OUR STAY IN FINLAND

By Marketa Kalabova

I would like to tell you something about my travelling to Ivalo in Finland. Our adventure started at 6.30 when we came together at the bus station. In Prague at the airport we found our plane and then we had to wait because our flight was delayed. We didn’t know if we catch our flight to Ivalo, but we were full of expectation so we enjoyed it a lot. The flight was very interesting and wonderful because I love flying. We left Prague and presently we left also our republic. In Helsinki we had only about 20 minutes to find our plane. It was very exciting because we had to go through whole airport. But our plane waited for us. In this flight there were Poles so we met them. Next to us a Frenchman was sitting. I wanted to speak with him, because I like France and French language but we were landing and I had earache because it was very big pressure. So now let’s go to Ivalo and met our new friends from Finland They waited for us at the airport. I knew how Riina (our hostess) looked like so I saw her immediately. She was a very nice and kind person. There were her father too and he took us to their house. I and Pavlina were together. Our new family has a small black dog so I was pleased with it because I love animals. I have a dog at home too. After our accommodating we went to look over the neighbourhood. Snow and silence were everywhere. After our walking we wanted to go somewhere with people. In Finland there aren’t any pubs. In Ivalo they have got a very big house – Youth house – for young people. So we went there. In Ivalo there aren’t any buses so we had to go on foot every time. In our way we met the Poles who we knew from the plane, and the other finish people, so we talked together. In Youth house there are a very big sports hall, ping pong and two billiards. So we immediately took a billiard cue and went to play this game.

It was our first day. When we came home there was already Riina´s mother. She was very kind too. We went to sleep very early because we were very tired.

Riina is playing billiards

The second day, it was Sunday; we went to school because Riina had a music club. We tried to play some instrument for example drums or piano. Then we went to have lunch at Riina´s grandparents. We had mashed potatoes and meat from reindeer. I like it, it tasted like a deer. In the evening we watched Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. On Monday we met together at school with other students from abroad. We visited school with some student from Finland who did some explanation. There were televisions in every classroom and these classrooms were very nice and modern but every student must sit alone so it was very boring for me. We visited some lessons. Then we had lunch at school cantina. Afterwards we took a turn around the town with some girls who told us something from history. In the evening we went to the cinema for watching a good film in English, of course and with finish subtitles. On Tuesday our day started at school, but there were our new friends from Spain, because they arrived that day, so we met them. We had an art lesson, where we made some presents. In the afternoon we had a music lesson, where we sang finish songs. Then we went to the forest for skiing and roasting sausages. In the evening we played floorball at school. It was really nice and enjoyable. On Wednesday we were at school but then we went to Inari for visiting a museum and a reindeer farm. It was very interesting in museum and very nice time in the farm, because we could feed reindeers. In the evening the Finish arranged watching a film for us, but it was very boring, so we played some social games, for example for remembering names. On Thursday we were at school and then we could choose from skiing and going to spa in Inari. We chose the second one but their spa was something like our Vodní ráj. Then everybody went to bus for going home, but I and Pavlina went to a special dinner with our family at the restaurant. Then we went to smoke sauna. We sat into and when it was very hot, we went out and… swam in ice-covered lake. After first try I was shocked, but then it was very nice and it was my best experience from Finland. But the day didn’t finish. From our small trip we went to Youth house where there were all students of all countries, because we had to say goodbye. We got a lot of presents from the Finish.

On Friday we went to school again for last time and then we started to travel. At first to the airport. We left Finland-country of snow and silence. It was very interesting and beautiful experience.

OUR STAY IN POLAND

   At the beginning of November we spent a beautiful week in Poland, in a town called Siemianowice Slaskie. It is situated near Katowice, in region called Silesia. All our project partners were there so we met students from Poland, Canary Islands, Turkey, Rumania, Germany, Italy and Finland.

   Teachers were staying in a hotel, but students were staying in families. All the families were very friendly and we had great time with them, but they didn’t speak English very well because those Polish students were 13-14 years old. But we had an advantage because we were able to understand little bit Polish. Completely different situation was with students from our partner countries. They spoke English very well and we had a great possibility to practice our speaking skills.
The teachers had different programme than the students. There was a lot of free time for conversation and for getting known each other. Every morning we went to Polish partner school. The school was smaller than our and there were students from 6 to 14 years old. During our time in the school we were learning Polish national dance – polonaise and we were working on a project about our free time.
   On Monday we visited the Town hall. We were welcomed by mayor of Katowice and headmaster of our partner school. Then we had some program at school and lunch. In the afternoon we had free time and some of us went playing bowling.
On Tuesday we continued in work on our free time projects and we started to learn polonaise. The afternoon was free again and we spent it in shopping centre called Silesia.
On Wednesday we visited chemistry and art lessons. It was really interesting, we could understand a lot. Then we learnt polonaise again. The most interesting from the day was evening, because we had an opportunity to visit planetarium.
The whole Thursday we spent in Krakow, where we visited very nice castle and cathedral. Then we had 2 hours free time and we went back to Siemianowice Śląskie. In the evening we watched a performance which Polish students had prepared for us. And the end of the day was ours! We danced polonaise in front of bid audience and we can say that everybody liked it.
Friday was the day of our departure. We said hello to our new friends and set up on the way home.
It was really nice week and we made a lot of new friends from the whole Europe.

Martin Pospíchal (2.B) Standa Šelmeci(2.C)