The Erasmus+ project trip to Novy Jicin, Czech Republic was intense, it was full-packed, it was exciting, it was interesting, it was eye-opening, it was challenging, it was unforgettable!
https://https://polar.cz/zpravy/novojicinsko/novy-jicin/11000007911/skolaci-z-komenskeho-66-hostili-kamarady-z-evropy
The Czech host school, Komenskeho 66 Novy Jicin went far and beyond in planning an action-packed week. (The other teams have done likewise and yet every trip is unique in its own way due the different host countries, cultures and experiences).
The days were fully packed...on the Monday, we met the various teams and off we went with trams and trains to Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, saw the clock strike one in Old Town. It was beautiful and a great start. Over 70 of us dragged our suitcases in the sunshine to the central station where we caught a great train complete with complimentary drinks and wifi, where the students had their own cabins and off to Novy Jicin we went. The host families were awaiting us upon arrival by bus for the final leg of the trip. If the students staying with host families were nervous about this...they did well to conceal it.
Tuesday, we gathered at the Town Hall of Novy Jicin where we met the very friendly vice-mayor of the town who was young and full of pride and love for his town and country. The warm welcome continued as students of our host school, Komenskeho hosted a welcome performance of children’s choirs, group dances, drama, instrumental performances to give us a taste of local music and folklore.
https://vimeo.com/212364674
This was followed by presentations by every national team about the local water resources from local lakes, rivers and its natural habitat. Team’s shared of the levels of pollution, causes of the pollution and its effects on the natural habitats and environment. Several teams shared of what work they were doing as a local school or community to make changes to their water resources.
We then went to the Mestoklobouku Hat Museum in the town square. Adults and youngsters alike had a ball trying on all the different types of hats the factory has produced and shipped all over the world over the years. Some great photos! They even got a chance to design and produce their own little hats!
The longest day of the week was a long but beautifully scenic trip to the mountain region of Dlouhe Strane. We visited a Hydro Power Plant which was interesting and huge. We didn’t get much of a tour unfortunately so we didn’t learn so much as we had hoped. The students had been so keen to see how a power plant worked but we didn't really get to see that but interesting all the same. We then walked the beautiful cobblestone streets of a historical, now university town of Olomouc. The Czech team had prepared a quiz so the teams went around the fountains, statues, cobblestone streets, old historical buildings and found the answers.
On Thursday, we were back on campus at the school and the students then got in mixed nationality groups to perform various experiments to do with water that they then presented to each other.
Back on the bus we went to a small but yet again, beautiful village on top of a forested lime hill dominated by a castle tower, Truba. We got to watch the local baker, bake the famous local cookies, Stramberk, while he shared the town's history and how the cone shaped cookies came to be. We got to personalise the cookies before they went into the oven too! We climbed the tower where we got to see the most stunning timbered houses, hills and mountains in the distance as well as watch hawks hunt their prey and fly below us.
Next...to the Tatra Museum where we got to see the historical automobiles, trucks and planes produced locally in Koprivnice. Amazing collection of beautiful cars of all kinds. We were also introduced to their olympic champions Emil and Dana Zatopek, Emil being from the town. We went to the truck factory, Tatra grounds where their own truck drivers awaited us. Students and teachers alike then grabbed at the chance to enjoy the thrills of flying up hills as steep as 60% incline to rolling on rolling roads, giant cobblestone paths, sideways on a tilted wall and great speed in their various trucks that we got to test drive. (This included two models used by the Czech army!)
Friday...project time...students in groups built and modelled to design and build insect hotels using leaves, cones, straw etc. Very noisy with all the hammering and drilling with the help of their woodshop teacher but great final results and very proud students. We then rushed off into the buses again for a trip to the Lesna Zoo. We spent four hours in fantastic sunshine enjoying the sighting of animals and birds from around the world. Great to learn what animals, birds, reptiles etc were local to Czech Republic.
On our final day in the region, we got to meet two sons who were running a museum of a historical water mill that had been used in the past to provide energy for the local town. This was followed by a friendly international football game in their field when one of the French boys found a football. Across from the football, the Poles led a group dance that everyone else was pulled in to join in. Great to see all the students and teachers mix and interact so wonderfully as our amazing week started to draw to a close.
Final visit, an animal shelter where the passionate guide toured us through the shelter's rescued animals, some of whom would later be let out into the wild yet again while others were too injured from their accidents to be out in the wild again. Beautiful owls and great to see local wildlife that we had viewed quite often as we drove through the beautiful landscape in the past week.
We all walked up the hill that overlooked the town of Novy Jicin in the evening for our final dinner and dance. All the teams were awarded their certificates for partaking in this Erasmus project, Reduce, reuse and recycle. Lovely final buffet dinner of local food before the DJ and led an evening of dancing and laughter for us all. The group dance the Poles had taught us in the afternoon brought an end as we all danced together one final time before we started to bid one another goodbye. Many tears later, we left the restaurant for the evening.
Sunday morning brought sunshine once again and with it came final goodbyes to all the teams as bid one another goodbye throughout the morning. It was very special being waved goodbye with much love from our host families, teachers and new friends from Novy Jicin. We left friends behind but hopefully we will reunite one day again!
Na brzkou shledanou! (Goodbye in Czech)