The meeting focused on ICT issues. Our approach was threefold: to provide vocational guidance to the students in regards to ICT so that they consider a career in it, to highlight the importance of digital skills in every aspect of our everyday life and to review ICT as a section in an enterprise.
Saturday April 29th 2017
On this day, partners travelled from their countries to Galatsi. All teams flew to El. Venizelos international airport of Athens and then by metro to Athens center. Upon arrival to Athens the students were picked up by Greek students and their families and left for Galatsi an urban suburb of Athens located around 10km from the city center. As it had been pre-scheduled in the agenda of our program, during the meeting, all the students from the visiting teams were hosted by Greek families while the teachers stayed at a hotel in the center of Athens near Monastiraki area.
Sunday April 30th 2017
In the morning, teachers and students met at 3 Geniko Lykeio Galatsi, where Greek hosts welcomed us warmly. The Greek team had organized a welcome ceremony in which they presented the project, their city Galatsi and the programme of the meeting in Greece. Short speeches were given by the headmaster mr Kostas Siemos and the Mayor of Galatsi mr George Markopoulos. Also, the head of Education department of Galatsi mrs Mary Daska gave guests some presents.
Next, we had icebreaking activities which took place at the school’s yard since the weather was VERY warm. Actually we were very “lucky” during our time in Greece to enjoy everyday sunshine and high temperatures!
At noon we experienced the epitome of Greek hospitality: lunch, with traditional Greek food prepared and offered by Greek parents and teachers.
After lunch, feeling energized, we had presentations by the German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Lithuanian teams. Focusing on the importance of ICT not only as a section in an enterprise but also in every aspect of our everyday life, each partner was assigned to explore a different issue related to ICT and present it during the meeting held in Galatsi. The presentations are available at the “ICT and Digital skills” link of our twinspace.
The rest of the day was free. Students arranged to stroll at Galatsi while teachers strolled around Plaka, the old historical neighborhood of Athens, clustered around the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis.
Monday May 1st 2017
Although Mayday is supposed to be a public holiday, activities were arranged for this day as well! In the morning students gathered at the computer lab of the Greek school and participated in a workshop. The aim of this workshop was to revise and enrich the web page of our project: http://erasmusapples.wixsite.com/erasmus Assisted by Greek professor Helen Zalavra together with 3 Greek students it was really creative contributing to our common web site by writing text and creating photo albums. A review of the workshop is available at the “Workshop for enriching the website of our project" link of our twinspace.
Next, we had presentations about ICT by Croatian and Greek teams. The Greek team had an extra presentation about digital skills followed by a questionnaire to be filled by students. This questionnaire aimed to explore digital competences and potentials. It was arranged that the answers be later analyzed in order to form each student “digital profile” and be given feedback for his/her potentials and suggestions on how to improve.
The last scheduled activity was related to Mayday and the Greek custom of creating a wreath to celebrate Spring. The rest of the day was free for everyone to celebrate Mayday.
The students spend it with their hosting families to strengthen the relations between them and to and enrich their contact, while all teachers had lunch at a traditional Greek taverna in Galatsi and spent their afternoon at Veikou grove.
Tuesday May 2nd 2017
We spent all day at the center of Athens visiting the significant landmarks of Athens and we also had the chance to witness how Greek tourism industry takes advantage of the rich Greek history. First, we visited the Acropolis museum where we split in national groups and we were guided by Greek students who had also prepared a special guidebook for us! Then, we fulfilled every travelers dream by visiting the Acropolis hill. On our way to Propylea the main entrance of the Acropolis, we visited the Theatre of Dionysus and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. Then we admired Parthenon, the enduring symbol of Ancient Greece, Athenian democracy, western civilization and one of the world's greatest cultural monuments!
Tired, but full of everlasting memories we walked through the ancient Agora to the Monastiraki area where we tasted souvlaki, the quintessential Greek fast food and later we did some shopping.
