Monday
First of all we met in the library, also with the students from the other countries, and all the teachers and the principals introduced themselves. Afterwards also all the teachers introduced themselves and said a few words. Then the first activity was a game to get to know each other and get the different countries to communicate with each other. Next we did a little school tour where the Portuguese students showed us everything. Then we had a little break and also got snacks to eat. Additionally we did a challenge about who films the best video about the themes inclusion and diversity, so everybody paired up in groups and went for example outside to produce the short videos. After that we had a lunch break and ate typical Portuguese food at the cafeteria. The last activity in the afternoon was going to the classes of the Portuguese students and get to know their lessons and ways of learning.
Tuesday
In the morning, all Erasmus participants met in the library at 8:30 o’clock. Once everybody had arrived, the teachers explained the plan for the day. At 9:00 am we took the bus to the beach Praia dos Pescadores in Espinho. There we spent some time playing football, volleyball and card games. A few people even went swimming in the Atlantic Ocean. Around 11:30 am we had lunch together and an hour later we continued our trip to Porto by bus. At first, we explored the city as one big group until we reached the cathedral. There we split up into smaller groups. Each group received a sheet with different places to visit and tasks to complete, such as taking a group photo. On the way to our final destination, „the Cube“, we even had some time to look around and visit a few shops that we found interesting. Finally, we gathered again as a big group and we walked together through Porto until we reached our buses.
Wednesday
On Wednesday we started the day, like every day, with a short welcome. After that, each country made a video about its culture and presented it to the others. This was interesting because we could learn more about the traditions and habits of the different nations. After a short break, we did a treasure hunt on the school grounds. It was a lot of fun, especially because we were divided into mixed groups, which made it easier to get to know students from other countries. Then we had lunch in the big cafeteria. In the afternoon there were different sport activities, all connected to inclusion. We tried out games that can also be played by people with disabilities. For example, André Tavares, taught us Goalball, a sport for people with visual impairments, where you have to listen carefully and work as a team. We also met Para athletes Ana Catarina Correia, Joao Pinto, Herlander Correia and who showed us Boccia and explained how it works. The combination of cultural exchange, teamwork and inclusive sports made the day very special. We had fun but also learned something important about how people with and without disabilities can do activities together.
Thursday
The day started off with us getting to be a part of a lecture about immigrants in Portugal and a student with Ukrainian origins at the school telling us about her family’s experiences with moving to Portugal from Eastern Europe. The women that gave us a short overview of Portugal’s immigrants were also working or had worked with the Red Cross, offering support to immigrants going through a rough time in Portugal. After lunch we were given the task to translate a sentence about inclusion to the sign language if our country which every group from every nation managed to complete successfully.
Friday
We met at 8:30 at the school and took a 15-minute walk to an old church, which had beautiful architecture. Unfortunately, we couldn’t go inside. However, since it was located on higher ground, we were able to enjoy a great view over Porto, which we used as a backdrop for our final day photos. After spending some time there, we returned to the school and relaxed in the library. Then we had lunch in the cafeteria. In the afternoon, we had some free time. Some of us went shopping in the city, but most of us headed to the beach to enjoy the nice weather. We went swimming and played volleyball and football. As the sun began to set, we ordered pizza and had dinner with the sunset in the background. Even though the sun had gone down, the day wasn’t over yet. The people who lived in Santa Maria da Feira had organized a sleepover, so we used every last moment of our final day together.
Verfasst von: Emma G., Emma P., Emma S., Felicia, Florian, Hanna, Hannes, Mia, Merle, Özkan (10.1 und 10.3)
