2015 “CONNECTING SCHOOLS, BUILDING CITIZENSHP”
14/09/2015
After two years of intense work, emotions, exchanges, reflection, debates, friendship, and many other things to be included in this magazine, it is time to put an end to our project “Connecting Schools, Building Citizenship”. However, this farewell comes along with feelings of satisfaction with the common and shared achievements, happiness and excitement, meetings and farewells, but, above all, strong ties between the people and the schools. These ties make us believe that our interpersonal and working relationships will continue in the future. As a matter of fact, this is already starting to happen: some Polish students have spent their summer holidays with Galician families, there have been teachers’ meetings in Lisbon, the social networks are very active, and there is even a new project in the making: “Many paths, one destiny: Santiago de Compostela”.
Our students were able to acquire significant knowledge that they could subsequently apply to their own lives after reflection, critic analysis and comprehension. They built up personal autonomy and citizenship awareness and felt they were playing a role in building the Europe of people. As for the families, the project provided a space to promote participation and integration in school life. Their participation in the project contributed to its success. Their availability, willingness to host foreign students and participation in numerous activities strengthened their ties with the school and their commitment to quality, inclusive and more free education.
For the last two years, both teachers and students have learnt together, complementing our vision of fair, free and humanitarian European building. We discovered the natural and cultural heritage of the countries concerned in the project. We were able to convey the message to our educational communities that we work a lot better together, and that linguistic, cultural, religious or other barriers fall away when we get to know each other and form bonds.
As for the teachers, Comenius allowed us to develop and share new learning strategies and methodologies, understand the 1
common challenges of the “important� task of educating, tighten professional and especially personal bonds, enjoy hard work but also sharing, discovering and visiting places. We were able to compare education systems and know how to respond to the major challenges in education. Like the students, we have developed strong ties of friendship, which has driven us to consider future common projects. By way of conclusion, discussing the idea of Europe, discovering common values, defending equality of peoples and cultures, men and women, and respecting the differences, has allowed the participating students to grow as autonomous, critical, analytical, open-to-dialogue, respectful and more European individuals.
Luisa MĂĄrquez
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They lived with our families so that they could eat traditional food and know about our lifestyle. They visited Santiago, Coru単a and they knew some about the Galician Heritage.
On September 2014, twenty-five polish students and two teachers visited Pontevedra, they spent one week. We enjoyed a lot with them in our city. All together visited Pontevedra and some small villages on the coasts (Combarro, Sanxenxo, O Grove) and La Lanzada beach.
They had the opportunity to go to Cies Islands, a wonderful natural park. We sailed for three hours and then we could enjoyed a nice day visiting the island, walking to the lighthouse and bathing on the beach.
They were with Galician students on some classes about History. Literature and Language and they learnt to play some traditional Galician instruments.
We spent a very good time with our polish friends and it was difficult to say them goodbye but we were going to meet again on may 2015.
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The second meeting between teachers took place in Escola EB 2,3/ Aquilino Ribeiro in Porto Salvo (Portugal) from 4th to 7th of November 2014.
All the cultural activities were oganized by the Portuguese team.
There were 11 participants
Decisions and deadlines. Concerning the “Holocaust week”, the teachers decided that each school should come up with an exhibition which can include pictures, videos, articles and a part of the exhibition should be devoted to gipsy people.
During the stay the teachers worked together so as to come up with common decisions about the second year of the project.
The main task for February would be to work on boys and girls’ roles in society. March and April should be devoted to the work on gipsy people and especially on the representation of gipsy people in arts. This part of the project should be completed by the end of April. Around the 8th of April, each school will celebrate the International Day of the Gipsy People.
They also had the opportunity to visit the school, meet the students and discover Porto Salvo and the region including the capital city of Lisboa.
As far as the students’ mobility is concerned, Portuguese, Spanish and French students will be coming from the 2nd of May to the 9th of May in Rzeszow (Poland).
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There are two kinds of Galician costumes: the one that is daily won, made of a coarse fabric, and the etiquette costume, basically made of fine fabric and silk.
forms of underwear, trousers a guird, a shirt, a waistcoat, a jacket and a hat or monteira (a cap made of black velvet and adoned with sequins, tassels and other trimmings).
A woman’s costume is made up of refaixo (an underskirt) , mantel (a long apron worn on top on the skirt and tied at the back), mandil a smaller apron worn on top of the mantelo, a shirt or blouse, dengue (a short cape covering the shoulders, crossed at the bossom and tying bac at the back. The dengue is usually beautifully decorated with jet and sequins or gems depending on social status. It is only part of the etiquette costume). The mantón is a big embroidered shawl worn on top of the dengue. The head is usually covered by a cap or a scarf. If women wear nothing on the head, they wear their long hair plaited or in a bun. Long beautiful earings, usually made of jet and silver are an important part of the outfit.
The man’s outfit is simpler. It consisted of gaits, leggings o other 5
THE MORPHOLOGY GALICIAN BAGPIPE
OF
THE
THE TERRAÑOLAS This percussive instrument consist of two little thin woodenblocks which, when placed between the fingers,sound when the hand is shaken, thus producing the rhythm. In Galician, joined wooden spoons or “cuncha of vieiras” (scallop shells) are also used as a percussive instruments.
Since the second half of the thirteenth century there is clear evidence of the morphological evolution of the gaita. The first scuptural representations of the instrument show the gaita without a drone, that is, it consisted of one a fol (bag), the punteiro (chanter) and the soprete (mouthpiece). At the same time as the development of polyphony the drones were added to the Galician bagpipe as an important harmonic source.
