Discovering the beauty of southern England

From Oct 1-7, our second- and third-year students (6. A, 7. A, 3. B) traded the familiar hills of Vysocina for the blustery shores of merry old England.

Despite the long overnight bus ride, including a channel crossing via the “Chunnel,” the students arrived in southern England full of excitement and enthusiasm. First off, students took in the sights of Portsmouth, a town both literally and figuratively connected to the sea with its naval base and historic ships.

The following day, certainly one of the highlights of the week, a visit to the Jurassic Coast of Devon and Dorset provided outstanding views of the first natural UNESCO site. Stunning scenery of majestic cliffs, rock formations, and golden beaches with intriguing names like Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove, and Old Harry Rocks fascinated us all. As the tour continued, we visited, among other things, the highly anticipated Stonehenge, and the enchanting town of Salisbury with its magnificent cathedral.

Before heading to London, we familiarized ourselves with the beaches of Bournemouth and the incredible sea life of the Oceanarium aquarium. Bournemouth had served as “homebase” for the trip, where students were housed in local families. Many students expressed appreciation for this experience as it allowed them to interact with their host families and get a small glimpse of typical English life.

After a brief visit to Winchester, a charming and romantic city complete with Norman-Gothic cathedral, we arrived in the nation’s capital. Of course, this part of the tour included must-see sites like Big Ben, the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, and so on. Students could see for themselves that London truly holds something of special interest on every street and around every corner.

We arrived back to the comfort of home Saturday afternoon full of memories, new experiences, and a newly found confidence that our language skills have shown that Gynome students are quite capable of making their way through the English-speaking world.

David Marshall