Aitor G贸mez Yoel Gonz谩lez
MATRIX “Immersed in the immensity�
Geologically, a Fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by glacial erosion. The word comes to English from Norwegian or Icelandic, in many cases to refer to any long narrow body of water other than the more specific meaning it has in English. There are many fjords on the coasts of Norway, Iceland, Greenland, Alaska, Kerguelen Islands, British, Columbia, Nunavut, Washington and Chile.
One of the most astonishing and shocking experiences of Barcelona students was the huge difference between the quiet Norwegian landscape and environment and the noisy Barcelona, the big amount of people living in a not very big space. We experienced something magical while we were there. One day we sailed through the Fjords and we had the opportunity to take photos of the most amazing places. We were used to see lots of people, streets full of cars, high flat buildings and industries throwing pollution through their chimneys, but we weren’t used to the greatest nature scenery, we felt as we were in one of the most peaceful places in the world.
Immersed in the immensity of the moment, observing the greatness of each fjord, the snow and the infinite sea, where the rising sun’s rays are reflected in. It’s fullness, empty at the same time, zero No noises, the wind caressing our face slowly and that feeling of happiness invades our body. Once we saw that show of awesomeness, we were paralyzed by the beauty of the landscape. Without saying a word we tried to catch that moment in each photo, and we didn’t care about the cold temperatures, our fingers were freezing trying to steal that moment. It was like going back to childhood, when we used to have that excitement about something new, and no one or anything couldn’t change it. We tried to catch that feeling with the camera, but we soon realize it was not possible, you need to be there to feel or experience it. All was part of a Comenius school partnership between our school. Escola Massana, and a school from Harstad, Stangnes Skole. The first contact started through a blog, where everyone tried to guess and posted its knowledge about the other culture and environment. Afterwards, in late February a group of Escola Massana students went to Harstad, a not very big town in the North of Norway, and they were staying at one Norwegian student home each. They went to their partners school every day, where they took some Norwegian lessons and they assisted to some science and culture classes about their landscape and History. The main objective was to do a snow sculpture workshop and, with the help of the Norwegian students, to make snow sculptures. Norwegian students came to Barcelona in March with the objective of visiting the most characteristic Gaudi’s buildings, and to participate in a kite’s workshop, to make and fly kites inspired in Gaudi’s natural forms. This experience is going to end with two exhibitions one in each school, showing not only the “ephemeral art” results of the workshops, but also everything we have learnt and lived through the Comenius Bilateral Project experience.
Cultural and natural manifestations. The snow was another thing that shocked us from the first day we were there. Living in the snow every day, compared to Barcelona where it snows once every four years. The sand of the beach like the snow that they have, something we feel and we see during the year and we live with. When we go to the beach we can feel nature through the warmness of the sand, and they feel through the freezing cold of the ice and snow.
very different from Norwegian) and joik, traditional Sami song. While we were there, we went to a lavoo, the typical tent where they live in contact with nature, and use all the resources to live in peace. We tried the reindeer flesh, wich is a product that they use a lot, due to the conditions of the climate, inside a tent with the fire in the middle. They showed us some other Sami products as clothes. It was and unforgettable experience. To sum up, we have to say that we were able to live unique experiences through this trip, get to know a new culture and form part of it during that period of time, which it was incredible. We gained a different vision about learning other languages, a great ability working with the snow while we were making the sculptures and finally the feelings of the beauty of nature and landscape. We would like to thank everyone who took part in this project.
Sami culture has developed in Northern Scandinavia since the first settlers arrived 11,000 years ago. Like other indigenous people, the Sami live in peace with nature. They usually wear their traditional dress in bright colours and live in tents, which are called lavvo, surrounded by turf where their reindeer graze. For a long time the Sami were an oppressed people and their culture was in danger of extinction. Nowadays, it’s relationship to the majority society is stronger than almost all other indigenous peoples. They celebrate their national day and have own flag and parliament. Other important elements in the Sami culture are language (the various Sami languages are