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From October 1st to 7th, representatives from four schools met in the capital of Macedonia, Skopje, as part of an international project funded by Erasmus+. Hiiumaa Gymnasium was represented by the educational manager Maris Nõmmik-Kärtner, Milvi Tikka, and students Enrico Kiin, Oliver Matto, and Rasmus Gläser. During the meeting, we implemented the goal of the SAMP (Save Money and the Planet) project to create a unique souvenir and a used textile school bag for each participating school, thus focusing on recycling.
The final meeting of this project and the presentation of its results will take place in the spring of 2024 in Hiiumaa.
Sunday
The first day began with an early morning flight to Warsaw. In Poland, we spent three hours talking, eating, exploring the airport, and stretching. On the plane, we had to wait for an hour for takeoff because two women, who were supposed to go to Sofia, Bulgaria, mistakenly boarded the flight to Skopje. We finally arrived in Skopje just before two in the afternoon. It took some time to find a driver at the airport; he didn't even know our group leader's name precisely. Also, we didn't have prior information about accommodation. Fortunately, everything was resolved quickly – the teachers went to their hotel, where everyone else later joined, and we headed with local students to a nearby motel for our stay. The boys from the Macedonian group welcomed us very warmly and took us to see the second-largest shopping center and the city in the evening. The evening came early for us because we were all tired from the long journey.
Monday
In the morning, before the arrival of local students, we took a short walk. Then we went straight to the teachers' hotel, from where we took a bus to the school, where we made presentations on circular economy businesses together with other groups. We went to a nearby eatery at the school, where, in the absence of national dishes, we had pizza. A bus was waiting for us in the school parking lot, but since we took time with eating, the bus left, and taxis were arranged for us to go to the city center to visit the Mother Teresa Museum. Later, we walked around the downtown area with students from other countries, getting to know each other better along the way. Afterward, we walked back to our accommodation and then proceeded together to a shopping mall. In the evening, while walking in the old town, we met Italians with whom we went to a local kebab and burger restaurant. After a good meal, we went back to the motel to rest for the next day.
Tuesday
We started the morning with simi pogača (a bun filled with pastry) and yogurt. Then we went to the school, where we listened to the presentations of those groups who didn't get to present their projects the previous day. We played volleyball in the gym and got an overview of the school, where the tuition fee is €5000 per year. In the afternoon, we went to a riverside restaurant for lunch, followed by a boat ride in the beautiful Matka Canyon. Legend has it that on one side of the river lived poor and peaceful people, and on the other side lived rich and impatient people who were never allowed to marry someone from the other side. In the evening, we spent our time differently: some went shopping, and some met other young people.
Wednesday
After the previous eventful day, the morning started sluggishly. After the 9 o'clock gathering, we were supposed to have a 3-hour bus ride to the western part of the country, to the city of Ohrid. However, we started moving only at 10 because the initial bus turned out to be small, and a new one needed cleaning. The bus ride passed quite quickly as we slept and admired the landscape. Upon reaching Ohrid, we went on a two-hour guided tour of the old part of the city. We saw the historic amphitheater and the Samuil's Fortress on top of a high mountain. Among other things, we enjoyed the view of the azure Lake Ohrid; it would have been nice to swim in this extremely blue and clear lake, but unfortunately, we didn't have time! After the boat ride on the lake, we had dinner and walked on the main shopping street in the city center. The return transport to Skopje was delayed for over an hour; locals were angry with the capital's residents and punctured the bus tires! In the evening, we had the chance to stroll through Skopje illuminated by lights.
Thursday
In the morning, we visited a company engaged in wholesale trade of food and consumer goods, Dauti Komerc. We had a brief tour that lasted about an hour. From there, we took a cable car to the Vodno Mountain to see one of the largest Christian crosses in the world. Up there, we took many photos and enjoyed the stunning view of the capital city spread out in the valley. Then we visited the Skopje Fortress, which is over 2000 years old, and enjoyed another perspective of the city. We had lunch at a nearby meat restaurant; the cats roaming between the tables were accustomed to receiving treats from people's meat dishes. In the evening, we had a party with the rest of the students.
Friday
In the morning, Macedonian students gave presentations on environmental issues. Fashion designer Irina Tosheva also gave a presentation; she has used plastic bottle caps in her clothing to create ethnic ornaments and has brought textile waste to life in her works. The official part of the project ended with the distribution of certificates and a group photo. Then we played volleyball again in the gym, and unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to the students from Italy who came on the same day. In the evening, we spent time with the Turkish group, who were leaving the next morning, walking the streets of Skopje and dancing together in the park.
Saturday
We started the last day early to make the most of our trip. We started with a walk from the old town and then headed to the city center to enjoy the sunrise. Part of the day was spent shopping to get the last souvenirs for family and friends. We arrived at the airport early to catch the flight to Warsaw departing at 5:30 PM. Coming from the flight, we went through security in Poland; luckily, we passed quickly and made it to the plane. Around midnight, despite strong turbulence caused by the storm, we landed in Tallinn.
During the trip, we learned a lot about the circular economy. We also made new friends whom we will never forget, although we may not meet everyone again. People from Hiiumaa may also be part of all this at the event in spring.
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