One of the many benefits of Europa School’s membership of PASCH is the marvellous opportunity for our pupils to apply for the St Pauli football camps in Hamburg where they can meet other young people from all over Europe, study German and have daily football training!
Over four years of our membership a steady stream of our pupils have been successful in their application for these highly sought after places, which come completely free of charge courtesy of the Goethe-Institut and the German Federal Foreign Office.
One of our most recent successful pupils, Norton H, describes his experiences in German as follows:
‘Ich habe das Fußballcamp in Deutschland aus vielen Gründen genossen. Ich konnte meine Fußballfähigkeiten unter Beweis stellen, meine Deutschkenntnisse verbessern und habe neue Leute kennengelernt1 Alle Veranstaltungen, die für uns organisiert wurden, haben viel Spaß gemacht. Mein Favorit war das St. Pauli Fussballspiel, was wir am letzten Tag gesehen haben! Wir haben fast jeden Tag Fußball gespielt und Ausflüge gemacht, zum Mittagessen, Schwimmen oder Shopping in Hamburg. Es war ein sehr gute Erfahrung und ich habe viele schöne Erinnerungen’. (Norton H.)
Norton’s mother, Sally, has the following to add from a parental perspective:
‘Last year my son took this amazing opportunity to meet other teenagers from Europe, travelled to Hamburg for a week, immersing himself in the German language, experiencing life in Germany and not to forget playing football for a week! If you have not heard of the Goethe-Institut and the ‘Schools: Partners for the Future (PASCH)’, I encourage you to find out more. As a non-native, German speaking family this week has been a life-changing experience and has inspired my son! It was a wonderful experience, ranging from making his way through international airports to learning how to buy a kebab in German, not to mention the friendships he has made (he is still Whatsapping).’
A huge thank you goes to PASCH, the German Federal Foreign Office and to Simone Pfliegel, Coordinator in Northwestern Europe for PASCH.