School exchange – Netherlands
For a week in January, Dutch students from Goes, Zeeland, visited their Slovene exchange partners, marking the first part of the Het Goese Lyceum – Gimnazija Vič school exchange.
The students arrived at Ljubljana International Airport on Sunday, 22nd January, before starting their first day with their host families. Some decided to welcome their guests by introducing them to the natural beauty of Slovenia, taking them to the various wonders of the Upper Carniola region, while others opted for a day of relaxation or winter activities, giving them a chance to get to know each other. In the week that lay ahead, they would all get to visit some of Slovenia’s most spectacular sights, while also having plenty of free time, when they were able to form friendships and make unforgettable memories.
After a day of activities at Gimnazija Vič on Monday, intended to help the two groups of students get more familiar with one another, Tuesday started on an energetic note with a visit to Woop trampoline park. Having jumped and bounced their way through Woop, the guests went sightseeing in Ljubljana’s Old Town, led by their Slovene hosts, before ending the day’s programme with a guided tour of Ljubljana castle. The sun was out on Wednesday when the students visited the Slovene Littoral and walked the picturesque streets of Piran and Portorož. On the way, they made a stop at the Škocjan caves to experience the underground grandeur of Slovenia. Thursday was mostly spent at our school where Dutch and Slovene students made and tried the traditional prekmurska gibanica cake in a joint effort. With only one day remaining, many of them spent the afternoon together, enjoying the last evening in Ljubljana. Luckily, Slovenia had one more trick up its sleeve to offer to the visitors before their departure – Lake Bled. A quick ride in the traditional boats to the famous Bled Island and the chance to try the blejska kremšnita cream cake, followed by some more free time, meant that the visit was coming to an end. The Slovene students said their goodbyes and wished their Dutch partners a good journey back, knowing that April and their visit to the Netherlands is not far away.
Mark Šilar