BELLA ITALIA!

    

My experience in Italy was wonderful. I experienced a lot of feelings transmitted by the cities we visited and the people we met.

The beautifully renovated and well maintained buildings  gave me a strange sensation that is hard to be describe but I couldn’t take my eyes from them, especially when we were in Pisa. I had always wanted to see the “Miracoli” piazza and the leaning tower and I was so glad I had this opportunity. I can say that with this project, one of my dreams came true. Lucca and Volterra were my favourites, too. The region we visited was very rich in monuments and I really liked it. Pontedera, where I stayed, is a small piece of jewellery of that part of Tuscany.

One night, the Italian team took us to an restaurant where we could eat whatever we wanted, but, obviously, we all ordered Pizza – ”the queen” of the world renowned Italian cuisine!

The people were very kind to us and responded to any of our questions and the Italian students were very friendly, too. I made a lot of friends and this is something very important for the students in this project – the friendhip among us will remain after the project has finished.

The area had many things to offer a tourist and I am really thinking of returning to Tuscany in the near future.

Adrian FLOREA

Romanian team

 

THE WEEK OF MY LIFE

    

I can say that the mobility to Italy was one of the stunning experience that I have ever had, and I didn’t think that it would be like that. My host family became my second family for a week – I felt at home!

I found out that the Italian people are very friendly and hospitable. I made some new friends from Cyprus, Turkey and, of course, Italy.

I discovered the beautiful landscapes of Pisa Province: the cities of Lucca, Pisa and Volterra (my favourite!) impressed me a lot. Volterra is situated on a hill 1770 feet above the sea level. Its origins date back to the ancient Etruscans, who used to call the city as Velathri or Felathri, while the actual name comes from Volaterra, dating back to the Roman era. The Etruscan walls are still visible, well preserved and surround the city centre. I could really feel a medieval atmosphere when walking through the narrow streets of the centre. Throughout the Middle Ages, the city was home to the bishop, then it fell into the hands of Florence (and the Medici family), and, afterwards, under the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. In the heart of the medieval town we visited Piazza dei Priori with the wonderful Palazzo dei Priori, today the city hall. Its façade has ancient emblems of marble and glazed earthenware. In the same square we saw Palazzo Pretorio, whose tower is very ancient and is considered one of the first towers of the town. It is traditionally known as the Tower of the Little Pig because at the top there is a small pig in stone placed on a shelf. We learnt that Volterra was the setting for New Moon, the second vampire book in the Twilight series written by Stephanie Meyer. In the book, Volterra is home to the Volturi, an ancient group of vampires. I will never forget those places.

I could practice and improve my English by speaking it everywhere and all time.

I would like to visit Tuscany again.

Samira DUMEA

Romanian team

   

 

MY ITALIAN EXPERIENCE

    

The mobility to Italy was one of the most special experiences of my life.

It was a great pleasure to be part of this project. It truly opened my eyes upon the importance of tourism. I had the chance to meet amazing people, see mesmerizing sights, learn about different cultures, architectural styles and traditions. I have to mention the fact that I tasted so many new flavours in Italian foods – the pasta and pizza were the paradise of my taste buds. The whole mobility was a great way to socialize, improve my English and learn everything about the important things of Italy’s tourism.

I would have stayed a lot more there. The host family was so kind to me that it made me feel like at home. The students were also great! – all of them had good sense of humor. They were all respectful, kind, smart, well prepared mentally as well as psychically for taking care of us. We could easily get in touch with each other so we could build strong friendships (we still keep in touch!). The communication was easy as we could talk about anything with the other students as everyone had a good command of English.

The architecture of Volterra was the most beautiful for me. We had the chance to visit an enormous fortress-like city with wonderful viewing spots, architectural structures and buildings. The greatest event was when we visited a century-old palace. Its owner was a noble man who still lived in the building. Most of the constructions in Volterra are like exhibits in an open air museum.

I would like to go back to Pontedera and meet my Italian friends as soon as possible.

Yvette FARKAS

Romanian team

 

Erasmus+ Italy 11-17/3/2018

 

It was an amazing trip to Italy.  I had a great time, I met new people and I made new friends.  We visited towns in Italy that I never expected that existed.

One of the most beautiful towns was Lucca which is one of the most loved cities in Tuscany.  We saw Lucca’s green walls and the park that you can go for running, ride a bike or just for a walk to relax.  We also visited the San Martino Cathedral, the Guinigi tower and the University of Lucca.

One of my favourite visits in Italy was in Pisa on 16th of March.  I always wanted to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa.  You have the chance to discover the tower by climbing more than 294 steps in order to reach the top.  

I have to say that I didn’t want to go before but now I want to go again and again.  There are amazing monuments and towns that you can visit when you go for holidays to Italy.  I hope that I will have the chance to go again one day to visit and learn more about this beautiful country.

Myrto Ioannou

Cypriot team

Mobility to Italy

Μια από τις καλύτερες εμπειρίες της ζωής μου βίωσα την εβδομάδα 12-16. Μαρτίου . Την εβδομάδα εκείνη επισκέφθηκα την Ιταλία στα πλαίσια του ευρωπαϊκού προγράμματος Erasmus +.

Στις 11 Μαρτίου ξεκίνησε ένα ακόμα μαγευτικό, κουραστικό, συναρπαστικό, ονειρικό ταξίδι που με εφοδίασε με εμπειρίες , γνώσεις και καινούργιες φιλίες όπου πολλά από αυτά θα κρατήσουν μια ζωή. Μετά από αρκετές ώρες σε αεροπλάνα , λεωφορεία και αυτοκίνητα καταλήξαμε στον τελικό μας προορισμό, την μαγευτική Ποντετέρα. Ένα καταπράσινο γαλήνιο φιλόξενο και αγαπητό τοπίο και άνθρωποι μας περίμεναν για να μας δείξουν ένα μικρό κομμάτι αυτής της υπέροχης χώρας, της Ιταλίας .

Η αναμενόμενη εβδομάδα έφτασε και από  την μια στιγμή στην άλλη βρεθήκαμε σε ένα σχολείο μέσα στο πράσινο . Ένα σχολείο στη φύση . Σε ένα ονειρικό τοπίο όπου τίποτα δεν θύμιζε την τσιμεντούπολη . Στην αίθουσα ένας μαγευτικός ήχος από πέντε διαφορετικές χώρες της Ευρώπης και πολλά καινούργια διαφορετικά και εντυπωσιακά πρόσωπα να εμφανίζονται στα μάτια μας. Ήταν οι “συμμαθητές” συνοδοιπόροι και συνταξιδιώτες για μια εβδομάδα . Ήταν οι μελλοντικοί μας φίλοι . Το καταπράσινο τοπίο με συνεπήρε και ήταν εκείνο που με έκανε να χαράξω μέσα μου ένα ακόμη μαγευτικό ταξίδι .

Μέσα σε 5 ημέρες επισκεφτήκαμε 3 υπέροχα μέρη , τη Lucca, τη Voltera , τη Πίζα . Μέρη με απίστευτη θέα και φανταστικά αξιοθέατα που όπως μας είπαν και οι μαθητές- ξεναγοί μας το καθένα έχει  τη δική του ιστορία . Φυσικά η περιδιάβαση στην πόλη της Ποντετέρας δεν θα έλειπε . Φεύγοντας γεμάτοι εμπειρίες, γνωριμίες, αναμνήσεις και φιλίες και στις αποσκευές μας να έχουμε όλα όσα μάθαμε,  δεν ξεχάσαμε να δώσουμε το δικό μας μήνυμα πως όταν υπάρχει αλληλοκατανόηση όλες οι ταξικές διαφορές μεταξύ των χώρων διαγράφονται και κλείσαμε την εβδομάδα δίνοντας μια υπόσχεση πως κάπου κάποτε θα ξανασυναντηθούμε και θα αναβιώσουμε την εβδομάδα εκείνη . Το συναπάντημα πολιτισμών τότε ήταν στην Ιταλία την επομένη φορά που θα είναι άραγε; Θα το ανακαλύψουμε όλοι μαζί .

Argyro Stavrou

Cypriot team

My diary

 

It all started on Sunday the 11th of March. As it’s obvious, in the beginning I was filled with anxiety and curiosity about what would happen next and how everything would be.

On Sunday at 5:40 in the morning, our adventure began. We had our first flight to Athens and after that, we went to Rome. In fact, as Rome is famous for its monuments and its history, we had a tour to its greatest historical sights which were wonderful. Unfortunately, after a while, it started raining and we had to leave. I can honestly, entitle this experience as one of my most strange experiences, while running in the rain. Our next destination was Pisa. Just as we arrived  at Pisa airport our host families came and picked us up. A few minutes later we were in our new, cozy houses with our host families.

The next day ( Monday) we had a meeting in their school where we saw some presentations made by Italian students and we also introduced ourselves to the other students. Moreover, we played some icebreaking games, after we were divided in teams. When we finished our activities, our hosts brought us to Pisa where we had an enjoyable time discovering the city, shopping, buying souvenirs and looking around. When we came back, we had free time to spend with our host. We decided to go all together to a pizzeria to taste some original Italian flavors.

Undoubtedly, every day was special! On Tuesday we had a programmed trip to Lucca, a beautiful city in Tuscany. There, some Italian students organized a guided tour to Lucca’s most important sights such as Piazza d’el Amfiteatro, San Michele in Foro and others. Sadly, once again we were disturbed by a heavy rain storm. Although, rain was really annoying I had a fun time in Lucca with my new friends from the other countries, especially when we had the freedom to go wherever we wanted. As it was programmed, we got back home in the afternoon and then we had free time to spend with our host families.

Wednesday was also a remarkable day because the weather was great and Volterra, another graphic city of Tuscany, was awesome. We spent a lot of time visiting the city’s well-known spots being very well guided by the Italian students. Personally, I was fascinated by the architecture and the structure of Volterra due to its magical appearance. We also had an expedition to Alab’ Arte’s laboratory which is the only place that represents the sector of artisanal alabaster sculpture. Additionally, we spent a lot of time exploring the small, graphic alleys of Volterra. After a marvelous but tiring day at Volterra, we came back home late in the afternoon and we spent a relaxing evening at home.

Maria Emmeleia Charalambous

Cypriot team

   

Erasmus + ”Mobilidade a Itália”

1º DIA (2ºfeira):
Este foi o dia em que tivemos o primeiro contacto com a escola e com os
restantes participantes desta mobilidade, tanto do país que recebeu como as pessoas
dos outros países. Tivemos a apresentação de uma app feita pelos alunos da escola
chamada visit 3V e ainda uma atividade para “quebrar o gelo” entre os alunos. A
seguir, um lanche da manhã com doces característicos da sua cultura e depois a visita
pela escola.
Á tarde tínhamos a tarde livre e então os italianos que nos receberam
combinaram irmos conhecer a cidade de Pisa.

2º DIA (3ºfeira):
Na terça feira visitamos Lucca. Pela manhã tivemos uma palestra na
universidade de Lucca com professores do curso de turismo. Á tarde uma visita guiada
pela cidade e pelos seus monumentos.

