NEW KIDS IN THE BLOCK
London’s Christ’s College Finchley are finally official part of HILS
In an incredible final twist and after a long saga of bureaucratic hurdles, Christ’s College Fichley (CCF) from London has managed to finally jump on board the HILS project, by replacing the other British partner, Nightingale Academy who quit the project in October 2020. In a dramatic turn of events and rather symbolically, the CCF managed to bring their delegation of nine students and 2 members of staff to the final HILS LTTA here in Netherlands, and they couldn’t believe their luck! In spite of a last minute scramble to take in and process a huge amount of information (the school has never before been part of anything like this) the CCF team took the challenge like ducks to water! They worked very hard during their school holiday week prior to the trip to prepare for the event and get ready for what seems to have turned into a life-changing experience for them. They decided to write these testimonials even before the end of the Ede experience, which is an indication of their eagerness to express their take on it. Upon return, they wrote about the experiences in French or Spanish, two languages they are currently studying at school. Their enthusiasm has been palpable!
Avni Aliaj
Project Coordinator
Christ’s College Finchley
London UK
Since we arrived in Netherlands, as part of HILS Erasmus+ project there have been various exciting activities and a lot of education on healthy living. We began our first day with introductions of all the schools and their journey's so far on the Hils project, explaining how they've learnt to improve their health so far and meeting my amazing host family who has been taking care of me throughout the entirety of this project with lots of love. On the second day, we took a trip to the De Hoge Veluwe National Park and viewed many artworks from a variety of artists including Van Gogh. We later biked throughout the woods and we also saw animals such as deers. The third day then consisted of travelling to Nijmegen and exploring the city. We began with an 88 assignment task where we had to complete as many of them as possible, we had to speak Dutch to strangers, throw shoes, order a big mac from burger king, had to high five all employees and even propose to a stranger. The trip has been nothing but incredible and I hope to spend these last few days by continuing to learn and experience events outside my comfort zone and maybe in the future we'll be able to go on more adventures like this.
Nazanin, 14 CCF
My trip to Ede has been a pleasurable and memorable experience so far. I love the Dutch culture and I am enjoying my time here in the Netherlands. Calling my host family amazing would be an understatement. They have been the kindest and most welcoming people, who have treated me as family. The presentations from foreign countries were interesting to see as I was curious to hear about the topic of healthy living from their perspectives. Meeting these people from different countries has helped improve my social skills tremendously and has been a learning curve for me, as I have seen how life is different here from the UK. The places we have visited have been very interesting and exciting. Roaming around the city of Nijmegen was a sensational experience. I got to visit landmarks and converse with the locals as well as foreign exchange students. Biking has been one of the best experiences by far. It has been amazing to see how all people, young and old, cycle in the Netherlands, which is quite a rare sight in London. I am glad I was offered this opportunity and I will enjoy my last few days in the Netherlands. I would like to take part in this project in the future as it is a life changing experience. Thank you.
Abdullah, 15
My experience of Ede, Netherlands has been a such a pleasure. My host family are amazing. The presentations from other countries were fascinating to watch as we learnt first hand what everyone thought about the important ways of healthy living. Meeting students of similar ages but from different nations has been super exciting, especially because it has been possible for us to hear stories about their school lives and the similarities and differences between schools there and schools in the UK. The places we have visited have been very fun and interesting. My favourite experience by far has been bike riding, which I haven’t done in a very long time. I hope that there similar trips in the future as it really is a great experience.
Lukasz, 15
My experience here in Ede, the Netherlands is turning out to be one of the most enjoyable trips i have ever been on. Ever since I first arrived I was welcomed into an amazing and loving family who treated me exceptionally well, they have a lovely bulldog and a beautiful home where we’ve had delicious food and have watched TV shows and played very fun card games. The most fun thing was biking around the town with my friends and trying new foods and seeing how different it is here, compared to the UK, as well as meeting all sorts of people from different ages and backgrounds. I feel as if it has really developed my social skills hugely and has allowed me to experience different peoples’ cultures. Seeing presentations from other countries HILS teams of students has widened my perspective on healthy living and how to take care of yourself mentally and physically. Travelling to the town centre and going on boats and visiting museums has also been extremely fun and eventful, I hope I get to experience more projects like this HILS in the future and be able to learn more about interesting topics such as healthy living and healthy relationships.
