When deciding on the trip to the UK capital, no one imagined that it would take place at an extraordinary time of mourning and paying tribute to Elizabeth II – the longest reigning monarch in the British history. Streets devoid of traffic, hundreds of police officers and volunteers all around, emptiness in the usually crowded museum venues and thousands of people from all over the world laying flowers… London mid-September 2022.
Pupils from various classes spent a whole week in London. In this charming city, located on the River Thames, they stayed with English families, experiencing typical English mornings with an English breakfast surrounded by the British’ beloved dogs and kitties, treated as equals to their family members. The most important experience of this time was to test themselves in real communication in English with native speakers. And, as usual, II LO students performed brilliantly.
Tower Bridge, the National Gallery, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, Madame Tussauds Museum, the London Eye, the Palace of Westminster with Big Ben – these were just some of the places visited during the trip by both II LO students and all visitors to London. However, this trip was special because, in addition to the well-trodden paths, the young people and their teachers walked around less known, yet very interesting places.
Camden Town, with its typical images of alternative culture, was all the more enthralling as the quays, bathed in sunshine, looked extremely attractive. Soho and the West End, where the choice of entertainment, cultural venues as well as restaurants and cafes tempts with their diversity, also became a part of the youngsters’ experience. The students visited China Town and Leicester Square, as well as Oxford Street, which was difficult to part with due to the wealth of shops and goods within them. A walk down Carnaby Street, with its unusual shopfronts showcasing the latest, often extravagant trends, was a great opportunity to learn something new about fashion.
Banksy on a wall in the park? There you go – and this did not escape the attention of the students. The art in the park, but also the incredible array of plants and animals in Hyde Park or St Jame’s Park in the sunshine, was the finishing touch to the whole London adventure. Who doesn’t love watching herons or pelicans in the wild? From the park, students hopped on a boat, cruising down the Thames all the way to Greenwich. The monumental university buildings, the Maritime Museum and standing on the zero meridian were just the highlights of the experience in this London borough.
The trip was also not without a ride on the Underground, walks through London’s streets as well as a visit to a café to drink the famous London tea. The young people travelled on almost all of the Underground lines – from the oldest ones, more than a century and a half old, to the state-of-the-art Elizabeth Line, opened by Queen Elizabeth herself in 2022, which took them to ultra-modern Canary Wharf. As well as the Underground, there was a ride on a double-decker red bus in the pouring rain, which falling on the windscreen heightened the 'London-ness’ of the trip. However, the 'English weather’ spared the Secondary School tourists and, apart from one afternoon, the sun shone strongly throughout.
The Secondary School students also paid their tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey and at the Palace of Westminster. In addition, at all the other sites visited they were able to make entries in the books of condolence displayed there. The week spent in the Queen’s shadow was the occasion for many emotional moments, especially during the walk together with all those wishing to commemorate the monarch with bunches of flowers, letters of thanks, Paddington bear mascots and figurines of Elizabeth II’s beloved Corgi dogs.
Full of memories and new experiences of the places they visited, which are difficult to mention all in a short text, the young people returned to Poland. They will undoubtedly remember the week as full of momentous moments, many impressions, sightseeing and great fun. Just a photo with the telephone box with Big Ben in the background, the airport, the plane and….
Miss you England!!!
