In the last week in May, eight Form III pupils travelled to Moscow.  They were the first group in what it is hoped will be a long and profitable link with a Russian school. The Mir Znaniy School, situated in the Krasnogorskiy district just outside Moscow, is only five years old but in that short time it has developed into one of the most forward thinking private schools in the region. Their pupils learn English from an early age and they gave the Dollar pupils a warm welcome, questioning them about a typical day at a Scottish school.  In turn, our pupils learned about the Russian curriculum, how they spend their leisure time and even that they too are not permitted to wear jewellery to school! School rules, it would seem, are often the same the world over.

Away from the school campus the pupils were treated to an amazing whistle-stop tour of  Moscow’s top tourist  attractions. The Kremlin, the Arbat, St Basil’s Cathedral all thrilled and amazed our pupils. However, unquestionably, the experience of walking in a deserted Red Square in the middle of the day was the highlight. The huge space bordering the Kremlin, St Basils and the Museum of Russian History was temporarily closed to the public but some pleading and our smiling Scottish faces convinced the Russian police that we deserved ten minutes on the square. It was a never to be forgotten moment.

There was still time to take in a boat trip up the River Moskva, past the Luzhniki Stadium, the University and Gorky Park. Souvenir hunting along the Arbat was highly successful with everyone bargaining hard for their Russian winter hats and revolutionary memorabilia. The last night, another highlight, was spent at the world famous Moscow Circus where lions, camels and sea lions jostled for our attention alongside acrobats and high wire gymnasts. It was a suitably thrilling end to an incredible experience.