Comenius Project

Sunday 26th March 2006

Dear Diary, this is my fist day in Germany let me tell you about my adventure. At 5:30 am, I was at the airport departure hall. Our flight was KM376 and take off at 7:15 am. Our team is Ms R. De Battista, Mr E. Schembri, me Norbert Bonnici, Noel Farrugia, Kristian Zammit, Desluke Cini, Omar Borg, Francesco Surname and Jean-Claude Attard. While we were waiting we found an internet cafe pc with approximately 15min credit. We sent some e-mails with it. When we entered the plane the usual safety precautions were shown to us. During our trip fortunately we didn’t find any air pockets or delays. Kristian, Noel and I challenged our selves for a game of chess. We were served breakfast and coffee. We arrived at Berlin about 10:15 am; it was raining cats and dogs. Unfortunately Desluke’s language didn’t arrive and we went to report it. We took a bus to the train station to take the train to Dessau. Something in this city is that there is a lot of graffiti. If Noel didn’t understand the announcer we were going to stay in Berlin. I took a nap in the train on our trip. It took about 2½ hours. When we arrived, the host families were waiting for us. After presenting themselves we drove to their house. They are four in the family Mehldau: Kraus the father, Greet the mother, Michael and Lilli the children. They showed me my room, gave me a map of Dessau and showed me where we live, the school, and the Rathaus Centre. We went down to have coffee and some sweets which Lilli hade made today. Michael took me to his room and played some computer games. Nick, Michael’s friend came to our house and we went out to play Frisbee. For dinner we had sausages, home made bread and jam and other specialities from Germany. Michael took me around our part of the town Kochstedt. After we went inside to play chess and Uno. At about 11:00pm. I went to sleep.

Me and Michael

 

Monday 27th March 2006

Welcome to this strange place, people drive on the left, strange roofs and bike lanes. Today we went to school and we visited the computer lab. They took us some photos with our partners and printed them for us. We went home to eat afterwards. The family took me to Bitterfeld a city in the south of Dessau. In the outskirts of Dessau there is a wind field and a chemical industry. The most of medicine for Europe is manufactured there. During the World War 2 gases for concentration camps were manufactured there. When we arrived, we went to see a floating tower in a lake. In the lake there was still some melting ice. After we went to see an artificial lake made from a coal mining hole and filled with water from the river Elbe. In the evening we went bowling with all the others. There we had a buffet dinner and after a small league of 9 pin bowling. When we returned home, Greet told me about the flood that they had a few years ago. At about 11:00 pm I went to sleep.

Having fun playing Bowling

Tuesday 28th March 2006

Today we went sightseeing. We took a bus reserved for us, which had a navigation system and several monitors. First, we visited the Bauhaus school. Although it was built in the 20s, it had a very modern design for those days; flat roofs, multiple opening windows, and rooms for the students. Afterwards we went to the Hugo Junkers museum. We went inside the JU52 designed by Prof Hugo Junkers that can still fly and every year as Greet told me they fly it over Dessau. The city hall was next. We went to eat in a bar near the city hall. From its tower we could see a big bell that was made from weapons of the World War 2, the inner city, river Mulde, Zerbster Street, Marien Church, and Jhannis Church. After we went to Rathaus Centre to do some shopping. At about 7:00 pm the mini world cup started. Malta lost all games but Jean-Claude was awarded as best goalkeeper in the league. In the end, I was tired, so I took a shower and went to sleep.

Group Photo

 

Wednesday 29th March 2006

This is the fourth day in Dessau and it is time to present our work to the others. Michael and I went to the youth club by bus. In our presentation, we had: a story about our school, a PowerPoint about gender disparity, a short message about stereotypes, my quiz about all four representing countries, a clip from Shrek 2 in Maltese, and a play that I had to wear a yellow wig to be like a Norwegian babe, a dance, and a Maltese song. Afterwards we went to school to have lunch. There we socialised with the representatives of the other countries. Now we were going to visit a castle. On our way, I took some photos to Stephan, Omar’s partner as Mr Smoky© and to Christian, Francesco’s partner as Mr Single©. There we exchanged our contacts and many friends. The castle had a Chinese style and space full but it was full with nude people. There lived a very bad prince! After we went to a forest, where a group was lost but Stephan and his friends found theme or the group found theme. While we were going for the bus to go back to school, it rained. Michael and I went back home by bus. On our way back, we encountered Stephan, Omar, Kristian, and his partner buying a Doner kebab. I went to wash and after played chess and went to sleep.

At the Presentation

 

Mr Single (C)

 

need Cigarettes ask this guy

 

Thursday 30th March 2006

Today we visited the Zoo in Leipzig. Ms Mehldau took Michael and me to the train-station by her car. When we arrived at the zoo, Jean-Claude and I joined the Polish students. We learnt some of there names: Jeff, Joanna, and Jagoda. Jeff was always taking photos to us with every new species we encounter. Penguins, seals, many kinds of small and large fish, seahorses, sharks, giraffes, lions, iguanas, elephants and many other animals from all over the globe where in this zoo but the best was that I managed to find the little Nemo™. Joanna and Jagoda detached from the group and took Jean-Claude and me with them. We shared some words from our mother language to each other. I manage to remember some words like Tack – yes, Nie – No, Jenkie – Thanks, and Narka – bye. Kristian and Noel joined us later that day. When we went to the train-station we had some free time to wonder around and about 3:45 pm meet again. We made group and decided to go and eat at Mc Donalds and after go shopping. Noel and Kristian made a fight with some ice from their drink. From an electronics shop, I bought an SD-Card. Joanna and I traded our MP3’s for a while. When the train came, I sat near my new friends. Jean-Claude was forced to sleep, poor fellow. I do not know why! Later that day we had a disco {it was our last day together}. However, before I went shopping for souvenirs with Greet and Lilly by bike and I did not had time to change clothes because I was late by 15 minuets! We had a good time there, while we danced but I was disappointed that Michael did not come. At 10:15 pm party was over, we had to return home. What a day! Good night.

