In October we hosted in Poland our partners from Cyprus and
Racovita, Romania. There was a welcome ceremony at the Oświęcim
Cultural Centre where the school Head Teachers and the representatives
of the authorities were present. The Polish Folk Group Hajduki gave a
marvellous performance, and the foreign guests presented their traditional
dances.
Our students, together with their Cypriot and Romanian partners,
worked on the tasks planned in the Comenius project. The students
from Nicosia and Racovita presented their countries. The Polish students
prepared and organized a quiz about our country and a quiz about
herbs and spices and their use in dishes. We had prepared an exhibition
of herbs and spices with descriptions in Polish which were completed
with Greek and Romanian names. Our guests could also use the colorful
spices as decorations in hairstyles.
On the tourist farm, in the open air, together
traditional Polish potato, sausage and smoked bacon dish
guests also enjoyed pickling cabbage - stamping it in
both students and teachers. We also learned to dance
and Polish polonez and krakowiak.
Our guests visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum. We also
showed them the modern life of our city and its most important
monuments, the Castle Museum among others. In the Castle we had the
chance to see a herbarium - the Herbarz Syreniusz, which is inaccessible
yet for visitors. The Herbarium dates back to the XVIIth century, when
an Oświęcim citizen examined and described the properties of herbs.
We also visited the capital of Małopolska, Kraków with the Wawel
Castle, the Mariacki Church and the Sukiennice. Before that, however, we
took our guests to the Wieliczka Salt Mine which is on the UNESCO
World Heritage list. Our trip to the Pieniny mountains was disrupted by
a blizzard, but it turned out to be an extra attraction , especially for the
students from Cyprus. In the Pieniny we took a walk around the ruins of
the Czorsztyn castle. On Friday we paid a visit to an open-air museum
at Wygiełzów, where we took part in workshops “From grain to bread”.
There we could see the process of making bread and even try our hands
at using the old-fashioned farming tools.
On the last evening there was a farewell dinner with some of the
traditional, Polish dishes prepared by our teachers, students and parents.
We hope that the guests from Cyprus and Romania will have nice
memories from their visit to Poland and the hospitality of the Polish
families.
We arrived at Ankara after 23:00 o'clock and we were met by the teachers and the host families. Next we were taken to the hotel and guest families.
3.05.2010 Monday
I the morning we went to school to meet teachers and students. At the beginning we took part in opening ceremony. After that each country was introduced by students.Next we all went around the school, met other teahers and took part in Turkish lessons: geography, English and Germany. Next we went to Town Hall Restaurant to eat lunch. At 14:30 we went to visit the Ataturk's Mausoleum and Wooden Workshop. In the evening students spent with host families-they went to play bowling and they ate dinner in the restaurant. All teachers spent evening together eating supper in an old and antique restaurant.
4.05.2010 Tuesday
At 8:00 we met at school and we were taken a common photo. After that each country introduced the spieces which belong to their country and which we had brought with, next we created a glossary of the spieces' names. At 10:30 Spring Festival started in the school garden. It was amazing we watched the performances of the folk Turkish groups.All students and terchers danced,tasted typical Turkish meals and had wonderful time. In the afternoon guest students and teachers all together prepared traditional Turkish meal.Next students went to play painball.
5.05.2010 Wednesday
That day started early because we went to visit Avanos.During the day we visited the pottery workshops and we had possibility to see Zelve and Goreme open-air museum. We arrived at the hotel in Urgrup. After short rest we went to take part in „Turkish Night Show” which was unfogettable. We came back to hotel at midnight.
6.05.2010 Thursday
After very tasty and big breakfast we went to Derinkuyu where we visited Underground City. When we came back to Ankara, we had some free time to prepare to dinner with host families. Dinner in Turkiey Petrol Ofisi Club House was very nice, we and host families played exellent.
7.05.2010 Friday
In the morning we gathered at school and next we went to Beypazari that is famouse for wooden houses, handcrafts. There we ate very big lunch at Historical Mansion. Next we went to visit Inozu Vally. After coming back to Ankera we had some free time to rest. At 20:00 farewell night started at Ankara Anadolu Lisesi Hall.There were closing speeches, Henna night show,folk dances, students'performance with traditional musical instrument and buffet.
8.05.2010 Saturday
At night we were taken to Ankara airport and at 6:00 we flew to Poland. This visit was wonderfull and we made a lot of new friends.
We arrived in the afternoon at the airport in Sibiu where the Romanian teachers were waiting for us. We went to Racovita by cars to meet with the host families. There we received very friendly welcome.
Day two (03.05.2010)
In the morning students and teachers met at school and took part in some lessons. Polish students participated in French lesson. After that, each group gave a presentation of its country and than Romanian students invited their guests to their homes for lunch. Teachers were invited to the restaurant where they could try local food such as: different kinds of meat for starter, bean soup and potatoes with some meat for the main course and ice- cream and coffee for dessert. Students spent their time with the families in the evening.
Day three (04.05.2010)
After breakfast students went on a tour to Sibiu, ancient town in Transylwania where they visited Market Square, some churches and National Museum Brukenthala. There students watched the presentation of herbs and spices used in Romanian cuisine. Then everyone went to the restaurant to eat lunch and we had some free time for shopping. In the afternoon, the students and the teachers visited the Museum of Folk Art where they could see different buildings and machines used to produce the flour. We came back home in the evening so students went to the host families and the teachers were invited for dinner to one of Romanian teacher’s house.
