Impressions of croatian teachers about the third mobility:

• ANA DRAGOVIC (local coordinator):

As the local coordinator for Croatia in Erasmus+ project “Maths routes around Europe” I feel very proud and happy with this mobility!

The previous mobility (Portugal) was great and that put a lot of pressure on me because I wanted everything to be perfect. My team worked so hard for months and we tried to do our best. We divided tasks and everyone was working on something, we did our meetings regularly and with students.

The week before mobility, we were so nervous but excited. There was special energy in our school. This was not the first project for our school, but it was the first for this group of teachers and students. The day before all our guests came to Metkovic I sent a message to my students: “do your best, leave good impressions, do maths, work in groups, enjoy these days, make memories and new friendships”. And they did all of that!

Five days after the project, all students and teachers in our school are still talking about this mobility! There are many congratulations from people in Metkovic, especially parents – they are so grateful for this opportunity! There are so many emotions - happiness and sadness at the same time. And I am proud of them! We showed everyone that we may be a small country, but we are “people with big hearts”!

The main goal of this project is, of course, math, but also to unite teachers and students from different countries and that is a perfect feeling! We want our students to be open-minded, without prejudice, and like one big European family. My students have that feeling now, and they are proud because they have friends from five European countries.

Besides, I am honored and proud because I was a host to twelve wonderful and great teachers. After these five days, (in my opinion) I have new friends 😊

• LJUBICA JERKOVIC (math teacher):

I think we are unaware of our own power. Each of us is not perfect, but when we put our hands, heads, and hearts together, we are able to create a PERFECT experience. And we did it, together, all participants, students and teachers, from all countries, without exception! So much interest, warmth, understanding, kindness... Impressive!

I'm very pleased to have met everyone! I exchanged some ideas and experiences with the colleagues from foreign countries and it enriched me professionally, as well as personally. I also improved the relations with the colleagues in my own school. The terms such "teamwork", "culture of openness" and "collaboration" make more sense now.

This week also helped me to see my students in different roles. They were so careful, helpful, responsible, tireless... They enjoyed making their guests satisfied and happy. I'm so proud of them. I'm also very proud of our guest students who were so open-armed and open-minded.

I'm not the same person as before. I'm better, owing to you, my dear "Maths routes around Europe" friends! Thank you once more!

• JUDITA MUSTAPIC (english teacher)

As someone who was for the first time a participant in the Erasmus+ project, I never in my wildest dreams expected to be so fascinated by a project! I was given this great opportunity by Ana, our local coordinator for the project, and I pretty much had no idea what to expect, or what to do (to be honest). But wonderful, warm, and fun people from five European countries, together with my ever so helpful colleagues, created an atmosphere in which every work became pleasure, and every get-together became an enjoyable and relaxed party!

I can say for sure that my colleagues and our students did their best to make you feel welcome and to enjoy their company through various activities in our town and country. I hope that we succeded and that your memories of our week together will be just like ours – everlasting and happy with a touch of sadness because it is over, as our coordinator Ana likes to say.

Since this was my first (but hopefully not the last) mobility, I don't really have anything to compare it to, but there is a saying in our country, which roughly translated says: „The firsts are always remembered“, so this mobility will always have a special place in my heart. However, it wouldn't be like that without the positive energy and overall fun atmosphere created by every single participant, a teacher or a student.

I very much hope to see you all again, and thank you for showing me what an Erasmus+ project can be like!