in Estonia

20.05.-26.05.2018

Knowledge is Power

Scienta Potestas Est

Sunday, 20th May

Welcome to Saaremaa, Kuressaare!

Virtsu-Kuivastu ferry

Plan of activities

Monday, 21st May

A day at school and in Kuressaare

Monday was an interesting day! Those who didn’t go to Tallinn got to see their visitors for the first time in Kuressaare. The day started in Kuressaare Regional Training Centre with an official welcome by Mr. Neeme Rand, principal of KRTC and Ms Tiiu Aro, Chairman of Saaremaa Council. All of the Erasmus+ Route Docs club members from the Estonian party were also present.

After welcome speeches were listened to, gifts received and birthday songs sang it was time to show our guests the schoolhouse. First in the Kuressaare department in 3 groups and then we took a bus to Upa and had school tour at the Upa department led by our school students. In Upa we also had lunch.

After lunch we returned to town by bus and visited Kuressaare Town Hall and Kuressaare Tourist Information Centre. We had a lecture about “Tourism and economy in Saare county” by representatives of Visit Saaremaa MTÜ and Saare Development Centre. As everyone was bored from the sitting we took a walk from the Town Hall through old town to the Episcopal castle where we had a treasure hunt. It was fun!

But the day was not over, we ate our surprise cake and set our plans for free time. Of course everyone wanted to see the local beach for the first time, so we did. We played some volleyball and the brave ones went for a swim also.

Markus Treirat

Erasmus+ club members and guests at school

Official welcome by Ms Tiiu Aro, a Chairman of Saaremaa Parish Council.

KRTC today by headmaster Mr Neeme Rand

Happy Birthday to you, dear Luís Martins and Alex Nurmberg!

Portuguese delegation

Turkish delegation

Croatian delegation

Spanish delegation

Estonian delegation

School tour at Upa guided by Ralf Roosaar

and Janar Luks

Happy Ürfet

Erasmus+ club members at Kuressaare Town Hall

“Tourism and economy in Saare county” by representatives of Visit Saaremaa MTÜ and Saare Development Centre

Erasmus+ club members at

Kuressaare Town Hall

Tourism and local media

by Ms Kertu Kalmus from "Saarte Hääl"

Treasure Hunt in Kuressaare Episcopal Castle

Welcome by director of the Saaremaa Muuseum Ms Rita Valge

Surprise!

Happy Birthday!

Tuesday, 22nd May

III Transnational meeting and

workshops at school

III Transnational meeting

Teachers had the third transnational meeting of the project where they discussed the progress of the project to date, which included the status of the project's facebook page, etwinning site, and the web page. The plan activities for the the week were discussed so that everybody knew exactly what would be happening during their time here. Finally the next project meeting in Portugal was discussed and preliminary dates were set for this.

Tuesday, 22nd May

The day started like a normal school day, but it was actually pretty special. All of the students including Estonians attended an Estonian lesson. The teachers were at their meeting. The class was lively and it was fun seeing foreigners learn one of the hardest language in the world, especially when some of the languages were very different to Estonian.

After the difficult lesson we met our teachers again and all together we reached the school assembly hall to watch some videos about Tenerife. The videos were created by the students themselves. What a great job! Before lunch we also shared the top 10 places to visit in our countries, each country had their own.

Later, the school restaurant KASS (a cat) had prepared tasty Estonian food for us to enjoy.

After the lunch break we practised video editing guided by our school's own student who was good at what he did. Here our planned activities ended but then we kept on spending time together on the beach. We swam and just walked and chatted and everyone seemed happy. We even played volleyball.

The day was totally awesome.