Dhara, 15
I have experienced many new things in Netherlands so far, which I am excited to share. On our first day here we started off with our presentations on how healthy Christ’s College is. We followed with a number of team building activities to get to know the other students coming from different countries. During these encounters, I made many friends, who I speak to every day. Our host families then brought us home, which was an opportunity to get to know each other better; we played board games and had heaps of laughs. The following day we went to a nature reserve where we experienced a range of different activities such as a pleasant bike ride through beautiful woodland and a visit to the fantastic Kroller-Muller museum. The day ended with CCF students having a lovely day out in the centre of Ede, together. On Wednesday we set off to the city of Nijmegen, there we had lots of fun adventuring and having lunch. We even played pool against Mr Aliaj! Afterwards we met at the Pancake Boat where we had many delicious pancakes, whilst cruising up and down the river, followed by the best ball pit of all time. The ball pit was probably the highlight of my day, we played and had lots of laughs. My impression of the trip so far is wonderful, I am enjoying myself so much! I am sure the next 2 days will be a blast!
Aryana, 14
My experience of Ede, Netherlands has so far been an absolute pleasure and I am enjoying every minute of it. My host family are just wonderful, welcoming me with opening arms, and I don’t think I could’ve asked for a better family. The presentations from other countries were a pleasure to watch as we could hear first hand accounts of what everyone thought about the important topic of healthy living. Meeting students of similar ages that are from many different countries has been a completely new, but exciting as we hear stories about their school lives and the similarities and differences between that of the UK. The places we have visited have been interesting and very fun and I am sure that they will continue to be this way in the coming days we have left here in Ede. However my favourite experience has just been riding on a bike everywhere, which is something that is not really common in London. I really hope that there are more trips like this in the future as it really is an incredible experience.
Vinny, 15
My experience at the HILS Erasmus+ project has been sublime and every single day is more exciting than the last. At Pallas Athene College here in Ede we have been learning about healthy lifestyle, then make research, create and pitch our presentations. The concept of healthy lifestyles has really highlighted most of this trip (despite a few savoury snacks!). It has been very fun coming to Ede and my hosts have been very kind. I have enjoyed riding my bike everywhere, as well as communicating with other students from a number of other countries and learning about their culture and customs, which has been very interesting.
Pushkar, 15
So fa,r my experience of staying in the Netherlands has been incredible. We have been staying with host families in and around the town of Ede, which is in the centre of the Netherlands. On the first day of our trip (Monday) we presented our projects on healthy living at CCF and watched other schools from all around Europe present too. We learnt a lot on how different the education system and living styles are in different countries. On the second day (Tuesday) we went to De Hoge Veluwe National Park to visit the museums there and ride bikes all day. And finally, today (Wednesday) we spent the entire day in the city of Nijmegen where we formed groups with the students from all the other countries and completed fun tasks around the city. This trip has truly been amazing and I hope that in the future there will be more opportunities just like this.
Ruby, 15
So far, my time in Ede, Netherlands has been the most wonderful time. The activities we do have been incredible, as we do them with the many different nationalities too. This new experience has helped me to learn about many cultures and being able to appreciate them at a much larger scale! Also, my host family have been very welcoming, as they help navigate me through Ede. I specifically enjoyed going to the city of Nijmegen and exploring it, as we get a much larger intake of true Netherlands culture! The places we have visited have been exciting and full of joy and I can only assume the next few days will follow. My time here has altogether been spectacular, thrilling and joyous. My only hope is that there are similar trips to this so that others can experience what we have this week.
