Second Mobility Warsaw

We  took the plane early in the morning and we arrived in Warsaw airport . We were very exhited about it.  The Polish families were waiting for us and we went home with them . Then each one had activities with their families . Some students remember visiting a museum called " Museum of Illusions" . All of them were very happy with their families.

The two teachers who traveled with our students Iker Zrraga  and  Zelai Arteagoitia were invited to one of the teacher´s home Kasia and she cooked a typical Polish dinner for them.  It was also a good moment to have a contact with  a Polish teacher and at  the same time to taste Polish food and a good step for this unique experience.

The German , Serbian and Basque students enjoyed and tasted the Polish typical food and other type of food from another countries  cooked by the Polish families . Our students also brought some typcal Basque sweets to share with the school. The activity was a twinning meal from different countries of Europe .

The students participated of the Polish school structure attending different classes at school.  One of them was a Physical Education class in which they played volleyball . They also saw some experiments in the Chemistry class . They also created bracelets and wrote a letter to a friend or to parents  to show them they missed them.

The students enjoyed an exhibition of the Democracy lapbooks prepared by Polish students. They learnt about democracy from the Greek Greece, Roman Democracy .  Our students were very ibterested in them as they were also working the importance of  ancient Greece in our current democracy systems. 

The teachers who travelled to Poland got in contact with Polish teachers and exchanged cultural and educational different points of view. It was a way to deepen relationships between both schools as two teachers from Elexalde high school jobshadowed in May . They also visited the school and the different classes .

A democracy guide tour around warsaw was organised this day . The first place the students visited was The Royal Castle ,  a former residence of Mazovian princes. The castle has been renovated repeatedly  as  it was completely destroyed during World war II. The students had their first contact with Polish historical memory .

Then the students visited the Old Town of Warsaw.  It  has been entered on the UNESCO World Heritage  list. The students started with the Royal Castle. They learnt that the square was used for festivities and markets, but convicts were also executed there. Students really liked it  and deepened in the Polish culture.

the next intersting place the students visited was Lazienji Krolewskic  Park, the largest park in warsaw  which was designed in the 17th centiry with many cultural monuments . In summer students were amazed to hear that there are some Chopin concers there .

Students  from the terrace on the 30th floor of Palac Kultury i Nauki students looked at all the Warsaw skyscraèrs . AfterWarsaw´s tour, students ate together and had the opportunity to talk about the  monuments they had visited . The students identified places important for Polish democracy.

Students met a representative  of local council . he explained to them that Warsaw was divided into 18 different districts and he represented one of them. He also explained to the students the interest they had in recycling. The students recognised tasks of a Polish local council.

After visiting the local council, Renata explained to all the students what the project that they were going to create was about. A Polish student who had already done it also told them about it. The project consisted of designing  what they would like to build where they live with waste material.

All the students organised in multicultural groups , started to plan a citizen´s project . They debated and voted the type of place they would like to do. Some students created  a place with space to walk, beaches to relax, parks to sit down . They were given all the necessary material to carry out . 

They had lunch at school and in the afternoon they visited Nauki Kopernik. It is an active museum, where  there are 400 exhibitions, construction challenges, workshops, mini labs  and other attractions. Students got some ideas for their project.! 

In the morning , students were working on the project.  Each group created a product- a mockup,  poster and  model . The materias they had to use were  waste materials like cardboard, pastic bottles, cloth etc . They had to create a banner to show the projects, they had to present on Friday.

In the afternoon they visited Willanow Palace. a wonderful Barroque royal residence o 1677 when a village became the property of Kng John Sobieski II.  The students learnt about Polish history  and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon with the organised  workshops.

There was a cooking workshop where students learnt to prepare typical Polish dishes.  In this palace the dishes were cooked for kings and queens, so our students were chefs and cooked some typical dishes ,It was very funny for them because they all prepared their meal to taste later.

After cooking , it is time to taste it.  All the students ate the different dishes they had been cooking during the workshop that was held in Willanow Palace. It was more than just eating, it was a way to share their impressions of the day and of course, practicing their English.

This is the ady to present the different projects. Each group had an student who explained the project for the Polish students.  All the projects were displayed   and there were different presentations.  At the end , the best project of all of them was voted.

Students presented some sketches portraying the history of European democracy, women´s rights. The Ukraine students sang some songs of protest against the war.  They were songs from  am Ukraine group who had to leave he country because of the lyrics of their songs

Then students had a break and organised a volleyball team.  They all had a good time and strengthened their links betwee them .  

The students said see you in the Basque Country going to bowling.  The students also palyed suffleboard .  Our students did not know the game so they enjoyed a lot.  A good way to finish the day and 

All the Polish families and our students gave each other a friendly goodbye.  

Ready to get home!