Aili Tänak

Workshops on VIDEO EDITING & PHOTOGRAPHY

The workshop was hosted by Ivar Äkke with the support of his classmates from TAK-15. Ivar spoke about the different free software options available to use in video editing and recommended using OpenShot for students to complete their videos for the project. He had prepared some videos in advance and talked the group through how to add videos and add some effects to them. Then, he showed students how to add text overlays on their videos. Finally, he showed how to import a song to use in the video. Ivar reminded everyone that you can't just use any song in your video due to copyright restrictions. It has to be a song with a license which is free to use otherwise your video may be breaking copyright laws and could get removed from online sites (such as youtube). The workshop was a great help to the students as they will all be making their own videos very soon. We also had a guest speaker on the day, Kerli Adov came to talk to the students about her experiences studying as a film maker and her work experience in this area. She had great advice for everyone and our students had some great questions to ask her. All in all the workshop was very enjoyable for everybody and students left with new knowledge they will surely use!

Ian Erik Pettersson

III Transnational meeting at Kuressaare RTC

Our Romana

Top 10 places to visit in Croatia

Top 10 places to visit in Portugal

Top 10 places to visit in Spain

Top 10 places to visit in Estonia

Wednesday, 23rd May

West-Saaremaa

As Wednesday morning arrived we started our day-long guided tour to West-Saaremaa, led by Elle Mäe, and the bus driven by the amazing Silver. Huge thanks to you!

Our first stop was Kaali Meteorite Crater, the biggest Crater being in 8th place among world’s giant craters and rarest in Estonia. Then we headed to the Angla Windmills, built in the early 20s, nowadays characteristic to the Saaremaa island and Saaremaa vodka.

It was time to hit the road again, a quick detour to Karja St Catherine Medieval Church and then we headed to Panga Cliff. We enjoyed the view, watched the layers of bedrock outcrop and had a fancy picnic. Then we set our course to Odalätsi springs to wash our face and hands with spring water- by doing that one will stay young forever. After that the bus took us to the Vilsandi National ParkVisitor Centre and Loona Manor. We got to know the history and saw a short movie about Vilsandi wildlife.

Dinner time arrived which we spent at Lümanda Tavern. With our stomachs full of all the best Estonian food and a quick game of “kartul” or “potatoe” played we felt good again and took our course to Mändjala to get to know the game of Discgolf. Although getting more and more popular in the world, it was our guests' first time to hear about it. Being similar to the real-life golf, played with the same rules but with some differences, your goal is to fly the disc from the tee to the special basket. Who wasn’t interested went to beach or took a walk in the forest. I was delighted that so many of the guests wanted to try the game, I barely had enough discs for everyone. After we played one round we headed back to Kuressaare and after that it was free time.

Markus Treirat

Erasmus+ club at Kaali meteorite crater - Lake Kaali

Angla windmills - the symbols Saaremaa

A Dutch-style windmill is slightly taller than the typical trestle or post windmill characteristic of the island of Saaremaa.

Panga cliff is the highest bedrock outcrop in western Estonia and its islands. Siluri bluff is a long escarpment, which starts on the island of Gotland in Sweden, passes through the Baltic Sea, and rises to the surface on the western coast of Saare County. Its maximum height is 21.3 metres and it runs for about 2.5 km.

Panga cliff is situated right on the coast, cropping up like a 'wall', and its highest point used to be an ancient ritual site

Happy Luna with a limestone in her hand. A stone with a hole in it brings you good luck. Did you know that?

Looking for the fossils...

Fossils are the remains of ancient life that have been preserved by natural processes, from huge skeletons to tiny sea shells.

Odalätsi springs - according to the legend the Old Devil was fighting with Tõll and had his spear broken. The springs that are there are the Old Devil's footprints. If you wash your face and hands with this spring water or drink some of it, you will stay young forever.

Loona Manor Guesthouse - situates in the heart of Vilsandi National Park. Loona Manor is a perfect example of a long and complex story of reaching its present form. Oldest parts of the building date back to the Middle Age. Guests can relax in spacious rooms with free Wi-Fi.

Vilsandi National Park Visitor 's Centre - Ms Kadri Kullapere shares her knowledge with Erasmus+ club members.

Vilsandi is the oldest nature protection area in the Baltics, created in 1910, and reorganised as the Vilsandi National Park in 1993. There are over a hundred islands with lots of birds at the Vilsandi National Park. Orchids, fossils and fossilised corals can be found on the most western island of Estonia.

In a visitor's centre fossil museum is a great collection of fossils.

