pottery, after that we write our name under the pottery. Then it will be dry and we got the hard and dried pottery after some days. After finished making pottery, then we join the class in the school. Then, we have lunch in school.
After having lunch in school, then we went to Covestro. Some of us went there using car and some of us using bicycle. We also crossed the canal using ferry. After arrived there, we went to a meeting room. There served some cookies and beverages. Then, the human training manager told us many informations about the company. So, Covestro is a very big company that produce many things that related to chemistry. In the first, the Covestro old name was Bayer Material Science, but now it is already changed. After explaining many informations to us, then he practice something. He mix two chemical materials that in the first have the shape of liquid. After some times, it swells and harden. After practice that, we went outside, but before that, we have to use helmet and glasses. Then, he showed us a train that made from materials that they produce, also the materials for the painting.
In the outside there is a very tall tower that made from materials that they produce, especially for the painting. The motif of the painting is puzzle with many colors. Then, he led us to many rooms with different usability and machines.
One of their main program is named “ausbildung”. Ausbildung is a program that train young people start from 16-18 years old. They are trained to be a good worker. While participating in ausbildung program, they will get some salary. After finished the ausbildung program, they will work in the Covestro. They also can choose the working sector start from participating the ausbildung, so they can mastering the working sector that they choose.
The employee there also divided into physics employee and chemistry employee. The physics employee will control something like the electricity and the machines. The chemistry employee will working in the producing sector. After finished walking through some rooms in the Covestro, then we went out and came back to in front of the first building. Then we went home.
The Fourth day was Thursday. We gathered in Brunsbüttel Gymansium and got explanation about our activities in that day. Lana and Merle explained to us about it and the transportation that we’ll used. In this fourth day we went to Hamburg and got city tour. For us as Balinese students, Hamburg is the city that we want to visit and know more about the big city in Germany. We went there with the train and need an hour until arrived in Hamburg. Because, we used public transportation so, we guessed if the train will be dirty and have bad smell. But, The train was clean and had good smell. It is so different than in Indonesia. In Indonesia, the public transportation is dirty and in some transportation they have very bad smell. In here, we learned how Germany people care about their public transportation. After, an hour in train. We arrived in Hamburg Central Station. The first place we visited is Dome in Hamburg. The name of this Dome is St. Michael. In here we, visited to the top of the Dome. In the top, we can see the landscape of Hamburg. We can see 360 degree from that attitude. After visited the top of the Dome, we went back down and enjoyed the Organ in St. Michael, Hamburg. Before we went down, we also visited like small hall that explain the history of the Dome. When The Dome was destroyed because, of the bomb and rebuild again. The best things that we saw was the big bell that fell down because of the attack by bomb. And now, the bell is still in the same place when the bell was fell down. It is unique thing for us. After visited the Dome, We have short break for lunch. We search the nearest restaurant near there. The next activities was Harbor Tour XXL. We used small ships and get Harbor Tour. In the tour we can saw many things and many iconic places in Hamburg. And actually, see how busy the traffic in Hamburg Harbor. In that tour, we can see many big ships that we never see as close as in that time. We also see the smallest beach that we never see before. In the tour, our Germany friends translate the explanation of the guide tour. Because, the guide only explained it in Germany languages and not in English. In the tour, we also saw the most beautiful building and the most expensive building that we ever seen. That is Elbphilharmony. The building is so big and has different shape than another building near it. After, an hour harbor tour in the ship. We continued to shopping time. In this shopping time, our Germany partner will accompany us and also saw us the way. After an hour shopping time. We continued to back home with the train. For all of us, this day is very exhausted but, also very memorable for us.