Day four (05.05.2010)
In the morning the students took part in European sports competition. It lasted about two hours and after that they went to eat lunch and change their cloths before the trip to the mountains. We went on a trip to Fogarskie mountains. We got to the top by cable cabin so it was possible to see beautiful landscapes and waterfalls. There we saw melting ice hotel and the biggest iceberg lake. In the evening the students went to the host families and the teachers were invited to another Romanian teacher’s house for dinner.
Day five (06.05.2010)
After breakfast we went on a tour to Sinaia by haired bus to visit Peles Castle which belonged to the Romanian King Karol. The guide told us the most important information about this castle and showed us its rooms. After visiting we went to the restaurant for lunch. In the afternoon we visited the Market Square and Black Church in Brashov. There we had some free time for shopping. We arrived home late in the evening.
Day six (07.05.2010)
We started the day by participating in Romanian lesson. Later the students got to know some herbs and spices from Romania such as: lovage, marjoram, dill, etc. They had to guess the name of herb by its smell and then they had to write the recipe for the dish with the use of one of these herbs. Afterwards everyone went to see the cooking lesson. Some of Romanian students were presenting the process of preparation of some traditional dishes. They showed how to prepare soup with meat balls, sarmale and pie with sheep cheese and dill. In the evening there was a party organised by Romanian students, their parents and teachers. Romanian students were dancing traditional dances and singing traditional songs. Later everyone ate dinner consisting of traditional dishes.
Day seven (08.05.2010)
In the morning students spent their time with the host families and then we met in front of school to say goodbye. We were taken to the airport by Romanian teachers.
Journey from Cracow via Prague to Larnaca and then by bus to Nicosia, where we arrived at night.
Everything was all right, after arrival we received a very friendly welcome, the host families were waiting for the visiting students at the hotel.
Day two (3.05.2010)
The welcome ceremony at The University of Cyprus was a big concert with music played by students, modern device; There were invited guests ,like headmaster, the mayor, head of parents association, all the students of the school.
Cyprus students presented some traditional songs and dances, Polish students sang a popular song in Polish, Romanian students danced, students from Belgium performed a funny dance which made all the audience clap and sing, and the Belgian hymn. The French students sang a song and the Cypriot students finished the ceremony singing the song THE POWER OF THE DREAM.
Snacks and drink served by students, they were very attentive and friendly.
We sit together in office of the headmaster Petrou, drink together, talk, laugh and meet each other!
For lunch we had typical local food: moussaka, meatballs with herbs, vegetables with coriander and some sweets.
Then we had free time and in the evening we went to dinner in a restaurant owned by a former student of the school in Cyprus on a special low price, with mezze.
Day three (4.05.2010)
In the morning students went on a tour of the school, the teachers were received by the headmaster in his office where they got local gifts of Idol of double Goddesses. Afterwards each group gave a presentation of its country and the Cypriot students invited their guests to school where they treated us to lunch. All the students helped in laying the tables and they cleared them afterwards.
In the afternoon the students and their teachers visited the Archaeological Museum of Cyprus.
After the visit the students went back to the host families and they had some recreational activities together, like bowling, tennis, swimming and football.
In the evening the students celebrated one of the French students’ birthday and they had a cake and socialised.
All the teachers and their students went to a local tavern Vardaris to have dinner of chicken kebab, halloumi or spare ribs, according to their choice.
Day four (5.05.2010)
After breakfast the Comenius teams left for Pafos by coach.We hired a professional guide in order to explain the history of the visited places: Kourion (the Roman theatre, the royal baths, the Roman villa),the Kolossi Castle. After that, we stopped to see Aphrodite’s rock and a pottery workshop.
The entire group had lunch and we continued our trip visiting Dionysos house with the beautiful mosaics. The guide told us some very interesting mythological stories. After this visit, we went to see the Tombs of the kings.
We checked into the hotel which belongs to the Cyprus Ministry of Education. The guest students shared their rooms with the hosts (there were 6 students in an apartment).
Later on, we had some free time to walk on the seashore and visit the resort.
In the evening we went by coach to Pafos Garden Hotel to have dinner and after this we went back to the hotel for the night.
Day five (6.05.2010)
After breakfast we had free time – some students went for a walk by the sea while others took a swim in the hotel swimming pool. When we checked out of the from hotel, we went to visit a sweet factory where they make traditional Cypriot sweets. We could taste different flavours and when we were leaving, everybody received a box of sweets. Later we went to the shop to buy some of the delights: Aphrodite’s Delight, sugar-free syrup of cabot, chewing gum from plants or sugar-coated almonds.
Then we went to Limasol, where we had some free time to eat lunch and go sightseeing along the beach.
From Limasol the Comenius group returned to Nicosia, the students were picked up by the families and the teachers sat down to work on the report.
At night the parents association gave a farewell party for all the people involved in the project.
Day six (7.05.2010)
In the morning we visited the forest nursery, botanical garden and the Environmental Centre in Athalassa where we could see, smell, taste and touch some herbs at the herbs plantation.
Afterwards we went to see the old town of Nicosia – Laiki Geitonia, the pedestrian area where we could taste typical atmosphere of the place.
Then, we came back to school, where the students said goodbye to one another, the teachers collected the certificates of participation and some other documents.
In the evening the Romanian and the Polish groups returned home.
