Tuesday 17 May 2011

Sara's Diary


29th of March
We departed from Pisa to Amsterdam in the afternoon at 4.00 p.m.
We arrived in the city centre in the evening and we went to the “Hotel Mozart” to unpack our suitcases and
take a shower. In this hotel there were the English students from the Comenius Project, too.
We had dinner in a nice Spanish restaurant and after dinner we had a walk in the city.
Amsterdam is a beautiful city, especially in the night. It has a particular architecture, even if the houses are similar to each other.  

30th of March

In the morning we visited the Van Gogh Museum, which is the permanent collection. In the museum, besides some of the most beautiful paintings of Vincent, there was an exhibition about some paintings of Picasso, too.

After the museum we had much free time, so some students from the 3rd class and I went shopping! We ate at the Burger King, where there was another Italian group.
After lunch we met with all the other Comenius guys: English, French and German. Together we took a private coach which brought us in Bakkeveen, two hours’ drive from Amsterdam.
When we arrived in the Conference Hotel “Nieuw Allardsoog”, the Dutch students welcomed us.
They gave us the number of our room and they divided us:  in each room there were 2 students of a country and 2 students of another country.
I was with Giulia P. and two German girls, Melissa and Jana! In a first time, there were some problems with them, but after the first day the relationship got better.
We had dinner at 7.00 p.m. and, after dinner, there was a concert in the Conference Room! It was a beautiful and funny concert! I think that the group was very good! ;)
When the concert was finished, all the students went into the hostel and we stayed together until 12.00 p.m.

31th of March

In the morning, after breakfast, we were separated in 4 groups: Groups A, B, C and D. I was in group C.
While the group B and D did some games, group A and my group went for a walk in the moor near the hostel.
It was a beautiful landscape, what a shame that it rained!!!
After lunch, we changed: group B and D had a walk, and group A and C did the games! We played different games in groups, for example we played Frisbee.  It was an opportunity to know each other.

After the games, there was a discussion in international groups: each group discussed about the different systems of school education.
We had dinner at 7.00 p.m. and then we went to the Conference Room where there was the English presentation about their school.
At the end of the presentation we had a little break while the German students got ready for their game, that consisted in a simulation of a murder. We separated in international groups and the aim of this game was finding the killer. It was a very funny moment, especially because in my group there was an English student, Niall, who is an amusing boy. 
1st of April

It was April’s fool day!
In the morning we visited the Montessori College, in Leeuwarden. It is the school of the Dutch students. It’s a big and beautiful school, there are a lot of students and classrooms!! It isn’t similar to our school!!!!! ;)
In the afternoon we had some free time, so after a “snack” at the Mc Donald’s,  Valentina, Giulia and I did some more shopping, and we spent a lot of money! ;)
When we came back to Bakkeveen, Hans told us that we would meet at 18.30 p.m. in the Conference Room. We didn’t have the time to take a shower, but after half an hour there wasn’t any teacher! So only in that moment we understood that it was April’s Fool!
In the evening there was the German’s presentation and our game.
The games consisted in some quiz about music, history, Europe etc... and we separated in different groups!


2nd of April

At 9.00 a.m. we departed from Bakkeveen to Zaanse Schans.
On the way we had a break: we stopped “on a dyke” that divided the North Sea and the inland sea (fresh water). We took some photos, because it was a beautiful landscape!

 
At 11.30 a.m. we arrived at Zaanse Schans where there were a lot of windmills! In that place, which was wonderful, we bought some souvenirs. There were Dutch cheese and Dutch clogs, so we took a lot of photos again!

At 12.30 p.m. we arrived in Amsterdam and we went on a canal boat cruise on the river called Amstel.
After the cruise, that lasted about an hour, we visited the Rijksmuseum where we saw a lot of paintings.

Later we had a little bit of time for shopping. In one of the squares of Amsterdam there was a pillow flight, that was a flash mob event.
At  4.30 p.m. we came back to Bakkeveen.

In the evening there was our presentation and the people who spoke were Giulia, Giada, Valentina and I.
Before the presentation we were very worried but we were very good! ;)
After our presentation there was the French students’ game: each group had to act some stereotypes about another country and it was very funny! ;)

3rd of April

In the morning we departed to Hindeloopen where we visited the Schaatsmuseum. This village is famous for their competitions of iceskating in winter. In the museum we saw the history of ice-skates, and there were a lot of ancient skates! It was very particular, but nice! J

After the museum we visited the village: there was a wonderful landscape and we took a lot of photos!

After lunch we went to the swimming pool!!!! J We had a good time all together!!! :D
In the evening there was the presentation about the French education system  and the Dutch  games! The Dutch students divided us in some groups and we played different games.
Of course, our group was the best so we won!!! ;)  Each people in the group won a very nice traditional key ring!


4th of April

We visited the Stenden University in Leeunwarden! In the morning, group C and D did a guided tour and we visited the big library of the school too. Instead, the other groups did a different activity.
In the afternoon we changed the activities, so my group had a “pbl session” where we imagined to solve a problem!              

After that we had the rest of afternoon for shopping! Giulia, Valentina and I did a lot of shopping again! J
In the evening there was the Dutch presentation and the English games.
The game of the English students was very funny, I think that it was the best of all the games!!
After that we cooked pasta for everybody!! Yummy!! It was very good! ;)

     
5th of April – 6th of April

It was the last day! L
We spent the whole day in Bakkeveen, because both the morning and the afternoon we had a discussion in international groups!  Each country in each group told the others about their own system of education. At the end, all together we created a “new school system” and it was the main aim of the project!
Later we had some time to pack our suitcase.
In the evening, in the Conference room, there was a disco with a DJ and we had a good time! J
The morning of the 6th of April, we departed from Bakkeveen at 4.30 a.m.!!
It was very difficult to say goodbye to everyone, because we were going to miss each other!! L

            
I think that this week was a beautiful opportunity: we visited a new country, we improved our English, but above all we met new people!
It will be difficult to go back to the same life in Italy! L

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