News from the Trilateral Meeting in Getxo, by Dóra Bakos and Emese Szakály

On the 22^nd of March in 2014 we were on our way in the hope of meeting our exchange partners. Arriving at La Paloma Airport in Bilbao, everyone hugged their partners and started recollecting memories of the previous visit. What is more, we got the chance again to get to know another culture because, as required by the rules of the Comenius Project, we had to spend this week with Polish students, too.

During this week, our main task was to create two calendars (an online Timeline, and a paper one), in which all of the Spanish, Polish and Hungarian feasts are included with short summaries. Generally in the mornings we worked on our projects (calendars, presentations, role-play, drama play, debate, reports, sports, competitions). Our afternoons were usually free, but of course we spent it together at various places, some of us even went surfing or laser fighting.

We also went sightseeing in the Basque capital, where we visited the famous Guggenheim Museum. We also went on day trips to Guernica, the town which was destroyed in the Spanish civil war; to the surfing paradise, Mundaka; and to a port called Bermeo, known for its fishing industry. In the National Evening, we had the opportunity to experience a real Spanish atmosphere; beginning with the collective singing, dancing, to delicious national dishes.

On the 29^th of March full of experiences we got on our plane waving goodbye to our true international friends. 

In the hope of seeing each other later, we locked these incredibly wonderful two weeks and our friendship in our heart.

News from the Trilateral Meeting in Getxo

Trilateral Meeting in The Basque Country (Spain) and Germany

Next week, students and teachers from our eight countries are holding the

Trilateral Meeting of the European Project "Comenius" 

(24th -28th March) 

to carry out the project entitled  

                                                     "Our Identity: National and European? 

                             -A Research of National and European Landmarks."

Hosts and guests will have the chance to visit the most emblematic places in Getxo (Spain) and Garbsen (Germany).

At the same time, They will be working in the project at the schools in multi-national teams and they will also have the opportunity to know the hosts' schools, their way of teaching and style of  life, as they will be living with the hosts' families.

In the following video we can see the students from Getxo  presenting their last version of their Comenius song  -Welcome home, to Europe- especially composed to be sung by the eight countries for the ocassion.

Comenius Trilateral Meeting in Getxo

Comenius Trilateral Meeting in Getxo

Welcome home, to Europe -the new song for our Comenius students

Time passes, but not work and friends.
We are quite sure that all the teams from the eight countries have been working hard after the Bilateral Meeting last November.
We have been searching to get the answers to the second part of our project. We have shared them with our trilateral European friends. This could be our image diary.

Preparing the Trilateral Meeting

During the last week of February, we have been rehearsing the song to be sung at the Trilateral Meeting during the National Evening. We encourage you all to learn it and sing it together.

 WELCOME HOME, TO EUROPE

Warm greetings from Getxo and have a nice Carnival!

Best of Hungary (by students from IES Julio Caro Baroja - GETXO)

Trip to Budapest:

The student exchange to Budapest was really exciting, surprising and educational. We learnt a lot about Hungarian culture and about the city of Budapest.

We first saw our partners in the airport, where they were waiting for us with their families. They took us home, and after dinner we went sightseeing.

On Sunday morning we went bowling together. Afterwards we went into the city centre to discover the most important landmarks in Budapest. The Hungarian students had prepared information for us about each landmark. We walked across the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, and then visited the Castle District, in Buda. The view was amazing because we could see the other half of the city (Pest). Whilst we were in the Castle District we had a treasure hunt. We also had the opportunity to see the Danube by night.

Monday was our first day at the school. The Hungarian students showed us a video they had prepared about the city, and afterwards we went to a few lessons (Spanish, English and Chemistry). These lessons were really interesting because we were able to take part in some Chemistry experiments, as well as exchange information about our country (Basque Country). In the evening we had a concert with a Hungarian folk band. They played some traditional Hungarian music and taught us how to dance. We had dinner at the school. Each family had prepared some traditional Hungarian food, which was very delicious and also very different from the cuisine in Spain.

