Sunday December 6th 2015

On this day all the teams travelled from their countries to Germany. We practically used all means of transport: airplane, train, bus and car! Upon arrival to Andernach, a beautiful town located all along  the banks of the Rhine at the midwest of Germany, we were welcomed by the German students and their families. As it had been pre-scheduled on the agenda of our program, during the meeting, all the students from the visiting teams were hosted by German families while the teachers stayed at a hotel.

Monday December 7th 2015

In the morning, students and teachers met at August-Horch-Schule BBS Andernach school, where Ms Ruth Schreckenberg, the German teacher being in charge of the programme, welcomed us .The first embarrassment among teachers and students was quickly overcome through icebreaking activities that helped us get closer to each other. Then, after being divided into national teams, we took part in two different workshops. We used colourful crayons to paint drawings of apples on canvas  and made constructions of wood. Later, we all went to the school canteen where lunch was free. When we returned to school, we were showed around the huge precincts. They boasted several big classrooms, fully-equipped laboratories and a spacious office for the teachers. After that, the Greek students made a presentation whose topic was ’How you set up an enterprise in Greece under certain circumstances’. Next, an economist invited by the German school went on to comment on enterprising chances as well as their risks. The students were divided into two multinational teams, each one dealing with topics that students had prepared in advance. Specifically, each national team had already studied its national governmental and administrative rules (legislation and secular structure concerning the establishment of an enterprise,  business taxation regulations in each country, funding potentials that new entrepreneurs have in each country etc), so that they could exchange information. In parallel, teachers discussed the schedule of the programme and alterations of initial planning that could be possibly made.

When students completed  their discussion, they presented the other members with their findings about the chances that are given to new entrepreneurs in each of the participating countries. Finally, assisted by the German economist concluded their findings and created an Entrepreneurial Handbook for start up companies.

In the evening, the official programme of the first day was over and some of us in groups of both students and teachers walked to the center of Andernach where we tried a hot traditional beverage and typical German snacks in the Christmas village, as it is traditionally set up every year.

Tuesday December 8th 2015

In the morning, the students met at school. After splitting up in two international groups, they made up 2 questionnaires. Then 1st was addressed to a department store with a view to tracking down the apple-related products sold there. The 2nd was addressed to students to investigate their preferences concerning the flavors and varieties of apples. Then, they visited two department stores where they talked with the sales executives about the rate of apple sales in general and asked them to fill in the questionnaire. Finally, they bought products made of apples to display them on the exhibition stands as programmed on the last day of the meeting. At the same time, the teachers gathered at school to discuss organisation and implementation of the programme. Later on, we all went to the school canteen, where we had lunch.

Afterwards, the students were divided into three groups and, being provided with specially designed worksheets, they embarked on a game-like, exploring tour of Andernach. The teachers attended a seminar on e-twinning and then joined a workshop on twinspace apps in the programme. German expert Sally Ost initiated the more experienced participants into ideas for upgraded practices and guided the inexperienced ones into the world of e-twinning.

In the afternoon, teachers had the chance to admire the city decorated for Christmas. Also, we were introduced to its age-long history according to which its dwelling dates back to the Roman times as it was built upon the Rhine. The students spent the rest of the day with host families savouring experiences such as horse-riding, climbing and definitely shopping!

Wednesday December 9th 2015

The next morning, all of us went on an 8- km- hiking trip to Eich. Thanks to Ruth Schreckenberg’s advice, who was in charge of the whole programme, we all had warm jackets, gloves, caps and scarves, since the temperature there was around 3-4ο C and humidity levels were very high. Our destination was a unique farm that takes advantage of the volcanic soil of the area and produces organic products. There, we got informed of the many different ways of organic farming and then we had a break for lunch. It was both very interesting and amusing  because we had the chance to bake apples in a traditional oven and drink some apple juice. After this exciting trip , we travelled back to Andernach and were free for the rest of the day. So, we decided to visit Kobletz, a beautiful nearby town that is built near the Rhine river shores. Later on that day we headed back to Andernach.

Thursday December 10th 2015

Next morning the students came to the school where they attended classes along with their German  hosts. They had the chance to observe the organization of a  german school compared theirs. Some of their comments were focused on the fact that there is no bell ringing, while lesson time is handled by the teacher depending on each session. They also commented the fact that students work in groups while they are supervised by their teacher who doesn’t have to impose himself on them, as teacher-student relationship is based on mutual respect.

Later on, both teachers and students met at Andernach’s railway station to travel to the city of Trier. As the Rhine ran beside the railway, we were able to admire picturesque villages as well as mediaeval towers built in honour of important people or events of that era. After two hours, we arrived at our destination and walked to the city centre.   There, starting on from Porta Nigra, the beautiful gate of the Roman times, we went sight-seeing visiting Saint Peter’s Cathedral, the Royal Roman Baths, Karl Marx’s place of residence, the Rhineland museum and the Archbishops’ Palace. The clue of the tour was the Christmas village in Hauptmarkt, in the heart of the city, where we indulged our passion for caramelised apples and local strudels flavoured with apples. We also saw  little apple-shaped Christmas decorations. The city sparkled even more beautiful and radiant  in the colourful lights by night. As for us, we took the train back to Andernach promising to cherish the memory of this day trip for many years to come while looking forward to next day’s activities.

Friday December 11th 2015

On Friday morning students and teachers met at school in order to organize an exhibition with apple products. Each country had the obligation to choose at least five national products associated with apples and to bring them to Andernach. The exhibition that we organized was at the entrance of the German school. There we set stalls with products that each country had brought,with the products that students had bought from German department stores and the structures that we had made on the first day. The products were carefully set by students and in front of each one there was a brief description in English.The atmosphere was very warm and the pictures that were taken were endless.

We were given the opportunity with the other students and teachers of the German school to get to know different products associated with apples but also to taste the ones that were edible. At the same time, the students that took part in the programme asked German students to answer questionnaires they had formed,in order to find out their preferences concerning the flavors and varieties of apples. Some time later, we headed to a classroom where we were glad to listen to Mr.Smith, a young owner of a shop with anatomic shoes, who shared with us his experience to start with his wife’s help his own business. Some questions followed which he willingly answered and therefore everyone applauded.

Some time later, students and teachers completed the evaluation questionnaires of the programme’s meeting. The German teacher in charge gave each country the certificate of participation in the meeting. In the afternoon, the students went to the Christmas bazaar while the teachers prepared lunch in the kitchen of the German school, which would be the last one.

Then, we wholeheartedly thanked the German hostess Ruth Schreckenberg. We expressed our gratitude for taking part in such an interesting meeting. We wished to meet again in another country that Erasmus takes part in and in an emotionally charged atmosphere we said goodbye to each other.

Saturday December 12th 2015

On this day all the teams travelled back to their countries. Upon departure from Andernach there were a lot of touching moments when students farewelled the German families who hosted them. The week spent in Andernach  gave us all, students and teachers, the opportunity to get to know each other, to collaborate on the issues addressed by the agenda of our Erasmus+ programme, to discuss and share pedagogical practices and to exchange our ideas and beliefs on several up-to-date subjects such as the  European migrant crisis.