Jagoda, me and Joanna

 

Friday 31st March 2006

Last day in Dessau but now we are going to Berlin. When we arrived, they gave us a chocolate Easter bunny as a present for Easter. On our way, we saw the flood that is still in the forests. When we arrived in Berlin, we took a taxi to our hotel. On our way, I explained the driver our Comenius project. Our first impression of the hotel was not goodly maintained but when we entered, we changed our opinion on this hotel. The lift was old like the one in the film ‘‘Titanic’’. At this time Noel is getting crazy on some stupid miscalls and sms from the polish! After we placed our stuff in the rooms, we went all to see the centre of Berlin. One point in this city is that it has loads of modern buildings. We went inside a sport shop where I bought an adidas bag and pocket. We went to eat at Mc Donalds and after to a Berlin souvenir shop. Now we were left to wonder in the nearby shops. Jean-Claude and I went to an other sport shop, which had many Fifa World Cup 2006 fan stuff. I bought a cap, a hand-wrist, and a magazine. When time expired, we went around Berlin with the group. We saw a big and modern fountain and a modern statue. After we went to eat at the Pizza Hut. As we were going back to the hotel we saw a good advert on a steam iron board, steam was coming out of its holes! We had a crazy night while we watched TV with all the group in our room but Jean-Claude did not come. We slept after midnight.

Going to berlin by train

 

What where they doing?

 

Saturday 1st April 2006

April fool! It is a full day in Berlin. I woke up at bout 7:15 am and after went down for breakfast in the restaurant. Today we were going to have a cultural tour around Berlin. First, we visited the Berlin Wall. There are loads of graffiti on its remaining. After we visited the Brandenburg gate and the parliament. Near the is a monument of a pill and behind it there are many modern medicine factories. We went to a coffee shop to have a drink. The teachers had beer, while most of us took Pepsi. Near were a market and many people with World War 2 stands selling souvenirs. From there we could see the TV tower. After we went to a church that on its dome it had the holy spirit painted. From there we visited Checkpoint Charlie it was two closely guarded crossing points. It is estimated that, between 1961 and 1989, at least 70 people were killed trying to cross the boundary. After we went back to the hotel and we left some of the group to relax. Ms De Battista, Mr Schembri, Jean-Claude, and I went shopping. We had about 1 hour and after we went to the others and stayed for a quarter of an hour to relax. At about 8:30 pm we went to eat but we divided to 2 groups Ms De Battista and me went to Mc Donalds and Mr Schembri and the others whet to KFC. In the middle of the night, we made a joke on Ms De Battista. We knocked on her door but at the last, we stayed there and gave her a fright. Now Ms De Battista planed a joke for April fool to Mr Schembri. We would hide in her room and she would tell Mr Schembri that we where doing this so he would come out to stop us. When he was out in the corridor, we got out and sought “April Fool!” He jumped and put his hand out for defence. After that laugh, we went back to our rooms to sleep.

Try to eat this pill!!

 

Sunday 2nd April 2006

Narka Berlin, today we are leaving. I woke up and went down for breakfast. When I was going out, I left my mobile on the table. Fortunately, Ms De Battista saw the phone and returned it back to me. We brought our bags down to the street to go to the airport. The Italian plan had a delay and it affected our flight. We had a good trip but when landing my ears were going to explode. We had a good time in Germany and we arrived safely.

3RD YEAR COMENIUS SCHOOL PROJECT AT GUZEPPI DESPOT BOYS’ JUNIOR LYCEUM COSPICUA

Scholastic Year 2005-2006 kicked off to a good start as a group of enthusiastic students opted to participate in our competition for the Best School Representatives. The Theme of our Project is ‘Fighting Stereotypes in European Nations’. The students had to prepare the following – Game involving information about the 4 participating countries, Interviewing individuals who are actually doing something to combat the negative idea of stereotypes in relation to – Prisoners; Migrants coming from African countries, Eastern Europe & China; Tourists coming from Germany, UK, Italy, Poland, Hungary; Foreign students in our midst. In the meantime networking continued with the co-ordinators of our Partner Schools from Poland, Hungary and Germany.

On the 26th March 2006, the team left for Dessau, Germany, where students were hosted by German families. This meant that they could experience the real lifestyles and put an end to any negative perceptions. The highlight of the trip was of course the school presentations. The German students focused on fashion as a means of uniting young people across the European borders. The Polish Team emphasized through a series of interviews by one of the students acting as a TV journalist that it is great to get to know individuals from different countries. Their programme also included a number of songs.

The Maltese presentation included a Maltese Board Display, The Verdala Story – PowerPoint Presentation, IT Game by Norbert Bonnici Form IV student with reference to the four countries involved in project, a discussion about an investigation regarding whether women in Malta are still considered as stereotype housewives as part of ‘Track Gender Disparity’ project which was launched by the Dutch Educational Institution, which could be viewed on www.aliceo.nl. Other presentations included a clip against racism, a presentation of a Tshirt – Fighting Stereotypes in European Nations – Closing the distance–‘You must be the change you wish to see in the world’ Gandhi, music and dance display, drama.