8 MAY 2014 PORTUGAL- PORTO

In the morning the students attended to the classes. When we (the teachers) arrived to the school, the students prepared the soul of the Heritage Body. The body was made of a different kind fabric and the shape was very nice and different like a cartoon figure.

    

  After the preparation of soul, the preparation of calendar started. The students worked efficiently and creatively. Carlos was very helpful while creating the calendar. He also printed it and result was perfect.

In the afternoon, while the teachers were at the meeting, the students attended the chemistry and the geology classes.

      The teachers talked about the future of the project. We tried to prepare the progress report together with the teachers. Moreover in the meeting the teachers took the results of the Industrial Heritage Survey. Thanks to Teresa and Carlos.

      The dance time started in the afternoon. The students danced Zumba with the talented sports teacher. He was very energetic. The students had lots of fun and they lost lots of calories with Zumba.

      The teachers left the Zumba class early to see the Antantic Ocean. You should be there to see the teachers’ enthusiasm. They were like ‘Caretta Carettas’ that see the ocean for first time.

      We had a very nice time on the beach of Porto.

      The dinner was very delicious in the Hat Museum. It was a traditional dish. We also had a chance to taste a very good red wine with the dish. During the dinner, we had a nice chat about the day.

9 MAY 2014 PORTUGAL-PORTO

On Friday, the meeting point was the hotel entrance for the teachers. We set off for Porto early in the morning. But first the bus stopped at school to take the students. Eventually we were in Porto at nine. Porto tour began with the famous stadium-Porto Dragao. It was really interesting to learn that it is the only stadium whose pitch can be seen from outside. We walked outside the stadium and then bought some Porto t-shirts and scarves at the shop there.

      Then once our guide joined us, we started the city tour. It was fascinating to walk along the most typical parts of the historical town. One of the most amazing places was the library where J.K.Rowling inspired to write Harry Potter series.

      After that historical church were visited.

     
It was time for lunch. We went to a nice cafe to taste the local toast or just fishJ. The atmosphere and the view were great. After lunch, we went into a wine cellar and learned about the different kinds of wine. The most pleasant time was tasting time. We enjoyed the red and white wine and finished the cellar tour.

      Later on, we were all very excited about the six Bridges Cruise on Douro River. We boarded on the boat as a group and had the most unforgettable time. The view was marvellous. We wished the cruise had lasted all day long.

      After the wonderful cruise, students and teachers altogether went to see the ocean for a short time. It was windy and a little bit cool but it was surely worth seeing. Then the teachers left for the dinner, the students went back to S. Joao da Madeira. Before the dinner we had some free time for shopping. The final dinner was at Vitorino’s, a nice restaurant with a live music. We had great time and the dishes were very tasty. At the end of the day we were exhausted but the time we spent was really unforgettable.  

7 MAY 2014 PORTUGAL- PORTO

       That day our trip to City of Coimbra started in the morning. Coimbra and Coimbra University were very historical. The people live there with their history.

Coimbra University was amazing. We visited the campus. The library of the university was huge. The smell of the books took us to the ancient times. We could not even touch a book, but being in that atmosphere we felt ourselves in that time of the years.

The Chapel was also very fantastic. The guide told us the history, the usage and the today of Chapel.

      Inside the university, the students live and study in this historical area. Everything was charming in that building. The history and today’s daily life were together.

The city of Coimbra was very nice. The old town which part we visited was full of life. We had a chance to see the life of ancient times. The people who live there save their history and live with their history.

      We also had a chance to buy some souvenirs for our sweeties in that old town.

      The lunch was different but we could not taste that dish. Teresa told us that it was a traditional one but we chose not to taste it because of some religious reasons.

      After lunch we had lots of free time for shopping, but it was in a shopping centre and the brands were the same in Türkiye.

      At around 16:00 we went to Aliança Cellar which was an Underground Museum.

      During the Geographical discoveries, the Portuguese could reach to the other continents. South West Africa coasts have important role for that discoveries.

      In that underground museum, we had a chance to see the images, idols, masks, stones of tribes of Africa. Moreover, the some fossils of Africa continent were there to see.

      The masterpieces of some sculptors were amazing and charming.

In the underground museum we could see the pictures and special equipments of Mahatma Gandhi.

      At the end of the tour we sat to taste the most delicious Aliança wine. We had a chance to taste four different types of wine there. The last one named Paradise was the best.

      After that we returned to S.Joao da Madeira to have dinner which we ate octopus with a special sauce. It was nice and first time for the Turkish teachers. 

6 MAY 2014 PORTUGAL - PORTO

Teresa were at the hotel to take us to City hall at 8.45 a.m. City Hall was within walking distance of the hotel. So we easily reached there on foot. Students were already there when we arrived. The Mayor welcomed us and made a speech giving details about the economical and social status of S. Joao da Madeira.

     Later we went on visiting ‘Estado Novo’ school. The young pupils were so cute and they were in class learning Chinese. The school building was a historical one, full of old memories. After that we went to another school which we are more used to. It was a primary school. The teachers greeted us friendly and gave a brief explanation of the system at the school. We also watched the fantastic dance performance of a group of talented students. It was really fascinating.

