During my final week, I visited Miniatur Wunderland, a multi-floor exhibit showcasing cities in miniature form. It was fascinating, and I wish I had more time to explore it fully. One highlight is that it’s one of the few places open until 1 AM, which is quite rare.
As we wrapped up our time in Hamburg, all six of us in the Teaching Across Borders (TAB) program celebrated Thanksgiving away from home, thanks to Hannah’s family, who generously offered to host a potluck. It was a lovely way to bring us all together before we parted ways.
Our TAB coordinator in Germany invited our group to speak at a seminar about our experiences. This was a great opportunity to reflect on our time here before our last goodbye lunch. The coordinator was responsible for connecting us with our schools and organizing our weekly group activities, which included guided tours of famous attractions like St. Michaelis Church, a harbor tour, and a unique experience called Dialogue in Silence.
The farewell lunch was definitely bittersweet. Before our meal with the TAB students and organizers from the University of Hamburg, we connected with student teachers from Spain, Taiwan, and Turkey. Sharing our thoughts on the German education system and comparing it to Canada was eye-opening, and hearing their perspectives added depth to our discussions. The lunch itself was amazing, and it provided an opportunity for us to share our experiences. The organizers were extremely open to feedback, genuinely wanting to improve the program for future groups. We noted the challenge of planning our travels and experiences due to a lack of a clear schedule from our schools. The organizers explained that schools often don’t know their schedules until later, which can make it tough for them to provide information in advance. This is something to keep in mind as teachers can be busy at the start of the school year, and it may take time for them to connect with you. However, we note that schools were extremely flexible with which days and how many days we were able to volunteer.
We wrapped up our Hamburg experience with some travel. Schools in Germany have a two-week fall break in October, and we had a free week at the end of our program to explore other cities and countries, a great way to end our time abroad.