COMENIUS

PROJECTRediscover the Real European

Values

February 12th to 19th, 2012

ITALY (Gatteo and Siracusa)

Jean Charles WAHL3ème 4

Comenius ReportSunday, February 12th

Baptiste, Mrs. Petit, my English teacher and me, left on Sunday February 12th at 8:45 from the Marseille airport to fly to Bologna, with a stopover in Munich.

Baptiste and me on the plane.

After landing in Bologna, we took a bus to the railway station where we took a train to Gatteo. We met the Spanish group and at 6.45 pm we finally arrived.

My host family picked me up and we went to their house. We introduced each others. My host's name is Marco Belletti and he is 14 years old. We discovered that we have common passions, among other things music and movies.

My host family.

Monday, February 13th

The next morning we went to Marco’s school, where we met all the participants to the Comenius project. There were 24 students from different countries: Romania (5 students), Cyprus (5 students) Turkey (2 students), Holland (2 students), Norway (2 students), Estonia (4 students), Italy (host country), France (2 students) and Spain (2 students). There were also 17 accompanying teachers. The Italians showed us their school. Each classroom is equipped with touch tables. After that, each country presented its national anthem.

We met the Mayor of Gatteo, in the City Hall, he was proud to host the Comenius project in his town. At noon we had lunch together at a restaurant.

The French with the Mayor of Gatteo.

In the afternoon we visited the town of Cesena and the “Biblioteca Malatestiana”. There we discovered the smallest book in the world, and low-reliefs.

Exterior view of the library. Example of low-reliefs.

The medieval reading room

Then, late in the afternoon we were free for shopping. We returned to Gatteo to 8.50 pm and the mother of Marco had prepared raviolis in broth. At night we watched television.

Tuesday, February 14th

Each partner showed a powerpoint presentation on facts of tolerance in the history of their countries. For us, the French, we discussed French tolerance towards Italian immigrants in the early 20th century. We had lunch together at Marco’s school. In the afternoon, our host took us for a walk in the old town of Gatteo.

Gatteo under the snow.

For dinner, Marco's mom cooked for us Bolognese pasta and at 9 pm we went bowling with the Dutch and Italians.

Wednesday, February 15th

In the morning, we watched a play by the students of the school of Marco.We went back to the school for lunch, after that, we visited the cathedral of Rimini.

Interior view of the cathedral.

We had a short break in an ice cream shop, before returning to Gatteo. In the evening, the Italians organized a party where everyone involved in the Comenius project was invited.

Marco. Baptiste.

Mark (Dutch). Paul (Romanian).

Estella and Maria (Spanish). Me and Lucas (Italian)

Thursday, February 16th

We left Gatteo to go to Catania by plane and then Siracusa.

We arrived around noon and took a bus to Siracusa school. The Sicilians presented their national anthem and the history of their country and then we met our host families. We were two per family and I was with a Romanian. My host's name was Angelo and he was also 14 years old.

Angelo Rivera. Duha (Turkey).

After eating lasagna, we started exploring the old town with its Greco-Roman monuments. Siracusa was Greek and fell into the Roman Empire after the second Punic War in 212 BC.

The ruins of Apollo temple

Siracusa

Friday, February 17th

We discovered a small fishing village called Marzamemi which is near the most southern point of Europe. We were able to buy local products.

Group photo of teachers.

The most southern point of the European continent is Porto Palo.

The Italian teachers took all the members of the Comenius project to lunch in a former monastery converted into a restaurant.

Photo taken inside the restaurant.

The restaurant manager took us for a ride in his tractor.

A wagon rides.

Then we went to Noto where we visited two churches and a palace. In the late afternoon, we were free in the town.

The palace Ducezio in which the City Hall is located in the city of Noto.

Saturday, February 18 th

We visited the Greek theater of Siracusa.

Greek theater of Siracusa.

Group photo in the theater.

We took off at 3.30pm towards Bologna. We arrived with a 4 hour delay at 11pm in the hotel where we spent the night.

Sunday, February 19th

End of this wonderful week. At 8am, we flew back to Marseille via Munich and we arrived at 8 pm in Toulon.