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THE “PANDEIRETA”
The traditional redobrante (high drum) has leather peaches and uses strings ti tighten these
The “pandeireta” consists of a wooden ring covered with sheepskin with ferreñas hanging around the edges. The hole for the ferreñas can be situated in atelrnating or parallel rows. This instrument was played almost exclusively by women. Traditional groups of pandeireteiras were used to entertain at ruadas, faideirasor popular fiestas.Nowdays, many groups of pandeireteiras prefer to maintain this tradition.
THE CHARRASCO It is a large size idiophone percussion musical instrument traditional in the autonomous community of Galicia.It may resemble a large size sort of ‘sistrum’, this one consisting of a wooden pole (with a total height that can range from 1.5 to 1.8 metres), having on its top end a trapezoidal or rectangular shaped wood frame .This frame has a certain number of pairs of small metal circular jingles (ferreñas in Galician) that are placed to vibrate in vertical or horizontal position.
THE REDOBRANTE It is considered one of the most essential Galician percussive instruments for gaita music. The gaiteiro is accompanied by a tamborileiro or drummer.
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THE ZANFONA or THE HURDY GURDY The Hurdy Gurdy is also known as: 'Drehleier' in German, 'Vielle à Roue' in French, 'Viola de Roda' en Catalan, 'Ghironda' in Italian, 'Zanfona' in Spanish, 'Brenka' in Basque,‌ It can be described as something as a violin where the friction on the strings is performed by the edge of a wooden wheel that turns inside the body of the instrument. The rotation of the wheel is performed by the right hand of the player on a crank, while the strings are pressed by the left hand fingers on a small keyboard.
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Considered Poland's greatest composer, Frédéric Chopin focused his efforts on piano composition and was a strong influence on composers who followed him.
His departure from Warsaw coincided with the unsuccessful national rising against Russian domination and Chopin found himself in Paris in the company of a number of other Polish exiles. He was able to establish himself as a pianist and as a teacher of the piano, primarily in fashionable society. For some ten years Chopin enjoyed a liaison with the writer George Sand, but broke with her during the last years of his life, brought to a close by the tuberculosis from which he had long suffered. His compositions, principally for the piano, make a remarkable use of the newly developed instrument, exploring its poetic possibilities while generally avoiding the more obvious ostentation of the Paris school of performers.
Born on March 1, 1810, in Zelazowa Wola, Poland, Frédéric Chopin, grew up in a middle-class family. He published his first composition at age 7 and began performing one year later. In 1832, he moved to Paris, socialized with high society and was known as an excellent piano teacher. His piano compositions were highly influential. He died on October 17, 1849, in Paris, France.
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We would like to show you some traditional instruments. We made a selection for our French, portugueses and Spanish friends.
Used as a pastoral trumpet. Gives deep, low sound. ZLOBCOKI, polish folk music instrument. They were raised, elongated, narrow and carved. They usually had 3-4 strings. They were played with a bow and the sound seemed quiet but sharp.
These are: FUJARA, a folk musical instrument with a group of aerophones, made from the back of willow or osier.
TREMBITA, a folk wind instrument in the shape of a straight pipe or bent at the end of the trumpet with a length of 4 meters.
MAZANKI, a small, old stringed instrument with three strings, shaped like a violin. It had a highpitched sound.
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Lisboa Menina e Moça By Ary dos Santos and Paulo de Carvalho No castelo, ponho um cotovelo Em Alfama, descanso o olhar E assim desfaz-se o novelo De azul e mar À ribeira encosto a cabeça A almofada, na cama do Tejo Com lençóis bordados à pressa Na cambraia de um beijo
Lisboa menina e moça, menina Da luz que meus olhos vêem tão pura Teus seios são as colinas, varina Pregão que me traz à porta, ternura Cidade a ponto luz bordada Toalha à beira mar estendida Lisboa menina e moça, amada Cidade mulher da minha vida
Lisboa menina e moça, menina Da luz que meus olhos vêem tão pura Teus seios são as colinas, varina Pregão que me traz à porta, ternura Cidade a ponto luz bordada Toalha à beira mar estendida
Lisboa no meu amor, deitada Cidade por minhas mãos despida Lisboa menina e moça, amada Cidade mulher da minha vida
Lisboa menina e moça, amada Cidade mulher da minha vida No terreiro eu passo por ti Mas da graça eu vejo-te nua Quando um pombo te olha, sorri És mulher da rua E no bairro mais alto do sonho Ponho o fado que soube inventar Aguardente de vida e medronho Que me faz cantar
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BALADA DO DESAJEITADO Letra do poema e música original de Sebastião Antunes, 1997, dos Quadrilha – banda portuguesa de música folclórica, cujo estilo resulta da fusão de elementos da música tradicional portuguesa e da música celta. Mais tarde, interpretado pelos D.A.M.A..
