Embedded Files
22nd october - 1st day of our serbian LTTA - Mobility for teachers and students.
Here everything starts early. The journey to school in Batocina began.
Some students from this school performed traditional dances and music, in their costumes, but they also sang songs by Adele and a bit of national rap. It was cool.
We visited the director Snezana, (which translates to snow white in English), and went on to presentations of each school (Serbia, Czech Republic and Cyprus), their education system, the characteristics of each region and their country.
Afterwards, we were well served in the main hall where the mayor of the municipality of Batocina, presented us with his happiness at seeing so many students from other countries getting to know Batocina.
But there were much more interesting activities to come than listening to directors and presidents, lol. We learned how to make traditional bread with seeds (Leandro loved it). This time we got our hands dirty, and everything went into the kitchen oven. Then it was all out laughter. We were faced with physical and mental games. We had to do a treasure hunt at the gym to collect cards and then we had to do math tasks to see who got it right.
After so much effort, just a good lunch. Tasty meat and bread. The bread we had made before. Very tasty.
And that was our day. We spent the afternoon with our families. Some went to see the zoo, others went out for a snack after a car ride, others even went shopping. There was something for everyone.
23rd october - 2nd day of our serbian LTTA-staff and students
But the day was promising, and curiosity was great. We went to visit one of the schools that belong to this group. A bit like ours. At this school in Badnjevac (belongs to the municipality of Batocina), we visited the classrooms and the students made a presentation outside of some local and traditional products, as well as some sweets and lemonade for us to taste.
Next we went to visit the Aquarium in Kragujevac, and we saw many freshwater fish from Serbia, but also some from other continents, such as piranhas, tilapias, clownfish (Nemo), turtles, and some invertebrates from riverside areas, but the most impressive were some pythons, which inhabit some rivers in South America... It was very well explained and presented by the research student from the University of Sciences in Kragujevac and we really enjoyed visiting. We headed towards the WW2 museum, and it was a little far.
We arrived at the museum tired, but it was worth it. These atrocities that occurred must never be forgotten. Here, on October 21, 1941, more than 3000 people were killed in one place. Many of them are university students and professors. The expression of a teacher, which is still expressed in the memorial, has gone down in history: "You can kill me, but I will still have a class to teach!" We visited the memorial and learned a little more history.
The next activity was at the Gruza Lake Interpretation Center, where the University's research students showed us the diversity of fauna and flora in Serbia's freshwater rivers and lakes. Many of them are similar to ours, as are the invertebrates we have seen embalmed in resin for educational purposes. Many thanks to the students of the University of Sciences of the University of Kragujevac who helped us, explained and clarified all our doubts. On the way back, the bus took us to school and our friends were already there waiting for us and we went home to rest, we walked a lot.
24th october - 3rd day of our serbian LTTA-staff and students
Early in the morning we went to the village of Brzan to visit a completely renovated school. This school was opened in 1903, and its first director was an Orthodox clergyman, and later was the Orthodox Patriarch of Serbia.
We were greeted early in the morning with a tradition that was strange to us. Two students dressed up held a tray with sweet bread and salt. We were invited to take some bread, dip it in salt and eat it. Strange to us, but common to them. Meaning that those with whom we share bread and salt are our friends. They use the expression "with him I've already eaten bread and salt!", which means that with that friend, we go through good and bad things.
It was really nice to realize that with that gesture we were friends and guests at their school. After visiting the school's renovation, we were treated to a morning snack, with sweets and savory treats made by the students' mothers. Delicious.
After that, we went to visit the church that is right next to the school, we visited both, the oldest one, which is 200 years old this year, and the newest one, which is very different from the ones we are used to. So many paintings of saints, and bright, happy colors. At the end, the priest and teacher Vlad sang a religious song inside the church. Then we had more mathematical activities, to calculate the height of a tree or a building from the shadows or angles through proportions. It was fun and we all got the results right.
We left and went to the village of Svilajnac to visit the Natural History Center of Serbia. It was fantastic. When we entered we immediately saw a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton. He even looked like a movie star, there were so many photographs. With the guide, we went to observe minerals and types of rocks. Right next to it was a life-size replica of the bones of a mammoth they found in northern Serbia. Huge!!! We continued on and saw a number of stuffed animals that can be found in the forests of Serbia, from badgers, foxes to deer and bears. Then we went to look at crystals and minerals that have fluorescent colors when under ultraviolet light.
After watching a film about the beginning of life on earth we went to the outdoor garden to see the dinosaurs.
25th october - 4th day of our serbian LTTA-staff and students
In the morning it was our turn to present our educational system and our region.
We add a very special moment. The headmistress came to deliver certificates of participation in this mobility at the Batocina school in Serbia. We took a lot of photos, but we were also very happy to receive these certificates.
After that, we had a mid-morning snack with sweets made here in the region.
And the most anticipated moment arrived: we went to visit the Bora labyrinth, the home of the Hobbits from “The Lord of the Rings”. But we also knew that there was an amusement park there to end the week with a bang. So it was. The maze is spectacular and has a tower in the middle so that if someone can't find the exit, they can be helped.
The next activity in the hobbit house was about language and communication. We had to go around the house and fill in the blanks in various writing exercises about hobbits.
Once we were done we were free to go jump on the trampolines, slide on the inflatables and play mini golf.
We went back to school and had a farewell party where we all learned traditional dances.
And so the day ended with families picking us up from school for our last night with them.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse