Sardinia 2024 ~ Part 1
In the May half-term, nineteen Year 12 students of Italian and Social and Cultural Anthropology enjoyed a wonderful trip to Sardinia, experiencing Sardinian nature, culture, history, traditions and food - accompanied by Ms Martucci and Ms Contini.
We started off by visiting the rescue centre for marine life in the Nora lagoon, west of Cagliari, where we were given the opportunity to learn a great deal about various species of marine creatures, such as sea cucumbers, starfish and various cetaceans. The highlight of this session was seeing real life sea turtles that had been rescued and were being cared for by the staff at the rescue centre - although this was also a reminder of how humans are negatively impacting these wonderful creatures, for example through plastic waste.
We then enjoyed a lovely, sunny afternoon on the beach, and swam in gorgeous turquoise waters!
The next day, we explored the city of Cagliari: our guide, an expert archaeologist, took us to see the underground Roman remains of streets and houses that were found accidentally under a church in 1999! We then went for a walking tour in Cagliari, learning all about the city’s origins and especially focussing on the fortification of the city in mediaeval times.
After a stop for lunch, we headed to the beach once again, to have a little swim at Poetto beach, with the backdrop of the Sella Del Diavolo (the Devil’s Saddle) - a very impressive rock formation.
The following day, we took a long bus ride to the heart of Sardinia, to learn all about the carnival traditions of Mamoiada, focussing specifically on the Mamuthones masks. We learnt about the important functions of these masks parading the streets in winter, on the day of Saint Anthony, to cast away evil spirits that would threaten the harvest, and also to ward off death and sorrow and look forward to spring. We visited the workshop of a mask maker, who explained in detail how masks are made and the importance of Mamuthones for the identity of the people of Mamoiada today.
In the afternoon, we moved to the nearby town of Orgosolo, famous for its mural paintings that express important messages of peace and social justice and refer to important historical events, such as the 1968 uprising by the local people against the construction of a NATO military base that would have taken away their lands (precious for pastures) and also international events such as the war in Iraq or Tien An Men square.
The next day we headed north towards Alghero, stopping by two very important prehistoric sites - the Necropolis of Bonorva and the impressive Nuraghe of Santu Antine. In both sites, we appreciated some buildings and burials dating back to 6000 years ago, and we reflected on how prehistoric humans had similar needs and belief systems to ours, such as customs relating to the afterlife, hierarchical structures, the need to belong etc. We then spent the afternoon in Alghero relaxing on the beach, at yet another stunning location.
We spent our last day exploring Alghero, learning about its history, from its founding by a noble family from Genoa to its conquest by the Catalans, and the importance of coral for the local economy. The highlight of this day was the visit to the spectacular Nettuno caves, and the boat ride there, again surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery.
It was a wonderful experience for both staff and students, and even though we came back extremely tired, we all feel incredibly enriched by this experience.
Students' comments:
As an anthropology student, I found this trip to not only be educational but also extremely fun and entertaining. Over the week, I got closer to my peers and my teachers, and I picked up several new Italian words; one would think I am bilingual. Overall, I really enjoyed the sun and warm temperatures. Furthermore, I was in awe of the beaches, they were so clear (thankfully there were no jellyfish)! I would love to visit Sardinia again in the future. It was an amazing experience 10/10.
Harleen
The trip was such a good experience; not only did we learn lots which could be applied to anthropology, but it was also planned out very well so that we got lots of free time to enjoy ourselves with our friends and on the beaches. Sardinia was a great trip, and I'd recommend it to anyone who gets the opportunity to go.
Albert
It is so difficult to choose what the most enjoyable aspect of the trip was, as the whole trip was an amazing experience. The weather was absolutely perfect, so we had three days when we went to the beach, and it was gorgeous. I also really loved learning about the history of Sardinia and going to the centre for marine biology in Nora. Overall, it was a great trip where I got to know my classmates better and ate lots of delicious ice cream.
Amélie
This trip was genuinely one of the best weeks of my life. I have made life-long memories and I have strengthened my friendships and independence. Sardinia is an amazing place and Miss Contini planned the best tour and showcased all the best parts of her homeland, and we all fell in love with it. I wouldn’t hesitate to go back and relive the memories over again, and I would recommend it to anyone, not only for the beautiful beaches, but for the history and unique culture.
Ella
Please click on the link here to view the Sardinia 2024 Photo Gallery.
For the ‘Wear a Green Item Day’, students were encouraged to bring in a green item to raise awareness for the two chosen charities, ‘Young Minds’ and ‘Place2Be’.
The Year 10 cricket squad put in a spirited performance against a very strong Gravesend Grammar School side last week. We batted first but struggled to build any partnerships of note. As a result, we were all out for 66 runs. Although we did well to take a few early wickets, ultimately Gravesend won the match and therefore went through to the next round of the competition.
In May, the MFL Department ran their very first MFL trip to Oxford University with a selection of our Year 10 and Year 12 linguists. The focus of the trip was to give our most enthusiastic linguists a glimpse of the opportunities that studying languages at university could open, especially when combined with another subject in joint degrees. On the day, students had the chance to attend some very informative sessions led by Nicola Brown, School Liaison Officer at the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages, and Sarah Large, Outreach Program Coordinator at Mansfield College. After a taster lecture in literature, our group met two BGS alumni, Lucas and Harry, for a private tour of Hertford College.
Well done to the Year 7 cricket team after a hard fought battle against Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar School. Unfortunately, BGS came out second best this time despite scoring a very credible 284. The team spirit was fantastic, and the team were an absolute pleasure to work with in their first away fixture of the season. Yet more BGS pupils making their debut!
A close opening game for our Year 10 cricket team. We scored 107 off 20 overs. Wilmington reached the total with an over to go. A lovely evening and an enjoyable game that had lots of twists and turns.
Year 10 Business Studies students are currently engaged in the 10X Challenge. Each team of around 5 students are pledged £10 for four weeks to get their business idea off the ground. The challenge allows students to put theory into practice, develop their entrepreneurial skills and give them some experience of what it is like to run a business. Students have set up businesses selling goods ranging from bouncy balls to home-made bracelets and services from car washing to garden maintenance (see pictures). We wish them the very best of luck and look forward to hearing all about their experiences after half-term!
Huge congratulations to Alice Black and her netball team. Alice went to Sunderland to compete last weekend and came an impressive 7th in England! Alice plays for Kent County Netball Club. Following an initial qualifying regional tournament and 14 matches throughout the season, they gained a place at the U16 National Finals. The 18 best teams in England played over 2 days, in Sunderland, at the Beacon of Light Stadium. Their team, KCNC, won 5 of their 7 matches in the Finals, only losing to the eventual winners and another top team. Congratulations to Alice, an excellent GD circle defender who played every match, blocking out the opposition, defending shots and making interceptions to turn the play over. She is part of an amazing team, who worked brilliantly together to beat tough opponents, and we can proudly say they came 7th in the country..png)
Thank you to the generous PTA who paid for the books and our participation in the awards ceremony. The students loved it and have already asked to take part again next year!