Erasmus-matka Italiaan

The Erasmus project “Healthy body,healthy mind” journey to Italy Bitetto 30.4-7.5.2023 was a memorable experience from my last year in high school. On the way I got to know Italian culture and customs. The most interesting part of the trip was trying new foods,observing cultural differences and the fact that shoes are not kept inside in an Italian home. The Italian welcomed us with open arms, even though there was a language barrier with the parents of the host families.At  school we learnt about  healthy Mediterranean diet and nutrition, we had presentations of the results of surveys on diet and sports habits,we took part in lab activities to analyze biomolecules,we learnt about the Italian school and school system and we had an interview with a young local sportsman,who compete in swimming.We will also  remember the farewell ceremony the last night before going home with a nice concert the pupils arranged for us and good food afterwards.

On our daytrips we went to Bari, Polignano and Alberobello and we walked a lot and felt the Italian atmosphere and culture.During our trip to Altamura we visited a flour mill museum and a bakery factory and had some nice Italian bread to eat for lunch. In the beginning of the week it was rainy but in the middle of the week we got sunshine and warmth.The nature was beautiful. We Finns are good in orientering and we got the two first prices for ladies in the competition in the old town race in Bitetto!

What I remember most of the journey to Italy and Bitetto are the evenings we spent together with the representatives of other countries participating in the Erasmus project. I made many new friends during our stay in Italy and I am going to keep in touch with them in the future.

Eina Mäkelä and Monika Winberg-Nikkola