3º DIA (4ºfeira):
Quarta feira visitamos Volterra. Pela manhã tivemos visita guiada pela cidade e
uma demonstração no workshop “Alab’Arte” de como se trabalhava o alabastro. Á
tarde visitamos o palácio Viti.

4º DIA (5ºfeira):
Neste dia ficamos em Pontedera. Com os grupos que fizemos na segunda feira
fizemos um peddy-paper pela cidade para conhecermos os seus monumentos.
Visitamos ainda o museu Piaggio. Durante a tarde fizemos um trabalho em grupo: as
reviews para a app visit 3V. Á noite tivemos o jantar na escola com todos os alunos e
professores.
5º DIA (6ºfeira):

Ultimo dia que estávamos em Itália fomos a Pisa novamente, mas desta vez
com a escola. Passeamos pela cidade e pela Piazza dei Miracoli. Almoçámos lá com as
professoras. E durante a tarde fomos visitar a torre de Pizza e a catedral. Depois disso
andamos ás compras para lembranças para os nossos familiares e amigos.

Sara Ribau

Portuguese team

 

My diary

  

During the week of 12 th to 17 th of March, we visited Italy for our ERASMUS+ Project.
It was a week full of new experiences, where we met again our Italian friends and also
made new ones from different countries.
We arrived in Pontedera, at 10 th march, Saturday night. On Sunday we visited Florence
with our Italian hosts. For me it was a really beautiful city, full of joy and colour even
though it was raining.
The next day, Monday, we met our foreigners friends at school. We also formed and
presented new European groups with students from national teams and played a ice-
breaking activity. The Italian team presented some applications where we could see the
program for the week and explore the cities. Then, we were given a tour of their school.
On Tuesday, we went to LUCCA, and explore some exciting monuments. We visited
Lucca university, where we had a lecture about the tourism course and of course we had
a tour inside it. In the afternoon, we visited the church of San Michele in Foro, one of
the most beautiful and enchanting historical structures of the city of Lucca( Roman
Catholic church); we also saw the Guinigi Tower, one of the few tower houses that were
built in Lucca.
On Wednesday, we visited Volterra, the town of the Etruscans, of Alabaster and of
Mystery. We saw the Cathedral, known for its Romanesque- Pisan façade, attributed to
Nicola Pisano; the Battistero Di San Giovanni; the Palazzo Dei Priori, one of the most
ancient buildings in Volterra and finally the Pallazo Viti.
On Thursday, we discovered Pontedera with the groups that we made on the first day.
Then, we visited the Piaggio Museum and the tourism office. During the afternoon we
had to write some reviews for Visit3V.
The last day, but not the less important, we visited the city of Pisa. It was a really cool
and exciting day because we were able to see the tower of Pisa and some very important
and beautiful monuments with our friends and teachers. We ended the week in the best
way.
Finally, on Saturday, the 7 th , we arrived in Portugal, very excited to see our families but
sad to live Italy and our friends.

Portuguese team

 

Mobility to Italy – Diary 2018

 

Saturday, 10th March
This day was the day of our departure to Italy. Six Portuguese students and three
Portuguese teachers left their country at 4pm in the afternoon, not really knowing
what they were going to find. I was feeling really anxious, but in a good way. I was
really excited and enthusiastic about the trip. The only thing I was quite fearful about
was my host, since I hadn’t met her so well during her mobility to Portugal. However,
once we got to Italy and we were faced with our Italian hosts, who had been patiently
waiting for us at the train station, I felt relieved. They took us to a really nice
restaurant, where we ate some fantastic pizza, which is quite different from what you
can find in Portugal, and we went home afterwards, spending the first of many nights
sleeping in a bed which wasn’t ours. Quite strangely, it didn’t feel strange at all.
Sunday, 11th March
On this day, our Italian hosts decided to take us to Florence, something we had
actually spoken all about during the trip to Italy. We walked around the city and looked
around, took some beautiful pictures and saw fascinating statues, such as “David”, by
Michelangelo.
Monday, 12th March
On the 12th March, we were greeted by Italian students and teachers at their school,
and played a really fun game with the app they had warned us to download, while also
being introduced to their own app – Visit 3V. During our free afternoon, our group,
along with our Italian hosts, went to Pisa and saw the beautiful monuments. Pisa was
probably one of the cities that most fascinated me.
Tuesday, 13th March
On Tuesday, we got to go to Lucca. Firstly, in the morning, we visited a university and
talked with three teachers about our future and the tourism sector of the economy,
while its potential was also presented. During the afternoon, we were lucky to walk
around the city of Lucca, which was very pretty. On this day, we also went bowling and
had lots of fun, but we were also very tired.
Wednesday, 14th March
On Wednesday, we visited Volterra, probably my favourite city of the entire collection
of those we visited. It was incredibly beautiful and the tour guides were exceptional. I
loved having lunch once again with our Portuguese group and we enjoyed some
amazing food. The view in Volterra was very pretty and we got to take some really nice
pictures. It’s definitely something I will never forget.

Thursday, 15h March
On Thursday, we walked around Pontedera, forming groups and playing a sort of
treasure hunt game. We got to know the city a bit better and enjoyed the company of
our fellow Erasmus colleagues. We also all had dinner at school and I loved the whole
time, I was really grateful to have visited Italy in the company of such incredible and
friendly people.
Friday, 16th March
This was by far the best day. We visited Pisa once again, this time the whole Erasmus
group, and we went up the Pisa Leaning Tower. It felt extremely funny and some stairs
were incredibly hard to climb but the view, once we got to the top, was worth it. We
also entered the cathedral located in the Miracles Square, which was probably the
most beautiful cathedral I have ever seen. The combined architectural styles matched
in such a beautiful way you were enchanted with every single detail. It was a really
amazing day. The last one also. It had been a fantastic week.
Saturday, 17 th March
It was time to say goodbye to Italy and consequently to our hosts as well. Some tears
were shed but we left knowing we would never forget the entire week we had spent in
Italian soil with absolute joy. It was a hard day but, at the same time, I was going to see
my loved ones once again and as for that, I was really happy. The trip was long and
tiring but also surprisingly fun. Once we got to Portugal, it hit me that I would probably
never visit Italy again and my heart broke a little. However, the week I spent there was
unforgettable and everything was worth it. I spent the most incredible week with the
most incredible people and that will always be a part of me.

Patrícia Damas

Portuguese Team

 

Mon voyage en Italie du 11 au 17 mars 2018

Je suis allée une semaine à Pontedera en Toscane dans le cadre du projet Erasmus
+ Foresee the Future.
J’ai été accueillie chez Gaia.
Cette semaine a été très enrichissante pour moi parce que j'ai découvert une autre
culture et la vie des élèves italiens : par exemple ils vont au lycée 6 jours sur 7 mais
terminent à 13h30 !
J’ai passé l’une des plus belles semaines ! J’ai visité deux villages, Volterra dans la
montagne, la vue sur la Toscane était extraordinaire et Lucca où j’ai assisté à un
cours sur le tourisme à l’université.
Je suis allée à Pise, j’ai grimpé les 296 marches de la tour penchée.
J’ai visité le musée PIAGGIO avec ses superbes Vespa J’ai rencontré des personnes
intéressantes !
Je remercie Gaia de m'avoir accueillie chaleureusement chez-elle et merci à tous les
professeurs d’avoir organisé le projet Erasmus +.

 

We left Alençon at midnight towards Paris, then we went to Orly airport.

On Monday, we visited the school, there was a coffee break i was surprised by salty food. I was surprised because the school looked like a factory !!
On Tuesday we went to Lucca unfortunately it was bucketing . In my opinion the course on
tourism was too difficult to understand however i learnt a lot about the skills to get a job in the tourism sector.
On Wednesday: We went to Volterra the city was really beautiful! I bought souvenirs in the
alabaster shop and I took a lot of pictures.
On Thursday, we stayed in Pontedera, in the morning we did a team treasure hunt.
Then we went to visit the Piaggio Museum where we admired the Vespa motorbikes, it was very interesting. We interviewed Giovanni, an Italian student with questions that we had prepared, he answered all our questions because he is an enthusiast.
Finally we went to visit the tourist office of the city of Pontedera.
In the afternoon we stayed in the high school to use the Visit3V app and Kahoot, we spent a good time together.
On Friday, we went to Pisa to visit the city. The view from the leaning Pisa was beautiful.
We climbed 294 steps! We stayed in the afternoon in Pisa with some Italians to walk around, we went shopping. Before the Portuguese students left we had a coffee on the terrace of a bar it was very friendly.
On Saturday morning, we had lunch at the hotel and we went towards the airport.
Thanks to all the teachers who organised this stay with the Erasmus +program, I think I had a great week, it was a fantastic experience !!!

Mathilde Rivière

French team

 

A week in Tuscany – Italy

-This week in Italy was very nice, I met many amazing people during the stay.
I arrived by plane on Sunday and my family welcomed me (in Ponsacco not far
from Pontedera).Then, on Monday, we started visiting the Italian high school and
the Italian teachers and students explained us what we had to do for the week.
-When I was in Tuscany, I loved visiting Volterra and Pisa, Volterra is a city in the
mountains well-known for the beautiful landscapes and the alabaster workshop.
The weather was perfect and I loved being there and for me, Wednesday in
Volterra was my favourite day of the week.
I visited Pisa on Monday afternoon and on Friday, this city is known for its leaning
tower, its Square of Miracles ,monuments, museums and shops.
-What I loved in Italy? I loved the food: pizzas, hot chocolates, tomato salads, etc,
it was excellent and I loved going to the restaurants and bars.
I also enjoyed visiting the shops (clothes, souvenirs..), there are many cute places
to visit and there’s a whole selection !
-My family: I was welcomed on Sunday by my penfriend and her family, they were
very kind with me. During my stay, I slept with Gloria (my penfriend) in a room, in
the evenings we ate with her parents and her twin-brother and after we wandered
in the streets.
-I also met teenagers from Cyprus, Portugal and Turkey and I enjoyed being and
talking with them, I’ve spent great days by their sides, thanks to the Erasmus+
programme.

Séjour en Italie (Toscane):

Dimanche: Arrivée en Italie le matin à l’aéroport de Pise puis les familles italiennes nous ont accueilli à Pontedera.
Lundi: Le matin, nous avons visité le lycée technique et professionnel à Pontedera et avons participé à des activités “ice breaking”. L’après midi avons visité Pise avec nos correspondants. J’ai fait du shopping.
Mardi: Le matin nous nous sommes rendus à Lucca, pour visiter l’université et assister à un cours sur le tourisme. Nous avons visité les endroits les plus connus de Lucca et avons fait les magasins.
Mercredi: Nous sommes partis le matin passer la journée à Volterra, ville pittoresque dans les montagnes, J’ai aimé la visite du palais”Palazzo dei Piori”. Un artisan nous a montré la fabrication d’objets en albâtre.
Jeudi: Nous sommes restés à Pontedera, le matin nous avons fait une “chasse au trésors” puis nous nous sommes rendus au musée Piaggio où nous avons interviewé Giovanni sur les deux roues de la marque Vespa. Les élèves des six pays ont fait un compte rendu par écrit l’après midi.
Vendredi: Cette dernière journée nous l’avons passée à Pise, les élèves italiens nous ont montré les lieux célèbres de la ville, la cour des Miracles, la cathédrale. Bien sûr nous sommes montés en haut de la tour penchée. J’ai été accueillie par une famille très gentille, j’ai passé une très bonne semaine, je les remercie énormément.

