Sheffield and Bochum are sister cities and have (or used to have) an exchange programme where 20 British and 20 German kids visit each other etc.

I participated in the very first one for four weeks in the summer of 1977. We went to Bochum, then on to Austria - it was fantastic. They really looked after us well; nice places to stay, trips everywhere, and lots of hiking up really high mountains. I bought a penknife/bottle opener in Austria as a present for my father - the first thing he noticed when he got it was the "Made in Sheffield" inscription on the blade. I also remember we had a posh dinner with the Lord Mayor of Bochum in an enourmous room inside what looked like a castle. Very grande.

The following year the German kids visited and stayed with us (a kid named Ralf stayed with me). The 'show' our side put on for the Germans was far less impressive, I am sorry to say.

Does this programme still run? Have you participated in it? Anyone remember me from the first one?

Rupert Atkinson

i went to Bochum about 7 months ago

its nothing like Sheffield!! the busses run on time and its all so clean!

and its really nice!! all the people are friendly. and all the streets are tidy and clean.

Tapton school runs a yearly exchange with kids from Bochum, i don't know if this is what you went on all those years ago.

It wasn't via Tapton - the trip included kids from various Sheffield schools. I went to High Storrs.

And yes - Bochum is a nice place: It got rebuilt for some reason - maybe something to do with the War :)

Rupert

How do you pronounce Bochum exactly?

Ive always said "Bow-shum" but i might be wrong and it could be "Bockum"

Bochum is pronounced as Bokhum, and between the k and the h is sounds as though you are about to spit.

My daughter went on the exchang. Some of the exchanges came back over again for xmas, and went home yesterday

Sheffield is also "Twinned" with Lille in northern France,
and Donetsk in the former USSR,

what is not as well known, is that Sheffield is also twinned with other cities:- Esteli in Nicaragua, and Anshan in China.

PT

Just to add............has anyone else heard the Bochom anthem? Its all German ob..but the lyrics on the chrous go something like..........." We all get high....., We all get high on coke......" Hope it lost a meaning in translation.

She really enoyed it

I recall an event on the Moor in the late eighties, in which Sheffielders were invited to sample beer from the Bochum area. Apparently, a similar event in Bochum, featuring Sheffield ales had proved to be a pleasant and civilised diversion for our dear German friends.

I remember a friend and I giving up all attempts to sample the free wares, after being jostled, sworn at, and elbowed viciously in the ribs by elderly females. The looks on the faces of the Bochum onlookers, in traditional dress, were of horrified incredulity. What an advert for Sheffield these swarms of pugilistic, beer-crazed "Nannans" were.

Sheffield and Bochum are sister cities and have (or used to have) an exchange programme where 20 British and 20 German kids visit each other etc.

I participated in the very first one for four weeks in the summer of 1977. We went to Bochum, then on to Austria - it was fantastic. They really looked after us well; nice places to stay, trips everywhere, and lots of hiking up really high mountains. I bought a penknife/bottle opener in Austria as a present for my father - the first thing he noticed when he got it was the "Made in Sheffield" inscription on the blade. I also remember we had a posh dinner with the Lord Mayor of Bochum in an enourmous room inside what looked like a castle. Very grande.

The following year the German kids visited and stayed with us (a kid named Ralf stayed with me). The 'show' our side put on for the Germans was far less impressive, I am sorry to say.

Does this programme still run? Have you participated in it? Anyone remember me from the first one?

Rupert Atkinson

There is still a very active Sheffield -Bochum exchange group in Sheffield & if you would like to know more just log onto the Sheffield web page & follow the links to twinning & it should bring you to the page you want.