Trip to Sweden
The last trip under the Erasmus + program is behind us, thanks to which we had the opportunity to see and experience life in Stockholm! Sweden's largest city has earned the nickname "Venice of the North" for good reason. It lies on 14 islands which are connected with each other by 53 bridges, and 2/3 of its area is occupied by extensive forests, the waters of the Baltic Sea and charming and lush green parks. It is also a huge and friendly home for healthy crazy people full of passion, kindness and care.
On the first day, we started our tour by taking a ferry to one of the islands called Ekerö to get to the beautiful Ekebyhov Castle and the rich apple bank located nearby. We spent the rest of the day getting acquainted with the group and exploring the immediate area and going to the Fåfängan observation deck. The next day, we set off to Fittja Mångkulturelltcentrum, where art classes with artist and art activist Saadia Hussain took place. We learned the power of creating together and how Saadia uses it to help people find their place in the local community and express themselves despite language barriers. During these classes, each participant of the project created something completely individual and had a lot of fun while doing it, and at the same time gave others the opportunity to get to know a part of their imagination and personality. Next in line was the Paradoxmuseum, a place full of optical illusions and interesting sensory experiences.
The next morning we went to Martin Ahlsen's Viking forge in Handen. With the help of three blacksmiths, we had a chance to forge iron necklaces ourselves and learn the details of their work. We also listened to interesting facts about the Vikings while staying in a wooden hut full of shields, weapons and skins, and ate typical Swedish sandwiches. We started the Thursday day with a visit to the Vasa Museum - a place of conservation of the legendary wreck of the royal galleon, which sank a few hours after sailing in 1628. It contains remarkable information about the process of excavating a ship made almost entirely of wood and the remains of the crew and their possessions. The sight of Vasa is breathtaking, and her story only completes the delight of the whole enterprise. Then we walked around the elegant Östermalm district full of boutiques, restaurants and cute tenement houses, then we walked through Berzelii Park towards the Swedish Parliament, Riddarholmen church and the royal palace. We spent our free time walking around Gamla Stan - the old town with cobbled streets and colorful buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries.
The evening ended with a delicious joint dinner and a formal awarding of diplomas. On the last day in the morning we rushed to the parliament building to join the Skolstrejk för Klimatet run every Friday by Greta Thunberg. We also managed to experience the ceremonial changing of the guard at the royal castle, which takes place every day at 12:15. We spent the rest of our time walking around the old town and shopping for souvenirs.
The whole trip was full of unique experiences, integration and creating unforgettable memories with newly met people. Joyful moments spent in Stockholm will certainly be remembered for a long time!
- Sweden
Trip to Gdańsk
On March 20, we had the pleasure of taking part in a trip to Gdańsk as part of the Erasmus+ project, apart from us, there were also students from countries such as Spain, Croatia and Italy.
On the first day of departure in the morning we were shown around the school to see all the interesting things that are there. Then we went to the city center for a guided tour during which we had a chance to see the monuments in the city and hear about its history. We saw, among others, the famous crane and the Gdańsk Shipyard. The next day, after the planned film classes, during which we learned the basics of filmmaking and started working on our own ideas, we went for a short walk along the beach to see the Baltic Sea. The next day we had a trip to the former seat of the Teutonic Knights, the Malbork Castle. There we had the pleasure to learn about the history of this place and listen a bit about the history of Poland. In addition, during the trip we were able to record short films that later served as material for the planned film that we made in class. After visiting the castle, we went towards Szymbark to visit an open-air museum telling about the culture and history of Kashubians. There we could get acquainted with the Kashubian language and local customs. On the next, penultimate day, we had time to refine our planned films and edit them under the supervision of the hosts. When everyone was ready, we watched a presentation of all the films made during this trip. In the evening we all met for the last farewell dinner. In the morning of the next day we went back to school where we took part in a short quiz to test our knowledge about Gdańsk and we received certificates of participation in the project.
- Gdańsk
Trip to Italy
Although it's been a few weeks, we still remember our trip to sunny Italy! On the fourth trip under the Erasmus+ program, we were welcomed in Todi, a small town in the Umbria region, in the province of Perugia in Italy. Medieval Todi - located on a hill in the heart of green Umbria, in the vicinity of picturesque fields and vineyards. The city is worth visiting primarily because of its charm - the beautiful Piazza del Popolo, historic churches and palaces, cobbled narrow streets, romantic alleys, parks with viewing terraces and secret passages.