Isis Gaugé

French team

 

Logbook

 

 

We are arrived in Italy on Sunday 11th March after a 1 hour -flight.I spent an amazing week in Italy. I stayed with Sarah and her family. They were very friendly and organised everything for me.I discovered a new country and a new culture.The food was not very different, in the morning i drank a hot chocolate and ate bread and jam and for lunch i ate pasta.At night, we went to a tea room to have a good time with the other people, for example, one night we went to the bowling alley and we were back home at midnight!On Thursday we did a treasure hunt then the teachers organized a diner with all the people at school, and we spent the last day in Pisa.We visited Pisa, Volterra, and Lucca. The landscapes were wonderful and all the Italian people were very nice and friendly.All the French team have appreciated this week and this country.I will remember this week for a long time because i’ve met friends from different countries.Thank you to :

– Erasmus program,
– the Italian teachers and their pupils who prepared all the visits and the activities,
– the pupils and the teachers from Roumania, Cyprus, Portugal and Turkey,
– all our friends from Italy,
– to my teachers
– and to my friend Sarah and to her family.

Tugba Yasar

French team

 

Mon séjour en Toscane à PONTEDERA, Italie

Nous avons atterri le dimanche 11 mars 2018 à l’aéroport de Pise. A notre arrivée au point derendez-vous avec les familles, mon correspondant Giovanni est venu me chercher, il a chargé mesbagages dans la voiture et nous sommes allés chez lui.
Lundi 12 mars, nous nous sommes rendus au lycée où les cours commencent à 8h00. Nous avons entamé la journée par une visite du lycée, puis l'après- midi nous avons eu quartier libre, nous avons visité Pise avec les autres élèves d'Erasmus +.
Mardi 13 mars, nous sommes allés à l'université du beau petit village de LUCCA et nous avons assisté à un cours sur le tourisme.
Mercredi 14 mars, nous nous sommes rendus à VOLTERRA village magnifique dans la montagne.
On a visité le palais VITI. Le couple âgé parlait français, langue obligatoire dans les familles nobles
dans le passé.
Jeudi 15 mars, nous avons été au lycée pour 8h00, puis les professeurs ont préparé une chasse au trésor dans la ville de PONTEDERA qui nous a conduit au musée PIAGGIO, le musée de la Vespa. La visite a été guidée par mon correspondant Giovanni, on l’a interviewé. L’après -midi à14h00 au lycée nous avons mis par écrit notre ressenti par rapport à la chasse au trésor.
Vendredi 16 mars, départ des familles pour se rendre à la gare pour prendre le train jusqu’à Pise où nous avons passé la journée. Nous avons monté les 296 marches de la célèbre tour penchée.
J’ai énormément aimé ce voyage car j’ai fait de merveilleuses rencontres, je me rappellerai de Giovanni ainsi que sa famille.
Je sens également que j’ai progressé en anglais.
Giovanni et sa famille m’ont très bien accueilli et je suis très reconnaissant. J’ai pu goûter aux pâtes italiennes que j’ai aimées. J’ai aussi acheté un porte-clés et un mug comme souvenirs.
Je sens également que j’ai progressé en anglais.

Lecourbe Antoine

French team

 

 

My experience in Italy

Öncelikle İtalya’da hayatımda geçirdiğim en güzel bir haftayı geçirdikleri için bu projeye ve öğretmenlerime çok teşekkür ederim. Bir hafta boyunca gezebileceğim kadar yer, edinebileceğim kadar arkadaş ve deneyebileceğiniz her türlü yemeği denedim

Pisa, Lucca, Volterra, Firenze, Pontedera, Bolonya, hepsi birbirilerinden güzel ve etkileyici yerlerdi ama benim favorim olarak aklıma yerleşen şehir Volterra idi. Gerek tarihi atmosferi, manzarası ve insanları ile büyüledi beni. Pontedera ise gerek binaları, çevresinin sakinliği ve insanların yaşayış biçimi ile tam emekli olunca yerleşilecek şehir olarak aklımda birinci sırada.

Bir hafta gibi kısa bir sürede bu kadar çok arkadaş edinmek ve kaynaşmak dünyanın en güzel deneyimlerinden biriydi. İtalya’nın kendisi ve yaşadıklarım ile birlikte çok özlüyorum. Arkadaşlarım ile en kısa süre içerisinde tekrardan görüşmek dileğiyle.

Doğukan ÇELİK

Turkish team

 

My mobility in Italy

First of all, I would like to thank my teachers for considering me worthy of such an opportunity. This was really the chance of me. Both seeing the urban and rural sights of Italy and making long lasting friendships were priceless.

Also, the presentations that were given by the students of the Enrico Fermi Institute were flawless ! They answered the questions and gave interesting facts.

Both the students from foreign countries and the students from Italy were noticeably affectionate and resourceful.

Moreover, the host family of mine was very courteous. They were always there when I needed something. Furthermore, they have given me more than I asked for. Over and above that, they have given me gifts and moments that I will never ever forget. Plus, they have given me a chance to taste the traditional Italian dishes.

Throughout a week, I lived experiences and I made friends that can never sink into oblivion. I am really grateful to being having had such a chance !

Ece KULOĞLU

Turkish team

 

 

My mobility in Cyprus

For me, the mobility to Cyprus within the Erasmus + project "Foresee the
Future" has been a unique experience and I am extremely happy to have been part of it.
Being for the first time in Cyprus, personally, I think this mobility has helped me a lot in
discovering a lot of interesting things about tourism in this country as well as the Cypriot
culture, without forgetting the wonderful people I met during that week. I would repeat
this happy and exciting experience anytime.

Alin Stefancsik (Romania)

Erasmus mobility in Cyprus

 

Είχα την τιμή να με διαλέξουν για να λαβώ μέρος στο πρόγραμμα Erasmus . Έτσι λοιπόν τον Νοέμβριο του 2017 στην συνάντηση του Erasmus στην Κύπρο φιλοξένησα δυαγόρια από την Κον/πόλη. Μια ολόκληρη εβδομάδα γεμάτη δραστηριότητες, εξόδους, συναντήσεις, παιχνίδια, γέλια ,άγχος συγκίνηση. Το πρόγραμμα Erasmus μπορεί να σου προσφέρει αξέχαστες στιγμές με συμμαθητές σου , φίλιες σε όλα τα μέρη και πλάτη του κόσμου, γνωριμία με τον ίδιο σου το τόπο και στην τελική γνωριμία με τον εαυτό σου . Μέσα από το πρόγραμμα έμαθα να διαχειρίζομαι το χρόνο μου να δημιουργώ κάτι που εγώ δεν θα έχω ουσιαστικό όφελος , να συνεργάζομαι με ατμονομά που μέχρι πρότινος ήταν άγνωστα προς εμένα. Η αλήθεια είναι πως στην αρχή δεν πίστευα πως θα μπορούσα να πάρω κάτι από ένα πρόγραμμα και όμως απέκτησα αναμνήσεις που χαράχτηκαν στην μνήμη μου , γνώρισα καλύτερά μέλη του σχολείου μου (μαθητές και καθηγητές), αντιλήφθηκα τι πάει να πει φιλοξενία . Το Erasmus για εμένα είναι και ήταν μια νέε εμπειρία ζωής . Εμπειρία που θα συνέστηνα σε όλους κάποια στιγμή να δοκιμάσουν . Το για μια εβδομάδα συνοδοιπόροι σου να είναι παιδιά από διάφορες χώρες του κόσμου πέρα από καινούργιες γνωριμίες σε γεμίζει με γνώσεις για τις διαφορετικές κουλτούρες στα ήθη και τα έθιμα και το τρόπο ζωής άλλων χωρών .Αυτές τις εμπειρίες που έζησα δε θα τις άλλαζα με τίποτα και εάν μου δινόταν η εύκαιρα θα το ξαναέκανα με όλες τις χώρες του κόσμου.
Αργυρώ Σταύρου                                                                                                                                    Cypriot team

 

Erasmus meeting in Cyprus

The Erasmus+ experience has been very exciting for me. Discovering new ways of life and exploring new cultures and places has always been something I’ve been fascinated about, and so it will always remain an unforgettable experience. I have also been able to practice and better my language skills in both English and French. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to visit sights in my country that I have never heard about. Through the Erasmus+ project I was able to try new things, and I was inspired to travel all around Europe. Additionally, I was able to bond with people from different countries and make friendships that will last for a lifetime!
Maria – Emmelia Charalambous
Personally, I feel extremely lucky to have had such a unique experience with the Erasmus+ program. Particularly, it has offered me the chance to learn several new things about other cultures, different civilizations in different countries and other ways of life. In addition, I got to know new places in my country that I have never visited before. Moreover, I learnt more about an important part of the island’s history. The moment that will remain forever in my memory is saying goodbye on the last night of the project. But above all, I am grateful for forming friendships that will last forever!
Giannis Charalambous

Cypriot team

 

Cyprus: a land of fairy tales

   

Surprisingly or not, I loved the Erasmus+ mobility to Cyprus.

I was thrilled when my school mate, Alin gave me the news that we had been chosen to represent our school in Cyprus, Nicosia at Apostolou Varnava Lyceum, our Cypriot partner school in the Erasmus+ project Foresee the Future.

The first thing that struck me, immediately we got off the plane, was the mild weather – I could feel the heat caressing me.

The first day at school was full of enthusiasm, everybody was kind and helpful, even the teachers who were not in the project were happy to show us their classroom and spoke a little bit about the subject they taught. Schools in Cyprus are pretty amazing, from the way they look and they are equipped to the way the courses are held and organised, everything is just where it should be!

The programme for our staying included all the must see objectives, like Limassol Marina, Nicosia historical center and Larnaca beach walk but my favourite was Aphrodite’s Rock “ Petra tou Ramirou in Paphos where I saw the sunset of my life “ it was wonderful!”

The people of Cyprus are so warmhearted. I am glad that I had the opportunity to meet such human beings and to make real friendships with some of them.

The project work was really fruitful: I learnt a lot about Cyprus and its history, about the methods used in the tourism industry to make it work and be beneficial both for the people who work in this economic sector and for the guests who come to this country, to cooperate with students from the partners countries using English to communicate, to present our joint work in a pleasant way, to share moments of joy, to have a time of quality together.

I feel so fortunate for the opportunity given to me.

Raluca Pintea                                                                                                                            Romanian Team

 

My Erasmus mobility in Cyprus

     

Hi there, my name is Noemi Nardini and my school is I.T.C.G. “E.Fermi” in Pontedera, in the province of Pisa (Italy).
In November 2017 there was the mobility of the Erasmus project “Foresee the Future” which offered me the opportunity to visit Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean sea. Not so far from Italy.
On 19th November we took the train from Florence to Rome and two flights, from Rome to Athens and from Athens to Cyprus; than we got to Larnaca at midnight, where I met my host family for a week.