Mas como sempre Chega a hora da verdade E falta-me o à vontade Acabo por me calar Falta-me o jeito Ponho-me a escrever e rasgo Cada vez a tremer mais E às vezes até me engasgo Nada a fazer É por isso que eu te conto que é tarde para não dizer Digo como sei e pronto
Eu não sei O que é que te hei-de dar Nem te sei Inventar frases bonitas Mas aprendi uma ontem Só que já me esqueci Então olha gosto muito de ti
Eu não sei O que é que te hei-de dar Nem te sei Inventar frases bonitas Mas aprendi uma ontem Só que já me esqueci Então olha só te quero a ti
Sei de alguém Por demais envergonhado Que por ser tão desajeitado Nunca foi capaz de falar Só que hoje Viu o tempo que perdeu Sabes que esse alguém sou eu E agora eu vou-te contar
Eu não sei O que é que te hei-de dar Nem te sei Inventar frases bonitas Mas aprendi uma ontem Só que já me esqueci Então olha só te quero a ti
Sabes lá O que é que eu tenho passado Estou sempre a fazer-te sinais E tu não me tens ligado E aqui estou eu A ver o tempo a passar A ver se chega o tempo tempo de te falar Eu não sei O que é que te hei-de dar Nem te sei Inventar frases bonitas Mas aprendi uma ontem Só que já me esqueci Então olha só te quero a ti
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em RUvMEr7XI
Podes crer Que à noite o sono é ligeiro Fico à espera o dia inteiro Para poder desabafar
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You can watch it in these links https://vimeo.com/128153332 https://vimeo.com/132313924
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I learnt to value my friends and teachers, to discover that rain doesn’t spoil a perfect day to (alluding to the Ghinkana at Rzeszów with groups from all the participating countries), that distance is n excuse for those who are afraid, that friends are not made with your tongue ut with your heart, and that home is not a place but a feeling. By Alba Lorenzo The students say that their participation in the Project is an excellent way of learning and avoiding any kind of discrimination. They feel they are very lucky because they were given the opportunity to take part in this project and they are very grateful because they enjoyed an unforgettable, unique experience. All of them share this slogan: no meu corazón, na miña vida, fíxome mellor, fíxome crecer como persoa.(In my heart, in my life, this experience draw the best of me and made me grow a a person) They wish all of their colleagues could have a similar experience.
They loved the Wielizcka Mines because of the big space, the beauty of salt sculptures, wonderful lighting. Students were impressed at the working conditions, but also because of what workers can really accomplish.
They could visit Krakow with its history and people, they visited the Old Market, the Wawel Castle, the old Synagogue.
But all of them highlighted their visit to Auschwichtz because of the strongs emotions they felt.
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We thought that all this would get us ready for the visit but NOTHING CAN GET YOUR READY FOR AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU. On the day of the visit, the 3rd of May 2015, we woke up very early in our hotel in Krakow and we got nervous as we were approaching the entrance of camp. The first shock came at the camp gate, when our teacher translated the sign on the gate “Arbeit Macht Frei” (work makes you free), an ultimate taunt against all these men, women and children who had already lost all hope. An inner anxiety seized us all, NOTHING CAN GET YOU READY FOR AUSCHWITZ. Many of us could not give up crying throughout the visit. We could see the prints of the killed, the pictures, the wall where firing squad executions took place, the punishment cells, the ovens and the large gas chambers.
One of the most-awaited yet dreaded moments of our meeting in Poland was the scheduled visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. During the two years of the Comenius Programme, we had all worked on the Holocaust and its meaning. We discovered the stories of the people who risked their lives to fight against the Nazi brutality. We found out that some of them were recognised as “Righteous among the Nations”, whereas others remained anonymous. We learned that one of these heroines was a Galician woman from Ribadavia, Lola Touza. We also learned about the Holocaust of the Romany people, the persecution of homosexuals, etc. In addition, we investigated on children in the Holocaust, the ones who perished in the camps and the ones who lost their identity and family. We organised two large exhibitions in the centre, we saw films and documentaries, read books and accounts, etc.
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more aware of the need to be active agents in the defense of human rights, everywhere and in every occasion. Building a European citizenship requires the commitment by the young not to repeat our own history’s mistakes.
However, what struck us most was the immensity of Birkenau II camp, the people from all countries wandering about, the rail tracks, the barracks and, above all, the SILENCE, a silence of grief, bewilderment, anxiety. It is beyond understanding how human beings were able to commit such atrocities on millions of other human beings on behalf of an ideology of death and destruction.
By Yaiza Iglesias, Nicolás Gil, Alejandro Días and Silvia García
And now, after having seen all this, we wonder, how is it possible that neo-Nazi parties are growing in Europe? How can anybody defend the superiority of an ethnicity, culture or religion over the others? We believe there is a very effective vaccination against all this hatred. These people should visit Auschwitz and be confronted with the dreadful and dramatic events that happened in this place. We are thankful to the Comenius Programme to give us the opportunity to confront the consequences of the failure of dialogue and tolerance. We are now 16
Le Mardi 14 janvier nous avons visité le Mémorial de la déportation et le conservatoire historique du camp de Drancy situé à proximité des bâtiments de la cité de La muette à Drancy.
Sous l'occupation allemande les Allemands choisissent volontairement le bâtiment inachevé en forme de U pour interner des prisonniers de guerre français et britanniques puis des « ressortissants de puissances ennemies ». Le 20 août 1941, suite à la rafle du XIe arrondissement, ce lieu de détention devint un camp d'internement exclusivement juif jusqu’à la libération de la région parisienne en août 1944; environ 80000 Juifs ont résidé dans ce camp. Jusqu'au 17 août 1944, le camp de Drancy a été le principal lieu de rassemblement des Juifs, déportés ensuite vers les camps d'extermination nazis. Dans les années 1947-1948, la cité de la muette a retrouvé sa vocation initiale d'habitations. Elle est aujourd'hui la propriété de l'Office départemental des HLM.