On Tuesday we visited Eger, a town over two hours away from Budapest. It is an old town that has a lot of history. We visited the castle and learnt about the invasion of the Turks. We also visited a college to take part in some Physics experiments and to use the camera obscura.

Best of Hungary 

On Wednesday morning we met outside the Opera House and then went to Heroes’ Square. In addition, we saw the Turkish baths and visited the Millennium Castle. We had the opportunity to try some typical Hungarian food such as Langos and Salted Pretzels. In the afternoon we returned to school to work on our projects.

On Thursday morning we visited the House of Terror Museum. It turned out to be a very educational and shocking experience. It was hard for us to learn about how Hungary has suffered in recent times (Nazi occupation and Communist dictatorship). Thursday was also presentation day. We invited students from English classes in the school to see our presentations. They were very interested in learning about our culture. In the evening we went to Aquaworld, a water park on the outskirts of Budapest. We all had a really good time together.

On Friday we were taken to the Parliament building. We were given a guided tour and learnt lots about the history of Hungary (monarchy and transition to a republic). The interior was incredible because of its Neo-Gothic style. In the evening we had a farewell party, where we played games and danced together. Our host families prepared some more food for us to try – especially traditional Hungarian desserts! After the party we spent some time together (without teachers!) before we had to leave on the Saturday.

Saying goodbye to our host families was very difficult. We were very emotional when we parted ways at the airport. However, we are really looking forward to seeing our partners again in March!

News from Johannes-Kepler-Gymnasium (Garbsen - Germany)

For many people  a  picture has only got a cultural or artistic value; for the students of the Student Exchange to Izmir (Turkey) or to Bergen (Norway), every picture is a deep feeling of the days lived together with new European friends from European Schools.

Europe starts at schools. Europe starts where young people meet and forget nationalities, and share the best of them.
Below, we can enjoy part of the life of students from Johannes-Kepler-Gymnasium during their Exchange in Izmir and Bergen.

Bilateral Meeting in Bergen (Norway)

Comenius Bilateral Meeting in Izmir (Turkey)

News from Budapest in the Bilateral meeting, by Dóra Bakos and Emese Szakály

Thanks to the Comenius Project we could participate in a Spanish student exchange program. Its first round started on the 22^ndof November in 2013, when the Spanish group arrived at Liszt Ferenc Airport. We took them home, had dinner, and then we did something with our family, such as walking on the bank of the Danube in the lights or going to the circus.

On Saturday in the morning we went bowling together and afterwards we walked in the city to see our unique sights. We stopped at each attraction, where one of the Hungarian students shared with the rest of us some information about it. After crossing the Danube on the Chain Bridge, we visited the Castle District.

On Monday we spent our day at the school. We prepared a worksheet with questions about our secondary school and showed a video about Budapest. Subsequently the Spanish students visited an English or a Spanish lesson, and we saw some spectacular experiments in the Chemistry laboratory. For dinner we had goulash soup. During the evening a folk dance group joined us and taught us some easier steps. For dinner every Hungarian student brought some kind of salad or cake. Besides this we prepared for the evening with some games and taught them a Hungarian folk song, called ‘Márminálunkbabám’. At the end of the evening we had some more time to dance, as well.

On Tuesday we visited the city of Eger, where we saw the castle, the camera obscura and the Dobó square, too. It was a long day; we arrived at the school only late in the evening.

On Wednesday we met in front of the Opera, from where we walked to Heroes’ Square. Íon the way there we saw the Zoo and Vajdahunyad Castle. Having arrived at the school, the boys went to play football and the girls played volleyball. Afterwards we went upstairs to work on our projects.

On Thursday in the morning we visited the House of Terror to see a historical series of exhibitions. It was really shocking for all of us. Subsequently we went to the school to give presentations to some English groups about Basque and Hungarian festivals. During the night we went to the Aquaworld to everybody’s satisfaction.

On Friday we started at the Parliament, where a tour guide talked about the building and its history. At the school we showed the rest of the presentations to our schoolmates. In the afternoon we went to the city to buy some souvenirs. In the evening there was a farewell party with games, music, and dancing.

On Saturday we gave a lift to our exchange partners and saw them off.