On 20th There was the presentation of the school, some icebreaking activities so we got to know the students from France, Turkey, Romania, Portugal and Cyprus. At 11:00 there was a welcome show with traditional Cypriot dances.
After the show we met the authorities in the Strovolos municipality to introduce who we are.
On 21th We went to Limassol and we participated in a conference about tourism in Cyprus.
Then we went on a guided tour in Limassol where we visited the old town and the marina.
At 11:30 we visited Pafos and the archaeological site.
We could see the mosaics in Cyprus and in the afternoon we stopped at “Petra tou Romiou” to visit the birthplace of Aphrodite. The place was so beautiful and we took many pictures.

On 22th there were some activities at school, we went to Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus and other important cities on the island.
We had some freetime in the city centre, where there are many shops and churches. Then we played a game in groups. During that we could see the most important landmarks of Nicosia and we learnt a lot of things on Nicosia’s history.

On 23th we visited Lefkara village with a tour of a local winery, also we saw the women working Lefkara’ s famous lace, and saw the local silver handicrafts.
The winery was very modern and located in a beautiful area and the manager explained us the different steps to produce wine.
At 12:00 we went to Larnaca, there were a lot of tourists who were still sunbathing.
We visited the castle and then had lunch at a restaurant near the harbor.
On 24th during the morning we had group work and we prepared some presentations related to tourism and then we presented them to the others.
In the evening we had the farewell dinner at school from the parents association. The parents prepared souvlaki, Greek salad, grilled lamb, potatoes and other local dishes.
It was delicious! We had fun dancing together the typical local dances.
On 25th we flew back to Italy and we arrived in Pontedera at 11 pm.
This experience was very significant because I met new people of different countries and with different cultures.
I met true friends and we are still in touch, I’m so glad I was part of the project.
My host family was like mine, they welcomed me like a daughter and on the last day they gave me a lot of presents for my family and for me.
I’ll never forget this!
Noemi Nardini.
The Italian team

      

Relatório da viagem

A nossa viagem começou bem cedo no sábado. Saímos de casa antes das 9h
e já só chegámos à nossa “nova” casa às 2h da manhã do dia seguinte. Foi
uma viagem muito cansativa.
Todos tivemos um domingo diferente. Cada um passou o dia com a sua
“família” e apenas à noite nos voltámos a encontrar.
Para mim o domingo foi um ótimo dia para descansar e conhecer melhor as
nossas famílias.
As atividades com a escola começaram na segunda.
Tivemos todos de acordar super cedo porque no Chipre estamos sempre duas
horas à frente de Portugal por causa do fuso horário.
No Chipre a escola começa às 7h30 e o portão fecha também a essa hora, se
um aluno chegar atrasado à escola ou trepa o portão ou leva falta o dia todo.
Na segunda-feira ficámos na escola e participámos nas atividades de “Ice
Breaking” com os alunos dos diferentes países ( deu para conhecer melhor os
outros estudantes)
Depois destas atividades saímos da escola e fomos até à Câmara onde
conhecemos o Presidente e apresentámos, assim como os alunos dos outros
países, a nossa escola.
Depois disto voltámos à escola para nos encontrarmos com os nossos colegas
e aproveitarmos a nossa tarde livre.
À noite voltámos a estar todos juntos, jantámos e convivemos com os colegas
cipriotas que já antes tínhamos  recebido em Portugal.
Na terça-feira fomos de autocarro visitar duas cidades que muito me
impressionaram, Limassol e Paphos. Já tinha ouvido falar destas duas cidades
mas só vendo para tirar as minhas próprias conclusões.
Em Limassol vimos a vista, caminhámos ao longo da costa, visitámos a
Universidade onde assistimos a uma apresentação sobre o turismo, a marina
gigante, cheia de luxuosos barcos, e o castelo.
Almoçamos já em Paphos e foi nesta bonita cidade cheia de história que
visitámos os mosaicos e um castelo bem próximo. Já depois de partirmos para
a escola parámos na “Petra tou Romiou” o sítio onde a Afrodite nasceu.
Chegámos à escola por volta das 18h e depois disso ainda nos voltámos a
encontrar para jantar (portugueses e cipriotas).
Na quarta-feira quando chegámos à escola assistimos a uma apresentação
sobre Nicósia ( a capital do Chipre) e depois disso fomos visitar o centro da
cidade.
Foi no centro da cidade que fizemos uma caça ao tesouro que no deu a
conhecer mais sobre a história da cidade e a sua sociedade multicultural.
Foi no centro da cidade que contactámos mais com a realidade da divisão do
território com os turcos.
Depois desta atividade tivemos tarde livre mas decidimos ficar no centro da
cidade para a conhecer um bocado melhor.
Foi na quarta-feira à noite que nós e o resto do grupo do Erasmus+ fomos ao
Bowlling ( claro que tinha de acabar em último mas a noite não deixou de ser
divertida por isso).
Na quinta-feira já me sentia triste por saber que a minha passagem pelo Chipre
já estava quase a acabar. Foi neste dia que visitámos Lefkara, uma vila, e
Larnaca ( a cidade onde se encontra o aeroporto). Em Lefkara fomos a uma casa de vinhos e ficámos a conhecer um pouco mais sobre a importância e a
presença desta atividade no Chipre.
Após a atividade ainda fomos visitar a vila para depois partirmos para Laranja,
onde visitámos o seu castelo.
Foi em Laranja que almoçamos e depois voltámos para a escola para encontrar
as nossas famílias.
Por volta das 20h ainda fomos (portugueses e cipriotas) assistir a um jogo de
basquetebol entre a seleção portuguesa e cipriota (perdemos por pouco).
Foi na sexta-feira que me apercebi que estava prestes a deixar um país
encantador e pessoas sem saber se as voltaria a ver.
É incrível aquilo que somos capazes de sentir e a quantidade de afeto que
podemos ganhar por alguém em tão pouco tempo.
Na sexta feira ficámos pela escola, foram-nos atribuídos grupos de trabalho e
tivemos de realizar uma apresentação (foi nos dado o perfil de um turista e com
base nesse perfil tivemos de sugerir uma estadia personalizada no Chipre).
Depois das apresentações fomos para casa para estar as famílias, descansar,
fazer a mala….
No final da tarde foi feito um jantar de despedida na escola com os alunos e
respectivas famílias. O jantar foi agradável, chegámos até a dançar músicas
tradicionais cipriotas.
Depois do jantar os nossos colegas de Erasmus decidiram levar-nos a uma
feira de diversões perto da escola onde ficámos até à hora da partida para o
hotel.
Foram pelos menos três horas muito complicadas, pois estávamos todos muito
cansados, com os nervos à flor da pele e sem vontade de partir para Portugal.
Certo é que chegou a hora de partir. Levarei sempre no coração um pedacinho
do Chipre.

Anna Hirner

Portuguese Team

 

 

My Cyprus mobility

  

On the 18th of November of 2017 , at 8 a.m we all left our houses and went to the airport .
I won’t lie and say I wasn’t nervous because I was. Almost nervous enough to want to stay in Portugal. I don’t know why! Maybe the fear of flying or maybe just because I had no clue of what to expect when we would arrive.
From Porto to Frankfurt then Vienna and after many hours (too many) we were finally in Larnaca. Tired but happy I might say.
The next day, Sunday, we all spent it with our host families getting to know each other and
resting.
Monday was dedicated to icebreaking activities, visiting the school and watching a show with traditional dances. We also met the local authorities and each country presented its school and city.
Throughout the next three days we got to: visit the Limassol marina, attend a workshop at the Cyprus University of technology , visit Pafo’s harbor , stop at “Petra tou Romiou”-the birthplace of Aphrodite- ,go on a treasure hunt in Nicosia, visit the Lefkara village and a winery, visit Larnaka and the Saint Lazarus Church.
Friday we stayed at school. We were randomly organized by groups and had to prepare a
presentation. Each group had a tourist profile and had to, keeping in mind their needs and
preferences, create the best program possible for them. Later on we attended a farewell dinner at the school and I think, at least for me, that was the moment I realized the week was really over, we were about to leave the people we had gotten so close to.
The week in Cyprus wasn’t like I imagined it would be but nothing ever is the way we picture it .
We can’t predict how people will act or how things will turn out and that’s probably what makes everything so remarkable .
On the other hand there are the people we spent our week with, they were the ones that truly made places and moments special . What’s the point of doing all that if you don’t have someone to share it with?
We were lucky.We had our friends to share those moments with and I hope that these friendships will last forever. A girl can dream…

Andrada

Portuguese Team

 

My fantastic experience in Cyprus

    

Hi everybody, I’m Manuel Patta and I attend I.T.C.G. “E.Fermi” in Pontedera in Province of Pisa (Italy).
In November 2017 I took part in the mobility of the Erasmus project “Foresee the Future” which allowed me to visit Cyprus, a beautiful island in the Mediterranean sea.
On 19th November after taking two flights, from Rome to Athens and from Athens to Cyprus, we got to Larnaca at midnight and there I met Giannis and his family, that hosted me for a week.
On 20th we visited the school, that is divided into separate buildings, where there are many rooms and labs such as the IT lab, the amphitheater, the music room, the play room and the gym.
After the visit we did some icebreaking activities so we got to know the students from France, Turkey, Romania, Portugal and Cyprus. At 11:00 we saw a show with traditional Cypriot dances and songs.
After the show we went to the Strovolos municipality to introduce our schools and our towns and countries to the local authorities.
The second day we went to Limassol and we participated in a workshop on tourism at Cyprus University of Technology . Then we went for a walk in Limassol where we visited the old town and the marina.
At 11:30 we left to Pafos to visit the archaeological site. We could admire the most famous mosaics in Cyprus and in the afternoon we stopped at “Petra tou Romiou” to visit the birthplace of Aphrodite. The place was so beautiful and breathtaking that we took many pictures.
On 22th after doing some activities at school, we went to Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus and the most important city on the island. We had a walk in the city centre, where there are many shops and churches. Then we played a treasure hunt, in groups. While we were playing, we saw the most important landmarks of Nicosia and we learnt a lot of things on Nicosia’s history, the divided city and the traditional and present-day occupations.
The next day we visited Lefkara village with a tour of a local winery. I must say that it was very interesting to see some local ladies who were making Lefkara’s famous lace, and see the local silver handicrafts, displayed in the shop windows. The winery was very modern and located in a beautiful area and the manager explained to us the different steps to produce wine and showed us their cellar.
At 12:00 we went to Larnaca which is a seaside resort, with a lot of tourists who were still sunbathing. We visited the castle and then had lunch at a restaurant by the sea.
On the last day we went to school and we prepared some presentations related to tourism and then we presented them in the amphitheater.
In the evening we had the farewell dinner at school with the teachers, the students and the host families involved in the Erasmus project. The parents prepared souvlakia, Greek salad, grilled mushrooms and other local dishes. It was delicious! Besides we had fun dancing together the typical local dances.
On Sunday 25th we left for Italy and we arrived in Pontedera at 10:30 pm.
This experience was amazing I met new people of different countries with different cultures. I hope, one day, I will meet all the good people I met during this Erasmus mobility again.
Thank you for this wonderful experience that has opened my horizon, my mind and my heart! I will never forget my host family’s generosity and wonderful hospitality… I will never forget the time spent with my new European friends!
Thank you Erasmus!
Manuel Patta
The Italian team

 

 

Journal de bord

Le voyage en Chypre était vraiment très intéressant et très enrichissant. On a pu apprendre de nouvelles choses, de nouvelles cultures et même quelques mots en grec, italien, roumain et portugais. On a également pu améliorer notre anglais.
Nous sommes partis d’Alençon à minuit direction Paris, à l’aéroport Charles de Gaulle, afin de prendre un premier avion pour Vienne en Autriche et un deuxième pour Larnaca. Nous sommes arrivés à Chypre vers 15 heures puis nous sommes aller à Nicosie où nous avons rejoints nos correspondants. Ma correspondante s’appelle Emily. Nous sommes rentrés chez elle et après 2 heures de repos, ses parents m’ont fait visiter le centre ville de Nicosie.
Le premier jour, nous sommes restés au lycée, où nous avons fait quelques jeux afin d’apprendre à nous connaître. Nous avons visité le lycée, écouté une chorale chanter et vu des danses folkloriques chypriotes. L’après-midi, nous avons eu quartier libre. Avec Emily, nous avons rejoint une de ses amie et nous sommes allé au centre commercial. Le soir, nous avons rejoint quelque correspondants dans un café.