The fifth day was Friday, We started our day with the meeting with all of the Germany and Balinese students and also the teachers. In Meeting, Cara and Eva explained to us where we’ll went and the general description about the place we’ll visited in that day. Our first stop is Aladin Bargensted. The place where the people bring their waste and where the all waste is over from all of Dithmarschen area. We went there with the bus that financed by AWD. All the way to the place we enjoy the vibe of Germany housing area and the landscape also. The first impression when we arrived in AWD is the place is so huge and clean. For us, it isn’t look like trash processing place in Indonesia. They totally separated all the types of trash. In Indonesia trash processing place only process less than a half percent of all the trash in the processing area. Before, we started the trip in AWD, The AWD had been prepared food and beverages for us and also the safety kits. After, enjoy the Food and beverages, the first step process that we visited is count weight and report area. In this area all of the vehicle area will report to the office about what they bring and the types of trash that they bring. In this area they also count the weight of the trash they bring. After that, we continued to the separated area. Where all the trash that come will separated with the types of things like electronic tool, plastic product, plants, foods, fabric, metal, and also construction materials. AWD also processing construction materials, which that unusual for us. In Indonesia we aren’t processing trash from construction materials. For us it was new experience to know someone who wants processing trash from construction materials. In Indonesia, construction materials trash is big and complicated problem for construction company. They must send the trash to some not owned land without any plants or party that accept the trash. Many not responsibility companies throw away their trash to some land with plants at it. In same time, they also kill the plants in the area and disturb the ecology of that area. Saw how Germany manage their construction trash material is amazing way to give the construction company place to bring their trash. The next place is the place for processing the trash. We came to huge indoor place where plants and foods trash will separated from any not plants and foods trash. The things that make us speechless is there are 4 people who doing this manually. They work in some room with at least 3 or 4,5 m attitude and the trash will come up to the room. And the people inside of room separated all the trash for 8 hours. Such incredible thing for us. They are the real superhero who survive in very unwell smell. All of us very proud from them. After they separated the trash, the machine bring them to another huge indoor area for decomposition. It’s take at least a month. After, a month the big machine will cut the trash into small pieces. The shape will like soil and warm. After this process, the trash change their name to fertilizer. After, that the AWD will pack it and sell it to market. Beside of the plants and foods trash processing area there is construction material processing area. Where the big machine will cut it into very small pieces like the first time they sell it to market. In front of that place, there is area for the result from the processing of construction material trash. After, finish our trip in AWD we back to the place we started the trip for enjoy again the lunch that prepared by AWD. In this AWD place we learn big thing about how Germany managed their trash and how they use all the trash so, we can use it again for reduce make thing from new material. For us, it is the real implementation of 3R (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) where they focus to recycle their trash. Another thing that make us surprise is when we see the Germany people bring and separated their own trash in AWD area. It is amazing. We can see how big the concern and responsibility of Germany people to their trash. That’s thing make us shame and give us big lesson to improve our concern and responsibility to our own trash.
After, visited AWD area we continued to have lunch again in Brunsbüttel Gymansium. We have lunch together with all of Balinese and Germany students and also Germany and Balinese teachers. We enjoyed our short brake together with discuss about the next activity and our impression in AWD area.
We was continued to the next activities that, at Biology Laboratory in Brunsbüttel Gymansium. In this activities the Brunsbüttel Gymansium biology teacher, Mrs. Gross helped us for use Microscope to see bacteria or anything else inside of the sample that we had taken from AWD. The sample is the compost from the processing of plants and foods trash. All of us, sited with our each partner and use the microscope together. After that, Mrs. Gross explain to us the steps to use the bacteria or anything else inside of the sample. But, unfortunately not all of us can see anything in side of the sample. We thought, It’s because when we was touched the compost in AWD, the compost was warm. So, we guessed the bacteria or living things inside was died. But, some of us stay can see some living things inside of the sample. For us as Balinese students, we was so happy can use great microscope and all of use can use 1 microscope. It is very different for the situation in our school. In our school we only have one microscope for almost 38 students. So, we must share it and we only have less than 3 minutes to use the microscope because, we need to give the opportunity to another students. After, we use sample that we had taken from AWD, Mr. Zabel had taken water sample from near river from the Brunsbüttel Gymansium. With that sample, we also can see many living things inside of the sample. After those two activities, all of our Germany family had brought us back home.
