from college. To get a place on the visit I had to complete an application form and complete a preparation Life Skills Course with Waltraud who organises the visit. I wanted to go to Berlin because I wanted to get a new experience and to help people who had similar issues to young people in Burnley I really thought that I could relate to other young people and pass on personal experiences. I also wanted to prove to my parents how much I had changed and that I had moved on and left all the bad things behind.
The preparation course was about our life dreams and how we should make dreams that are true to us. The course also allowed me to get to know all the people who were going to Berlin. The course was quite difficult as it made me think about the choices I make in life and what dreams are important and what are not.
My Time in Placement
In Berlin I worked at Kinder Treffen which is a centre at Kids and Co in Heseldorf. I went on placement with another student called Chantelle and worked with a lady called Kitty. In the centre we looked after young children from the age of thirteen to seventeen. I was involved in setting up a tivities and planning activities with Kitty. The placement was a fantastic experience as it was a real eye opener as many of the children had really challenging home lives and did not have healthy meals or parents to go home too. Often the children would say they didn't want to go home. This was upsetting some days but made me look at how valuable the centre was and what the staff did for e children. It also made me reflect on my own family and how I should value what I have. The placement really helped me to develop my communication skills and increased my confidence. In the first week I had to travel from a flat which was quite a distance away. Each morning I had to get on the train independently and manage to get to grips with the rail system and tickets. I also got really confident at talking to staff in the centre and the children. At the. End of the placement I received an excellent reference which I can use in any future job application.What other things did I do in Berlin.....
Berlin also offered me so much more in that I developed lots of new friends and saw lots of new things. We visited The Berlin Wall q, The Brandenberg Gate, The Reichstag, The TV Tower. The best thing I think I visited was the Wall as it was really emotional. It really made our group think about division and how people can be divided by things out of thief control. Steffi told us stories about how families were divided between East and West Berlin and they could not visit or see them. During the two weeks we travelled everywhere as a group and saw so much. The transport system is so good and we felt so confident at using it we even travelled on a double decker train !
How has Berlin Changed Me
Since coming back from Berlin I think I have really grown in confidence as I had never been away without my family and this was such a big thing for me. I am now really open to new experiences and want to travel more and see other cultures. I also think I look at people differently and don't feel sorry for people who have less than be but empathise more and try to understand the challenges they face. People are proud at it is important that we are always aware of is. My parents have also seen changes and they have seen that I am more independent and I am more confident. Recently I have applied for a new part time job and I successfully got this. The experience has also made me see that I do have choices which I lot of people do not have and it is up to me to make the right choices.
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