Le deuxième jour, nous sommes allés à Limassol, dans l’université TEPAK, nous avons également visiter le port et la Marina. Nous sommes ensuite partis à Pafos’ Harbor où nous avons visité les mosaïques et le château. Au retour, nous nous sommes arrêtés à Petra tou Romiou, sur le lieu où est née Aphrodite, où nous avons pu prendre des photos. Le soir, avec la famille d’Emily, nous sommes allés voir le match de coupe d’Europe : Real Madrid contre l’équipe de Nicosie.

Le troisième jour, les élèves chypriotes nous ont présentés la ville de Nicosie avant de nous faire participer à une chasse aux trésors par équipe. Nous avons eu, ensuite, un temps libre pour faire les magasins, acheter des souvenirs avant de rejoindre le bus à 13 h 30. L’après-midi, nous n’avons rien fait de spécial mais le soir, nous sommes tous allés au bowling, et à Mc Donald’s.

Le quatrième jour, nous sommes allés à Lefkara, nous avons visiter une cave de vin, un lycée et nous avons un temps libre pour visiter le village de Lefkara. L’après-midi nous sommes aller à Larnaca, où nous avons eu un temps pour manger. Le soir, avec quelques correspondants, nous avons mangé dans une pizzeria et nous avons rejoint tous les correspondants dans un café.

Le cinquième jour, nous sommes restés toute la matinée au lycée, par équipe nous devions créer un programme pour une famille pour un voyage en Chypre et nous l’avons présenté aux autres élèves. L’après-midi, nous sommes allés avec quelques correspondants au centre commercial. Le soir, un repas de départ a été préparé par les parents des élèves chypriotes. Après ce repas, nous sommes allés dans une fête foraine.
Nous sommes partis vers 3heures pour Larnaca, avec les Portugais pour prendre l’avion pour Vienne. Nous avons eu une escale de 4 heures à Vienne avant de prendre un autre avion pour Paris, nous sommes arrivés vers 19h30 à Alençon.
Je tiens à remercier ma correspondante, sa famille, les professeurs et élèves qui ont participé au projet ainsi que l’agence ERASMUS qui m’a permis de vivre des moments inoubliables dans un pays magnifique.

Océane Boutonnet TASSP
Novembre 2017

My experience

We left Alençon at midnight direction Paris, then we went to the CDG airport .

We took off from Paris for Vienna in Austria and we took the second plane for Larnaka. We arrived at 3pm and we took a minibus to Nicosia, where we found our correspondents. I found my correspondent Emily, we visited the city centre of Nicosia.

First day :
We stayed at their high school where we played some icebreakers games .Pupils showed us the school, the school choir sang songs in Greek and we admired the traditional dances At the end of their lessons at 1:30 pm we we were free, with Emily and a friend we went to the shopping mall. In the evening we joined the others in the coffee shop, Grind caffe.
Second day :
We went to Limassol near the sea and to the university TEPAK,
We visited the Marina the port of Limassol as well as the castle. We went to Paphos Harbor where we saw mosaics and a castle. We had time to eat in a small restaurant. We left to Petra tou Romiou, the place where Aphrodite was born, to take photos then we left for Nicosia. In the evening with Emily and her family we went to see the match of Real Madrid against the team of Nicosia.
Third Day:
The Cypriot pupils organised a treasure hunt in the city. At the end of the game we had free time for buying souvenirs. We returned to the bus at 1:30pm. In the afternoon we did nothing special but in the evening we all went to the bowling alley. It was a really good evening and very funny.
Fourth day :
We went to a village, Lefkara to see a vineyard and its cellar Later we went to Larnaka where we saw the castle and ate. We returned to the high school at 6:30 pm. In the evening we ate in a pizzeria and we joined the others in a coffee shop.
Last day:
We stayed in the high school ,by team we created one tourist program and presented it in front of everybody. We stayed in the afternoon in our families then with some teenagers we went to the shopping mall where we stayed all afternoon. In the evening we had a very good time at the fun fair
On Saturday morning, very early at 3am we left with the Portuguese teachers and pupils.
Thank you very much indeed Erasmus +, it was a fantastic experience !!!

Océane Boutonnet TASSP

French team

 

JOURNAL DE BORD CHYPRE

Nous sommes arrivés le dimanche 19 novembre 2017 à l’aéroport de Larnaka à 15h. Ma famille est venue me chercher, Loukia et sa maman. Nous avons roulé pendant 10 minutes avant d’arriver chez elle. Ce sont des gens très gentils, qui dès mon arrivée m’ont mis à l’aise.
J’ai découvert ma chambre puis je me suis installée. Le dimanche soir avec Loukia et sa petite sœur, nous sommes allés dans Nicosie et elle m’a fait découvrir sa ville.
Lundi 20 novembre : Nous sommes arrivés au lycée à 7h30 car là-bas les cours commencent tôt !. Avec nous dans l’amphithéâtre il y avait des élèves roumains, italiens, turcs, portugais et chypriotes. Nous avons commencé par un jeu afin de nous connaître. Par la suite, une démonstration de danses traditionnelles a été faite puis nous avons été invités à danser avec eux. A 13h30, les cours se terminent et chacun est rentré dans sa famille respective. L’après-midi, ma correspondante avait un cours particulier de 14h30 à 18h et je suis restée chez elle pour me reposer.
Mardi 21 novembre : Nous avons pris le bus en direction de Limassol, où une femme tétraplégique nous a expliqué les différents moyens qui sont déployés pour profiter de la mer. Par la suite nous sommes allés à l’université pour assister à un cours sur le tourisme. L’après-midi nous sommes allés à Paphos où nous avons visité les mosaïques et le château.
Mercredi 22 novembre : Nous sommes allés à la mairie pour que des élèves nous présentent leur ville. C’est Antoine qui a présenté notre ville et notre lycée. Après cela, nous avons été divisé en 3 équipes pour faire une chasse au trésor, j’étais dans l’équipe 3 et c’est l’équipe 1 qui a gagné. Le soir une sortie bowling était prévue pour tout le groupe Erasmus. C’était vraiment amusant et cela nous a permis de plus nous rapprocher les uns des autres. Après le bowling nous sommes allés au fast-food et nous avons bien rigolé.
Jeudi 23 novembre : Nous avons visité une cave à Lefkara un village traditionnel, il faisait super beau. Ensuite nous avons effectué une visite dans un lycée puis Océane, Antoine et moi avons interviewé une lycéenne sur son village. Le soir on est sorti dans un café ou nous nous sommes retrouvés tous ensemble.
Vendredi 24 novembre : Un travail de groupe nous a été demandé : nous devions créer un programme pour une touriste. On a présenté notre travail devant les professeurs dans l’amphithéâtre. Nous sommes rentrés dans nos familles puis l’après-midi retrouvailles au centre commercial pour faire du shopping, en plus un jour de Black Friday ! Le soir un repas au lycée préparé par des parents nous attendait, tout le monde était présent, nous avons passé un bon moment. A la fin du repas nous sommes tous partis en direction de la fête foraine où on a fait de la grande roue. C’était cool et on a pu profiter ensemble de notre dernière soirée.
Cette expérience m’a énormément plu. J’ai découvert à travers ce voyage des personnes humaines, toujours à vouloir que l’on soit bien et qu’on se sente chez soi. J’ai découvert un autre mode de vie que le nôtre. C’est une expérience enrichissante que j’ai beaucoup aimée.
Je remercie Loukia pour son hospitalité,ses parents pour leur hospitalité, sa grand-mère pour ses bons petits plats le midi ainsi que sa petite sœur pour sa joie de vivre.
Je remercie également les professeurs du lycée Madame TOTH SOLIGNAC, Madame PARPAILLON ainsi que Madame WHEELER avec qui j’ai pu partager de bons moments.
Mon dernier merci ira au programme Erasmus +

Emeline,                                                                                                                                                  French team

 

Logbook

We arrived at the airport on Sunday
My family came to pick me up
We went to walk in Nicosia
My correspondent is Loukia

On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday we visited a lot of monuments, landscapes and the sea
The cypriot teachers were very nice

We shared together good moments In a coffee shop in fast-food restaurants, at the bowling alley. We went shopping on Black Friday
We travelled a lot by bus
I discovered another way of life

I enjoyed this trip
Cypriot people are friendly and generous
I really really liked the activities at school and the tours
There are beautiful landscapes
It’s so funny
It’s a good experience

I would like to go back there
I thank the teachers : Mrs.TOTH SOLIGNAC, Mrs.PARPAILLON, Mrs.WHEELER
I thank Loukia and her family
My last thank is for the Erasmus + programme that allowed me to have a great time !!