Cette cité est constituée de tours, d'immeubles en barre et d'un immeuble en forme de U qui comporte 1200 logements. Elle a été édifiée au début des années 1930, le projet avait pour but d’offrir au plus grand nombre des conditions de vie décentes, et d'apporter tous les services nécessaires à la vie d’une cité. Toutefois le chantier est resté inachevé à cause de la crise économique qui survient au milieu des années 1930.
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On the 4th of March 2015, as a part of Project ‘Comenius – Connecting schools, building citizenship’ , there was a meeting with professor Krzysztof Żarna at our school. He told us about the history and tragic fate of Gypsies during Holocaust. It was a really interesting lesson for us. We got to know possible origins of Gypsies, why they were pursued and murdered. The professor told us about Gypsies’ living conditions and the conditions they died in. At the end of the meeting professor invited us to visit the place of Gypsies’ extermination in Auschwitz. This lesson made us think about the subject discussed and the time of the meeting wasn’t wasted for sure.
Our students visited the Tarnow Regional Museum that organised an important exhibition entitled "Gypsies in Polish Culture".To this day is probably the only one in the world on Romani Culture and history.
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From 1 to 9 of May, students from France, Portugal and Spain met their colleagues in Poland. It was the second mobility of students of our project “Connecting Schools, Building Citizenship”
During the time in Rzeszów we celebrated an “Intercultural Festival”. Each school presented an example of its cultural heritage: songs, dances and legends occupied a place in the development of the festival.
From France beautiful songs and a multicultural dance
Traditional dances and songs from Poland
From Portugal the legend of Porto Salvo and some traditional songs
But also modern and Latin dance
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Songs from Spain in the four official languages (Galician, Basque , Spanish and Catalan) and another in Portuguese for friends across the river Minho.
After the festival we could enjoy a cooking demonstration with products from the four countries. Students and teachers contributed traditional food : cheese , seafood , sweets , .which were eaten with great satisfaction.
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Our French friend arrived in Lisbon on April 14th. The next day they came at school. Here we worked in our presentation.
There was also time for cultural visits : Sintra and Pena Castle , the old Lisbon .
We enjoyed a lot learning surf together on the beach and then we visited the “Azulejo Museo” and had a “azulejo workshop” so we could manufacture our own tiles.
It was hard to say goodbye to our friends but we knew that we would meet soon in Poland
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The international day of women in Poland is celebrated with flowers! There are no declarations, no protests for the equality. It is not a day to claim the women's rights; it is one day when streets are filled with flowers that men buy to their wives and fiancĂŠes and even friends. All men buy bunches of quite ornate flowers and no woman remains without them. If their boyfriends or husbands forget about it, women can get very annoyed! Besides flowers small gifts are also given and men send e-mail, smses with greetings to women on this day.
The International Women's Day in Spain is a day to vindicate the rights of women because although there’s been significant progress for equality in Spain, particulary under the last Socialist government, the austerity measures since May 2010 and the policies of the current right wing government of Mariano Rajoy threaten to roll back gains.
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Every day Women must be respected, no need of a special day to remember that. Portuguese poets, musicians and singers have homaged them for centuries. Here is a poem "Woman" ("Mulher") from Ary dos Santos, one of the most relevant names of the Portuguese popular poetry of the 20th century (1937-1984) and a recent song "Tired" ("Cansada") composed and divulged in the Portuguese media these days. They sing to remember that "one who loves you is not aggressive". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laVqVyU9vR8
MULHER
para um filho crescer farto
A mulher não é só casa
para um filho crescer são
mulher-loiça, mulher-cama ela é também mulher-asa,
A posse vai-se acabar
mulher-força, mulher-chama
no tempo da liberdade o que importa é saber estar
E é preciso dizer
juntos em pé de igualdade
dessa antiga condição a mulher soube trazer Desde que as coisas se tornem
a cabeça e o coração
naquilo que a gente quer é igual dizer meu homem
Trouxe a fábrica ao seu lar
ou dizer minha mulher
e ordenado à cozinha e impôs a trabalhar a razão que sempre tinha
Trabalho não só de parto mas também de construção
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Portuguese students recall the times they lived together in the last two years with the "Connecting Schools, Building Citizenship" Comenius Project.
Cristiano Cibrão: Many works were done where union and team spirit between colleagues excelled. Today I know some of them I can call "friends" and keep for life. It was the first class trip that we were all waiting for, where we would meet our colleagues from different nations. It was a week that will certainly remain in our memories, each day was lived as if the last one. The project Comenius was to me an enriching experience. Unforgettable moments where I met new peoples with different cultures. Works were done to learn the values of society. It was hard, laborious, but well worth it in the end.
Ana Margarida Coelho: Comenius project in three words: Hard work, Unity and Adventure. Travelling with the class to nations never before seen by many, and meeting young people from other cultures, was the best part of the project.
Cristina Figueiredo: We learned many ways of team work, and how fundamental it is. I met excellent people, truly friends for life, people with different cultures and ways of life. Communication, however, with my colleagues from other schools was the most difficult part.
Cátia Pimentel: Meeting different cultures and different ways of being and living. Sharing moments with colleagues from Spain, France and Poland was unique and very fun. Many thanks to the project Comenius for giving us this wonderful experience.
