NOTRH WALES

Yesterday we visited the Snowdonian natural park in North Wales...where the picturesque scenery really impressed our students. It was a long trip by bus, but it was worthwhile.

OUR WEEKEND IN ENGLAND

The great variety of actitivies our students did during the weekend says how much English host families worry about our students... Some of them went to a huge and funny theme park, others saw Ghost, the musical, in Manchester or they celebrate barbecues in the lovely English sunshine we had at the weekend...visit lakes, practise rowing...

A NEW SCHOOL DAY

Among the activities we have done today, Spanish students really liked cooking scones and tea sandwiches. They enjoyed themselves like children putting their hands in dough and dipping their fingers in cream. Later, they had all the food they had prepared attending to the most popular tradition in England: having tea.

MANCHESTER (MOSI)

 Today we have visited  the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. Students have been able to enjoy themselves playing interactive games and trying to discover how technology has been developed through history. We have also paid a visit to the town hall and walked around the China Town neighbourhood, specially because the teacher who accompanied us was Chinese. She has been teaching Chinese to our students...
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh...What a nightmare!!!

SCHOOL DAY

Today our students have followed their English pen friends' lessons to observe how the English lessons in the different subjects are developed. They have been really impressed with the importance given to cooperation and creativy, but they are disappointed with some of the school rules. They think that mobile phones are allowed, but it is not true...They can have them in lessons only off and they can be used outside the school building.

Some students have taken part in writing an article to be published in a magazine, others have seen how a drama lesson is taught in England or how History is told...They consider Spanish students work harder than the English ones and they have learnt how to value they educational sytem they have.

CHESTER

Chester has received us dark, windy and rainy. However, we have shared our warm Spanish personality with the cold English weather and a little of sunshine has let us enjoy a lovely visit to such a memorable and historical city like Chester.

After walking around the city following the comments of a guide, we have done some shopping in the shops placed in the legendary buildings from the 19th century in the Eastgate street.

To finish with our visit to Chester, the Mayor has welcome us in the Town Hall. We have to underline how Spanish students have got surprised when they have discovered that the role of a Mayor in England is totally different from the role 'un alcalde' has got in Spain. The Mayor's role in Britain is more symbolic than a ruling work. It is the Chief Executive who rules a city not the Mayor. The Lady Mayoress was with the Lord Mayor. Our students couldn't stop laughing when the Mayoress was about to fall asleep...

SCHOOL DAY AND WALK AROUND MALPAS

Spanish students are really excited with their host families. They don't feel tired because they are quite surprised with many things: the amazing school facilities, the speedy way of chatting English pupils have got... They have no problems related to food or to communication. However, weather, as usual, is cold,...well...it is blustering showers.
Today we have been introduced to the headteacher who our students have made many questions about the ruling system of the Bishop Heber school. After that, we have gone for a walk around Malpas admiring the different styles of houses...
Tomorrow: Excursion to Chester.

TRIP TO ENGLAND

24 alumnos de 4º E.S.O y 1º BACH y 3 profesoras de nuestro centro ponen broche final a todo un año de proyecto de intercambio con una estancia de 10 días en Malpas, Inglaterra. Los alumnos y profesoras participantes viajarán el próximo domingo 3 de abril al país anglosajón donde permanecerán hasta el miércoles 13 de abril. Entre las actividades más importantes cabe destacar la asistencia a clases de nuestros homólogos ingleses, residencia en familias inglesas, excursiones a lugares de interés como Liverpool, Manchester, Chester, North Wales... 
Esperamos que todo salga bien, pues todos hemos puesto lo mejor de nosotros mismos en este proyecto. Si quieres conocer nuestro día a día en Inglaterra visita nuestro blog: intercambio20102011.blogspot.com

Website

The website for the exchange is now available. You will need a keyword to be able to enter. You can get the keyword from María José, Eva or Teresa in Spain and Dave Blanchard, Claire Wilson or Trevor Lockyer in England. Once you have the Keyword click on the picture, Login or Login as a guest then enter the keyword at the bottom of the next page.