 

 

“FORESEE THE FUTURE” à Chypre

Nous avons atterri le dimanche 19 novembre 2017 à l’aéroport de Larnaka après plus de 5 heures de vol et une escale à Vienne en Autriche. A notre arrivée au point de rendez-vous avec les familles, mon correspondant Giorgos Aristodemou et son père était déjà présents, ils ont gentiment chargé mes bagages dans la voiture et m’ont conduit à leur domicile, là où j’allais passer une semaine fabuleuse. La maman de Giorgos, nommée Maria, a souhaité que je passe une semaine parfaite sous son toit et dans son pays. La journée s’est conclue par un repas traditionnel en famille auquel étaient présents Giannis, le meilleur ami de Giorgos, sa sœur accompagnée de son mari et de leur enfant.
Lundi 20 novembre, nous nous sommes rendus au lycée où les cours commencent à 7h30. Nous avons entamé la journée par un jeu afin d’apprendre à tous nous connaître. Nous avons aussi eu droit à une démonstration de danses traditionnelles chypriotes. La matinée passée et les cours se terminant à 13h30, nous sommes rentrés au domicile où je me suis reposé tout l’après-midi.
Mardi 21 novembre, tout le monde est monté à bord d’ un bus en direction de Limassol. En bord de mer, nous avons eu une information sur l’accueil et l’aide apportée aux personnes handicapées afin qu’elles puissent profiter de cet espace grâce aux moyens à disposition, comme un fauteuil roulant spécialement conçu pour aller dans l’eau ou un vélo dont les pédales sont actionnées par les mains. Nous nous sommes ensuite rendus à l’Université Technologique pour suivre un cours sur le tourisme chypriote, européen et mondial. Nous avons terminé cette matinée par la visite de la Marina de la ville. L’après-midi, nous nous sommes rendus à Paphos, capitale européenne de la culture 2017 où nous avons visité le port, les mosaïques et le château. Lors de notre retour, nous nous sommes arrêtés à « Petra tou Romiou », là où Aphrodite, déesse de l’amour dans la mythologie grecque, est née afin de prendre des photos. Le soir, je me suis rendu avec Giorgos dans un café où nous avions rendez-vous avec d’autres élèves afin de regarder le match opposant l’Apoel Nicosie au Real Madrid en Ligue des Champions.
Mercredi 22 novembre, tout le monde s’est réuni à la mairie de Nicosie afin d’assister à la présentation de tous les pays participants et de chaque lycée par un élève de chaque pays en présence du maire de la ville, cela fut moi pour la France. Après cela, nous avons tous participé à une chasse au trésor dans la ville de Nicosie, nous étions divisés en trois équipes, je faisais partie de la première, nous avons bien sûr remporté ce jeu ! Le soir, nous nous sommes tous retrouvés au bowling, ce fut un très bon moment. Nous sommes ensuite allés manger dans un fast food, des liens vraiment solides ont commencé à se lier entre tous les participants du projet durant cette journée.
Jeudi 23 novembre, nous avons visité une cave à vin près de Lefkara avant de nous rendre dans ce village et de nous balader dans les rues. Nous avons eu la chance de pouvoir visiter une magnifique église et de profiter d’un grand soleil. Nous avons également visité un lycée. Lors de cette visite, nous avons posé des questions sur le village aux élèves de ce lycée. Le soir, nous nous sommes tous retrouvés dans un café afin de passer une nouvelle fois un bon moment ensemble et de créer de nouvelles affinités avec d’autres personnes.
Vendredi 24 novembre, dernière journée au lycée, nous avons travaillé par groupe dans le but d’établir un programme pour 6 jours de vacances à Chypre. Nous avons ensuite présenté notre travail devant les élèves et les professeurs. Cette matinée prit fin par la remise des prix aux vainqueurs de la chasse au trésor ainsi qu’un cadeau pour tout le monde. L’après-midi, nous nous sommes retrouvés au centre commercial « The Mall » afin d’effectuer quelques achats. Le soir, un repas a été organisé avec tous les participants, les professeurs et les parents. Puis nous nous sommes rendus à la fête foraine située près du lycée où nous avons fait la grande roue, ce moment et le repas étaient encore des moments très agréables et très drôles que je n’oublierai jamais.

J’ai énormément aimé ce voyage car j’ai fait de merveilleuses rencontres, notamment Giorgos qui est quelqu’un d’exceptionnel, ainsi que sa famille. J’ai découvert une nouvelle culture et un nouveau mode de vie que j’apprécie tout particulièrement. Ce séjour m’a aussi permis de prendre pour la première fois l’avion et de faire la grande roue pour la première fois aussi.
Je sens également que j’ai progressé humainement, car j’ai vécu durant une semaine dans une famille que je ne connaissais pas et qui ne parlait pas la même langue que moi.
Giorgos est m’a parfaitement accueilli, nous avons parlé de tout et de rien, je lui ai fait découvrir des chansons françaises qu’il a appréciées. C’est quelqu’un qui a le cœur sur la main et que je suis prêt à accueillir dès qu’il le souhaite en France.
Cette semaine était je pense, la meilleure de ma vie, tous les moments passés sont à jamais gravés dans ma mémoire.
Je remercie tous les participants élèves et professeurs de ce projet, la famille de Giorgos, Mme Toth-Solignac, Mme Parpaillon et Mme Wheeler pour cette fabuleuse semaine. Merci également au programme ERAMUS + qui a financé ce projet.
CHARPENTIER Antoine,
FRENCH TEAM

 

Logbook

I spent a marvelous week in Cyprus. I stayed with Giorgios and his familly. They are very friendly and organised everything for me.
I discovered a new country and a new culture.
We visited Nicosia, Limassol, Paphos, Larnaka and Lefkara. The landscapes were wonderful and all the cypriot people were very nice and friendly.
I will remember this week for a long time !: I met friends from different countries, I took the plane for the first time and I will never forget my friend Giorgios.
Thank you to :
– Erasmus program,
– the cypriot teachers who organised all the visits and the activities,
– the pupils and the teachers from Romania, Italy, Portugal and Turkey,
– all our friends from Cyprus,
– my teachers
– and my friend Giorgios and his family.

Antoine Charpentier from France

 

My experience

Kıbrıstaki ilk günüm çok ilginçti. İlk defa tanımadığım bir ailenin evinde kalacaktım ve heyecanlıydım. Argyro ve babası bizi karşılamaya geldi. Evlerine gittiğimde annesi ve köpekleri ile tanıştık. Bütün hafta boyunca okula gittik. Sürekli aktiftik. Gerek geziler gerekse diğer aktiviteler bizi eğlendirdi. Gittiğimiz yerler oldukça etkileyiciydi. Diğer arkadaşlarda gayet samimi ve sosyal insanlardı. Öğle yemeklerinde ve okul sonrasında onlarla güzel vakit geçirdik. Kıbrıs bize yeni arkadaşlar ve güzel anılar kazandırdı.

 

Erasmus + my diary

Hello;
My name is Atakan and I’m going to give information about Cyprus Mobility.
Firstly,Cyprus was wonderful for me. My host family was Maria Emmelia Charalambous and her family. They welcomed me very nicely. They helped me in every way. In the mornings, we went to special places of Cyprus with other students and teachers. We ate lunch with other students and we chatted with other students everyday. In the evenings, we went to the cinema and cafeteria and we played bowling with other students. As a result, Cyprus was a nice experience for me. I learned something about other cultures. I had a lot fun in Cyprus.

Atakan

 

Impressions and feelings about France

The trip from France, Alençon, within the “Erasmus+” project had a strong positive effect on me through the natural beauty of the area, the complex tourist objectives, but especially by the inhabitants of this city, Alençon, and their lifestyle and traditions. For one week I managed to get to know some of them and live in French style. I also had the opportunity to travel by airplane.
Although the French language is unknown to me, I enjoyed a delightful atmosphere with the host family who offered me the best accommodation, the most beautiful and exciting moments with them, feeling like a member of their family.

I have also made many friends with both the “Maréchal Leclerc” High School students in Alençon and the students involved in the “Erasmus+” project from different countries with whom I have been able to communicate in English with ease and with whom I have been in touch since the end of the trip. I also created new friendships, close friendships with certain French high school students, including some “sun burnt” girls and boys (my favourite students!!!!), with whom I spent wonderful, unforgettable moments that I will never forget.
I was pleasantly impressed by the facilities of the French partner school. It has spacious classrooms, very clean and well equipment in accordance with the student’s specialization. I also noticed a friendship relationship between students and teachers – students respect and embrace most of the teachers. The students have a lot of freedom in school – they are not forced to wear a uniform and they have a special space for smoking. This way they become more responsible for their deeds. Although they have more freedom (which we will never meet in Romania, in the high school where I study and not only), they are more respectful and educated.

The French high school teachers organized various activities during the 5 days spent together. At the end of the activities, we had free time we could spend either with the host family or the students involved in the project or with our friends.

My mate Mălina and I promoted our country, Romania, delivering a presentation in English. We showed the students and teachers from the partner countries the beauties of our country and invited them to visit it.
Near the school there is a big canteen where students can have lunch together and where they have consistent and fresh meals, diverse dishes and very well cooked food, to everyone’s taste, in return for a ticket bought before in advance. I had lunch there several times and I can say that the food was delicious.

What I liked most in the visited cities is the very rich and valued nature that perfectly matches the city’s atmosphere.

Thanks to my hosts (a family of motorcyclists) I had the opportunity to fulfill my dream: I was taken to the well-known motorcycle race circuit in Le Mans where the MotoGp race was taking place so I saw the motorcycles of the participating pilots and even some of the pilots.
Another factor that makes me want to spend more time in Alençon, besides my friends, is the French lifestyle. People are more relaxed, they have a good life and they always feel at ease, no matter where they are.

In conclusion, I can say that this project mobility has been the most exciting and interesting experience of mine so far, due to the beautiful moments spent with the people close to me, whom now I miss so much, especially an important person met on the last days and with whom I couldn’t spend as much time as I wished but the short moments will always stay engraved in my heart.

This experience was, at the same time, a great challenge for me, but I am the WINNER!

Andrada Tarce    

 

My Diary – France

 

This Erasmus+ mobility has been one of the most beautiful experiences in my life.

First of all, it was my first flight and it was incredible! I liked it so much and I am looking forward to having another opportunity to travel by plane. I also liked the atmosphere in the airport and even the fact that I had to “check in” – a very boring thing for those who fly regularly!

I have never been to France before. Everyone says that this country is beautiful and now

I can say that they are right. You must see it with your own eyes! I was surprised about how the city of Alençon looked like. The city – full of history – was so clean and peaceful.

In the school I visited I met a lot of friendly, very sociable and responsible students. They clean the school by themselves and this activity is not considered a punishment; it is considered a normal activity. The people’s mentality is also amazing. There are a lot of students from the ex-French colonies but for the students who study at that school racist attitudes are unknown.

This learning activity offered me the possibility to live in another family – a very lovely family where communication was very important. From the first day of my visit they made me feel at home. They took good care of me and paid attention to all the details in order to make me experience how it is to live comfortably in a foreign country and being surrounded by foreign people. Consequently, I did not feel as a guest but as a member of the Chesnay family.

I noticed that the French eat much although they are fit. They eat a lot of vegetables and salad is always the first. It is very healthy! The dessert contains of cheese and, after this, yogurt or cake may easily come.

Another pleasant experience was the communication with people with disabilities. A pretty lady taught us some specific signs useful in the communication with unspeaking people.

I was really impressed by the way French people live their everyday life. There is no emphasis on the clothes you wear or the house you live in. The most important thing is that they work. Everybody works! The place does not matter – a furniture factory, a snail farm or even a park. They are proud of themselves, of their work and life and accept that not everyone can work in an office and wear smart clothes while working.

In the end, I can say that France is my favorite country and I really want to go back to Alençon to meet my new friends and to visit the places I did not have time to visit during my short stay there. 

