What does it mean to be a global citizen?
Let’s go to Gran Canaria and find out!
Year 6 went to Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, Spain for six days to find out what it means to be a global citizen. Their focus was “life underwater and the impact of plastics in the ocean”, linked to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development goal.
During the visit the children visited the local aquarium, seeing an exhibition focused on plastics in the ocean and of course seeing the wonderful sea life. They also worked with Spanish school children, carrying out a beach clean-up and learning more from the local council about the problem of rubbish left on the beaches and what they can do to help the environment.
One of the many highlights of the trip was seeing dolphins and a whale in their natural habitat. We went on a glass-bottom boat trip, where we watched in awe at the sight of a pod of dolphins swimming alongside the boat (for over an hour!). We were also fortunate enough to see a whale out at sea – which is not something we see every day! Watching these and God’s other creatures in the ocean made us all reflect on the beauty of our world and how, without making some significant changes, future generations will not be able to experience seeing the same things.
Making new friends was great fun. St Mary’s bought a cricket set for the Spanish children and taught them how to play. They taught us some Spanish songs and dances! We got to experience the Canarian culture, eating traditional food, watching a puppet show and listening to live music.
They visited the volcano on the Island and took in its beauty, standing at the top, looking over the vast crater. We thought about how we could experience more wonderful places and really make a difference to our planet.
We had a fantastic time on the beach, with the children playing happily in the sea and the sand in the warm sunshine! They also had paddleboarding and kayaking lessons which was an experience they will not forget.
With amazing hosts at our hostel, new friends made at our Spanish school and some amazing experiences, the children had a trip of a lifetime. They have made memories that they will talk about for years to come and they will disseminate the knowledge they have gained to the rest of St Mary’s, the local community and beyond as they now understand what it means to be a global citizen.