In this day, we had learned about how we can processing the trash and know the living thing inside of the compost. In this day also we had realized, if we need to improve our responsibility and care to our own trash. We also really thanks to Prof. Claus and Prof. Christa who gave us 9 microscopes for we can use in our school. It was amazing and really make all of us happy because, finally we can use really great microscope and don’t need wait and share the microscope with all of our friends in our class. Can get microscope make us can see and know what is inside of some sample that we take from somewhere and also, make us not only learn about the theory but also can see the real things that book said.
The sixth day at 24 August 2019, we be ready at our each partner home, had breakfast, then headed to Friedrichskoog with each parent’s cab. We brought our stuffs and clothes for a night at Tönning Youth Hostel. After 30 minutes, we arrived at Friedrichskoog Seal Sanctuary and gathered at parking area while we were waiting for other friends and our teachers.
When everybody was ready, our German teachers bought entrance tickets and we directly entered the seal sanctuary area. What a wonderful experience for us the Balinese group. We saw many seal with a different types. They played in a pool with guide men which explained some information to the visitor. There are also two guides woman which guided us to explore the Friedrichskoog Seal Sanctuary. We watched the feeding moment of the seal there. After a moment, the guide woman invited us to explore the seal museum and told us information about seal, expecially the seal population at Wadden Sea. The next part was an area under the seal pool. We could watch the seal activities there and the Balinese students asked some question about it. The seal sanctuary moment was ended with a short shopping time at the seal sanctuary shop.
We headed to mudflat at Wadden Sea with our each parent’s cab. First thing first, we prepared our outfits and took off our shoes. When we entered the mudflat entrance, we met Mrs. Austen, which is our partner’s mom. She guided us to learn and explore about mudflat, which is a very important ecosystem in North Germany. We walked on the mudflat really carefuly, because it was really slippery. We learnt about some little animals in mudlfat, they are snails, worms, mussle, and crab. Especially, she explained the different of male and female crab, the worm activity under the soil, how the mussle come down the soil, and other interesting things. It was really educate us.
We spent about one until two hours and the adventure at mudflat was ended. We walked back then cleaned ourself especially our feet and be ready to the next plan.
With our each parent’s cab, we went to our next plan at Büsum, a little fishing city. We need about 1 hour untill we arrived there. We gathered at the parking area that located near the Büsum. It was about 3 PM, and we didn’t have our lunch yet. So while we were waiting for the others, some of us who arrived earlier had our small lunch with sandwich and some snacks.
After few minutes, we were complete and ready to start our tour at Büsum fishing city. We headed to the Büsum little city by foot together, also with the German student’s parent and our teachers. We saw playground there and many people spent their time with their family there. We arrived at the fishing centre and we were amazed by a wonderful sea view. There were many fishing ship with fisherman. As what we read before, the famous thing at Büsum is about small shrimp which taste really delicious. Before we start out tour on a ship, our German teacher prepared something then everybody was ready and we boarded the ship. There were many people also join in this tour.
The sun was shining when the tour started and it was really hot. Some of us decided to stay in a room and the others stay outside while enjoying the sea view. We took a lot of photos with a beautiful sea view as our photos background. In this tour, we guided by some fisherman and they told us how they catch the fish and shrimp using fishing nets. They immedietly practiced it and they got a lot of shrimp and there were also crab, small fish, and starfish. They served us a basket of shrimp. Our German teachers told us how to eat that little shrimp. Then we are Balinese group tried to eat the shrimp and it was really taste delicious. We really liked it. We spent about one until two hour to finish this tour.
We were back to Büsum little city. We still had enough time so we walked around the city and bought an ice cream to refresh ourselves. There were also some gift shop, which sell special gift from Büsum like Büsum flag, pirates backpack, keychain, and many interesthing gifts. Some of us the Balinese students bought it.
