— About Roland · Youth Memories · England 1972
England 1972.
Eurocentre Bournemouth — Commemorative Reports
1972. Roli Bonadurer travels to Bournemouth, England, to learn English — at the Eurocentre, 26 Dean Park Road. What emerges is more than just a language course: a class community, excursions to Wales and Scotland, and a small self-written booklet that has been preserved to this day.
Eurocentre · 26 Dean Park Road, Bournemouth · 1972
Original Documents · Scanned and left in the original
The Booklet — in the original
The students of Class G compiled their memories. The original typed documents have been preserved to this day.
Class Reports · 1972–1973
The Reports
Seven Swiss students — four girls, three boys — wrote down their memories. In German, in English, sometimes serious, sometimes funny. Roli was one of them.
Foreword · Werner Schlup
Dear friends!
This attempt, consisting of commemorative reports, was written by former English students — more precisely: a team of four girls (ladies) and three boys.
So we sat down at our desks. Each and every one of us put our ideas together. Yes, and then we discovered that writing seems quite easy at first — until you actually have to write. In short: we experienced those anxious moments that no one is spared who wants to immortalize memories on paper.
Just a moment ago, one had so many good ideas, but now that they were to be “translated” into understandable flashes and lined up in a somewhat logical sequence — and no brownie to rush to the rescue!
I would like to express my sincere thanks to all those who racked their brains over this for their commitment. May this beginning contribute as an impetus for further connections between us.
Werner Schlup
To the page
Eurocentre
26 Dean Park Road
Bournemouth, England
Class G
4 Girls · 3 Boys
Swiss participants
Teacher
B. Hartley (Berni)
“Don’t worry about THEM…”
Excursions
Wales · Oct 13–15, 1972
Scotland · Nov 8–13, 1972
London (Day trip)
Accommodation Troubles · Monica Piatti
London, the wrong room.
Wherever you are in England — always make sure you’ve taken the right accommodation!
It all happened the day Bernadette and I went to London with the school. It was a lovely, English day as the excursion started with the big buses towards London. We passed through Southampton, Winchester — which has got this beautiful cathedral — and Windsor Castle, and reached London at lunch-time.
The coach stopped in front of the “St. James’s Hotel”, where everybody left their luggage — for going out, spending a nice (expensive) day and evening in London. But there is a time when even in London all pubs and dancings get closed. That’s why people then make parties at their own (read: at the hotel!).
The Hotel So it happened that Bruno wanted to take a big box of beer into his big, luxury room, which he shared with a friend. Such a luxury room, because the Reception had made a mistake and given the simple in-advance-booked room away.
As Bruno opened the door he had a strange feeling. He could hardly believe that his friend had already gone to bed — but he saw him lying in the bed. As he went closer, he discovered a total strange woman sleeping in his bed. And even two children in the other bed. Oh dear!
What a strange world — he had even already unpacked and put his things on the bed. It must be the wrong room! But it wasn’t — of course, the Reception had given the room a second time to people who paid more for it!!
Monica Piatti
Memories · Corinne Wiedemann · Geneva, June 24, 1973
Three months in Bournemouth.
Three months in England, in Bournemouth especially — oh yes, they are still present in my mind and are going to be there for a long time.
We had so many enjoyable times at school and during the evening. Do you remember:
“Good morning — right, will you open your books, page 121…”
And Werner used to like this sentence: “Don’t worry about THEM…”
If I compare this marvellous class G and my second class at Eurocentre in London three months later — it’s black and white. In London I had a woman from Canada as class-teacher; between students the atmosphere was cold, we never went out together and spoke seldom during breaks.
Twice I came back to Bournemouth during the weekend and again I had fine days. Never in my life before had I had such a nice class and a class-teacher like that. Also: thank you to all of you — and I hope that one day we will be able to see each other in Bournemouth again. Why not — everything is possible in 1973.
Corinne Wiedemann, Geneva
Excursion · October 13–15, 1972
Impressions from Wales.
Already on the second weekend in England, the notorious Schläppi Team was born — in Wales. We had already known each other more or less before, but it was only with this excursion that things really got moving.
Even during the seating arrangement in the coach, the right people came together and we left Bournemouth in high spirits. Barny Kröllheimer alias Richard Wimbury had his work cut out for him trying to convey the expert commentary on churches, bridges, and castles to the ladies and gentlemen. Diskus had, of course, provided the necessary travel provisions — and so we could look forward to the lunch break in Bristol in peace. Salami, salsiz, and a good drop of wine on the town hall square in Bristol astonished some passers-by.
