Being able to travel to other countries and meet people is always something anyone would look forward to. And when you are in your teens, nothing could be more exciting than getting on a plane and exploring and meeting people your own age, in a country you have never been to before and as a bonus to learn a language.
If you like to and want to learn German, one of the best options is the Goethe Institut, situated down Gregory's Road in Colombo. And one little know fact is that this institute offers an exchange programme of sorts, which was an initiative by the Federal Foreign Minister of Germany Franz Walter Steinmeier. His goal being to build a worldwide network of at around 1000 partner schools – Schools Partners for the Future (PASCH).
This programme will help to create a network, allowing students to learn German and then to eventually study in Germany.
The eight lucky students nominated from Sri Lanka to participate in the residential camp in Germany were: Sonali Fernando, Bhagya Vanderlan, Meranga Pieris and Chani Madanayake all 16 years of age and students of Jennings International College, while the four boys from Isipathana College, all aged 17 were, Sheshan Jayaratne, Amodh Jayasinghe, Anuk Munasinghe and Wageesha Samaraweera. They are nominated for this camp because their schools had opted to become PASCH-schools and have included German in their curriculum. They will be participating in a residential camp at Sankt Peter-Ording, a popular seaside resort and spa.
The German Cultural Centre in Colombo identifies around five schools and proposes them for election into the Partner For The Future school's pool. And in being part of this they hope will awaken the interest of young people towards modern day Germany and German society.
These Lankan kids will participate in the programmes starting from August 9 to 31, 2008 and will go there along with a teacher. On meeting them a few days before their departure they seemed so excited on being able to go to Germany and meet other kids their age and with possibly similar interests. The air travel, accommodation, daily allowances, health insurance are all provided by the Goethe Institut.
Speaking to these eight students, they all voiced the same level of excitement and enthusiasm. What they have in common is that they have studied German either in school or through the Goethe Institut.
The girls for example, said that their school offers German from the Grade Two and this was where their interest had been drawn for.
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"I have learnt German from Grade Four, in school," said Meranga Pieris and said she joined the institute to learn the language further adding, "I am really excited about the camp." Bhagya Vanderlan shared the same sentiments, adding "I have always had an interest in learning languages," and she went on to say, in an enthusiastic note, "this is my first time travelling alone and I want to enjoy it to the fullest."
Amodh Jayasinghe said, "I hope to do my higher studies in Germany and therefore thought it would be best to study German," adding, "I look forward to making friends from all over the world when I get there."
Anuk Munasinghe went on to say, "I have been studying German for the last six years," and that he has studied the language through the Goethe Institut. And with regard to the camp, "I look forward to the friendships, contacts, education, knowledge, fun and most importantly, the experience of meeting children our age," he said.
This programme is conducted by the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin, in association with the Language Section of the Goethe Institut Headquarters in Munich, the German Academic Exchange Service, the Central Office for the Overseas School System and Pedagogical Exchange Service.
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