Reflection

It is near the end of the exchange in Spain for another year and time for a little reflection. I came to Spain to see old friends with new colleagues and I am not sure what I expected. What I got with 21 sociable and amiable students willing to have a go and join in was another wonderful experience. The line of Spanish students with their welcome message said that things might be different this year but the hugs said that it would be the same. The idea of having lunch at the Peral on Sunday was inspirational and set the tone for this week with everyone joining in. The food was delicious and the opportunity for everyone to settle in and get to know new friends was perfect. Monday brought some familiarity for me with the tour of the institute, lessons and going to the meeting with the mayor, and thankfully, the sunnier weather. María José, Eva, Dave and Claire took on their new roles with enthusiasm as did the actors at the Castillio de Doña Berenguela in Bolaños de Calatrava on Wednesday. The talk at the al Corral de Comedias in Almagro was interesting and thought provoking, those poor ladies in their large dresses and the history and views at Parque arqueológico de Alarcos-Calatrava were wonderful. Thursday saw us in lessons finishing decorating our bags and me personally being challenged in a lesson where only Spanish was spoken. The students rose to the task better than I did and were soon chatting away with their Spanish classmates. On Friday we visited the beautiful mosque and palace in Cordoba, and as the sign at the entrance said, the even more beautiful Castillo de Almodóvar. It has been another wonderful visit to Valdepeñas and thank you all for making it so. Hopefully “hasta el año que viene”. Trevor

Intercambio de profes

Hoy, día 12 de octubre, ha sido un día para recordar..... también para nosotros.
Los profes, españoles e ingleses, hemos disfrutado juntos de una jornada de senderismo en el campo. Tras la caminata, qué mejor que recuperar fuerzas con una sabrosa paella!!!!!!!!!!!!
Está siendo una experiencia inolvidable, pues nos está permitiendo conocer a personas very cool!!!

DÍA EN FAMILIA

Hoy, 12 de octubre, fiesta en España, los alumnos han pasado en casa con las familias españolas siguiendo las costumbres de éstas. Algunos han ido de viaje, otros han comido en casa de los abuelos y muchos otros simplemente en casa disfrutando de un día festivo en España.

Con el Alcalde en el Ayuntamiento

A las 11:30 salimos del Instituto y después de caminar media hora llegamos al Centro. Por suerte no nos llovió, aunque el pronóstico del tiempo para hoy era muy, muy gris. Don Jesús Martín, el Alcalde, nos recibió en la sala de juntas, donde se celebran los plenos.

¡Allí estaban todos los medios de comunicación! (mañana estaremos leyendo la noticia y ya esta noche seguiremos con atención las noticias).

Tras citar a Shakespeare y a Cervantes Don Jesús nos deseo que todo saliera bien, y les dijo a nuestros alumnos ingleses que con seguridad repetirían.

PRIMER DÍA DE TRABAJO

Hoy ha sido un día bastante duro. Tras el buen sabor de la comida de ayer las clases nos esperaban esta mañana bien temprano. A las 8.30 el Director del Balbuena daba la bienvenida al grupo de alumnos y profesores del Bishop Heber. Más tarde varios profesores como Teresa, Eva y Silvia junto con los alumnos de 1º de bachillerato, Macarena y Rodolfo, les mostraron las instalaciones de nuestro instituto señalando las evidentes diferencias entre ambos centros.

DEGUSTACIÓN DE COMIDAS MANCHEGAS

Hoy hemos pasado un día estupendo todos juntos (alumnos, padres, hermanos, profesores...) en casa de la abuela de Macarena en el Peral. Se trataba de involucrar a las familias un poquito más en esta experiencia del intercambio y, creo sinceramente, que lo hemos conseguido.

La opinión de todos sobre la comida fue 'fenomenal',  'que todo estaba muy rico'...Dicha degustación de comida típica manchega, con su postre incluído, era una simple excusa para pasar un ratito agradable todos juntos.

Muchas Gracias a todos por poner de vuestra parte.

LLEGADA A VALDEPEÑAS

Hola a tod@s!!! Estamos muy content@s porque ya están aquí nuestros homólogos ingleses. El reencuentro fue casi de película: Sally y Macarena abrazándose con gran sentimiento, gritos, emoción... y sobre todo mucha ilusión.