On the first day of our stay in Todi we got a warm welcome and we found out what the plan would be for the next few days. We also met other program participants thanks to the integration game. We were shown around the town showing various curiosities. The day was very cold, so everyone was dreaming of a delicious warm Italian pizza 🙂 The next day we went to Perugia, where we saw wonderful churches and visited the University. Perugia is home to the largest international University in Italy. More than 8,000 students from all over the world study at the Università per Stranieri di Perugia. Perugia is famous for its chocolate. Baci Perugina pralines are produced here, and at the Eurochocolate festival you can try chocolate delicacies, admire chocolate sculptures and, of course, buy chocolate in any form. In Perugia lived and worked Pietro Perugino - a painter and draughtsman of the Renaissance period, the most outstanding representative of the Umbrian school. His students included Raphael Santi and Pinturicchio. He was friends with Leonardo da Vinci. It was here that we had the opportunity to use the mini-metro, which connects the parking lots and the new part of the city with the historic center.
Another trip was a visit to the Cathedral of the city of Todi where we got a task to draw some architectural element. The Church of Santa Maria della Consolazione is considered one of the most important symbols of Renaissance architecture. The author of the temple project was Donate Bramante, although there are still serious doubts about it. The construction of the church began in 1508 and lasted exactly 100 years. The church can be seen from afar as you enter the city. Its Renaissance architecture stands out from the medieval center of Todi. The next part of the day was spent visiting local attractions, which were the "Brian O'Doherty Painted House" and the "Municipal Museum".
The next morning we left for Assisi. Assisi, a beautiful town picturesquely erected on a hill, charms with narrow streets, harmonious buildings made of light stone and facades decorated with pots full of flowers. Beautiful buildings built with cream and pink stones add a subtle charm to the town. Decorations with flowers and a multitude of alleys and charming streets make the atmosphere really amazing. It is best to get lost in the labyrinth of streets and wander them slowly, but taking into account at least a few places that cannot be missed in Assisi. These include the main pilgrimage point, i.e. the Basilica of St. Francis. Beautiful and full of treasures is one of the main streets of the historic center - Via San Frencesco - leading from the basilica to Piazza del Comune. We had the opportunity to eat a delicious dinner there and buy some souvenirs. On the last day before departure, laboratory classes were held and we received certificates for completing our delegation. The rest of the day we could explore the streets of Todi on our own. We spent the evening having dinner together, having fun, laughing and enjoying the last moments together in the picturesque Todi.
We spent a nice few days in this beautiful town and they will certainly be remembered for a long time…
- Italy
This time as a host!
As part of the Erasmus + program, after three trips of our students to Turkey, Croatia and Spain, it is time to welcome our partners at home!
In order to show our best side, we offered students and teachers from abroad attractions in the area and more, and we prepared a number of activities for them at our School.
Our guests' stay started a day earlier than usually, because on Sunday!
As part of extracurricular activities, we visited the silver mine in Tarnowskie Góry. For many of our guests it was the first opportunity to explore underground. The inconspicuous-looking place turned out to be a real attraction, and the history of the mine itself and the mining of minerals in Upper Silesia, told by the guide, attracted attention!
We spent the second part of the day in the Black Trout Adit. The adit is a channel filled with water, less than a meter narrow, along which we traveled in the dark in a boat pushed by the guide.
Another trip was Tuesday's visit to Wrocław. The weather could have been more kind to us, but we still managed to visit the market square and its surroundings, see a part of the dwarf trail and the Japanese garden, where students - as part of the competition - took pictures of jewellery.
In the school itself, we organized several classes for our guests: the first was gilding - during the workshops, students and teachers drew their initials and then decorated them with a thin layer of gold - the effects of these activities, and all the others, can be seen in the pictures below!
Other attractions include making wire jewellery, workshops in pyrography, screen printing and soap making.
Out sports activities took place in the gym, where participants had the opportunity to shoot at a virtual shooting range and play football on our TEQBALL tables.
Judging by the moods and expressions of our guests, we can presume that they spent several interesting days with us.
