Lourdes Central School organises International Education Trip to London

Mangaluru: LCS has cut across borders and reached out to learn through International Education trips. This year, 28 students from classes 8 to 12, along with the Principal, Rev. Fr Robert Dsouza, and Vice principal, Mrs. Belita MaMascarenhas, embarked on a ten-day educational trip to the United Kingdom. The trip was organized under the guidance of the Manager Rev. Dr John Baptist Saldanha, and the Principal.  LCS stood out as the first school in Mangaluru to venture on an international tour after the pandemic.

Team LCS began the journey on October 15 from Bangalore to the UK via Muscat and reached the UK Heathrow Airport on October 16. Everyone donned their winter wear as the temperature was 10 degrees.

The weather, even though cold, was welcoming and quite a contrast to the sultry weather in Mangalore.

The first visit was to the Madame Tussauds wax museum, which had replicas of famous personalities, historic figures, and themed galleries. The students rushed in through the long queue and were excited to click selfies with their heroes. The next journey was to the famous Lords Cricket Stadium, where the group was greeted by a famous Englishman in charge of the stadium, who gave detailed historical aspects. He showed the dressing room where the famous cricketers sat and waited for their turn. The famous Ashes urn, cricketer’s attire, the famous World Cup, the beautiful green grounds, and the well-maintained stadium were awe-inspiring. The students later went to visit the sports stall to buy mementos.

The next visit was a visit to ‘bath’ a place of Roman Heritage. The hot springs of the bath were a major attraction. The city itself was very traditional, and the cobbled streets looked wonderful. The group had the opportunity to have lunch in the famous restaurant visited by Mr. Bean.

At Salisbury, the visit to Stonehenge, among green pastures of scenic Neolithic homes, was serene. Stratford-upon-Avon village was paradise for Shakespeare lovers. The entire village speaks of Shakespeare. The experience was breathtaking and joyful. The stalls and shops revolved around the Shakespeare theme, and we were taken back to the time of the great English writer.

The next day’s visit to Oxford was really inspiring. The numerous colleges at Oxford University and the underground libraries were amazing. The guide took the group through several colleges and showed us the 15th- to 16th-century architecture. The visit inspired the students to study and go to Oxford for further studies.

The next journey to Liverpool Manchester was loved by the boys as they walked on the grounds where legends like Renaldo and Messy joined together to play football. Buying souvenirs from the stadium was the greatest joy.

Visiting the London Eye was truly remarkable. The world’s largest 360-degree capsule, which views the city across the Thames, was breath-taking. Big Ben at Westminster Abbey and a cruise ride on the River Themes were relaxing, and it gave us joy to go under the London Bridge.

The Cavern Club and the Wall of Fame were exciting places for Beatle lovers of music.

Overall, the trip was a life-enhancing experience. The students learned travel rules, saw and experienced different places, and got to know and interact with different cultures.