Diogo Alves: The project Comenius was good for the class, since it gave the opportunity to communicate with students from other nations through social networks. In these two years there many works were made on the cultures and ways of the integrating nations. Érica Gonçalves: When in Paris, the day before the last was my favorite. We were all in 24
a public square (Place du Trocadéro) singing and dancing and conversing with our colleagues, who are our friends today.The trip to Poland was very special. I had many expectations because it was a nation that I never thought to visit. It was a funny trip for the Polish people found us somewhat uncommon.
was a unique experience and unforgettable, something that was worth all the work we made. Iara Borges: I did not believe we were going to travel to Paris until the day came. The last day was moving, we got together, conversed, danced, got each other's Facebook. In Poland the best day was Thursday, the day before returning, when we showed our works, our dance, our song and our play. With the project's end I hope we all keep in touch.
Fábio Gonçalves: I would certainly be on the trip if it were not for my heart problem. I lost the reception to our French colleagues. I lost many things in those days. Still I admire this project, which gave the opportunity to make new friends, meet many new locations. This is why I give a high mark to this project, and may it never stop. Fabrício Spencer: The project Comenius was very interesting, wonderful, and the best experience of my life until now. We took photographs of the most beautiful avenue of the world, the Triumphal Arch of Paris. We went to the Eiffel Tower, to Disneyland and to the Louvre Museum. I fell in love with a French colleague, we strolled much, played and danced. The last day was sad because we had to say goodbye, but that is life. One year after I have the opportunity to go to Poland and the pleasure to know Kracow and Rzeszów, where we met again!
Ivanildo Junior: We had the special visit of the French students. We shared many activities. It was a time very rich to be close of people from other cultures. The project Comenius was a way to make new friends and live in peace anywhere in the world . The contact with our colleagues remains. Melanie Pires: The project Comenius allowed us to meet other nations, see the great monuments, make friends, talk with other students and bond with colleagues from Spain, France and Poland.
Gonçalo Trigo: This project, with the works made and the trips, was the best, because each one from different nations got to know different cultures, food, among others. In the end I can say it 25
Nuno Galv茫o:
met new nations, new people from different cultures. The good of this project was that I learned teamwork and companionship spirit.
My favorite works were those on the Gypsy communities and the "Boys and Girls roles".
Romina Rocha: Potche Manessim: The French students received us very well in their school. It was very good to converse with them, we got to know more of their traditions, it was an experience I will truly carry for life. The trip to Poland was doubtless another magnificent experience, we were very well received. The show set by the students from Poland in their school was very good, because it allowed us to see more of their traditions. The project Comenius opened a new future door to me.
The project Comenius contributed, without doubt, to changing the vision and notion I had of Europe. By this adventure we bonded with other students, and, although the distance, we are still in touch, thanks to the social networks. I would have been good if our colleagues from Spain and Poland had also come to Portugal. Of the works we made my favorites were: "Bring back our girls" and "Homage to the Holocaust victims". I think our contribution was worth it.
Rony Monteiro: Ricardo Almeida: The project Comenius broadened my horizons. Thanks to it I had the unique opportunity to meet Poland, a magnificent nation where the people suffered much in the past and with a very sad history. I saw new locations, made many friends, many of which will remain forever. Many of them differed in culture but we overcame the language barrier, which was one of the difficulties we had.
The project Comenius was a unique experience. We were well received, either in Aubervilliers or in Rzesz贸w, we saw new locations, learned new words and tried other foods.
Sara Raquel Cerqueira: We saw new things that were imprinted in our memories, such as Auschwitz-Birkenau, German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp, now Memorial and State Museum. We lived good moments, in France and in Poland, made great friends, and even more we showed we are united. We also want to say to the students of Spain, France and Poland that we thank them for all the
Rodimila Miranda: The most interesting and fun part of this project was the interaction between students of different nations. Participating in the project Comenius was a true adventure. I 26
love and welcoming they gave us. For all the good moments we spent together we also say that, even though the distance, our friendships will endure!
A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE: Polish students
Sérgio Maocha: With this project we have the opportunity to spread a little of our Portuguese culture.One of the things I loved to do was to staged two of our many Portuguese legends to the professors and colleagues of Spain, France and Poland - "The Legend of Our Lady of Porto Salvo" and "The Legend of Barcelos Rooster".
Oh… Whenever I recall my days spent among participants of Comenius on my cheeks flow drops of sadness, then I look at my phone and I see “Hi, how are you today” – message from my lovely friends who I met on the best of the project in my life, then on my wet face appears smile.
Ana Rita Assunção: I only came this year to the class of 12º C and well I was told of the Comenius project. I had no idea of what it was. I went to the lectures, to the trip preparation to Poland and tried to participate by the best way possible. On the reception welcome to the French students, who also integrated the project, I sang them the Lisbon Fado. It is my opinion that it was a project well elaborated in all and clearly done out of good will.
Comenius in my opinion is the best way to make friends abroad. I met wonderful students and teachers from Spain, France and Portugal. I could improve my English and Spanish. Discover culture, customs, even food from these countries. I spent magical time with they in Paris also in my city. It was fantastic. In spite of finishing this sensational international project, I wish met one more time together. I want to shout THANKS, it was worthwhile!!! Weronika Wallach Our project is finished. What can I say about it? Surely I can say that it was great experience for me because I could know new people, their cultures and make friends. We
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spent a lot of time together for talking, laughing, playing different sports, singing and dancing that was really amazing. We also could practice languages which we’re learning in the school. But the best thing in this project was relation which burned between us.