It was about 5 PM and we must headed to Tӧnning Youth Hostel. With our each parent’s cab, we headed to Tӧnning Youth Hostel. We already brought our stuffs and clothes for a night there. We arrived there after 45 minutes on the way. It was really quite there. Tӧnning Youth Hostel is the last part of our schedule this day and our German parents will back home. We were really thankful of them. They spare their time to drove us and also joined in our shcedule. They also provided lunch and snacks for us. They were really cared about us. Before they leave, we took our stuffs and said a lot of thanks.
Our activities were continued at Tӧnning Yout Hostel. Our German teachers prepared some things about our rooms and gave the key to us. In one room, there are 3 or 4 people of Balinese group and German group. We put our stuff in our each room and took some bed equipment like blankets, bed cover, and pillowcases, then we prepared our each bed. There are table in our room, washtafel with a mirror, and two bunk beds. We were back to our meeting room and had a short meeting there after we prepared our room.
It was evening and after the short meeting we had our dinner there, which provided by Tӧnning Youth Hostel. We had our lunch together. Then, we had a short meeting again with our each group which are Balinese group and German group. One hour lefts and everybody gathered again in meeting room. It was free time for us. Some students played small game using card like werewolf and other German games. Some students also practiced for music show at Pers Conference on next Monday. We spent our evening together.
About our activities this day, finally we were tired and it was about 11 PM. So, we were back to our each room and had a goodnight.
At seventh day, we woke up in the morning at the Tönning Youth Hotel. We made ourselves ready until 10.00 than, we put our stuff in one room and walk to the Multimar Wattforum. We need about 20 minutes until we got there. When we just got into the building, we put our bag, and our jacket in a locker, the get ready for the tour. In the Multimar Wattforum, we can see a lot of animals that live in Wadden Sea. Not only fishes and others sea creatures, but we can also see birds, and creatures that live inside the mud. We saw the real animals and also a replica of some big animals, whale for the example. We saw a whale replica that have the same size as the real one. That whale was sperm whale that live in Wadden Sea.
After finished the tour, the guide divided us into some groups and give us a paper that contains few question. We have to answer all the question about animals that we saw in that museum. We went all around the museum to find the answer.
After answered all of the questions, we went back to the lobby. We can buy some merchandise there for souvenirs. We waited for the parents to pick us up, then we went back to the hotel to took our stuff. We had lunch on a beach named St. Peter Ording. On the way to the beach we got some traffic jam so we need more time to get there. We spent almost 1 hour in the car.
We had a picnic on the beach with the parents. We ate food that the parents brought. We ate it together on carpets in front of Mika’s family travel car. After finished eating, we went into the water and have some fun, we run here and there, tried to make others wet. After one by one of us felt tired, we decided to go back to where the parents were. We cleaned up ourselves and also the place before leaving. We went back to each partner’s house. Some of us were preparing for the press conference on Monday at the night and had a rest.
At the Eight day, As usual we gathered at school at 7 in the morning. We were weared neat clothes and we also ride bikes and use bicycle helmets. After everyone gathered, we got ready to get around Dithmarchen on a bicycle. The atmosphere is very cool and fresh when we ride bikes. Challenging roads and climbs keep us all entertained. The trip was fast and we stopped at a place where the cabbage field was. First we were invited to the room where they were to clean and flush the cabbage, there we were explained and accompanied by the cabbage officer. After that we are invited to go to a cold room where the place is used to store cabbage to be fresh and durable. After that we are invited to the cabbage fields to explain how they harvest cabbage and the tools they use to harvest and the type of soil they use.
Next we continue our journey by using bicycles to see the windmills, after we parked the bikes and put other equipment, Lasse and Mika explained how the windmills work and the benefits of the windmills to produce electricity, on windmills wind energy is used to turning mechanical equipment to do physical work, such as grinding “grains” or pumping water. Some of us also ask questions about these windmills. than around the windmill we saw a lot of cabbage plants that were ready to be harvested. after that we continued our journey, the journey was quite far and rather draining energy.