At Lümanda Tavern, situated in an old church school, we enjoyed authentic Saaremaa farm food. All of the vegetables they use are organically grown in the surrounding fields and the fish on the menu comes direct from the catches of local fishermen.

Here Ms Juta Pae, a hostess of the tavern welcomes Erasmus+ club.

A private dining room in an old mantelpiece area at Lümanda Tavern. Bon appetite!

An old church school - Lümanda Tavern nowadays .

Lümanda Transfiguration Orthodox Church biult from local stone dolomite in 1868.

Ms Juta Pae introduces the interior of the church.

A game of Disc golf at Mändjala.

Markus is a fantastic game leader.

All the participants enjoyed the game of

disc golf and sunshine on the sandy

beach .

Thursday, 24th May

East-Saaremaa and Muhu island

Thursday

Our sunshiny morning began with a long bus drive to Koigi bog, also it’s the largest bog in Saare County, with its 4.8 km perfect hiking trail. After everlasting sitting on the bus, we could finally stretch our legs at Koigi hiking trail, on our way we found 9m tall observation tower for overlooking the picturesque bog.

Then we were headed to a little picnic at Orissaare football stadium, which is known for the oak tree growing in the middle of a stadium. This oak tree won the European tree of the year 2015 award. So we enjoyed our food around the big tree and later on, we played some football and volleyball.

The last place we went on that amazing day was Muhu ostrich farm. Ostrich keeping began on Muhu Farm in 1999. In addition to ostriches, you can see emus, kangaroos, alpacas, ponies and a unique opportunity to see zebras and red kangaroos. Feeding those birds and animals by hand was a cool experience. On our way back, we had a little shopping stop at Liiva, several of us played volleyball in the parking lot.

When we arrived at Kuressaare again we had some hours of free time before the farewell evening started. Some days before I heard that Luna and I should make a duet together. So we picked our songs in the morning and on those long bus rides we practiced these songs. In the farewell evening, everything came out quite nicely, though I forgot some words.

At the end of this day, everybody was very emotional, knowing that that evening was going to be the last one on Saaremaa.

Hans Heiki Metsmaa

Koigi bog, the largest bog in Saare County with its 4.8 km trail is perfect for hiking. The wooden boardwalk and path covered with wood chips pass through the bog around Lake Pikkjärv. There is a lovely observation platform where you can relax and have a small picnic. In autumn you can pick cranberries next to the trail.

Koigi bog - the only bog in Saaremaa with wonderful pools and hollows.

There is also a 9 m observation tower overlooking the picturesque bog.

Power of life

A lily-of-the-valley feels well in the bog.

The European Tree of the Year 2015 in Orissaare. A-150-year old oak tree on the football field.

Is there a place in the world where you can find a stadium which has an oak tree in the middle of it? Before 1951 there was a small sporting area beside the oak tree, and when it was expanded the tree ended up in the middle of the stadium. Legend says that two of Stalin´s tractors tried to pull it out of the ground, but the cables kept breaking. It still has marks from the cables. Students know how to use the tree to complete passes.

An old oak tree offers shade to the football players and Erasmus+ club members enjoyed picnic in the shade.

Not everybody enjoyed a picnic in the shade.

Muhu Ostrich Farm. Ms Helena Erik welcomes Erasmus+ club.

Helena explained everything about ostriches and much more.

Ostrich, is a species of large flightless bird native to Africa. They can run for a long time at the speed of 55 km/h or even up to about 70 km/h, the fastest land speed of any bird. The common ostrich is the largest living species of bird and lays the largest eggs of any living bird.

The common ostrich is farmed around the world, particularly for its feathers. Its skin is used for leather products and its meat is marketed commercially.

Kangaroos have large, powerful hind legs, large feet adapted for leaping, a long muscular tail for balance, and a small head. Female kangaroos have a pouch in which joeys complete postnatal development.

The kangaroo is a symbol of Australia and appears on the Australian coat of arms and on some of its currency and is used by some of Australia's well known organisations.

