Project Meeting in Semianowice Slaskie, November 2006
Comenius meeting in Semianowice Slaskie 6.11.-11.11.2006
Janne, Ville, Birit and Isa in Poland
Sunday, November 5th
Our journey began on Sunday from Ivalo airport as we set out to Helsinki. From our capital we flew to Munich, Germany. We arrived at Katowice Airport around midnight and were taken to our accommodations by car. There wasn't much time for getting to know our host pupils as we went straight to bed.
Monday, November 6th
First we headed out to the city hall, where the vice president (=mayor) of Semianowice Slaskie gave us a speech. Then we made our first visit to the local school of five hundred pupils from grades 3 to 9. We had a meet-and-greet with the whole international Socrates-Comenius team and we all gave brief introductions of ourselves and our hobbies. After this we started to rehearse the Polish national dance, the Polonaise with the kind help of a local teacher and the Polish students. In the afternoon we visited a gigantic mall in Katowice. Some of us went to a local bowling range to try our hands at bowling and to shoot some pool with our new friends from Turkey, Romania, Czech Republic, Spain, Italy and Poland, of course.
Tuesday, November 7th
Our day began with a visit to the local TV-station. A mom of a local student had arranged the visit. We had a chance to see the news studio and the setting of a TV-programme. Back at school we again danced and also worked in groups to prepare presentations on the topic 'free-time'.
Wednesday, November 8th
We took part in lessons – some of us folded paper cubes at art class while others studied junior high maths. After the morning lessons we headed out to the Castle for another dance lesson with the whole group. In the afternoon Birit went to the mountains with her host student, Janne visited a silver mine with Seweryn while Isa and Ville went to the bowling range with the rest of the group. On Wednesday evening we met with our teachers properly for the first time during the trip as we enjoyed a lovely performance of planetary movements at the planetarium – what a sight! After the show a part of our group still hit the shops with the host students.
Thursday, November 9th
On Thursday we visited the historical city of Cracow. First we had time to do some souvenir shopping in the Cloth Hall, after which we went to the Wawel Castle. At the Castle we had guided tours in smaller groups. The tapistries, thrones, leather wall papers and the wooden carvings on the ceilings -to name but a few- were very impressing. We also visited the glorious Wawel Cathedral annexed to the Castle – we roamed the place from top to bottom as we made our way from the hights of the bell tower to the catacombs below ground level. According to the guide this cathedral was the very one in which the late Pope John Paul II worked when he still was the Bishop of Cracow. The fire-breathing dragon statue near the Castle walls also caught our attention! During this day we also had the chance to sample some of the local delicacies, such as a form of salty cheese and Polish pretzels. On Thursday evening we had our farewell/ Polish independence day celebration. The local pupils had prepared wonderful performances including speeches, folk dancing and traditional songs. We, too, did our share as we presented our posters and all the students of the Comenius Group danced Polonaise for the teachers and other audience members. After all this gaiety it was time to say our fond farewells.
Friday, November 10th
It was time to start our journey back to Finland. We flew with an interesting (to say the least) propeller plane to Warsaw and then continued our travel first to Helsinki and the to Ivalo the following day bearing fun memories and reminiscing our time in Poland.
Birit, Isa, Janne and Ville 14.12.2006
Our journey began on Sunday from Ivalo airport as we set out to Helsinki. From our capital we flew to Munich, Germany. We arrived at Katowice Airport around midnight and were taken to our accommodations by car. There wasn't much time for getting to know our host pupils as we went straight to bed.
Monday, November 6th
First we headed out to the city hall, where the vice president (=mayor) of Semianowice Slaskie gave us a speech. Then we made our first visit to the local school of five hundred pupils from grades 3 to 9. We had a meet-and-greet with the whole international Socrates-Comenius team and we all gave brief introductions of ourselves and our hobbies. After this we started to rehearse the Polish national dance, the Polonaise with the kind help of a local teacher and the Polish students. In the afternoon we visited a gigantic mall in Katowice. Some of us went to a local bowling range to try our hands at bowling and to shoot some pool with our new friends from Turkey, Romania, Czech Republic, Spain, Italy and Poland, of course.
Tuesday, November 7th
Our day began with a visit to the local TV-station. A mom of a local student had arranged the visit. We had a chance to see the news studio and the setting of a TV-programme. Back at school we again danced and also worked in groups to prepare presentations on the topic 'free-time'.
Wednesday, November 8th
We took part in lessons – some of us folded paper cubes at art class while others studied junior high maths. After the morning lessons we headed out to the Castle for another dance lesson with the whole group. In the afternoon Birit went to the mountains with her host student, Janne visited a silver mine with Seweryn while Isa and Ville went to the bowling range with the rest of the group. On Wednesday evening we met with our teachers properly for the first time during the trip as we enjoyed a lovely performance of planetary movements at the planetarium – what a sight! After the show a part of our group still hit the shops with the host students.
Thursday, November 9th
On Thursday we visited the historical city of Cracow. First we had time to do some souvenir shopping in the Cloth Hall, after which we went to the Wawel Castle. At the Castle we had guided tours in smaller groups. The tapistries, thrones, leather wall papers and the wooden carvings on the ceilings -to name but a few- were very impressing. We also visited the glorious Wawel Cathedral annexed to the Castle – we roamed the place from top to bottom as we made our way from the hights of the bell tower to the catacombs below ground level. According to the guide this cathedral was the very one in which the late Pope John Paul II worked when he still was the Bishop of Cracow. The fire-breathing dragon statue near the Castle walls also caught our attention! During this day we also had the chance to sample some of the local delicacies, such as a form of salty cheese and Polish pretzels. On Thursday evening we had our farewell/ Polish independence day celebration. The local pupils had prepared wonderful performances including speeches, folk dancing and traditional songs. We, too, did our share as we presented our posters and all the students of the Comenius Group danced Polonaise for the teachers and other audience members. After all this gaiety it was time to say our fond farewells.
Friday, November 10th
It was time to start our journey back to Finland. We flew with an interesting (to say the least) propeller plane to Warsaw and then continued our travel first to Helsinki and the to Ivalo the following day bearing fun memories and reminiscing our time in Poland.
Birit, Isa, Janne and Ville 14.12.2006