After that we arrived at the cattle farm, before that we parked our bikes in front of the farm. After that the officer from the farm welcomed and introduced himself to us. Then we were invited to a cow pen that was just born or still a baby. Some of us try to hold the body of the little cow. And in each of the small cowshed, put a container containing milk for the cow to drink. The farm is very large and has many cages. Some cows are put in the old cages and others are put in new cages (new buildings). And then we are invited to the milking machine by using an automatic machine that can detect the serial number on the barcode in the ears of the female cow in order to find out the last time the cow was milked and record how many times the cow was milked and to find out when the cow was milked again. In Germany, for cattle farms they are given a large amount of land to eat grass as freely as possible. Manure from the cattle is collected by the owner of the farm because they have tools that can convert manure into electrical energy. The farm focuses on providing milk instead of meat because the pregnancy is not by injection but through bulls. Next we are invited to see how the biogas system is. Biogas is produced by anaerobic activity or fermentation from organic materials. Biogas can be produced from raw materials such as: livestock manure, municipal waste, plant material, food waste, etc. biogas is a renewable energy source. Biogas is mainly methane and carbon dioxide and may have a small amount of hydrogen sulfide, moisture and siloxane. Methane gas, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide can burn with oxygen. This release of energy is used as fuel. And then we were given the opportunity to try pure cow’s milk produced by dairy cows using a modern machine. Before we went home, we thanked the farm clerk and we took bicycles and continued our home.
After, Our activities in the morning until afternoon. The next activity and the most activity that made us nervous during the whole program is preannouncement press. The activity was located in the Elbe forum, the place where the welcoming ceremony was held in first day. The preannouncement press started at 19.30 PM and finished at 23.45 PM. In this preannouncement press, all the Germany students presentation and explained their activities in Bali. In the preannouncement press all the family from each Germany students, parents of the Germany teachers and also the member of the foundation and all the citizen in Brunsbüttel. In the end of the preannouncement press, all the Indonesia students explained about our experience during the program until this day. Each of us got one topic and must explained it as clear as we can. For us, can explain and told to the participants in this preannouncement press was amazing experience. For the brake the Indonesia students also showed the improvisation music band with our Indonesia teacher, Mrs. Elis Parilasanti. In the showed, we showed 2 songs. One song with our teacher and another song only the students with the title “ I Believe I Can Fly”. Such amazing experience, we can played music and sang the song in Germany.
In the Ninth day, we woke up in the morning and prepared ourselves. We went to the school for a short meeting. We went to Bremerhaven by bus and we need about 50 minutes.Bremerhaven we went to climate house and there we are divided into some groups and we must put our bag in the locker. Before we went inside the climate house they gave us information about the important things inside the climate house. They gave us pepper that contains some questions for our groups to answer. We are going inside the climate house. Inside the climate house first we must watched video about person travel the world. In climate house we can see and feel how the temperature around the world and many types of animals like fish, snake, insects and many more. After we answered all the question we went to the next room, the room is for played some games. Inside that room there is like a table for us to play but we must have like a game card to play. When we have finished the game we must gave the card back and they will gave us a charter because we have finished the game. We went back to our house and take a rest.
At the tenth day, we went to Hanseatic Museum. Hanseatic Museum is a very memorable trip in our opinion, because it was our last days there and was presented with an interesting view of the city of Lubeck. We traveled to the city of Lubeck by Bus for 2 hours than, when we were arrived in the city of Lubeck we visited to the City Center and take a group photo there, and continue the journey to the Hanseatic Museum. First impression when seeing the Museum is Very Beautiful, because it has a design like an old building but has modern facilities in it, Also in this Museum we are taught a great deal of history about the Hanseatic League which is an economic alliance of trading cities and merchant guilds that dominate trade along the coast of Northern Europe. This alliance stretches from the Baltic Sea to the North Sea and mainland Europe during the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern Period (c. 13-17 century).Also in this Museum there are a lot of Ship Miniatures, Wood “, and Examples” of goods traded by traders at that time and this was an impressive journey for us with such a long and interesting history about the Hanseatic League. After we visited the Hanseatic Museum, we continued our journey to Genzd documentationationsstätte Lübbeck – Schlutup Genzd documentationationsstätte Lübbeck – Schlutup is a simple house but saves a lot of history that is very important for the German state now, even initially we did not think that we would visit there. And when entering the House, we saw a lot of historical relics from the State of Germany. Starting from army clothes, flags, telephones, an old car, there are even remnants of the former wall which became a barrier between West Germany and East Germany at that time. There we were explained by a very friendly tour guide and not forgetting there were friends too our friends who translate it into English, so we can understand better about what they said and we can remember the memory until now. These histories are very interesting things to learn because, we see firsthand the legacy and can explore it more deeply, such as a barbed wire, which is a barrier between West Germany and East Germany which makes it difficult for East German people to go to West Germany, but the West German Society does not have a barrier to go to East Germany. Besides that we see A Photograph that becomes the situation when the gathering of German people from the West and East who will hold a reunion because they have been blocked by the Walls, and even because of this Reunion many of the people of West and East Germany have reunited with their families and all the experience and knowledge we have gained here, will be a very historic thing and add insight us to get to know world history.
