By Niamh Kinahan S5 
Peebles High School

THE second Peebles High School music exchange to Ursulinengymnasium Werl was as much of a success as the first... perhaps even more so.

We travelled to Germany to perform pop songs from the last few decades including YMCA, Hit Me Baby One More Time, German pop song Applaus Applaus, and our favourite, 99 Luftballons. 

Instructed by German teachers and joining forces with our exchange partners to put together and perform a concert in five days, you can imagine it was a little hectic!

In between hours of rehearsing we attended classes with our partners, explored the beautiful cities of Köln and Münster, visited one of the biggest music shops in Europe and were shown around Werl’s city hall by the deputy mayor.

The concert was a huge success - the pieces organised by the German school sounded lovely and we brought a wee bit of Scottish spirit to Germany with a rendition of Highland Cathedral featuring bagpipes (‘dudelsack’ in German.) 

Even the teachers got involved with our staff band playing Sweet Child of Mine and joining the students for an after-show pizza party. 

We left Germany the next day with lots of hugs, photos, smiles and tears, then to round off our week we held an impromptu ceilidh on the ferry.

Everyone had a brilliant time. Whether it was eating waffles in Münster (so tasty), singing loudly on the bus or performing cheesy pop on stage, the smiles and laughter of our group spoke volumes for the amazing experience we were all privileged to have. Now, with YMCA stuck firmly in our heads, we eagerly await June 2017 when we can welcome our German students to Peebles.