In the last epoch of this school year, the highlight of the entire year was in store for us as Year 9: Outward Bound. Outward Bound is a nine-day hike in which all students from the German and IC systems are divided into five groups of 12 students each and then hike in these groups of 12 through the beautiful nature of Norway, far away from any civilization.

First, however, the 32-hour bus ride to Norway had to be mastered, which for some was even the most strenuous part of the entire trip. Meanwhile, we were all eagerly awaiting our arrival in Norway to finally set off in groups on our hiking adventure. Each group got off at a different place and at some point, it was our turn, group 3.
 

Together with our supervisors, we hiked for about eight hours each day, then set up our tents in the evening and ate dinner as a group. For us, the evenings were the best part of the nine days. We enjoyed eating our overcooked noodles, exhausted after the day's hikes, and reviewing what we had experienced together – and we got to know each other better and grew together as a team. But also the sometimes very exhausting hiking did not only bring blisters on our feet but also a lot of joy when we had to find our paths in the breathtaking nature of Norway. A special experience was the solo, where each of us was alone in the wilderness for 24 hours and wrote a letter to their future self. The week was a great experience that created many unforgettable memories and brought us a good bit forward on the personal development path.

Photos: Martin Funck