Our twelve Tanzania Exchange students in Year 13 recently returned from what they described as their 'opportunity of a life time' trip to Tanzania. Poppy, Charlotte and Ellie describe here what the trip and exchange programme has meant to them:

"It all starts with an application letter when you are in Year 12, whereby students express a keen interest as to why they want to be a part of this amazing trip, followed by a group interview and finally a decision will be made as to which twelve students will be taking part in the exchange.

Collectively as a group, students have to raise £8,000 in order to provide a return visit to the UK for ten Tanzanian students and two of their teachers. The rest of the money that we have raised this year has been used to finish building a brand new, multipurpose kitchen with new fittings in the Kisarawe Orphanage and will help fund new projects in the pipeline! This fundraising started immediately after being selected for the exchange, the huge amount we’ve raised this year is due to the many cake sales as well as the fantastic event I-Fest which was held in the summer– which many of you attended!

On the 13th October we set off to Gatwick ready for our 7-hour flight to Dubai and then the final 6-hour flight to Dar Es Salaam, our destination. When we landed we were greeted by the thirteen Minaki students (Minaki High school is our partner school) and from that point we knew the next two weeks were going to be amazing. With a packed itinerary, the first week was eye opening and incredible. We visited Kisarawe Orphanage, taught lessons at Chanzige Primary School, visited the biggest fish market in Dar Es Salaam, went to a museum and bonded with our new Minaki friends. The amazing children we met were truly inspiring, with great aspirations. To see how simple their surroundings are mixed with their ability to work with the simplicity and do so well, was humbling.

The first week was then followed by an action packed second week which was in complete contrast! No more squat toilets and bucket showers with a taste of Western food! We spent days walking up waterfalls, going on safari and finally having a relax on the white sands of Kipepeo beach with a dip in the Indian Ocean.

This part of the exchange was a completely unforgettable experience for all of us but it’s not over yet! We eagerly await the return of the Minaki boys in March as we made such strong bonds with a fantastic group of students who made us feel so welcomed and made us laugh lots. A culturally breath-taking trip that we would thoroughly recommend and will go down in history as the best school trip ever!