Auf Wiedersehn Lisa

- Ailsa Tudhope -

Hoërskool Zwartberg bade farewell to Lisa Weinmayr at the end of term. Lisa has spent six months here and found Prince Albert quite a change from her industrial hometown of Pforzheim near the Black Forest in Southern Germany.

The Karoo heat was daunting but by the time she left Lisa reckoned she far preferred it to the cold that was awaiting her at home! She really enjoyed living in a village, where everywhere is within walking distance and found Prince Albert a beautiful, peaceful and friendly place.

School was very different – here Lisa wore a uniform, experienced learning in very large classes and took subjects she had never studied before, like ‘Toerisme’ and ‘Lewensoriëntering’. Maths and Science were familiar, but using scientific concepts and learning definitions in a foreign language takes some doing.

She passed all her subjects with flying colours, impressing all her teachers with her hard work and is probably the first pupil ever to pass her Afrikaans literature paper with some answers written in English. At home she studies German, English, Latin and Ancient Greek.

Jennifer Munro and the tennis team will really miss Lisa, who enjoyed the camaraderie of the team. Tennis matches took her to George and Oudtshoorn and holidays with the Steyn family, her hosts during her visit, and with her own family who spent Christmas in South Africa, took her to the Garden Route, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town.

During this term the Science Festival and Art Tour were wonderful opportunities to see more of the country and meet youngsters from a broad spectrum of South African schools.

We will miss Lisa as the new term begins but are pleased to hear she is back in Pforzheim, catching up on all the local news with her parents and sisters, Paulina and Carla.