Poland. It lasted about one week. During this time we had a chance to see our foreign friends met in Paris once again and a lot of new people from France, Spain and Portugal. On Wednesday we were sightseeing the castle in Łańcut and on Thursday we organised a ‘culture day’, when every group from the project showed a presentation of songs, dances and even a theatre performance. After that everyone could taste food from Poland, Spain, France and Portugal. This exchange was a big opportunity to practise language skills, know other cultures an – of course – make new friends.
This project showed me though we come from four other countries we are almost the same, people from France, from Spain, from Portugal and from Poland, we like that same music, that same movies, that same pop-stars, we have similar problems, love stories and a lot of other things. And that was fantastic! We wasn’t looking for somebody’s external appearance but for his soul. I hope that we’ll meet someday once again.
Monika Chmiel I've been atending the Comenius program since the first year in our school. Obviously these 3 years were full of work, but they were absolutely worth it. It's been na amazing experience to meet so many people from other countries, to talk to them and get to know them. I'm really grateful for this opportunity because thanks to the Comenius I improved my English and Spanish too. Moreover, I was so lucky that I had a chance to visit Paris. We spent there a week, and it was probably one of the best in my life. This year all the Comenius's people came to Poland and it was amazing to show them our city. We were playing together and we were spending time talking and laughing.
Iza Rejment The exchange was amazing. I gained a best friend Alba, I better speak spanish, I spent a great time, I'm braver, I got to know a diffrent culture, I tried new things and I learned a lot. Patrycja Tokarz
To sum up, I'm really thankful that I had a chance to be a part of this
The last of student exchanges from the project „Comenius” was in 28
program. It was a wonderful experience.
visited underground. Wednesday was a day with a lot of attraction. First we all went to Lańcut castle and later we took a part in city game. Next day we had in our school celebrated international party. We could listen to music from every country, national dance and later try typical national cuisine. On Friday we had to say goodbye to people from France and later we spend nice time with Portugueses by the river and after dinner we farewell. On Saturday we all had free time to spend it with spanish people. For me Comenius was one of the best things in my life. I met new people and practised Spanish a lot.
Paulina Polak Last month the people from abroad arrived to Poland. We could to meet lot of gorgeus people and to know better their culture. French and Portuguese people slept in a hotel and Spanish people lived in our homes with us. We were preparing a tradicional polish food for them. Every day they could to see the most important monuments and beautiful place in our city. This was really great time for me. I really want to meet them again. Syliwia Giełbaga
Karolina Staszewska I took part in Comenius this year. I'm so grateful to have this opportunity. I loved it! It was a great experience for me. I met a lot of new people from other countries and I got to know their cultures. One of the most important thing which stems from Comenius is that all of us could improve both English and Spanish. First part of Comenius was a trip to Paris which, I think I like the most. It was the best trip which I have ever been on. It was a wonderful time!
This year, during one week we guested teenagers from Spain, France and Portugal. On mondayfirst day of their visit in Rzeszów I met my new Spanish friend - Yaiza. We went to my home to she can left her luggage and later we went to town square to welcome to each other. On Thuesday they all first time visited our school and later went to city hall to meet president of Rzeszów. Later, after dinner they
A year later, those people who I met in France, came to Poland. They spent here about one week. We were making a lot of different things. For example, we went to the castle in Lancut. Students from Poland organised a field game which was a great chance to visit some important 29
places in Rzeszow and spend time with each other. In spite of bad weather, we had fun.
Last month took place amazing adventure with friends from other countries. Our polish school met people from Spain, France and Portugal.
Everybody was depressed when we had to say goodbye to them.
I could cognize wonderful people which culture is very interesting. We told with them a lot.
I think that we will always remember this students exchange and people we met.
At first day we were at Rzeszow market where we could show around foreigners our city.Second day was more interesting becouse of juant to Lancut.
I wish I could meet them once again because they were wonderful! Agnieszka Kluz In last month students from Spain, Portugal and France visited Rzeszów. On Monday they arrived to Rzeszów and came with us to houses and to the hotel. On Tuesday they visited our school and city hall. After that we came to underground, which is on our town square. On Wednesday we went to the Castle in Łańcut. It really beautiful. On Wednesday afternoon we played city game. We had a lot of fun during this event and our guests had a possibility to know Rzeszów better. On Thursday we organized a international party in our school. We could try snacks from other countries and we could listen to their typical music. On Friday we spend time in park by the river Wisłok. We played volleyball and talked to each other. Later we had a free time so we could spend it with our friends.Unfortunately Saturday was the end of our adventure, which Comenius was for us. It was amazing experience, and we're not going to forget it for a long time.
Everyone visited wonderful Potockich'castle.Later Poland organized spiffy game for foreigners. Next day was funny. We could taste food from their countries. It was such good idea. After eating it took place e.g. karaoke and dance . Everone was happy . Unfortunately Friday was finishing day. We were sad becouse pepole from Spain, France and Portugal were close to our hearts. At last hours we were only talking and taking photos. This day was rueful , but I hope I will see these people once again ! :)
Dagmara Olszewska 30
Natalia Obodyńska
Wiktoria Paśkiewicz
Our meeting with people from Spain, Portugal and France was fantastic!