Thanks to our students, who took care of the guests also outside the official part of the classes, we can be sure that no one was bored and that they visited a large part of Gliwice!
Our teachers and administrative staff put a lot of work and heart into organizing engaging and original workshops and contributed to the fact that our guests will remember their stay in Gliwice for a long time!
- Poland
Trip to Spain
The sun, narrow streets and amazing people - these are the first associations that come to our mind when we remember Erasmus trip to Spain.
After a long journey by planes, taxis and buses from Gliwice, through Krakow, Warsaw and Madrid, we finally reached the main destination of the trip - the city of León, where we could admire the charming streets on Sunday night and learn some plans for the next exciting days.
In the morning of the next day, we were greeted by the rest of Erasmus students and teachers loudly at school, and later - after a short introduction and mutual integration during the "true - false" game - we started our first task: papier maché. It is a very interesting plastic technique - a moldable mass, which hardens after drying, is made of shredded and water-softened paper with the addition of glue and dyes, is applied in a thin layer on a previously prepared form and allowed to dry.
The wonderful staff of the Spanish school even took care of our food, so we could taste local specialties.
This is not the end of artistic challenges! During León's stay, divided into two groups, we had the opportunity to participate in painting the mural - starting with a chalk sketch, to filling with paint.
The townspeople were so enchanted by our work that even the local television came to admire him and we gave her an interview, which you can see below!
Another interesting activity was the course of African dances, referring to various dance styles of Sub-Saharan Africa.
These dances are closely related to the traditional rhythms and musical traditions of the region.
We also managed to visit the interior of the Gothic cathedral in León and the diocesan museum.
We also had an outdoor lesson on perspective, which allowed us to demonstrate our artistic skills.
After four days full of emotions, we said goodbye to the beloved city of León and returned to Madrid. In the capital of the country, we could eat the famous Spanish paella and visited one of the most famous art galleries in the world - the Prado Museum. We admired a collection of Spanish paintings from the 11th to 18th centuries and many works of the most eminent artists, such as: El Greco, Velázquez, Goya, Bosch, Titian, Van Dyck and Rembrandt.
This trip was unique for all of us, it allowed us to develop our skills and overcome language blocks. Most of all, however, we met wonderful people and saw the world from a different perspective, and the memories will stay with us for a long time!
- León | Madrid
Trip to Croatia
Even though it's been a while, we still feel like it was yesterday.
We constantly think back to our stay in Croatia as part of the next Erasmus+ trip. We spent an unforgettable week in welcoming Valpovo.
A very nice Croatian group of students and teachers welcomed us with open arms on the day of our arrival. We knew immediately that this trip would be successful. There was not a moment for boredom.
On the first day we got to know the school in Valpovo and the town itself. We also had the opportunity to tell a bit about our secondary school, to hear about the schools in Turkey and Gdańsk.
During our stay, there were also many art workshops, during which we could demonstrate our creativity. During the first workshop, we had a chance to go back to our childhood and create colorful scrapes. During the next classes, we were able to interpret the works of such great masters as Van Gogh or Pablo Picasso in our own way.
In the last workshop, on the other hand, we carved a tower from the city of Vukovar or a Vučedolska dove, thanks to which we could get to know a piece of Croatian history and culture.
We spent amazing moments with the Kreaktiva group, which made it easier for us to break down the barriers between us and helped us young to integrate even more.
An unbeatable departure point was a trip to the Plitvice lakes. We could feel like in the “Frozen”. We spent some nice moments in the snow, playing and throwing snowballs.
We walked around the capital of Croatia - Zgrzeb, which was extremely intriguing
in the light of the evening lamps.
We were visiting Osijek, talking to local people through the game, which the Kreaktiva group has prepared for us.
We were shown how we can create videos for social media in an interesting way, in which we showed a bit of the city, a bit of ourselves and certainly a lot of our humour.
On the last night of our stay in Valpovo, we were said goodbye to a hearty dinner during which we had our last talks and exchanged contacts. We also received certificates.
This trip was very special for us. First of all, we were able to meet amazing people - young students full of energy, charisma and diligence.
Teachers who wholeheartedly put passion into what they do. It is thanks to them that we were able to experience it all. The acquaintances we made there will not end so soon, and the impressions and memories will certainly stay with us until the end.
