Sunday, 10th November 2019
All the students took the plane to Dusseldorf and after a more or less three-hourflight we finally arrived in our destination. The flight was wonderful. After we landed in Germany and picked up our luggage, the host families were waiting for us and took us home, where we are going to stay for a week. We all had a nice evening with our new friends and their families.
Monday, 11th November 2019
The first day of the Erasmus exchange started and we have already learned a lot. After taking group pictures and getting to know each other, the guest schools presented themselves while the German students gave us a tour of their school. Later on, all the students were introduced to the new topic: Biomimetics. The students, who were divided, by then into small groups of 4-5 people, had the task to find examples of nature in order to build a bridge, which was made out of sheets of paper. The goal was to build a bridge which was not only long but also stable and rigid enough to hold 2kg.
The second part of the day, which was interrupted by a lunch break, was about 3D-printing. In order to make us understand the significance of the relation between durability and the usage of material, the teachers showed us several dice, which were printed by a 3D-printer. In the end we understood that the goal should always be to have a durable but yet a low material consuming product. So we came to the conclusion that the solutions to many problems we face in our daily lives are hidden in nature.
Tuesday, 12th November 2019
We visited the Botanical Garden in Bonn. We observed the different species of trees and plants, trying to understand how nature teaches us the maximum minimal principle in life. Then we participated in a competition to see who could build the highest paper tower, imitating nature. The winner received some chocolate as a prize.
After we had lunch in Cologne, we visited the Buddy Bash Hall. There, we carried out some very interesting activities, such as archery, bowling, building a tower with wooden bricks, ball targeting etc. At 8.00 o’clock, the host families came to pick up the students and took them home for dinner.
Wednesday, 13th November 2019
We arrived at school, where we played an interesting game, which taught us how to cooperate with other students from different countries. In addition, we also learnt how to think by ourselves and find a way to come to an agreement, which was rather difficult because we all have different perspectives. When the game finished, we had to work on our project, so we continued designing the 3-D hook and the poster. After 3 hours of hard work, we went to an Indian restaurant to have lunch. The food was quite good and we had a good time. When lunch was over, we had to finish the project and once it was done, we went home.
Thursday, 14th November 2019
We took the train to Duisburg. There we were divided into two groups: the first one visited the zoo and the second one the university Disburg-Essen, which cooperates with a biomimetic company, called Evonik. At the zoo we watched a film on biomimetic and we carried out different activities, learning a lot of things about the gecko ability to walk on any kind of surface, ability which is used as a model for modern technologies. Furthermore, we experienced the lotus effect and we carried out some interesting experiments. We also had the opportunity to try it out with stones and wooden objects. It was really exciting and it was really fun, because some students got wet. After that we had time to walk around the zoo, observe the animals and have lunch.
In the afternoon the groups switched and the first group visited the university, where we learned how to use an electronic microscope and a spectrometer, how to examine something under a microscope and we built our own battery. In the evening we had some free time and some students met to eat pizza and watch DVDs.
Friday, 15th November 2019
On the final day of the LTT we met at the school to wrap up the project. We finally got our hands on the newly printed hooks and gave them a final touch to perfect their design. Split into different groups, everyone was working on something for the final presentation· from painting a banner to setting up the hooks for display, taking a break only for the usual group picture. Shortly after the main presentation begun, each group took turns showcasing their hook and talking about its strengths and weaknesses. Following that, we got a brief heads-up for the next LTT in Sweden, and got dismissed for the day.
In the afternoon, we met for the last time at the school in order to prepare the farewell party. The food was the participants’ responsibility, as everyone had to bring traditional snacks in order to create a multicultural buffet and give a chance to the individuals to taste previously unknown food. Around 8.00 pm the party came to an end and people started leaving, saying goodbye to those who weren't going to see again.
Last day, Saturday, 16th November 2019
The Erasmus student program was an unforgettable experience. The theme of the project that we had to prepare was a bit difficult but we overcame these obstacles and we had a lot of fun along the way. The family members were really kind and helpful and most of us built a strong bond with our exchange hosts. We flew back home on Saturday morning, feeling exhausted but at the same time looking forward to our next meeting in Sweden.