It was the best week of my live. When I met all these people from France, Spain and Portugal I was the happiest men in the world. It was a great opportunity to improve my English and Spanish. I learnt a lot about different world, different countries. I had a lot of fun during sightseeing a castle in Łańcut. I have never been there before so it was great that we could do there. I really liked the city game. We showed our friends interesting places in Rzeszów. There was so much fun when suddenly started to rain. We all got wet. But the best part at all was that I made a lot of new friends. I hope we will meet again some day.
Even at first day when we met them, we had so much to say! Of course, they told us about their culture and we learned a lot their language. They were teaching us for example how to introduce ourselves or even count to ten. They met our city, our culture and our tradicion. We had trip to Łańcut where they could see how did the reach people lived in 19th century. Later, we organised for them a game which demanded running through our city and solving riddles. Of course, we're all the winners! On Thursday we could try their dishes and it was really difficult challenge. We spent many time toegether and we were like family for that week- and we still are. We keep in touch all the time and I hope that one day we'll meet toegether again!
Aleksandra Juda For me it was wonderful experience to meet people frome another countres and gain a knowleadge about their culture and customs. It was the time, when I could check and improve my english and spanish. it made me more openminded and helped me to make friends with other people. it was amazing for me and I'am glad i had a chance to be a part of the Comenius project Pawel Skalski For me it was amazing adventure. I met too many people and they became my best friends. I could get to know the culture of different part of Europe and check if my spanish and english is good enough to talk 31
with people from other countries. It was wonderful time with wonderful people. I won't forget it to the rest of my life.
Paris and see cultures which are a little bit different from mine. Comenius also helped me to practise speaking English and Spanish. I really enjoyed this project and every activities connected with it.
Iza Górka "Project Comenius gave me many things.The most important thing is that I met my friend from Spain.He's my the best friend and I hope that I met him again somewhere in the world or I'll go to Spain.Now I can only talk with him on Facebook or Whatsapp but it's good too.Second important thing and thing which is need at every part in the world is learning languages (English and Spanish).Through we're talking each other,we learnt a lot of languages.Really important thing is also that I met a lot of friends from country like Portugal and Spain and I thing that we'll continue our friendship.If I have chance to take a part in another project like Comenius,I will take part in this for certain.
Dominika Jedynak
Spanish students explain their experience during the “Connecing Schools, Building Citizenship” Comenius Project What did COMENIUS mean for you?
It was a great experience, as I was able to get to know young French, Portuguese and Poles, and learn about their cultures. I loved becoming friends with people from different countries, and being hosted by a Polish family allowed me to know their lifestyle, daily routines and food more in depth. I think projects of this kind should keep running, as you can learn a lot and they leave a mark in your heart.
Miron Modrakowski Comenius gave me the opportunity to meet new people and create new friendships. Because of it I was able to visit Paris (France) and see all of the famous places and amazing monuments. I improved my English and Spanish too. It also allowed me to learn about other culture. It was the best experience ever!
Lara Cores Rodríguez
Inga :)
It was fantastic! Despite the language barrier, we were able to communicate and understand each other perfectly. It helped me learn
Thanks to Comenius I could meet amazing people, create new friendships. It allowed me to visit 32
how to interact with others, respect other cultures, exchange ideas and experiences, and discover new places and customs.
I would highlight the friendship that grew among all of us, the places we discovered and the different culture. It was a unique opportunity and I hope to keep enjoying it and learning from it.
Linda Percíncula Martínez It was a unique experience. It allowed me to interact with students of different countries and I felt at ease with them as we developed a very warm relationship. I learned a lot about new cultures and how to interact better with people of other countries and languages. All in all, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I would definitely participate again.
Marta Fernández Abal I learned that not everybody in the world is mean. I was feeling really lonely because of a mishap I’d had with a fellow student, but in this project I was able to get on well with everybody. It was a unique opportunity. Silvia García Diéguez
Sofía Caamaño Molina
My stay with the Polish family was great. I felt really comfortable and had to get to grips with my “poor” English. I learned how to communicate in other languages and that I don’t need to be surrounded by many technological devices.
I improved my English, learned some Polish language and customs, and to adapt to eating new things at different eating hours. It offered me the opportunity to discover new places, meet new young people and live together with people I didn’t know before.
Diego Fuentes Castiñeira
Alba Reboredo Piñón I would like to point out several things. First, the visit to Auschwitz broke my heart. I still can’t figure out how it all was possible. Also, the Polish family made me feel at ease from the beginning and made my stay the best experience of my life. Finally, I learned that you can make friends even though they are thousands of miles away. Lucía García Carramal
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I loved participating in the Comenius project because I made many good friends with students from other countries and because I learned how to get by without my parents, out of home. I found the project very interesting.
I learned ethic values in my visit to Auschwitz, a lot of Polish history, and words in Polish, French and Portuguese, but above all, I learned that you don’t have to speak the same language, have the same customs or live near to make very good friends, as what’s best is to meet people in other places in the world.
Catalina Alarcón Torres I liked it because of the many things I learned, all the friends I made, and because I lived together with another family in another country. I practiced my English a lot and I am very happy to have collaborated with the COMENIUS project against discrimination and inequality.
Yaiza Iglesias García It was a special, unforgettable experience. I went to a country where I had nothing and I came back with a lot of friends, knowing very different things and realising that not everybody has the same lifestyle. It made me more responsible and taught me to be more respectful when living together. COMENIUS changed my life.
Alejandro Días López It was a very positive experience, as I met people from many places, and I learned to be more careful and less blunt. Also, I found out that I can communicate well in English.
