Inspiring, nurturing and empowering young people with a vision impairment.

Y viva Espana!

A group of sixth form students along with three members of staff recently embarked on a trip to Murcia, Spain as part of an Erasmus Plus exchange.

The emphasis was on sharing activities and experiencing the culture of the region, as well as mixing with groups from school in Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey. 

The group had busy but enjoyable days at the Spanish school and sight-seeing, as well as meeting with some of the local city officials. At the opening ceremony, there was an impressive traditional flamenco dance performed by Spanish students! NCW students did try to explain that in England there aren’t such folk dances – but a barn dance could be arranged. Hannah, Kendal, Max, Mr Hinds and Mrs Holyoak did highlight their barn dance rehearsal as the funniest moment of the trip!

Other highlights from students and staff included:

For Hannah – “I enjoyed the trip to Cartagena and being able to see, or touch, the buildings that showed three different milestones of the history of the area – especially the amphitheatre and its columns. I liked visiting the church basement in Murcia with the Morisco tomb because that showed how different people can be in cultural expression with one side being highly decorative and the other just white plaster.”

For Tommy – enjoying authentic Spanish food, including paella and Murcian meat loaf. 

For Mr Hinds – “I enjoyed the winter sun! Swimming in the warm sea was fantastic and seeing the joy on Paige’s and Kendal’s faces was wonderful.”

It was a thoroughly enjoyable trip and the group enjoyed the social experience as well. Paige practised her Spanish with the students, and, as Hannah has said, “I enjoyed meeting the Spanish students at the school as they were very welcoming and you could very easily get into a conversation with them”. Tommy is still in touch with some of the Polish students. 

As Kendal has reflected: “The trip as a whole taught us a lot about independence and responsibility. Our room keys and meal passes were ours to take responsibility for, and, although on the first day we all forgot our breakfast slips, by the end of the week this came as second nature. Moreover some of us quickly learnt the layout of the hotel and could make it down to the restaurant without staff assistance, being able to guide those who were less sure. We learnt much about the different cultures from integrating and communication.”

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