HIT 19

Humanities International Tour 2019

The Humanities International Tour 2019 saw four teachers and 26 students travelling to Italy and Germany from 5 to 21 April. Cultural identities, historical evidence, artistic expressions, culinary experiences, and linguistic challenges inspired our students who had the opportunity to learn from the world outside the conventional classroom environment and witness the beauty of learning while travelling. All students have been outstanding representatives of our community, reflecting our College values in all occasions and always displaying a positive approach towards the different activities… even when walking for kilometres for the sake of knowledge: Paratus semper discere – Always prepared to learn!

A video made by students will be presented at the next College Assembly on Wednesday 22 May (Week 4). We all look forward to watching it! I take this opportunity to thank Mrs Silva, Miss Pisconeri and Mr McGrath for their hard work, professional skills and sincere support they have put into this extraordinary learning experience.  

Please see attached  Italian Newspaper Article:

Dr A Runco (Head of Humanities and Social Sciences)

From the students:

“The HASS trip was a once in a life time experience. The history, culture and art were so different in Italy and Germany compared to Australia, it felt like a different world. The trip was amazing. I have made new friends and new memories. My favourite part overall was the food, Pompeii and the giant bed in the MAXXI Museum in Rome. Coming home, it was sad to not wake up to the same people everyday, but I was happy to be back home with my family.”

Caitlin Bransby – X1

“Siena is a visually breathtaking location that is absolutely filled with culture and history, not to mention the beautiful doors and windows everywhere. The Piazza Del Campo provided us with the chance to really take it all in. Siena was a place where many buildings and streets all looked very similar to each other, you had to really pay attention to where you were, so that you didn't end up lost. We also went to "The Museum of Medieval Torture and Prisons"; it was slightly confronting to see how certain methods of torture have been used throughout history. I absolutely loved it and can't wait to go back one day.” 

Courtney McCrostie – P6

“There were many different aspects of the tour we enjoyed. We really enjoyed exploring and visiting different sites in Italy, such as the Duomo di Milano, the Fontana di Trevi and Fori Imperiali. Our favourite place we visited was Siena. We loved the location of this city and the people were very friendly. Our first impressions of Germany were how modern, clean and innovative this country is. We also really enjoyed going to Magdeburg for the day and the river cruise in Wannsee: they were both very picturesque places to visit. Overall, we really enjoyed sharing these experiences with our friends and teachers.​”

Ellie Barbato – M2

“On the 5th of April,  26 St Norbert students departed Australia for Europe. Our first stop over was in Doha, where we were delayed for 6 hours. It was a relief to finally arrive in Milan after our tiring travels to begin our European journey after 2 years of planning and savings.

After a good sleep we were full of excitement to start our first activity, which for some was the soccer match Inter VS Atalanta, while for others shopping in Milan. After staying in Milan for two nights we left for Rome, with a stopover in the medieval city of Siena for one night. We stayed in the Eternal City for 5 nights. During this time, we did many activities; seeing the Colosseum and the ancient ruins of Rome, Pompeii and the Vatican City was an incredible experience.  We then stayed in Berlin for four nights, visiting many museums, sightseeing the such impressively dynamic city and witnessing the impact of World War II on society, a key event in Berlin's history, in particular visiting a concentration camp. This was quite insightful in understanding the value of democracy and the importance of freedom of speech, of protest, of thought, etc… After 16 days of travel and adventure it was time to come home, our plane got into Perth at 6pm on Easter Sunday, to return to our families and friends with stories and anecdotes to tell.”  ​

Ashlyn Farcas and Sage Breeze – K7 and K4

“The 2019 Humanities International Tour was truly one of the most unforgettable experiences I have had the privilege of embarking on. Visiting Italy and Germany and being enriched in European culture was amazing! In Italy, watching a soccer game with such a high level of intensity and comradery was definitely one of the highlights of the trip for myself. Seeing the Trevi Fountain, the ruins of Pompeii and the Colosseum were also among some of the memorable adventures. In Germany, visiting the Sachsenhausen concentration camp opened my eyes to tragic effects of World War II on Germany and the extreme prejudice that ultranationalism and populist movement caused in history and still occurs in some countries today. Berlin has a modern vibe, enriched by museums and memorials; but also our trip to Magdeburg has been quite revealing: a lovely small city on a river, embellished by ancient and contemporary art and architecture.

Overall the HIT19 tour was a once in a life time experience, the bonds shared between friends and teachers and the lessons I learnt throughout my travels will stick with me for life.”

Olivia Alderton – M1