Monday, April 21, 2014

Project Meeting




The first project  meeting was in Bulgaria. Our partners arrived on 08.04.2014. Students, parents and teachers waited for the Comenius group at the airport to arrive from Istanbul. It was the best connection from Santiago de Compostela, in Spain.


Twenty one students with four teachers arrived in Bulgaria to work together with Bulgarian teenagers on topics about identity, culture, tolerance and respect the otherness!
Five days all participants in the meeting spent together in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.



Bread and salt welcome ceremony


the "bread and salt" was presented by a girl dressed in a national costume
It is a traditional Bulgarian custom expressing hospitality, showing that the guest is welcomed. Usually, guests are presented with the pogacha, and the guest is supposed to take a small piece, dip into the salt and eat it. 
There was an opening ceremony, welcome speech and presentations!

On behalf of all the staff, children and parents the head teacher warmly welcomed Spanish partners to our school! Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy', was played by the deputy head teacher.

The project coordinators also gave a short speech and presented the project.



Spanish students presented their country, their town and school.
Bulgarian students presented the culture and traditions of the country.Then the Comenius students and teachers had a school tour. They met secondary and primary students and teachers, observed lessons, participated in discussions and played games together.




A visit at the Municipality, Education Department, and a meeting with Mrs Maria Mincheva, director.

A visit at the inspectorate of education with project coordinators, head teacher and teachers. 
On Friday we had a City Rally!It was sunny and we had a wonderful time in the city centre, sightseeing and learning about the past and present of this great city!

 In the afternoon we had a school concert!
On Sunday we went to Sopot, Karlovo, Kalofer and Hisaria.
We visited museums, churches and learned a lot about Bulgarian national identity, about Bulgarian history and culture! We also enjoyed  the sunny weather and beautiful parks, gardens and mountains!

We visited Kazanlak and Shipka on Monday.


We also had ice-breaking games, energizing games, workshops, a football match, Bulgarian lessons, dancing lessons, disco evenings and evaluation activities.
On Thursday, 17 April we went to Plovdiv and visited the old town.

At 18.30 we were already at the airport! The meeting was over! We had 10 days together and it was enough to make friends forever! One more hug and a smile!