I was in Davos for 6 months in 1977, i have fond memories. I was literally covered in eczema when i got there, from head to toe, it was inbetween my toes, fingers, even in my ears, literally i was covered. I was terribly thin as well, 13 years old, i weighed under 5 stone.
when i got to the unit I wasn’t made to feel that welcome by some of the other kids. I was the last English person sent to the unit as it was closing.
there were girls and boys there when i arrived but i was told that most of them were returning home and the ones staying were in need of an extra 6 months, some were from Birmingham, some Liverpool and some Northampton. We was in a building up the road when i arrived, not the unit with the floors, I always thought the house was caselva and the bigger house with three floors pictured above in some posts was Pro Juventute, I must be wrong about that. I remember the breakfasts, my favourite day was sundays as we got Chicken and chips, lol
The first morning there was my first morning away from home in my life and I was a bit homesick but that soon passed, it was Very deep snow outside and the rest went out on the morning shopping, i stayed behind because i was examined by a doctor and sister fisher. Now sister fisher was quite scary to me but after i came back i missed her!
the next day we was allowed out and me and some of the boys, Mark, Glugg, and Stephen went up to Schatzalp, on our own i may add, it was the deepest snow i had ever seen, in some parts up to my waist, we walked as high as the avalanche barriers and i was thinking i could start an avalanche, lol. later that month we went tobogganing, ski-ing, ice skating, i loved it all. once the snow had dissppeared... (about 12 weeks almost half my stay
we had walks to some really lovely places around Davos and beyond, we had train journeys and walks round the lake, Davof dorf, Platz, Chur, Klosters and all over. football consumed a lot of days and i was told i was quite good at the time by Richard, I remember it being the first time someone had taken the time to praise my efforts, he also taught me to swim. I remember the English Church, St Luke’s and we visited it on some sundays.
as i said we was in the house when i got there up a side road but after a while a lot of people went home and only 6 of us remained..... all boys and we was moved to the building with three balconies. downstairs on the bottom were very young children and on the top were swiss, Italian, and German young ladies same age as us. Whilst there i became very fond of two girls, Urina and Claudia, Claudia was swiss.
the boys that remained with me were (Mark Harrison Northampton, Andrew Glover Hinckley, Andrew Jowsey Birmingham, a small lad called Lawrence Holmes from Northampton and Stephen Warwick from Northampton. we also had two German older boys with us and a lad called Johan from Belguim, who i remember crying when we left. We was all on the middle floor
of course i didn't want to go home.....who did??? when i got home back in England my eczema had gone completely, but alas my asthma hadn't although it was a lot better. whilst out there we had two teachers one called Carrie and one Richard, think they were going out with each other. we all watched football on TV once a week, Football, usually a sunday when they showed the English games. we also watched the 1977 FA Cup final between Liverpool and Manchester United. Abba and the Beatles were the big groups people liked when i was there.
one thing that did happen whilst i was there was my introduction to Ventolin Inhalers, one day whilst walking i became wheezy, first time and i was given a dose of Ventolin. in an instant my wheezing went
what was the miracle inhaler i asked everyone and why hadn't i had one in England , lol think they were new but i don't know, i got one when i got home and have been on them ever since. i started a facebook group for Caselva and Davos
https://www.facebook.com/groups/projuventutedavos/ (link updated Aug 1st 2020) and will of course link back to this thread, would love few a from here to join and of course come on here and reminice
i have a few photo's and my memories but one day i hope to speak with some that was there in Davos. Sister Fisher bless her must be well into 80's if she's still alive, think she came from Broadstairs.
as someone said above , Davos possibly saved my life and i'm grateful to have gone there even if it didn't cure me, Bryan