- Szenetendre | Budapeszt | Valpovo
Trip to Turkey
Students spent over a week in hospitable Turkey, learning, sightseeing, getting to know the most picturesque corners of the country. They were accompanied by Krzysztof Kuberek, an English teacher, and Grzegorz Chlebek, a history teacher. All thanks to the project implemented by our school as part of the Erasmus+ program.
It was an unforgettable time! So let's go back for a moment to these special moments ...
This is how the trip to Turkey is remembered by its participants!
Arrival day (24/10/2021) 🌞
After a long and tiring journey, we finally reached Trabzon, a very interesting city, located right on the Black Sea. This place was to become our home for the next few days. After checking in, we went for a walk to the city center. It was late evening, but the Trabzon was still bustling with life. Of course, we also went to a nearby restaurant to taste, among others baklava, a Turkish dessert served hot, and Turkish tea served in small glasses resembling a flower vase. After dinner, we headed back to the hotel. There were other groups waiting for us there - very nice indeed! There was time for a moment of conversation and the first exchange of impressions.
🍀1st day (25/10/2021) 🍀
On the first day, right after breakfast, we visited a school attended only by girls. They learn the secrets of cooking, sewing, designing, hairdressing etc., but they also learn standard subjects. We visited the facility, watched the process of creating assemblages and decorations on various types of materials, and listened to stories related to this type of art. It was very interesting.
Another intriguing point of the day was the bazaar, i.e. the Turkish market, which captivated us with the multitude of colors and scents. The abundance of goods, lots of sellers, the atmosphere of shopping fever - it was a pity to come back to the hotel.
2nd day (26/10/2021) 🖌🎨
We started the second day with painting on ceramics. How does it look like? A foil with small holes forming a pattern is put on the ceramic plate, then it is covered with a layer of powdered carbon. Contours are drawn on the resulting pattern, and then they are painted with different colors. The last step is to burn the ceramic plate in the furnace, which takes two days. After firing, the colors are much more intense and vivid, and the tile itself is very smooth.
After the artistic activities, we went to visit the Cal Magarasi mountain cave. It was quite chilly, but the views from inside will stay in our memory for a long time - they made an impressive impression on us!
In the evening, the headmaster of the school in Trabzon invited us to dinner at a very elegant restaurant. Elegant and surprising, because not only was the food very good, but you could also buy interesting souvenirs and jewelry.
3rd day (27/10/2021)
We organized a small party right after breakfast. Reason? Birthday of two people in the Erasmus group. The thunderous "sto lat" (Polish “happy birthday”) sounded both in Polish and in English. This day was full of attractions! We received an invitation from, among others for yoga classes - quite interesting, but also demanding dose of fitness. We also managed to visit the Sumela Monastery: the monastery was built in the 4th century, it is built on the slope of a high mountain. There are frescoes, paintings on the walls and, interestingly, you can touch everything. Perhaps that is why some of the paintings are heavily damaged by visitors. The beautiful view of the mountains adds charm to this original place.
4th day (28/10/2021) 💦
Today, as part of school activities, we made ornaments on T-shirts. This method is known as Ebru: a special powder is added to the cuvette with water, then dyes are spread on the surface of the water in very small amounts - in practice, the paint drops floating on the water are formed with a stick or brush in a selected pattern. Then a cotton T-shirt is gently placed on the surface of the water, on which the pattern is reflected - the effect is often amazing!
After school, we had a visit to the Turkish bath. The 400-year-old building had a wet and dry sauna and massage services to offer. The massage is a relaxing ritual which consisted of several stages, incl. with wet peeling and soaping. Only after such preparation of the body, the actual massage takes place. It was an unforgettable experience for Europeans!
🌍5. day (29/10/2021) 🌍
The last day was our departure date ... For a good start of the day we went to the teahouse, where we got black and green tea, which they grow here. Then we drove to the lake Uzungol surrounded by mountains - it looked wonderful! We walked around. Unfortunately, time was passing quickly. We had to go back to the hotel ...
In conclusion, we would like to emphasize that Turkey is a fantastic country to visit: full of history, traditions which are visible with the naked eye and at the same time authentic and open to people land. Everywhere we felt welcome, safe and… we aroused interest. It should be added that Trabzon is not a typical tourist destination. We recommend a trip to this fantastic country to all undecided!
- Turkey