At the eleventh day was Thursday. In this day, we had full time in school. So, We can felt the vibe how the Germany students come and back home and also followed all the material in all day long. For us, This day is the time we can compare the education between Indonesia and Germany. The big different, that we learned about the different are they have many facilities that can support the students even in some part for us the facilities are too many. The second is they can use any kind of clothes that they want and they free to express their feeling and their fashion. The third is their curriculum is about the application of the theory that they have learned before in class. It is such different things than our curriculum in Indonesia. In Indonesia we only focus on theory and very seldom to application it. The question in every each subject also directly about case that can happen in the real life and in some part they must make and found the new theory to solve the case. It is also, big different than in Indonesia. In Indonesia, we only learn about how to application the theory that teacher teach us in the class and many question that isn’t relative to real life. To know this different things, make us feel if we need learn about their curriculum. Even though, we understand if they can use the theory because, they have the facilities that make the possibility to use the theory. But, the situation in Indonesia is different, we don’t have enough facilities to do that. Before we continue to followed the subject in the class, we had meeting. The Indonesia students had meeting with the Germany teachers and the Germany students had meeting with Indonesia teachers. In the meeting, we discussed about what things that the Germany part must keep and what things that they must improve or deleted it from the schedule and also with the Indonesia party. In this day also, we have our best quality time with each Germany family.
At The twelfth on Friday is our last day. In this day, all of us said the last words and say thanks to our Germany parents who will not drove us to airport in Hamburg. In this last day, we have schedule to walk through forest and know about the difference between typical of Indonesia and Germany forest. In this day, we went to Prof. Claus and Christa home in Forest Aukrung. For the first like usual, we went there with the bus together. And the first we gathered in Brunsbüttel Gymnasium. All of us there walked through the forest and arrived in the highest point. In there, we met the forest ranger. Who protect the forest until now. Forest Aukrung still has natural ecosystem and still originally. The forest ranger also, guided us for tour through another part of forest. He explained to us about the name of the some tree and the parasite that against the ecosystem in Forest Aukrung. In here, all of us really learned and saw the balance of ecological in the Forest Aukrung Ecosystem. For the last activities we were held the farewell ceremony with all of us. Prof. Christa and Claus have prepared the foods and drinks also ice cream and snack for the farewell. We ate together the lunch and sit together on the grass with the view of Forest Aukrung Landscape. After, the farewell we went back to airport. But, before we went back to airport the founder of foundation and also the teacher of Germany and Indonesia students said some words for our last day and our last hour in Germany. In same time, before we went to airport we give our signature in our program t-shirt and also taken picture together.
The farewell ceremony of the whole program was over. That’s mean all of us as the students will not meet again in next long time. But, we still keep maintenance our communication in social media and chat application. Yes, the whole program is done. But, our relationship will never end. In this students exchange, we found new family, new friends, new knowledge and also new experiences. Such extraordinary experience and opportunity can join in this students exchange program and in this program our dream come true. Even we separate with ocean and land, but our relationship still going on. See you in the next time our second family.