In Cardiff, we visited Cardiff Castle and the Welsh National Folk Museum. In the evening: a dance, then a pub, a nightcap at the hotel bar — and desperate attempts to place a piece of furniture in front of a hotel room door (which didn’t work after all). On Sunday morning: the coalfields of Wales, breaks for commemorative photos, a stop at the Severn Bridge.
The closer we got to Bournemouth, the better the atmosphere became. All known and unknown songs were sung — and we arrived safely in the late evening.
pk · May 27, 1973
Come to the Highlands · November 8–13, 1972
Scotland.
We start our journey to Scotland on Wednesday, November 8, 1972, at exactly 1:30 PM, in Bournemouth. At 80 miles per hour, we head north with a few intermediate stops. The weather holds up well, and between Oxford and Birmingham, we experience a magnificent sunset. We reach Edinburgh on the morning of November 9 at about 1:30 AM. After a cold night, we head up to the Castle Hill — from where we enjoy a magnificent view of the city: the Sir Walter Scott Monument, the Dugald Stewart Monument on Calton Hill.
Through the magnificent Highlands, the Sidlaw Hills, we continue north. Before us lies the wide, quiet valley of the River Tay. A clean river winds through untouched nature. Then Loch Tummel — one of Scotland’s most famous lakes alongside Loch Ness and Loch Lomond.
Loch Ness · November 12, 1972 At first, Loch Ness lies before us, gloomy and eerie. The famous monster Nessie is said to live in this lake. Despite attentive glances, we do not find the monster. It occurs to us that today is Sunday — and Nessie might have gone visiting. Because monsters are notoriously unpredictable…
At the north end of Loch Ness lies Inverness. One of the cleanest cities I have encountered in Great Britain so far. Here we have the first opportunity to admire real Scots in their national dress — bagpipes, kilt, and the colorful pattern of the tartan, which means nothing other than the color of the respective family name.
On the morning of November 13, we start early from Fort William. In beautiful late autumn weather, we have breakfast in Luss on Loch Lomond. A few miles after Glasgow, already back on English soil, we turn around once more towards the north: the Scottish mountain landscape glows golden in the sinking autumn sun…
Martin Widmer · Text for the slide-sound show · December 2/3, 1972
Humor · Bournemouth 1972
Why, why?
— Why did the same students always skip school?
— Why was more Swiss German than English spoken in England?
— Why do certain Swiss girls always hang out with Englishmen, even though they didn’t know a word of English — and still don’t?
— Why do the female teachers at the Eurocentre have a special liking for the Swiss boys?
— Why is it possible to get drunk on English beer?
— Why do the English drive on the left side, even though they always lie on the right in bed?
— Why did certain Swiss people learn Japanese in addition to English in England?
— Why do Swiss girls always behave differently abroad than in Switzerland?
Poem · Class G
Class analyses.
There was a class in Bournemouth
that sometimes achieved enormous things!
In class they were mostly lazy
In the breaks and evenings very active!
There was a man named Hartley
He was only missing a beard(ley)!
His Rolls-Royce, jacket, and shirts
could soon be sent to a museum!
There was Hugo from the Swabian Sea
Thinking during the day was also hard for him!
There was a lady from Venezuela
Who was almost never there in her thoughts!
There was a boy from the railway
Who apparently made a move on a Fin-girl.
There was an Italiano from Glaris
who made a big fuss about his little suitcase!
There was red hair and an R4
He stomped along like a wild animal!
There was a girl named Bernadette
Who flirted with Denis as if it were a race!
There was the smoking Jean-Michel
Only he believed his head was so bright!
There was a mamsell from Geneva
Was she perhaps the class genius?
Maya Waldmeier, Beatrice Seiler
Class Directory · Bournemouth 1972
Where do they live today?
The booklet also contains a directory of former class members — with addresses at the time and status (England72 / valid).
Mörschwil · CH-9402
Lucerne · 6004
Baar · 6341
Saignolégier · 2350
Crissier · 1023
Gumefens · 1643
Château-d’&Oelig;x · 1660
Brügglen · 4582
Dietlikon · 8305
England72
Spiez · 3700
Spiez · 3700
Münchwilen AG · 4333
Niederglatt · 8172
Aarau · 5000
Achern/Grossweier · D-77855
Binningen · 4102
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