     The industrial heritage tour started with the hat museum. It was amazing to see and try the nice colourful hats. But initially we learned all stages of making a hat in a detailed way. After the interesting tour at the hat museum, we had a delicious lunch at the school canteen.

     Later on, the second destination of the industrial heritage tour was pencil factory. I can still remember the nice smell of the lead. We were welcomed by another great guide who explained us how to make pencils stage by stage. He even taught us the details of cheating.:)

     And then we reached the last destination- shoe factory that the ladies were looking forward to visiting. The guide at the shoe factory started the tour showing the different kinds of leather. Then we witnessed every stage of making a shoe. Seeing all types of shoes amazed the female teachers especially.

    After a short coffee break, we turned back to school. It seemed to us that there was a   festival at school because all the students were enjoying themselves either with the music played by a band or with different games. The parents had also gathered at school bringing some meals with them to offer us, which was very generous of them. We tasted the delicious meal prepared by the parents.    

     On the whole, the participation of the community was fantastic. Teachers, parents and students were all together having a great time. That night was the proof of being united.

5 MAY 2014 PORTUGAL-PORTO

Teresa came to the hotel to take us to the school. We were ready for the opening ceremony in the auditorium with all the students and teachers. The students had arrived earlier to attend classes with their hosts, which enabled them to see and experience the educational system of a Portuguese school. The ceremony started with Teresa’s speech letting us know the Portuguese team. Then the headmistress gave a nice speech. We learned about Portugal and the town-S. Joao Madeira with the help of students’ presentations. After that all partners had a chance to introduce themselves one by one.

     After the coffee break, students had an activity to get to know each other. They enjoyed themselves a lot during the activity.

     Teachers also had a relaxation activity-yoga. Thanks to yoga, we felt relaxed and peaceful. It was very kind of Portuguese teachers to organise such an activity at the very beginning of the meeting.

     At lunch time we had great meal at the school canteen. Portuguese students were so polite that they let all the guests go before them to take meal.

    After the delicious lunch, it was presentation time on heritage. During the presentations, we learned much about the industrial side of each country. Portuguese students gave information about the footwear, cork, olive oil, wine and textile industry.

    The Belgian team presented cigar, architecture and beer industry.

    German students emphasized the importance of limestone in the German industry.

    Polish team made their presentations on candy, china, construction, tool and chemical factories.

    Slovenian team made it possible for us to learn about their agricultural lands, spas and wineries.

    Lastly, we gave information about coal mining, iron and steel, fishing and tourism.

   Later on, teachers came together to have the meeting on the future of the project. Efficient communication and cooperation worked and made everything easier at the meeting.

   In the evening students joined at DJ party which they had lots of fun.

    Teachers went straight to the hotel after the meeting to get ready for the home dinner at Teresa’s house. We were really impressed by Teresa and her family’s hospitality and we were all very glad to be hosted at their house.

4 MAY 2014 PORTUGAL -PORTO

We had no sooner arrived at station then Teresa and Carlos met us. It was a long journey from our town to Porto but we forgot all about it when we were welcomed warmly by Teresa and Carlos. We took the comman bus to the airport in order to meet other delegations. It was so nice to see all the partners again.

It was nearly 10 p.m. when we reached at Escola Joao da Silva Correia. Students met their host families there enthusiastically. Then we departed for the hotel and soon we were sleeping peacefully in Portuguese sheets.:)

11 March 2014

On Tuesday all the teachers and students met at Alexanderplatz at 10 a.m. The students were given some tasks to do. They were supposed to find the right places around the city and take their photos. That was a good way of getting the students discover the city.

The teachers also went on a tour of the city-Berlin- guided by a German colleague. The walking tour enabled us to see the historical sights of the city.

After lunch we went together to Potsdamer Platz to visit the Museum of Musical Instruments. Seeing all kinds of instruments played in old times was impressive.

13 March 2014

Gathering place for teachers to go to Cement factory was school. In the factory we fist saw the training parts of the apprentices. Then we experienced the part of the factory in which the cement is produced. It was really interesting to witness the process of cement production.

12 March 2014

The students arrived at school earlier than the teachers to work on the comman song with their groups. The teachers came together to have the meeting on the future of the project. Before the meeting we had a chance to see the students’ progress in the music work. 

After the tasty lunch at the school cafeteria, teachers and students went to discover the Museumspark in Rüedersdorf. This place acquainted us the history of Germanic lime kiln and other modern kilns used in the world today.It was intersting to learn something about the geology of the city. 

10 March 2014

The first day started early in the morning. Kirsten met us at the hotel and took us to school where we participated the opening ceremony of the meeting.Mathias made a short and nice speech and German students presented their school. Then all partners had an opportunity to present their team one by one.Nice memories were remembered about the first meeting during that time.It was great to see and meet friends again four months later.

Later on we went for a walk around the school. Breathing the fresh air in and enjoying the sunshine made us relaxed all.

After the delicious lunch, the music presentations of each country were made. Apart from other great presentations, it was fascinating to listen to the live music of talented Belgian students and to watch the performance of the Portuguese pupils on stage.It was amazing to see that although the types of music or instruments of each country were different from one another, the emotions they made us feel were the same.