An amazing adventure called India

Visiting the city to play in a band for Oktoberfest two years ago paved the way for a first-of-its-kind international student-exchange programme between Indus International School and a German school, Gymnasium Landau a.d. Isar.

“While coming as part of a band to play at the Oktoberfest, I used to visit schools for the possibility of conducting an exchange programme. We decided on Indus because it had good facilities,” says Hans Peter Hoepfl, geography and English teacher, Gymnasium.

Twenty-five German students got to see the India they had so far only learnt about in their geography classes. “It is our first international visit. We learnt that to understand India, reading is simply not enough,” says Florian Reichl, a student.

The students arrived in the city on October 26 and will be here for 13 days. The German school is state-run, but unlike their Indian counterparts they have good facilities. “We are the second largest school in Bavaria with nearly 1,250 students from grade five to 12. We have a competitive entrance exam. Generally, Germans are perceived as being very strict, but I should admit that schools here are much more tougher and stricter with students,” says Steffan Gutzeit, principal, Gymnasium.

So far the students have attended classes at Indus, visited the Mysore palace and gone on field visits. They were surprised to see the size of the city, volume of vehicles on the roads and chaotic traffic. “We didn’t think it was such a big city. I just applied for my driving test back home. It was amusing watching the crazy traffic situation here,” Florian adds.

The city’s shopping destinations seem to have completely won over the students. “Our teachers didn’t tell us things were so cheap here. I would have just come here with one pair of pants and a shirt; and then shopped here for more,” Florian states. Reacting to this accusation, Steffan laughingly admits, “It was on purpose. Or they would have only wanted to go shopping.”

The students were given lessons on what to expect on their visit. “We were taught how to nod when you mean ‘yes,’ eat using the right hand, avoid roadside food stalls and not order spicy food,” says Lea Hofner, a student.

As part of their city initiation, they were gearing up for an auto ride and a visit to Commercial street to shop for gifts. “We have been promised that we can ride in an auto. I’m also planning on buying scarves and bangles to take home,” says Isabel Ott, another student.