The final host family and student gathering of the school year took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere. On Sunday, May 24, we met near the train station, by the fountain in the park on Husovo Square, where our shared day of experiences, conversations, laughter and new memories began.

Thanks to the beautiful weather and a wonderful tour led by sixteen-year-old Anička, the host sister of our Swiss student Elin, we had the opportunity to discover this picturesque town. Together, we explored the medieval underground passages and cellars, walked through the charming streets of the historic centre and stopped at a popular ice cream café for a sweet treat. The day ended with a beautiful view from the Kotnov Tower.

The gathering was also an opportunity to welcome a new host family from České Budějovice, who will host a student from Japan during the next school year.

A big thank you goes to all the participating families and students for their active involvement and the friendly atmosphere. Special recognition goes to Anička, who came up with the idea of organizing the gathering in Tábor, took the initiative to organize it and prepared an interesting and entertaining programme.

It was a somewhat nostalgic look back at the past year, and sharing experiences between families and students once again showed how important gatherings like this are for building relationships and mutual support. This year's inbound students have formed an incredibly close-knit group, and some of them travelled to the gathering on their own even when their host families were unable to attend. Host family gatherings and shared moments like this help maintain and strengthen these relationships. Similar activities can also inspire others – whether through organizing more gatherings or coming up with new ideas to enrich the program.