A visit to our partner school in Sweden
A group of students of the Years 10, 11 and 12 visited our partner school in Laholm, Sweden, during the autumn break.
On our first day in Laholm, following a smooth arrival the prior evening, we were warmly welcomed at Osbecksgymnasiet. Everyone was very impressed by the large campus, modern facilities and flowing layout of the buildings. Both teachers and students worked very had and gave us a great impression of their school, showing us around and introducing us to life in
Sweden. Especially popular was the Swedish Fika, a short break for coffee and a desert, twice a
day.
In the afternoon we met our Swedish partner students, talking about common interests and discussing the differences in culture and education. The Swedish schooling system differs from ours, as the upper classes are divided into 1, 2 and 3 instead of 11 and 12, and they have slightly different subject divisions from our school. Osbecksgymnasiet also offers a technical strand,
where you learn about mechanics, electrical work and engineering. A few participating students were very impressed by the lessons, particularly the mechanical workshops, which allow you to work on and fix actual cars! Then we went on a tour around the city, viewing the spectacular landscape and their famous art museum.
Over the course of the next few days we shadowed our host students in their daily life, getting to know their schedules and classes. Did you know that in Sweden, students address their teachers by their first name? Additionally, several of us held presentations for the Swedish students, about cultural differences and Europe’s political future, followed by intriguing group discussions, and an introduction to digital learning at CJD and Osbecksgymnasiet.
However, we didn’t just participate in their school day, we explored Helsingborg, a nearby city with impressive historical architecture and visited Laholmsbuktens strand, the longest sandy beach in Sweden; 12km, which proved to be a perfect opportunity for our biology students to demonstrate their knowledge. A few of our partner students had their weekly emergency response training, which allowed us to gain practical skills in a paramedic and firefighting workshop. Overall it was an amazing experience, both highly educational and a lot of fun. Even though we reluctantly left at the end of the week, we unanimously agree that the application process was worth it and are very grateful for this opportunity. We established connections and lifelong friendships, made lots of great memories and as a result of the trip many students are considering universities in Scandinavia. Furthermore, we learned a lot about Swedish culture, got to experience the differences in eduction systems between Osbecksgymnasiet and CJD International School and actually learned quite a bit of the Swedish language.
So, tack så mycket för denna möjlighet!