Riona, Year 10
London’s Christ’s College Finchley are finally official part of HILS
In an incredible final twist and after a long saga of bureaucratic hurdles, Christ’s College Fichley (CCF) from London has managed to finally jump on board the HILS project, by replacing the other British partner, Nightingale Academy who quit the project in October 2020. In a dramatic turn of events and rather symbolically, the CCF managed to bring their delegation of nine students and 2 members of staff to the final HILS LTTA here in Netherlands, and they couldn’t believe their luck! In spite of a last minute scramble to take in and process a huge amount of information (the school has never before been part of anything like this) the CCF team took the challenge like ducks to water! They worked very hard during their school holiday week prior to the trip to prepare for the event and get ready for what seems to have turned into a life-changing experience for them. They decided to write these testimonials even before the end of the Ede experience, which is an indication of their eagerness to express their take on it. Upon return, they wrote about the experiences in French or Spanish, two languages they are currently studying at school. Their enthusiasm has been palpable!
Avni Aliaj
Project Coordinator
Christ’s College Finchley
London UK
Since we arrived in Netherlands, as part of HILS Erasmus+ project there have been various exciting activities and a lot of education on healthy living. We began our first day with introductions of all the schools and their journey's so far on the Hils project, explaining how they've learnt to improve their health so far and meeting my amazing host family who has been taking care of me throughout the entirety of this project with lots of love. On the second day, we took a trip to the De Hoge Veluwe National Park and viewed many artworks from a variety of artists including Van Gogh. We later biked throughout the woods and we also saw animals such as deers. The third day then consisted of travelling to Nijmegen and exploring the city. We began with an 88 assignment task where we had to complete as many of them as possible, we had to speak Dutch to strangers, throw shoes, order a big mac from burger king, had to high five all employees and even propose to a stranger. The trip has been nothing but incredible and I hope to spend these last few days by continuing to learn and experience events outside my comfort zone and maybe in the future we'll be able to go on more adventures like this.
Nazanin, 14 CCF
My trip to Ede has been a pleasurable and memorable experience so far. I love the Dutch culture and I am enjoying my time here in the Netherlands. Calling my host family amazing would be an understatement. They have been the kindest and most welcoming people, who have treated me as family. The presentations from foreign countries were interesting to see as I was curious to hear about the topic of healthy living from their perspectives. Meeting these people from different countries has helped improve my social skills tremendously and has been a learning curve for me, as I have seen how life is different here from the UK. The places we have visited have been very interesting and exciting. Roaming around the city of Nijmegen was a sensational experience. I got to visit landmarks and converse with the locals as well as foreign exchange students. Biking has been one of the best experiences by far. It has been amazing to see how all people, young and old, cycle in the Netherlands, which is quite a rare sight in London. I am glad I was offered this opportunity and I will enjoy my last few days in the Netherlands. I would like to take part in this project in the future as it is a life changing experience. Thank you.
Abdullah, 15
My experience of Ede, Netherlands has been a such a pleasure. My host family are amazing. The presentations from other countries were fascinating to watch as we learnt first hand what everyone thought about the important ways of healthy living. Meeting students of similar ages but from different nations has been super exciting, especially because it has been possible for us to hear stories about their school lives and the similarities and differences between schools there and schools in the UK. The places we have visited have been very fun and interesting. My favourite experience by far has been bike riding, which I haven’t done in a very long time. I hope that there similar trips in the future as it really is a great experience.
Lukasz, 15
My experience here in Ede, the Netherlands is turning out to be one of the most enjoyable trips i have ever been on. Ever since I first arrived I was welcomed into an amazing and loving family who treated me exceptionally well, they have a lovely bulldog and a beautiful home where we’ve had delicious food and have watched TV shows and played very fun card games. The most fun thing was biking around the town with my friends and trying new foods and seeing how different it is here, compared to the UK, as well as meeting all sorts of people from different ages and backgrounds. I feel as if it has really developed my social skills hugely and has allowed me to experience different peoples’ cultures. Seeing presentations from other countries HILS teams of students has widened my perspective on healthy living and how to take care of yourself mentally and physically. Travelling to the town centre and going on boats and visiting museums has also been extremely fun and eventful, I hope I get to experience more projects like this HILS in the future and be able to learn more about interesting topics such as healthy living and healthy relationships.
