Jedes Jahr im Herbst heißt es in einer 7. Klasse, wir bereiten uns auf einen Austausch mit einer Gruppe von Schülerinnen und Schülern der Copenhagen International School vor. Adressen werden ausgetauscht, Mails werden geschrieben, erste Kontakte online geknüpft, Planungen für den Besuch der Gruppe in Lübeck gemacht.

Am 1. Dezember war es dann in diesem Jahr soweit, Heidi Helmich, die den Austausch auf dänischer Seite seit mehr als 10 Jahren organisiert und begleitet, kam um 9.30 Uhr mit ihren Schülerinnen und Schülern sowie einem Kollegen an der TMS an.

Ein großer Unterrichtsraum war vorbereitet, die Klasse 7b hatte viele Köstlichkeiten für ein Buffet mitgebracht. Zuerst wurden Spiele gespielt und Interviews geführt, bevor den Dänen bei einem Rundgang die Schule gezeigt wurde.

Das anschließende gemeinsame Essen genossen alle. Gespräche fanden im fröhlichen Wechsel in den Sprachen Deutsch und Englisch statt. Die Verständigung funktionierte bestens.

Freude hatten anschließend alle Kinder bei Spaß und Spiel in der Turnhalle. Frau Petzold hatte Spiele vorbereitet, die die Dänen und Deutschen in Teams spielten.

Schon um 12.30 Uhr mussten die Schülerinnen und Schüler aus Kopenhagen wieder abreisen, da ihnen noch eine lange Zugreise bevorstand. Ob mit dem Zug oder mit dem Bus, angedacht ist ein Gegenbesuch der 7b in Kopenhagen im Sommer. 

Sabine Hohenfeld

A Visit from Copenhagen International School

On 1^st of December 2023 students from Copenhagen came to meet us at Thomas-Mann-School.

But a long time before they came to Lübeck, we wrote many e-mails to get to know each other better. At first Mrs. Hohenfeld gave us the e-mail addresses and then we wrote e-mails to them, we asked them questions and we told them some things about us. But then the day came, December the first.

Before the Danish students arrived, we met at 8.30 am to prepare everything. We all decorated the room together. We wrote “Welcome to Lübeck” on the board and we arranged everything for the buffet. Everyone of us had brought something to eat for the buffet. Mrs. Hohenfeld brought the drinks.

When they arrived at 9.30 am everyone was nervous and happy to meet them. After a short welcome speech from Mrs. Hohenfeld and Mrs. Helmich we went back to room 111. At first everyone got his partner and then we played the game “find someone who”. It was very funny. The other students asked us a few questions about us when the game was over.

Next, we wanted to show them our school. Every group had their own route. But everyone showed them the cafeteria, our classroom and the Europe hall. When we arrived in the Europe hall we told them a little bit about the statue of the woman on the bull. Then we went to the Thomas Mann statue and talked a little bit about him and his life. At the end we all met again in room 111.

Finally the buffet was open. The boys were so nice and let us go to the buffet first. The food was sooo yummy. We ate typically German pretzels. There was a yummy cake and cookies that some of us had made. Fruits like grapes and clementines were there too. But there was not only food, Mrs. Hohenfeld had brought water and apple juice for everyone. We all sat together and talked, laughed and enjoyed the food. Oh and not to forget, we all gave them some marzipan hearts. They also brought us some sweets from Denmark. After the yummy buffet we all went to the break together.

When the break was over, we all went to the gym, because Mrs. Petzold wanted to play some games with us, for example: Merkball and Merkball with teams. It was very cool. And not to forget: we also played a game where everyone had to hold on to each other and then everyone crawled through several hula hoops without letting go. That was very funny. After this nice morning the other students had to leave us.

When they left we had to clean everything again. We cleaned the floor and everything else. After this interesting day everyone was tired and we all left the school.

Thank you for the nice day and special thanks to Mrs. Hohenfeld and Mrs. Helmich.

Text: Lilly S.

On Friday the 1st of December the students of the International School from Copenhagen visited us, here in Luebeck. 

A few weeks before the visit we got the e-mails from the students in Copenhagen. They wrote us how they are called, if they have siblings or not, what they do in their free time, if they have pets or not, which nationality they or their parents are. We answered their questions and asked them new questions. 

On Friday we met at 8:30 am in room 111 to prepare the visit. We put some tables together. So at every table there was enough space for six or more students. Everyone brought something to eat, so we had a big buffet. 

At 9:30 am the international students reached our school. At first, we got to know our exchange partner, but then we also got to know the other students by playing the game „Find someone who“. The game looks like this: you have to find somebody who likes for example Marzipan, if you found someone you have to write down the name of that person on a piece of paper. After that the students made an interview with some questions for us. 

After the interviews we showed them the school. We did it in groups of six. Every group showed the students places like our school yard, that looked really beautiful under its blanket of snow, the cafeteria and the Europe Hall. We also told them some basic facts about Thomas Mann. At first, we told them in German but if there were some misunderstandings, we tried it in English, which actually wasn’t so easy, because we know of course many things about Thomas Mann, but we can’t necessarily express it in English. 

Back into room 111 we were finally able to eat. It was a really big buffet, with many delicious things. There were pretzels, cookies, a cake and much more. Our Danish guest had also brought something, nice cookies from Denmark, really tasty-;) 

After the break we met in front of the gym. In the break most of us had shown our guests their favourite place on the school yard. In the gym Mrs. Petzold played some games with us. At first, we played a game where you have to pass the hula hoop to the next person but you hold the hands of the person to your left and the person to your right the whole time. At first, I thought that this wouldn’t work, but luckily, I was wrong, because we did it really well. Of course, we also played „Merkball“.

After the games our Danish guests went back to room 111 and grabbed their things. We all went downstairs to say goodbye to the Danish guests. We waved until they were only visible as small dots. It was a really nice day. Everything was perfect, many thanks to the two teachers, Mrs. Hohenfeld and Mrs. Helmich.

Text: Lotta G.

On Friday a group of Danish students from Copenhagen International School came to visit us in Lübeck.

Before the visit we got e-mails from the students from Copenhagen. So Mrs Hohenfeld told us to write back to that student. In the e-mails we mostly introduced ourselves. Before Friday they wrote us back but unfortunately Martha’s and my exchange student would not be able to come.

On Friday, before all the students were there, we met at 8.30 am and decorated the room. But before that we cleaned the room of course. We also prepared everything for the buffet. Finally we wrote Welcome to TMS on the bord.

When the Danish students arrived at 9.30 am we first played a game that is called Find someone who. After that the Danish interviewed the Germans. They asked some questions about our school, about our hobbies and what type of music we listen to here in Lübeck. We obviously gave them the answers to those questions.

Then we showed them around the school. We showed them places like the cafeteria and we showed them the classroom. We also told them about Thomas-Mann, the famous writer,  and talked about him.

After that we finally could eat something from the buffet. We ate typically German food like prezels and enjoyed cake and cookies that some students had made, me too. Some other students had brought some grapes with cheese on a toothpick. We also drank water or water mixed with apple juice. After getting some food from the buffet we all sat together and ate and talked.

For the last activity we had to go to the gym where we met Miss Petzold. Then we got into teams and played some nice team games. It was fun.

That was a very interesting and funny day. We hope we can keep in touch with the Danish students.

Text by Celine F.