Closely related to horses, zebras have thick bodies, thin legs, a tufted tail, and a long head and neck sporting a short mane. Their most famous feature is their brilliant black-and-white striped coat. Why do zebras have stripes? Scientists aren’t entirely sure. Their stripes perhaps serve to confuse predators and biting insects, or to control the animal’s body heat. Because each individual’s stripes are unique, their stripes may also have a social purpose, helping zebras to recognise one other.

Our planet is home to three different species of zebra, all three species are native to Africa.

A small shop on an ostrich farm.

Farewell evening with host families at school.

Luna and Hans Heiki gave an unforgottable concert together.

It was so relaxing to listen to Ian singing and playing the quitar.

Friday, 25th May

A day in Tallinn

Friday, May 25 was a day full of different emotions. Frustration, love, disbelief and even shock ran through every students' and teachers' body.

The day started with saying goodbye to the host families and packing the last of the luggage. Some cried, some smiled with joy. It was truly incredible, but every good thing comes to an end and we left our homes and began travelling to Tallinn. We took a ferry from Kuivastu to Virtsu. Shortly after we had left Virtsu we had a nice outside picnic for the last time.

A few hours later we arrived in Tallinn. We went on a guided tour in the Old Tallinn which was very beautiful and mesmerizing. After the guided tour we had a Photo hunt that was a lot of fun.

A short amount of free time followed the Photo hunt. And this was the time we really realized that, we won’t probably see each other ever again. The feeling was strange but it made our hearts warm.

After the free time ended we took a bus from the meeting point to Ülemiste hotel, where our guests checked in and we said our last goodbyes and set off. The air was filled with great emotions.

Steven Stepanov TAK-17

What happens if I lose my passport while I’m away?

This is a question one student (who will remain anonymous) had to ask on his visit to Estonia. When he arrived at Tallinn airport, during all the hustle and bustle he managed to misplace his passport. He realised his dilemma after he had settled into his host family’s home and immediately told his teachers of his serious situation. So what do you do? Well, the first thing is to immediately report your lost (or stolen) passport to the local police station. Then you need to contact your country’s embassy in the country you are visiting. In this case, our Portuguese friend discovered that there is no Portuguese embassy in Estonia. So they had to settle for the next best thing, which was the Spanish embassy. The friendly staff there were immensely helpful in organising an ETD for our forgetful student. An ETD is an Emergency Travel Document, which allows for travel for a limited period. The Spanish embassy worked with the Portuguese embassy in Helsinki to prepare the document. We had to visit the Spanish embassy in Tallinn with the student and a photograph of him for the ETD. They also provided a letter, with contact names and numbers of officials at the embassy, about the situation which was signed and stamped by the embassy in case there was any issues in customs. Thankfully, the ETD was ready in time and did not cost anything, and our absent minded student was able to travel home safely.

So if you lose your passport while abroad, it’s still possible to get home safely. But it’s a great inconvenience and you may not be as lucky to get great help like we got from the Spanish embassy in Tallinn. So always take great care with your passport!!! Always keep it safe and never let it out of your sight.

Erasmus+ club members and our fantastic guide Mirjam on the Freedom Square of the Old Town in Tallinn. On the background a Victory Column (2009) commemorating the Estonian War of Independence 1918–20.

Kiek in de Kök (1470) - the massive, 38m-high cannon tower houses a museum of the town's fortifications, weapons and medieval-era life. The tower's unusual name means “Peek into the Kitchen.” The structure was so high that medieval guards joked they could see right down the chimneys and into the kitchens of the houses below.

The Old Town in Tallinn. Kiek in de Kök Fortification Museum in the background.

Aleksander Nevsky Cathedral - the large and richly decorated Russian Orthodox church, designed in a mixed historicist style, was completed on Toompea Hill in 1900, when Estonia was part of the Czarist Empire.

Tallinn Town Hall - the oldest surviving town hall in the Baltic countries and Scandinavia. The building history of the Town Hall goes back to the 13th century. In its present form it was completed in 1404 when Tallinn was a flourishing Hanseatic city.

Saturday, 26th May

Have a safe flight!

A Summary about a Wonderful Week

Leaflet designed by Alex Nurmberg and Heinrich Mei

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