2021 Field Trips – Steinmühle Boarding School Explores Northwest Germany

The new school year has begun, and as always, the individual residential groups are kicking off the year together with their group trips. This time, they had the choice between fun, games, and action at amusement parks or pure nature and relaxation on the North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts, as well as in the Harz Mountains.

What exactly are these house tours?

At the start of each school year, the residential groups are reorganized. New group compositions, new teams of educators, new faces. That’s why Steinmühle Boarding School deliberately uses the first weekend after the break to give the residents of the new residential groups a chance to get into the spirit of community and get to know one another during an exciting trip. The house directors are responsible for organizing and planning the trips.

Which residential group had the most attractions?

That’s hard to say this year. Four residential groups headed out to German amusement parks: The Biohaus spent an exciting weekend at Holiday-Park in Haßloch with the boarding school’s youngest residents, while the boys from the Stammhäusler group let loose at Movie-Park. The Mühle group also had a great time at Holiday Park on the Baltic Sea, while the Hessenhaus group navigated their way through wild and exotic animals on a car safari in Lower Saxony.

Nature Up Close in Northwest Germany

It wasn’t just the Hessenhaus that got to experience nature up close at Safari Land Stukenbrock in North Rhine-Westphalia. The Westfalenhaus spent its weekend in Bad Sachsa in the Harz Mountains, and the Bremerhaus traveled to the North Sea coast, visiting Westerhever and St. Peter Ording. While the other residential groups let off steam at their amusement parks, the Westfalenhaus residents made their way through a climbing gym, and those who dared could zip across a lake on a zipline. The highlight of the Westfalenhaus trip was the famous Skywalk on the Sonnenstein: the brave boys and girls ventured onto the transparent bridge and enjoyed the sunset together, taking in the sweeping view of the Harz Mountains.

Meanwhile, the residents of Bremerhäu watched a seal feeding at the Robbarium in St. Peter Ording and visited the expansive beach on the North Sea coast. Of course, no trip to the North Sea would be complete without a genuine mudflat hike and a boat tour.

Great organization leads to wonderful shared moments

Once again this year, the house leaders managed to create unforgettable shared moments for their students. For example, after visiting Holiday Park, the Biohaus group was able to wind down their evening at the campground right by the lake, just as the Mühle group used their beachfront accommodations on the Baltic Sea to relax together. The boys from the Stammhaus were also able to relax, as they were luxuriously accommodated in a hotel. The Westfalenhaus had rented an entire house to themselves and, like the Bremerhaus, spent their evenings cooking together.

A Community That Supports

On Sunday evening, all the students and teachers gathered again on the grounds of the Steinmühle boarding school in Marburg. No matter where you looked, there were beaming faces. “We had the best house trip this year!” one student reported, overjoyed. “No, that can’t be true—we’ve already had the best house trip!” another student countered. Comments like these make it clear that the weekend was a complete success for all the residential groups.

So what now? Back to business

The residential groups are now settled in and motivated for the coming school year. Now it’s time for everyone to get back into their routine. School is waiting, but so is the next boarding school weekend. And that’s sure to bring plenty of great activities and moments together again.