Mr. Prout (left photo )has  helped us  for many years to distribute clothes and other contributions to  people in need.Also ,as Co - Organizer in Montego Bay,he assists us withany other relevant matter. During my stay in Jamaica I had many positive experiences but also I saw depressed areas and people in need- especially children.I believe over the past years my efforts have insisted and inspired many students ,teachers and others.1994 Dougie Prout visited us in Germany and we did a three day mini seminar about Jamaica in my class. 
This was the beginning of the project we call:
„LET‘S HELP THE CHILDREN OF JAMAICA“

Mr.Prout organized Penpals at Herbert Morrison High School in Montego Bay. After corresponding for a while some  wished  to visit their penpals.
Dougie Prout was here again in 1995 and we further discussed the  possibility of   a study trip to Jamaica. After outlining a program,the financial requirements ,the flight schedules  and the hotel accomodation we made  an apointment with our principal , Mr.Eberhardt,and talked with him about our  plans  and the whole idea of going to Jamaica in 1996. 

The Aim of the study trip of students  to  Jamaica
Apart from an intensive study of Jamaica`s history ,the political situation and the social problems, the trip to Jamaica offered enormous potential for wider  education.

>>I informed my students that a trip like this only would be possible with geat  efforts and input from all.Everybody had to find  a job ,which I  supervised  myself.This way I definetely knew exactly  that everybody did their part to reduce the costs.

>> Common activities  like selling Christmas trees with parents  helped the students to get to know eachother better offered permanent motivation and had a positive impact  on all concerned.
 

>> During our stay the students had often the opportunity to gather  their own impression about Jamaica,to study the life of the Jamaicans,to get an inside into Jamaica`s problems or to learn something about a Third World Country.
This helped them  to think about their own life and personal situation.

>> I think that a trip like this will only motivate other students,parents,teachers and friends to have a greater  appreciation of the  topic Third World and  especially Jamaica creating great  understanding for eachother. 

>> To travel to a distant  continent and to be able to feel comfortable  in a foreign environment will strengthen the  consciousness of the students .
Also for many students the barriers and self-impose limits of distance  will be broken so they will feel free to visit a far away country or even travel to work there.

>>In our society we are always talking obout" tolerance".Those of us who have friends of  different colour and accept them will be better able to continue this thinking with  every country.

MONTEGO BAY
Montego Bay or MoBay for short is located in  a bay on the North-West coast of the island. Every day thousand of tourists come to the island and a lot of them stay at least part of their holidays in MoBay.Since my friend  Mr. Dougie Prout  lives there and has good knowledge  to hotels,of the organisations ,tour  companies and interesting 
locals ,we decided to go to MoBay.
 

Photo: Hotel "Belvedere"

Our hotel "Hotel Belvedere" perfectly  located on Gloucester Avenue, only 200 metres from  the beautiful  Fletcher's Beach and ca. 1 km from  Sam Sharpe Square,which is  the centre of the city. The hotel is located just outside the main  tourist areas,so that  here we had a little taste of the "native Jamaica" The " City"with about  80 000 inhabitants is the island`s second largest one and isa good example of the vitality of a Jamaican City.

As Mr.Prout knew the owner of Belvedere personally (Mr.George Spence-photo left), Mr.Prout talked to him about the possibility about a German student group coming to Jamaica.Mr.Prout informed  him about the idea ,on  the background of the trip,and also about the tight budget of our student group.Mr.Spence understood and offered us  very good rates . It was the largest  groupfor the hotel  for a long time ,so the minor  difficulties at the beginning were solved easily. With  the strong personal effort  of Mr.Spence, everyone was soon feeling comfortable.The  very good relationship with  the hotel management and the employees made our stay very enjoyableand everybody felt sad when the day to say "good bye" arrived.One comment of one hotel employee tells everything about the relationship :