Read along in Elisa’s diary – Intercultural Fun

Fifteen-year-old Elisa joined the Intercultural language camp. In her diary, she shares all the adventures she experienced.

On to Sutton Town!

After an extensive journey by boat, we finally arrived in beautiful Sutton Town. It always takes a while to get past the border at Calais, but we made it! The campus here is stunning, with large playing fields and a cosy school building.

Today, we met with everyone here. Participants from all over the world signed up: Austria, Hong Kong, Puerto Rico and many more! And it became clear from the very beginning: we will only speak English. Exciting, but fun.

Easter in the middle of summer

Today we celebrated Easter! Not for real, obviously, but the theme of the day evolved around eggs and springtime. In the morning, we did some get-to-know-you games and workshops. I am with the theatre workshop group, and that is awesome! We played funny stage plays in English, and we produced an idea for the big play at the end of the camp week.

In the afternoon we competed in sports: tennis, and some kind of British rugby (super intense, but great fun). After supper we did a quiz about Easter. It was very pleasant.

Rainbows and rain

Today was Rainbow Day, and – for real – the description fitted the day perfectly. The weather was quite changeable: sun and rain took capricious turns. In the morning, we did sports, and I tried dodgeball for the first time (ever so much fun!). In the afternoon we explored Sutton village.

We discussed equal rights and Pride in the workshops. Very fascinating to hear everyone’s opinion on the subject. In the evening, we staged a play about a princess who put herself first. I loved it!

Save the Earth

Today we celebrated Earth Day. It was quite educational. We learned about recycling, and we did some games to see who was best at recycling waste. In the workshops we produced a slogan for a poster, and my team won!

In the afternoon we played Cluedo. The teachers enacted as bad guys ruining the environment, and we had to guess who did it. It was funny and exciting. A genuine brass band performed after supper. They even played the theme from Game of Thrones!

Day 5: Brighton by the sea

Today we visited Brighton, and boy it was hot! Luckily, Brighton is by the sea, and a breeze provided us with some cooling. We strolled through the lanes and the gardens at the Royal Pavillion. Incredibly beautiful!

On the pier we bought some ice cream. I even purchased a souvenir: a small keychain in the shape of a Routemaster (a typical British red bus). When we returned, we ate spaghetti at campus. Then we crawled into bed, exhausted.

Creepy Halloween

Today was Halloween! In the morning, we played some sports: tennis, football and we also went for a hike. During the hike we picked some fresh blackberries, so very tasty! After lunch we did workshops, and in the evening the real party started: a Halloween casino!

We played a variety of games such as poker and a human fruit machine (hilarious). Madam Shalala, a fortune teller, predicted a second week of camp that would be equally as good as the first. I am happy to believe her!

Everyone has its birthday!

Today we did ‘Everyone’s birthday’-day! We celebrated birthdays from all over the world. In the workshops we learned how birthdays are being celebrated in different countries. Did you know that in Mexico they beat a piñata until it breaks? I would love to do that sometime!

In the evening, we had some distinguished visitors: “King Filip and Queen Mathilde” paid us a visit. We chanted birthday songs in different languages, and we ate pie.

British Day

Today was about everything British, and Great- Brittain. We kicked off the day with a typical English breakfast: bacon, sausages, beans, … It took some time to get used to it, but it was pretty tasty. For lunch we had a traditional roast dinner, and of course some tea and scones.

In the workshops we learned about the Royal Family and typical British humour. After lunch, we played a big game: “The heist of Buckingham Palace”. The teachers enacted as guards, and we had to steal valuable treasures without getting caught. So funny!

Londen calling!

Today we visited London! We got up early and travelled by bus to Greenwich, where we took a group photo with the city view as backdrop. Then we continued by boat to the city centre.

We saw so many famous places today: Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, … It felt like being in a movie. We had some spare time for shopping, and I bought a mug with the Union Jack. We ate street food on the South Bank. My favourite: churro with chocolate. What a day!

St. Patrick’s Day

Today we celebrated St. Patrick’s Day! Everything was green, and we learned about Irish folk legends. In the afternoon we made a lip dub-video. A chaotic but hilarious activity.

In the evening, we performed an Irish dance game, and all joined in. I had no idea I was this good at Riverdance. 😊

Valentine’s Day

Today was Valentine’s Day! The teachers organised a fake wedding. Two teachers got ‘married’ and we did the rest: the decoration, the music, the flowers, … It was funny but also beautiful to see.

In the workshops we wrote love letters, in English. Not easy to find the right words, but the teachers were immensely helpful. Tomorrow is our final day. I am happy to go back home, but I am really going to miss this camp!