In the afternoon we visited the Escape room enterprise: “The Mindtrap” and we were presented the entrepreneurial idea of “Escape room” which is considered by tourists as one off the top things to do in Athens. Of course we didn’t stay just in theory but we also participated in escape room scenarios. We split in multinational teams of 6 persons and got locked inside a specially modified room. There, we tried to find clues, solve riddles, open hidden doors and operate weird mechanisms so that we escape!
The evening was free for everyone, so students returned to Galatsi while teachers went to Syntagma square to watch the changing of the guard ceremony at the tomb of the unknown soldier outside the Greek parliament.
Wednesday May 3rd 2017
Early in the morning we departed for a daily excursion. Our first stop was at Space Hellas enterprise a leading system integrator and value-added solution and service provider in the areas of ICT and Security. We gathered in a conference room where company’s executives gave us 3 rather enlightening presentations and then we visited their operational center. For those who are interested in ICT it was an inspiring first hand experience and for those who aren’t it was cool to see how “computer nerds” are working and to realize the importance of the proper ICT services. A review of the visit to Space Hellas is available at “Visit to an ICT enterprise” link of our twinspace.
We continued our daily activities by travelling 70km south of Athens towards cape Sounion and visiting the ancient temple of Poseidon. There, enjoying sweeping views of the sea we acknowledged that Ancient Greeks knew indeed how to choose a site for a temple!
At noon we had free time which we spent by having lunch at a taverna located in a nearby bay and enjoying the seaside. We strolled along the beach, sunbathed and some of us even swimmed at sea! In the evening, tanned by the time spent basking in the sun we departed for Galatsi.
Thursday May 4th 2017
Early in the morning we departed for a daily excursion or more precisely a cruise. At this cruise we had the chance to visit three Greek islands: Aegina, Poros and Hydra as well as enjoy sea and sun. While onboard we had lunch and enjoyed entertainment with traditional Greek dances. Moreover, a representative of Hydraiki Naval company, the company that organized the cruise, informed us on the potentials of the cruise industry and the entrepreneurial actions of their company.
When we disembarked to the islands we were given some time to pay them a visit. Although each island had its unique beauty, what struck us most was Hydra the "car-free" island meaning that no vehicles are allowed, and the only means of transportation were cute island donkeys!
In the evening we returned to mainland and departed for Galatsi.
Friday May 5th 2017
In the morning, teachers were given free time while students met at school and were given feedback about their “digital profile” based on the questionnaire that they filled on Monday May 1st. The Greek coordinator Helen Zalavra, being a Computer Science teacher, explained their potentials and gave suggestions on how to improve their digital skills. A review of the activity is available at the “Exploring Digital Profile - eskills and competences” of our twinspace.
Then, we played a game. Students formed groups as departments of an enterprise and simulated its operation. Through the game we focused on the collaboration between departments thus realizing how delicate is the balance of having successful operation for each department and having successful operation for the whole company.
At noon students were given free time while teachers went to school and had a long meeting in order to review the partnership and prepare the final report of the project.
In the evening, all the participants gathered at school. First, we filled in the meeting evaluation questionnaires and then we had the goodbye ceremony.
Since this was the last meeting of our project, Greek team had organized an overview of the partnership by flashing back to all meetings. It was very touching to see photos of all the meetings and to listen students’ testimonials about them. As customary we were awarded the participation certificates and the chairwoman of the parents association of the Greek school mrs Natasa Demi Chelioti offered guests some presents.
After the ceremony we had a farewell dinner and a PARTY! What better way to end the meeting than us dancing all together?
At night we greeted each other goodbye thanking Greek hosts for their hospitality and wishing to have the chance to meet again.
Saturday May 6th 2017
According to time of departure, teams travelled by metro to Athens international airport. Parting of Greek hosts and their guests inevitably had some emotional moments. This partnership was by all means a lifetime experience!
