Monday 6 February 2023
On this first day of travelling, even though there weren’t many activities, I managed to learn a lot.
I was able to realise the diversity of cultures at the airport and get in touch with them.
I found myself looking around and coming across people who were different, not just in language or skin colour, but also in the way they dressed, thought and acted.
I think it’s very important to be able to travel. It’s a way of getting out of your routine, expanding your horizons, keeping your mind open to the world and to other people. It’s definitely a way of strengthening ties and empathy with others.
Monday 7 February 2023
Another day, another adventure.
We started by meeting at the school, which is large and a little different from what we’re used to. The morning was filled with traditional games prepared by the Dutch, which created a great bond between the group, some embarrassment was lost and a lot of laughter broke out.
After the activities, we headed for the centre of Roermond, each on our own bike, or at least that was the idea, a real adventure in which some of the students hitched a ride on the back seat. We arrived in the centre and spread out to get to know the city better. It’s a very pretty and rustic town, filled with dark colours, restaurants and churches.
It was an incredible and rewarding day, and there will be many more to come until the last day of this experience.
Wednesday 8 February 2033
The day began with the sun shining and we cycled to the city centre. Through a simple debate it was possible to discuss and clarify contrasting issues in society. It was very interesting to realise that there are different opinions and that culture is always intrinsic to these issues. We then took part in three workshops (dance, theatre, film) which were great fun! Finally, the programme ended with a trip to the mosque, where once again we were able to conclude that diversity is also present in religions.
We really enjoyed the day :))) and we’re looking forward to the next ones!
Thursday 9 February 2023
And so another day begins, with the sun shining but the cold biting. This morning we dedicated ourselves to making a film in which each group had to give free rein to their creativity and tackle the chosen theme. In the middle of the morning, a gentleman came to our room to talk to us and show us short videos about multiculturalism. We were able to see how people allow themselves to be influenced by society and how people manage to act towards different nationalities. At the end of the project, small groups got together for a multicultural get-together as we left the school. As soon as it got dark, we went to the school to see the final product of each group and between the videos we took a break to eat. We also had the chance to dance to a song from each country. Finally, we received our diplomas for this incredible and great Erasmus+ project.
Friday 10th February
We started the day by taking the train to Amsterdam; when we arrived after a journey of about 2 hours, we walked to the Rijksmuseum, first had lunch and then spent about an hour in the museum.
In the afternoon, I was able to see the city from a different perspective because I wasn’t with such a large group. I did a lot of shopping and observed the diversity of the city. In the evening, we went to visit the Red Light District, after which we had dinner and went to the station to return home. And, of course, we celebrated Letícia’s birthday!
Sunday 12 February 2023
We’ve reached the last day of this experience: it started at Roermond train station where we met up to catch the train and said goodbye to our partners and their families. On the train journey we shared the activities that had taken place on Saturday and tried a typical sweet from the south of the Netherlands that is only made at Carnival time. When we arrived at Amsterdam Airport, which is quite large and different from Portugal, we waited several hours until it was time to board the plane. We prepared ourselves for a few more hours of travelling, until we finally arrived in Lisbon, where we took a bus to go to Externato de Penafirme, where we were greeted with much love and happiness by our relatives.