Mălina Ardelean

 

Mon voyage Erasmus en France

Je m’appelle Gaia Cecchi, je frequente l’Institut Fermi à Pontedera, et cette année grâce à mon école j’ai eu l’opportunité de participer au projet Erasmus Plus “Foresee the future” qui a eu lieu dans la ville de Alençon, au nord de la France. Le matin du 14 mai 2017 nous avons quitté l’aéroport de Pise et après une heure et demie nous sommes arrivés à l’aéroport de Paris Beauvais où un bus nous a emmenés à Alençon en Normandie.
À Alençon, nous avons été accueillis par les familles et j’ai rencontré le directeur de l’école qui a participé au projet, avec sa femme qui m’ont accueilli dans leur maison pendant toute la semaine.
Dans l’après-midi, pour mieux nous connaître nous avons fait une promenade dans la ville et nous avons préparé un dessert que nous avons mangé pour le dîner.
Le lendemain nous avons visité l’école française, elle était très grande et divisée en deux bâtiments, l’un où il y avait tous les laboratoires, comme le laboratoire de technique, le laboratoire médical et le laboratoire de mécanique, en plus il y avait quelques classes et un petit magasin de produits typiques français. Dans l’autre bâtiment, il y avait la cantine, le logement où logeaient les garçons et les filles qui vivaient loin, le théâtre et d’autres classes.
À l’école, nous avons fait beaucoup d’activités amusantes avec les autres élèves pour mieux se connaître. Nous avons rencontré des étudiants: Français, Portugais, Chypriotes, Roumains et Turcs et grâce à ces activités nous avons eu l’opportunité de mieux nous connaître et de nous faire de nouveaux amis.
Dans les jours suivants, nous avons mené de nombreuses activités:

Nous avons visité le centre de la ville d’Alençon, avec un guide qui nous a accompagné avec des personnes handicapées qui, avec le guide, ont décrit la ville à travers la langue des signes

Nous avons visité une ferme où se produit le cidre, où nous avons fait une activité de dégustation et où ils nous ont expliqué toutes les étapes nécessaires à sa production

Nous avons visité le musée de la dentelle dans la ville d’Alençon

Nous avons visité une fromagerie typique française, et enfin nous avons visité une écurie où le lait de cheval est transformé en produits cosmétiques.
Cette expérience a été unique, je remercie mon école de m’avoir donné l’opportunité de rencontrer beaucoup de gens, avec de cultures et d’intérêts différents et de visiter de nouveaux endroits. J’espère avoir l’occasion à l’avenir de participer à un projet comme celui-ci.

Gaia Cecchi

Italian Team

 

Erasmus + My experience

Sunday 14th May
Everything started on Sunday… At midnight, we took the shuttle bus from Nicosia to Larnaca airport. We were so excited because we had been preparing for this trip for months, and it was finally happening! I had never been abroad so I was over-enthusiastic. Our flight was scheduled for 3:40 in the morning, so there was almost nobody around, but we didn’t really care. We spent some time at the stores, eating and discussing about the Eurovision final. We left from Cyprus and arrived at Frankfurt. It was my first trip with an airplane and I was amazed by the view from up there! We stayed at Frankfurt airport for about two hours, which were spent with some more stores and food, and then we left for Paris. George and I were thrilled because it was our first time in France, and it was finally time for us to speak French! Then we took the train to Le Mans, and after spending a few hours there we took another train to Alençon. After 19 hours of travelling we had finally made it to our final destination! We were very tired but also very excited, since it would be the first time meeting our hosts. Mrs Géraldine, the teacher that would be hosting me, was very kind. The view from my room was awesome and the whole family was just lovely. At that point I was very tired, so I had a shower, dinner and went to sleep.

Monday 15th May
On Monday morning everybody was at the school. We would have a tour of the school with Alexe, a French student. I can still remember how relieved she was when we told her we spoke French. We were constantly comparing the Maréchal Leclerc Lyceum with our school and spotted their differences or similarities. After that we were divided into two groups. My group would go on a guided tour of the town. We explored many of the important parts of Alençon, and then we had lunch at the school canteen with the French students. I have to say I liked the food very much, and was surprised that it was divided into so many courses. Next, we went to the lace museum, and afterwards we explored other parts of the city with a deaf person as a guide. We learnt lots of things about Alençon and the life of a deaf person, and she even taught us a few words in sign language. In the end I was very tired because of all the walking we did on the two tours. At night, I tried Camembert, one of the most famous French cheeses, for the first time. It was certainly very different from the cheese we have in Cyprus, but it wasn’t bad.

Tuesday 16th May
On Tuesday, we went to an apple farm, to learn about the process of making cider, which Normandie is very famous for. For lunch we had a big burger with fries and lots of cheese since we were in France. After the burger we were offered Camembert. This time though, it was much stronger, so it was a bit weird for me. There, Emily and I met two students from Turkey, Zümra and Alara. We talked about the similarities between Cyprus and Turkey and our experiences in France. After that, we visited a snail farm. It was something we had never seen before. That night I went with my host family to a French restaurant, and it was wonderful.

Wednesday 16th May
On Wednesday, French students had prepared a presentation about French food habits, and we also learnt about the eating habits in all of the countries that were participating in the Erasmus project. Then another group of French students demonstrated first aids in case someone was hurt and what we should do. It was fun because whoever wanted could try it. Since our activities had ended early, we went to Le Mans. We visited the old part of the city and it was beautiful. We took photos of literally everything there, since it was very scenic. While returning back to the car, it was raining a lot, so we had to run for a bit, but it was definitely worth it. For dinner, we had pizza with Murielle and her family, and Evelina, a student from Cyprus who was staying with Murielle.

Thursday 17th May
On Thursday, it was finally raining! It was funny because everybody talked about how it’s always raining in Normandy, but for the 4 days we had been there we hadn’t seen any rain. At first we went to the outdoor market in Alençon, and then at the Green way. After having lunch in the area, we visited the Haras du Pin, a very old stud farm in Normandy. There we also saw the traditional way of making horse shoes. It seemed to be a very difficult and long process. On Thursday, at noon, I met Sara and Diogo. My friend George had already met them because they were in his group. Of course it was still raining, but none of us had brought an umbrella except for Sara. We all had to squeeze under the umbrella to stay dry, and at that day the ‘umbrella crew’ was born! George, Sara, Diogo and I, became good friends and we still keep in touch. At night, all the teachers came to Mrs Géraldine’s house, and there were lots of French specialties.
Friday 18th May
By Friday, we all knew each other, and had spent time together. But sadly, it was our last day together. Our last day in Alençon… In the morning we made a video where we said useful phrases in our native languages, and then we visited the mayor of Alençon. George and I had an interview there for a local newspaper about the Erasmus program in Alençon. Then, the students from Turkey and Romania had a presentation about their countries, and we had lunch at the canteen together. We were very close with the Italians, and they taught us Italian words, while they tried to pronounce Greek words, especially with the Cypriot accent. Afterwards, we had a quiz about France, and then a speed dating game with the Erasmus and French students, which I liked very much because it was interesting seeing different people’s views on travelling. Our last activity in France was a get-together with snacks from Normandy and the countries participating in the Erasmus. We were so happy we were together, but also sad because we knew it would be our last day there.
Photo61 (group photo in front of mayor), Photo62 (interview photo)

Saturday 19th May
On Saturday morning we had to take the train. From Alençon we went to Le Mans, and then to Paris. We got on a hop on hop off bus and saw most of the monuments of the city. It was perfect, but then, we had to hurry so we could get the shuttle bus in order to go to the airport. It wasn’t hard to find things to do in the airport. Then we finally arrived in Cyprus. It was a bit of a shock because we had an exam in two days. I still have so many memories from the trip. From the first days, trying to pronounce people’s names, to the last day when we had to say goodbye… We still try and keep in touch though, so at least there’s that. I would encourage everyone who has the chance to participate in a program like the Erasmus project to do so, because of all of the experiences I had during that trip. Now the only thing I can do is to look forward to November, when students from France, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, and Romania will come to Cyprus for the Erasmus project.
Giannis Charalambous

 

    

 

 

Portugal sweet Portugal

Portugal sweet Portugal,

I am writing this at the airport while leaving this amazing country. My hand is shaking, that’s actually a lie, my whole body is shaking. I’m repeating the phrase “Goodbyes are not forever” to calm my emotions. Emotions that I’ve never felt before. I haven’t decided yet what this is. Is it an essay or a speech maybe? No. This is a letter. A letter to Portugal. To the magnificent cities, the beautiful seas, the unique culture but especially to the kind friendly and funny Portuguese because ultimately what made this trip unforgettable was the people. In my tears, I’ve already forgotten the reason I was writing this letter for. Oh yeah! To answer the most common question I get: “What will you miss the most from Portugal?” I think that I will miss a part of me. The part that I’ve left there hidden between the graphical alleys and the great unique architecture. The part I left in purpose to have an excuse to come back and walk on Ria’s coastline get lost in Porto visit all 8 of the gafanhas, swim in Costa Nova, eat Ovos Moles and francesinha and take a ride in a traditional Moliceiro. So, where will I find my missing self? Between the great acoustic of Casa de musica’s concert halls that made me listen myself and decide to follow my dreams? Or in a kayak in Ria that taught me to confront my fears and try something new. I might find me drinking in Sandeman Porto Wine Caves but please don’t say anything to the Erasmus teachers! The Portuguese that organised everything and the Cypriot teachers that accompanied us. A big thank you to all of them. They are the reason that I participated in such a well organised programme. Oh, I know where I’ll possibly be; In the chapel museum. The museum of porcelain where I learnt that what’s more fragile than a porcelain is a human heart that needs to be treated with respect, love and kindness in order not to break. I am still trying to decide if I’ll be climbing stairs of the Clerigos tower in Porto or the stairs of Barra’s lighthouse where I learned that climbing to the top offers you an incredible view but you must always be prepared that the steps are a lot and that the climbing is worth as much as the destination.

So, where will I be? I think that by writing this letter I’ve finally decided where that hidden part of me will be: Behind every pretty smile of every friend I made here. Because people like you who tried so much to keep me satisfied who always asked me if I’m okay who despite the small amount of time we had together we opened to each other learned so many new things together are my friends. Because of you I am devastated that I am leaving and I will for sure come back. There is nothing else to say to describe my trip here rather than it was a once in a lifetime experience. I think it’s appropriate to close this letter with a huge Obrigado for this unique experience, for the fun I had, for the things I’ve learned, for the memories created and for the friend I made. Portugal you will always be in my mind. Obrigado and Ciao Portugal Until we meet again,

Athina Giorgallettou

Cypriot team

 

My diary

I ‘ve decided to write something like a small journal about my visit to Portugal. The story began when one of my teachers Mrs. Sofia asked to see me. I wondered why she wanted to see me: “did I do something?” When I went to her office she told me about this programme and asked me if I wanted to take part in it. At first I said I would think about it as I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go.  Then, I thought, why not? This is a life experience and I might not have the chance to take part in something like this again.

