Our second day in Berlin focused on strengthening ties with our German counterparts.

We started the day by visiting our twinned school, the Romain-Rolland Oberschule Gymnasium. Next, we were privileged to attend a special welcoming ceremony at the Town Hall conducted by the local borough Mayor.  After lunch, we explored the Stasi Museum and learned about the tough conditions East Berliners had to endure under communist rule.

We arrived at RoRo in the morning!

Today, we delved deeper into Germany’s rich history.

We visited iconic landmarks and explored detailed exhibits at locations such as the Reichstag, the Brandenburg Gate, the Holocaust Memorial and the Checkpoint Charlie Museum. These visits gave us a window into the German psyche which has been indelibly affected by those troubled periods. It is indeed amazing to see how Germany has sprung back from the ravages of the Second World War and the subsequent Cold War to become one of the wealthiest nations in the world.

The beautiful Reichstag bathed in the morning sun

Our fourth day in Berlin began on a sombre note with a visit to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp.

Learning about the horrific conditions those interred there endured certainly made us gain new respect for those who had survived. Next, we headed to the Olympic Stadium. It was truly amazing to be at the very place where Jesse Owens and other Olympic giants once tread.  In the evening, we visted the Jewish Museum. We were left with a better understanding of the huge contributions Jews have made to society and culture.

We arrived at the camp early in the morning.

Today, we immersed ourselves into life as a student in Germany at the Romain-Rolland Gymnasium (RoRo).

It was a wonderful opportunity for us to interact with our German counterparts and get to know them better. We eagerly learnt about their lives, experiences and culture while freely sharing with them about our own experiences in Singapore which they were equally curious about. This experience will definitely allow us to better relate to and host the German YOG athletes next year as well as the German exchange students who will be arriving at SAJC in April.

We spent our sixth day in Berlin at the Atrium und Musikschule. At the Atrium, we linked up with Class 11D from Romain Rolland Gymnasium (RoRo) and participated in various workshops together.

The environment around the Atrium was beautiful.