A FEW thoughts are surely appropriate on my return from a week's exchange visit to Spain with a group of students from the high school – plus one from Fakenham College.
We were based in a town called Nules some 25 miles north of Valencia which, as I’ve previously mentioned, lies in the heart of an orange-growing region.
We were immediately made aware that things were not good in this particular market.
Thous
ands of trees had been abandoned and oranges left to the rot.
Prices were said to be too low to make it worth while bothering with watering and cultivating.
Many farmers were turning their hands to other jobs or rooting up their trees in favour of growing melons, onions or potatoes.
Others were trying to sell but without much success. Another sign of economic decline since we last came this way two years ago was the lack of building work going on.
This is a tourist area and in 2007 the skyline was filled with huge cranes and the noise of machinery seemed constant. The contrast this time was remarkable.
Anyway, to return to the students. On arrival they were whisked away to join their host families for a week, possibly the most unnerving moment for them of the whole experience.
All of a sudden their somewhat fragile Spanish vocabulary, learned since they came up to the high school, was about to be tested in the real world.
Thankfully, they had already met their Spanish counterparts when they travelled to Fakenham in February.
So at least a relationship had been forged during the snow and ice of that encounter. On four days we came together as a group to take part in school lessons, visit the local market – where strawberries cost a pound a kilo – walk to the coin and medal museum in the town and venture a bit further to a walled Moorish village just outside its boundaries.
There was also a day trip to Valencia, a beautiful city be-decked with spring flowers and famed for its parks and gardens.
The highlight of this excursion was the Science Centre, a massive complex of amazing modern buildings.
During the remainder of their time, the youngsters were thrown into the fun and games of the renowned annual festival of Las Fallas which attracts visitors from all over the world.
Late nights, marching bands, street entertainment, firework displays – not something they will ever forget.
As one of the accompanying teachers, I was very impressed by the comfortable way the students got to grips with a different culture and really immersed themselves in lots of its aspects.
They were very good ambassadors and a credit to both themselves and the school.
A reminder for racegoers that the Easter Monday meeting at our track is always the most popular sporting event of the year in town.
It can draw upwards of 10,000 people so if you’re planning to go, my advice is to get there well before 2pm and enjoy a picnic prior to the action. Good luck.