So, I went and guess what!   It was AMAZING!  It wasn’t only the places and the sights that made me feel this way but the students of this programme and their families.  All of them were so warm and welcoming and they wanted to know about me, my family, my country, my culture as much as I wanted to know the same things about them.  I think that I can never describe my feelings about this experience.  But I can tell you for sure that it changed me; I am not afraid to meet new people and make bonds anymore. I’m trying to find tickets to go back and see my friends and their families but it’s a little bit difficult because there is no direct flight from here to Portugal so I will have to change at least 3 flights. This time I want to take my twin sister with me so that she can see herself the beauty of Portugal.  I really wish in the future to do this again. Maybe we could do something like a reunion!

I would like to thank everyone who took part in this programme and the people who organized it because they gave us an opportunity to have an amazing life experience. “You never leave a place you love, you take a part of it with you…Leaving a part of you behind”.

Loukia Kleride

Apostolos Varnavas Lyceum

Cyprus

 

Diary for Meeting in Portugal

Saturday, 1st of April

Lisbon airport, 11:25

I decided to write this now that I haven’t calmed down yet. All those emotions and thoughts spinning around, lighting up the spark in our bonfire hearts, causing a chain reaction that tickles our bodies while our eyes turn red and wet, and there goes the tears burning our cheeks again, keeping us warm, like one of you is here with us, telling us that everything will be alright, telling us that whenever we need you, you are only “One call away”, that this is not the end.

You showed us your country, you made us walk all those stairs so we can see for ourselves the beauty that is Portugal, Porto, Aveiro, Gafanha da Nazare and so on. From the first day we started to get to know each other; I can still remember the look on your faces, you wanted to know us, our country and our culture as much as we wanted to know yours. But of course that wasn’t enough.

On the next day we went to Casa de Musica, one of the greatest music halls I have ever seen. Everybody would pay a fortune to be part of the audience in one of the concerts in order to enjoy the music but for us, a simple “good morning”or even better, a simple act of kidness like “I’m here. I’m listening. Tell me about it” was the greatest sound we heard. How will we ever forget the view from the bridge in Porto? Us walking, cars passing, the strong wind messing our hair, everything was part of a fairytale. All of these plus the music and the people and the colours and the taste of sweet cherry wine and the view combined together created one of the most romantic scenes I have ever witnessed, that was the moment we fell in love with Portugal. But of course that wasn’t enough.

While I am writing this the schedule of what we did, the pictures, the “off the record” night outs, everything, is right in front of me. I see all those things and I don’t know where to begin or where to end, I don’t know what I liked the most, I don’t even remember on what day we did anything. Everything is a twisted mess in my mind and it’s hard for me to think straight. I can clearly remember faces, feelings, sounds and tastes and that is all I want to remember. I don’t miss the fine curves of your buildings and I don’t miss the way your cities and your roads are formed and I don’t miss a single statue I saw there. The greatest architecture and work of art was the way you smiled, all of you.

This is what I missed. I missed you. All of you. All the fun we had together and the jokes we said all the painful and happy moments we shared with each other. Erasmus was never about the places, what would I do in the most beautiful city in the world if there are no people? People make a country great, and you made yours look like the greatest of all. But you can never miss somebody as much as you can miss them. In greek there is not specific translation to “I miss you”, we say «Μου λείπεις», which is closer to “You are missing from me”.
I think it’s time to say thank you, or obrigado, however you want it. You gave us a chance to meet a new culture and by this you helped us get more experience and knowledge in our road to adulthood.  We weren’t just stupid teenagers messing around in Portugal shopping and eating, we were stupid teenagers who learned, saw and felt. You weren’t just “Host families”, you were our brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers and nephews for a week. We felt safe being around you and we knew that you were by our side whenever and however we needed you. But the most amazing thing is that you are still by our side even when we are away.

Now I want to take you back to the start. It’s the 2nd of April, 21:00 pm in Nicosia, and all those emotions and thoughts spinning around, lighting up the spark in our bonfire hearts, causing a chain reaction that tickles our bodies while our eyes turn red and wet, and there goes the tears burning our cheeks again.

As we said in our “Goodbye Project”, you never leave a place you love, you take a part of it with you, leaving a part of you behind. And we left a part of us behind, big or small, it’s there, keeping you warm, like one of us is there with you, telling you that everything will be alright, telling you that whenever you need us, we are only “One call away”, that this is not the end.

As you can see the fall from the fairytale to reality was rough. I said many things and I still feel that I haven’t said enough. I am supposed to attach some pictures with this. There are just so many but the best of them are those you will see when you close your eyes. So go for it, try it, close your eyes and see the pictures, feel the moments, recall the dialogues and let your imagination run wild, don’t let the fire disappear, it’s the only way one day we maybe see each other again, by keeping the fire burning. I don’t mean to say that we will cry all day, of course not! We should just not forget that the only thing between us is a plane ticket and some numbers on a mobile screen.

George Apeitos

Cypriot team

 

Impressions from Portugal 

Portugal has proved to be a very beautiful country from architectural, cultural and human point of view because it has a lot of beautiful buildings, especially “Casa da Musica”, there are many cathedrals with beautifully decorated and clean interiors. I was very pleased with my host and his friends – open, fun and friendly young people. I do not think anybody has ever noticed a sad person except when we were on the point of leaving from Aveiro railway station.

I continue to be in touch with many of my new Portuguese friends because we share the same sense of humor, musical tastes and have interesting conversations.

Raul Hosu

 

My diary Portugal 

After almost a week spent in Portugal, I returned to Romania a bit sorrowful… I regret that I did not make the most of that week, I regret that I did not socialize more, but I am grateful to the wonderful people I have met there, but unfortunately I did not have much time to talk about lots of things.

I took part in interesting activities, I visited many places and I walked a lot. After that week I do not have to go to the gym for at least 3 months!

What I liked most in Portugal was certainly the city of Porto. It seemed to be a quiet city that delighted you from the beginning with its beautiful views “ a place where I would live happily.

Another place I liked much was Aveiro “ with its breathtaking parks, its famous Moliceiro boats and simple but pleasant venues.

I know that words are too poor to express mu feelings while I was there, but I can tell you that I would go back to Portugal whenever I had the opportunity.

Anamaria Solomie

 

 

ERASMUS +

Portugal Mobility (26th March – 1st April)

The Erasmus+ project provided every single one of us a different experience from what we were expecting, in a positive way. Not only did we meet new people from different countries but we also got to connect with them and each one of their cultures. We got to know new languages, new habits, new tastes and we got to make new friends. Some of us really made a connection, after all. This week, from the 26th March to the 1st April, was, without a doubt, a pleasant surprise to all of us and I can say for sure we’d repeat the experience all over again if we could.

On the 26th March, it was the day of the arrival. Students from Cyprus, Italy, France, Turkey and Romania arrived to Portugal, probably just as scared as we all were. Personally, I didn’t get to be a host and have a student staying at my place. However, I know some people who did and, as far as I know, the connection started right there and then. They got to know the person who would be showing them around and we got to meet the person who’d be staying at our house for the entire week. Everyone was really excited and got along really well with each other and that was only the beginning.

The next day, it was time to finally introduce our school. The staff distributed some t-shirts with the Erasmus logo and all of us looked like a genuine team, it was quite amazing to watch. We also got together in the staff’s room and participated in a workshop, in which a university teacher taught us all we need to know in order to succeed at a job interview.

On the 28th March, we all got to visit Porto, one of the most beautiful Portuguese cities. Firstly, we visited Casa da Música, and most of us were amazed at its architectural style and  complexity. We also went to a pastry shop where we bought some delicious croissants. Then, we walked around the traditional Bolhão’s Market until it was time to have lunch. Afterwards, we visited the Clergymen Tower – in fact, we climbed it until the very top – and the Sandeman cellars, where we were introduced to many things we didn’t know about such as the process of making wine and even conserving it. Although it was a beautiful day and, personally, I really got to meet many new people from the project, it was time to go home.

On Wednesday, we went to Aveiro. Here, the Erasmus’ students got to visit the university and know more about it and, more specifically, its tourism department. After that, it was time for a little trip in a traditional boat called the moliceiro. The rest of the afternoon was spent in the city so the foreign students got to know it a bit better.

On the 30th March, we had the Erasmus+ students during our Spanish and Economics class and we all played a game in which one person had to guess the word written on the powerpoint presentation while the others gave tips about it. Afterwards, the students visited Vista Alegre in Ílhavo and then came back to school to have lunch and reboot their energy, because we’d be climbing  Praia da Barra’s lighthouse in the afternoon. We also visited the Maritime Musem in Ílhavo and Costa Nova.

The last day of the Erasmus+ project was a very emotional day. We all realized it was time to say goodbye and although we were happy and glad to have had this amazing experience, we were also saddened by the fact that we’d have to say goodbye to all of the friends we had made. To be honest, many of us cried.

However, it was an experience I’d repeat all over again if I could. We got to get in touch w ith new cultures, new faces, new personalities and grow as people. Actually, some of us still talk with those we met, and I think that’s the most incredible thing about this project. It helps us learning not only about the professional life ahead of us but also about how to make a connection with people new to us and it taught us how to interact with different cultures and that one week is all it takes to make a good and long lasting friendship.

Patrícia Damas

My Erasmus + experience

We arrived at the Lycée Marechal Leclerc at 4.00 and We left at 4.30
We arrived in Beauvais at 8.00
We took the plane at 9.30
We arrived at Porto at 11.00
We took a car that we rented, And we left for Gafanha da Nazaré
Once arrived the weather was bad, then our correspondents arrived
First of all I really enjoyed this trip, I met nice people.
We went to a party then there was a concert "expensive soul"
Then, the program was really interesting, The monuments are beautiful and the
Portuguese culture is interesting. We took a small boat, a gondola. We visited the
Sandeman wine cellars which were really interesting.
Finally, The family in which I was are really nice, I really enjoyed this trip which
allowed me to meet nice people,
I hope I’ll be able to go back there in the future..
Mon séjour au Portugal dans le cadre d’Erasmus+ du 26 mars au 1 avril 2017
Nous sommes arrivés à l’aéroport de Beauvais à 8h00 pour décoller à 9h30 et atterrir à
Porto à 11h00.
Nous avons loué une voiture pour nous rendre à Gafanha Da Nazaré
Il ne faisait pas beau. Nous avons rencontre notre famille d’accueil.
Je tiens à dire que j’ai vraiment apprécié ce séjour, j’ai rencontré des personnes
sympathiques.
Nous sommes allés à un concert « Expensive Soul »
Le programme touristique préparé par les élèves portugais était très intéressant.
Les monuments étaient beaux, j’ai découvert la culture portugaise. Cela m’a plu.
Nous avons visité Porto en gondole. J’ai beaucoup aimé.
Nous avons posé des questions sur la fabrication du Porto aux élèves, la visite des caves
Sandeman m’ a beaucoup intéressé.
En conclusion, ma famille d’accueil était très amicale. J’ai apprécié ce séjour car j’ai
rencontré des personnes sympathiques.
J’aimerais pouvoir retourner un jour au Portugal

French team

Foresee the future ERASMUS +