Erasmus+ Exchange Kicks Off in Enkhuizen: Water & Shakes

30 september 2025

No, not a cocktail bar—but the very real challenges of water and earthquakes. That was the theme of the Erasmus+ exchange that began this week in Enkhuizen, where we welcomed 20 pupils from our partner school in Macerata, Italy. Their visit connects directly to the issues they face back home: earthquakes in Italy (the shakes) and here in the Netherlands: living with and fighting against water.

From Penfriends to Real-Life Friends

The Italian group met with our H3 and M3 Dual Language Education pupils. Many of them had already been penfriends, so meeting face-to-face for the first time was an exciting moment.

Morning: Water in Our Everyday Lives

The day kicked off with icebreakers before diving into the theme of Water. A short film challenged the pupils to think about how much water we actually use—often without realising it: flushing toilets, running dishwashers and even the clothes we wear all consume vast amounts of drinking water.

Using AI tools, the pupils calculated the water footprint of their outfits. One group discovered that the eight pupils together were wearing clothes that had required almost 300,000 litres of water to produce. A staggering figure and a real eye-opener.

Afternoon: History, Coding, and Exploration

In the afternoon, the group headed to the Zuiderzee Museum. Here, they experienced what it would be like to live in a village under threat from rising water levels if the dike were to breach. Guided by WhatsApp messages, they worked in teams to complete challenges and “survive” the flood scenario.

Back in Enkhuizen, the pupils took part in a puzzle-based city exploration. By cracking codes and solving a wordsearch, they uncovered hidden details about the town. Even some of our local pupils discovered new things about the place they call home!

Sharing Food, Sharing Culture

The day ended with a meal of chicken satay, salad, and fries—followed by a delicious chocolate mousse. After a full day of learning, laughing and team-building, everyone headed home to rest up for day 2!