In diesem Schuljahr besucht die Nordirin Christina Marshall (rechts im Bild) die Q1 und bereichert den Unterricht durch ihre Sicht auf die Dinge. Wir konnten ihr dank unserer Erasmus+-Förderung der EU einen Auslandsaufenthalt in Slowenien ermöglichen. Sie brach nach einem Heimaturlaub in den Osterferien dorthin auf. Hier ihr Bericht:

My Experiences in Slovenia

The trip started the moment l got on that cold bus to head down to Dublin. Ahead of me, 48hrs of continuous motion. Through the various delays I arrived in Villach Austria to be greeted by my host family , a bunch of scruffy missionaries with a passion for people.

Throughout the week I got to experience the amazing salad of Slovenian culture; normal Slovene farmers creating a constant and welcoming basis for the chaos that follows the loud and often obnoxious rednecks that have made Slovenia their home; the many Balkan peoples who have settled in Slovenia, bringing everything from post soviet clothes to dances; and the lovely Turkish additions of coffees and cakes, that add a wee bit of excitement to every mouthfull. In this community religion provides the dressing, rich olive oil lubricating the gaps between cultures, but in some places the acidic back bite of vinegar still stings.

I was blessed with the oppertunity to visit the youth center, for youth who have dropped out of school; to attend meetings planning the next outreach; to talk to the children of missionaries and locals and to meet all the wonderful people trying to improve Slovenia both spiritually and practically.

In my last few days we crossed the border to Croatia, where we got stuck in insulating huts for a summer program this summer. Waking up to start work at 7, eating “ham ‘n’ eggs” every day for breakfast and having bonfires in the evening.

This is what the EU is about. People from every nationality working together, speaking many languages very questionably and overall an international community.

If I was at home (in Northern Ireland) I could have never have dreamed of this. I can only recommend Heriburg. And now I’m left with the question of how to get Northern Ireland back in the EU!

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