The exchange is coordinated and funded by the Rotary Club of Silves
On March 14, five students and two teachers from Wildern School in Southampton arrived at Faro airport for a five-day stay with their Portuguese host families.
The last time that the annual exchange, which started in 2013, took place was in March 2020. A mixture of the Covid pandemic and concerns over Brexit causing the gap in this valuable programme.
The exchange is coordinated and funded by the Rotary Club of Silves as part of their educational support programmes.
Students spend time with host families experiencing life and culture in each other’s country. They also attend school lessons and take part in other educational activities.
The poor weather this spring did not dampen the enthusiasm of all involved. The students enjoyed the brief sunshine at Salgados beach as well as a visit to Silves to see the castle and archaeology museum in Silves.
Friendships were formed, language skills improved, and confidence grew as the days passed.
The Rotary Club of Silves members would like to thank all involved including the parents, teachers and school managers of both Wildern School in the UK and Agrupamento de Escolas de Silves Sul in the Algarve.
The Portuguese students will visit Southampton from July 4 for the return visit. Hopefully, as in the past, the students and host families will forge friendships that will last well into the future.
