TWO MEIRIONNYDD students have both enjoyed a trip of a lifetime to South America.

Gwion Euron Lloyd from Harlech and Elin Roberts, both studying for their A-levels at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor in Dolgellau, headed out to Patagonia, following in the 200-year-old footsteps of their Welsh forebears.

Although both teenagers were on separate trips, they both found their trips life enhancing.

Gwion’s trip was the 10th such tour organised by Urdd Gobaith Cymru and Mentrau Iaith since 2008 and Gwion was accompanied by 24 other members of the Urdd from all four corners of Wales, all between the ages of 16 and 18.

Whilst on their fortnight trip in Patagonia, the group carried out voluntary work in the Welsh settlements, thus experiencing and sharing the unique culture of Welsh Patagonians with whom – despite the vast geographical distance – they shared a language. Gwion explained how he spent time with schoolchildren at Gaiman Primary school during his time there.

He said: “The level of Welsh fluency was impressive. The children also spoke fluent Castillano (Patagonian Spanish) and switched effortlessly from one language to the other. We received such a warm welcome there, whilst staying in a Patagonian equivalent of the Glan Llyn hostel.

“The terrain was so different from one place to another, ranging from being really hot to cold the next.

“I made some good friends during my trip, both Patagonians and friends from the Urdd group, who had come from all over Wales and who I know will be friends for life from now on. The 10 days or so that we spent there was just not enough.

"It is a definitely a place to which I will return one day.”

Fellow Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor student Elin Roberts’ trip was totally independent of Gwion’s, although they did coincidentally bump into one another briefly whilst at Puerto Madryn.

Elin had used her initiative to successfully secure a scholarship from Blaenau Town Council to spend 10 days in Patagonia.

Whilst there Elin met the ‘Interdente’, namely the mayor of Gaiman, Mariano Garcia, and spent time talking to local schoolchildren answering their questions about Wales and talking about the constitutional voting systems in Wales.

Elin said: “It was interesting to note differences between Wales and Patagonia, like the fact that voting there is optional for 16 year olds and is compulsory from the age of 18. I presented to the children using both Welsh and Spanish and it was good to see how much effort they put into speaking Welsh.

“I will definitely keep in touch with the contacts I made whilst there and my plan is to return one day. This trip has developed me as a person. I feel it has increased my confidence since I travelled solo and had to meet people from many walks of life and find a way of communicating with them.”