EXCHANGE TO SALEM – ORIGINAL SCHOOL OF KURT HAHN

I was fortunate enough to spend April and May on Round Square exchange at Schule Schloss Salem in southern Germany. Before school began, my exchange partner, Lili Keck, and her family took me to Croatia for a week, which was an amazing way to start the experience. I stayed at Salem for the entire six-week Epoche (term) and lived in the boarding house throughout.

A typical day started at 6:30 am with the morning run, followed by breakfast at 7:45 and Ansagen (announcements). Classes were an hour and a half long, with the first beginning at 8:00 am. Every day there was the option of a second breakfast from 9:30–9:50. Lunch, which was compulsory for everyone, ran from 1:45–2:15 and was a much bigger part of the day than I’m used to in Australia. Everyone sat with their wing — the 15–18 people you boarded with — and there was always a hot meal and dessert.

On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays I had afternoon classes from 2:30–4pm. Mondays included Sani-Dienst (first aid service) and hockey, while Wednesdays were painting and hockey, all running between 4:00 and 9:00 pm. From 3:30–4:30 each day there was Vesper, an afternoon tea of cakes and hot drinks in the Torkel, while all other meals were in the Speisesaal (dining hall). Monday to Friday also included Arbeitsstunde (study hour) from 5:30–6:30 pm. We even had school on Saturdays, although only for the first two blocks, finishing at 11:30 am. Sundays included brunch, which everyone agreed was the best meal of the week.

Life at Salem was very different from life in Tasmania. The earlier mornings and later nights took some adjustment, but I loved the strong sense of community that came from almost everyone boarding. Because everyone knew each other well, there were very close friendships across the school. I also enjoyed the independence that came with school finishing at different times each day and the freedom once classes were over. It was common to walk into the nearby village of Salem to visit the shops or the Schlossee (lake). The only expectation was that you returned for Arbeitsstunde and Flügelzeit (wing time).

One challenge of boarding was that there could be a lot of unstructured free time, although I usually filled it by talking with friends or going for a run. During my final weekend, the whole school stayed on campus for the Salem Weekend. This Epoche’s event was a 24-hour run, where three wings were always running or walking around the athletics track. I completed four shifts across the day and night.

If I could combine the best parts of Salem and Scotch Oakburn College, I would definitely include the wide range of services offered at Salem, such as Sani-Dienst (Red Cross), Feuerwehr (fire service), and Social Dienst (social services). I also liked the flexible timetable and the relaxed uniform, where students only had to wear the school polo shirt with blue or beige pants and any shoes they wanted. At the same time, I would keep the sports carnivals and wider variety of sports offered at Scotch Oakburn, as Salem had fewer sporting opportunities and events. I would also keep our electives, because Salem does not offer them and I think they add a lot of variety and enjoyment to the school day.

Salem itself, set in a castle, was an incredible place to live and learn. There were also many leadership opportunities across all year levels, including wing helpers, class speakers, school speakers (similar to school captains), and the Essaal Mannschaft, the students responsible for announcements and helping run the dining hall.

I truly loved my time at Salem and made lifelong friends from all over the world. My favourite part was probably the boarding lifestyle because of the strong sense of community, friendships, laughter, and freedom. I know I will always look back on my exchange positively, and I am extremely grateful to everyone involved in organising it.

Annabel Crisp
Year 10 Student