Dhara, 15
I have experienced many new things in Netherlands so far, which I am excited to share. On our first day here we started off with our presentations on how healthy Christ’s College is. We followed with a number of team building activities to get to know the other students coming from different countries. During these encounters, I made many friends, who I speak to every day. Our host families then brought us home, which was an opportunity to get to know each other better; we played board games and had heaps of laughs. The following day we went to a nature reserve where we experienced a range of different activities such as a pleasant bike ride through beautiful woodland and a visit to the fantastic Kroller-Muller museum. The day ended with CCF students having a lovely day out in the centre of Ede, together. On Wednesday we set off to the city of Nijmegen, there we had lots of fun adventuring and having lunch. We even played pool against Mr Aliaj! Afterwards we met at the Pancake Boat where we had many delicious pancakes, whilst cruising up and down the river, followed by the best ball pit of all time. The ball pit was probably the highlight of my day, we played and had lots of laughs. My impression of the trip so far is wonderful, I am enjoying myself so much! I am sure the next 2 days will be a blast!
Aryana, 14
My experience of Ede, Netherlands has so far been an absolute pleasure and I am enjoying every minute of it. My host family are just wonderful, welcoming me with opening arms, and I don’t think I could’ve asked for a better family. The presentations from other countries were a pleasure to watch as we could hear first hand accounts of what everyone thought about the important topic of healthy living. Meeting students of similar ages that are from many different countries has been a completely new, but exciting as we hear stories about their school lives and the similarities and differences between that of the UK. The places we have visited have been interesting and very fun and I am sure that they will continue to be this way in the coming days we have left here in Ede. However my favourite experience has just been riding on a bike everywhere, which is something that is not really common in London. I really hope that there are more trips like this in the future as it really is an incredible experience.
Vinny, 15
My experience at the HILS Erasmus+ project has been sublime and every single day is more exciting than the last. At Pallas Athene College here in Ede we have been learning about healthy lifestyle, then make research, create and pitch our presentations. The concept of healthy lifestyles has really highlighted most of this trip (despite a few savoury snacks!). It has been very fun coming to Ede and my hosts have been very kind. I have enjoyed riding my bike everywhere, as well as communicating with other students from a number of other countries and learning about their culture and customs, which has been very interesting.
Pushkar, 15
So fa,r my experience of staying in the Netherlands has been incredible. We have been staying with host families in and around the town of Ede, which is in the centre of the Netherlands. On the first day of our trip (Monday) we presented our projects on healthy living at CCF and watched other schools from all around Europe present too. We learnt a lot on how different the education system and living styles are in different countries. On the second day (Tuesday) we went to De Hoge Veluwe National Park to visit the museums there and ride bikes all day. And finally, today (Wednesday) we spent the entire day in the city of Nijmegen where we formed groups with the students from all the other countries and completed fun tasks around the city. This trip has truly been amazing and I hope that in the future there will be more opportunities just like this.
Ruby, 15
So far, my time in Ede, Netherlands has been the most wonderful time. The activities we do have been incredible, as we do them with the many different nationalities too. This new experience has helped me to learn about many cultures and being able to appreciate them at a much larger scale! Also, my host family have been very welcoming, as they help navigate me through Ede. I specifically enjoyed going to the city of Nijmegen and exploring it, as we get a much larger intake of true Netherlands culture! The places we have visited have been exciting and full of joy and I can only assume the next few days will follow. My time here has altogether been spectacular, thrilling and joyous. My only hope is that there are similar trips to this so that others can experience what we have this week.
Riona, Year 10