Global Outreach - Global Citizen
2019: See what our GOs were up to!
2018 GOs: Impressions from "The Glasgow 50"
"As a First Year student at Glasgow University, I was looking to take part in a language trip which would improve my knowledge of German and combine my passion for working with youngsters. I was able to fulfil this ambition by spending six days with pupils at Crucenia Realschule Plus in Bad Kreuznach and taking part in a four-day German language course at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, all made possible through the Get Across Borders program.
During my time at Crucenia, I was able to engage with refugee children through different teaching methods, such as games and songs. As an aspiring secondary school teacher, I was delighted that the program also enabled me to shadow German language teachers: I found this really fascinating as I not only saw how language is taught abroad, but also witnessed how German is taught in a school where eighty percent of the children have had to learn German as an additional language.
Another beneficial aspect of the program was the invaluable opportunity of attending the Bon Café where I worked with adult refugees from across the globe and from all different spheres of life. At the Bon Café, I was able to witness first-hand just how difficult it is for refugees to learn German which, for some, is far from similar to their own language: the direction in which to read is completely different, as is the way in which letters of the alphabet are formed. It was also fascinating and eye-opening to hear first-hand stories of the refugees’ journeys to Germany, their integration process and the challenges that arriving in a foreign country bring.
Bad Kreuznach ist eine perfekte Stadt, um ein Sommerprogramm zu unternehmen, weil sie von Natur und wunderschönen Parks umgeben ist und sie eine freundliche und blühende Gemeinschaft bietet. Ich würde ohne Zweifel ein Sommerprogramm hier empfehlen, weil man eine völlig neue und bereichernde Erfahrung machen und auch etwas von den Flüchtlingen lernen wird, wie zum Beispiel eine andere Sprache oder wie man sich in einem anderen Land integriert. Im Großen und Ganzen ist eine Erfahrung mit Get Across Borders eine Erfahrung, die man unzweifelhaft nicht verpassen sollte!"
Brooke Hood, Participant