Antía Torres González
Brian Franco Gulías
To be honest, I am very shy and had some difficulty in getting to know the foreign students, but the time I spent with them was great, and watching them leave was very hard. I learned a lot, especially in our visit to Auschwitz. Sonia Rey Caldas I learned to interact better with people from other countries and cultures, and also to live together with people I didn’t know but who have become a part of my life since Comenius. Amanda Rial González
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I learned to interact with other people despite not speaking the same language, and to value the teachers’ great job.
countries, I learned that nothing is better than diversity.
Andrés Picallo Galante
Perfect, I now have a loving family in Poland. The best thing about COMENIUS is to learn that teamwork helps us reach our goals.
Carla Martínez Martínez.
It was an unforgettable experience that will leave a mark upon our lives. Thanks to all the friends for being so kind and accepting us the way we are, and to the teachers for making the project possible.
Alba Martínez Espiña I discovered the culture of several countries, learned to interact with people of different places, put myself in their shoes, live together with them, take control of my quirks, and I also improved my English. I think COMENIUS is a wonderful thing that helps us to learn and grow as a person.
Borja Piñeiro Aboy I discovered new ways of cooking, new food, new customs, etc. I also learned that you don’t need to speak the same language to make friends, and that distance isn’t enough to set friends and hearts apart. COMENIUS allowed us to live an incredible and unforgettable experience.
Nerea Sanmartín Blanco I think I would embark on such an experience again, as you discover new cultures, but you also learn how to interact with other people speaking different languages, and to be more independent.
Noelia Rey Rodríguez Apart from many other things, I learned to be more careful and responsible. I am glad to have participated in COMENIUS.
Alba Corredoira Piay
Zoe Bugallo Casas I found it an incredible experience. You learn lots of things: different customs, different languages, but above all, you learn how to live together and accept the different. Sometimes we tend to reject what is not mainstream, but if we give it an opportunity, we can not only like it, but it can actually change our lives. As we were students from four
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I learned to mingle with people who have different cultures, customs and lifestyles. Nerea Fernández Suárez I learned the meaning of words that, without realising it, I didn’t understand before: fellowship, respect, friendship, diversity. María Arboleda Ramírez Above all, I learned how to mingle with people from other countries. COMENIUS allowed us to travel with our friends, to work in teams and to discover other cultures, countries and people. Elizabeth González Feijóo
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By Alba Lorenzo However, I would also like to highlight my relationship with my guest Polish family, the Lewandowskas. They made their best so that I felt like at home. They made up the room for me, and the parents, who didn’t speak much English, made an effort to communicate with me.
I would like to put forward a personal reflection on what the participation in COMENIUS meant to me, especially the “Meeting in Rezesów” with the Polish, French and Portuguese students, and the activities we carried out together. One of my favourite visits was the salt mines in Wieliczka, a UNESCO World Heritage site. I also enjoyed the one to Wawel Castle, as we had plenty of free time. However, despite it being hard and sad, the visit to Auschwitz was the most fruitful one: you need to know the past to protect the future.
The relationship with the other students, Polish, French and Portuguese, was fantastic. We made a lot of friends. It was as if we knew each other a lifetime. We left Poland with more friends and a big family. I would definitely participate in another COMENIUS project a thousand more times. Apart from discovering places and meeting new people, we built strong ties with our teachers and fellow students. It was a truly fruitful and transforming experience.
The visit to Auschwitz was the toughest part of the meeting. I was actually a bit ashamed because I couldn’t stop crying the whole time we were there. Our guide explained it as normal as can be, and I couldn’t understand how there could be people capable of inflicting so much suffering to another human being and then killing them, and why we don’t even know their names. Despite the horror, it was a necessary visit, and I think I can speak on behalf of every student and teacher in saying that knowing about all that pain has changed us significantly.
I learned to value more my friends and teachers, to realise that the rain isn’t enough to spoil a perfect day, that distance is only an excuse for those who are scared, friends aren’t made with a language but with a heart, and home is not a place but a feeling. Four words could summarise my experience: magic, experience, opportunity and discovery.
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EQUAL IN DIFFERENCE migrants are confronting on-the-spot deportations, death risk in the Mediterranean, misery, contempt… Consequently, I would like to make a call upon the European young so that we do not turn a blind eye to the problem. We must stand up for these people and the values that served “as a basis for European construction”.
The Comenius Programme has allowed me to get to know youngsters from France, Portugal and Poland, thus discovering that beyond language, habits and custom differences, the European young share many values: equality, tolerance, interculturalism, environmental awareness…, and these can provide us with the cornerstone of a Europe of people, of citizens, resting upon human rights respect and able to address the major challenges of a complex and changing world.
Lucía García, Alba Reboredo, Antía Torres y Sofía Caamaño
I have also understood that the failure of pacific relationships on an equal plane led to dreadful and dramatic events in Europe: armed conflicts and especially the “Holocaust”, where delirium, racism and dictatorship took over to write one of the darkest pages of European history. However, I also learnt that we cannot allow this to happen again, and that the respect and protection of individuals must be above any economic, national, religious, ethnic or other interest. Therefore, I would like to point at the worrying lack of initiative the EU is showing in the migrant and refugee crisis. A Wall of Shame is being erected in Hungary and refugees who are fleeing countries at war are coming up against police officers, soldiers, barbed wires, xenophobe and racist attacks and shelters on fire instead of the asylum they are seeking. On the other hand, 38
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