Ropaži meeting

Ropaži

January 26-29, 2012

Partnerschools participating:

CEPA SOC COOP AND Colegio Antonio Gala, Dos Hermanas, Spain: coordinator school – 4 teachers;

Zlatarski International School, Sofia, Bulgaria – two teachers and three students;

Gymnasium Agiou Ioannoy tou Chrisostomou, Nicosia, Cyprus – two teachers and two students;

Ropažu vidusskola, Ropazi, Latvia- project group (8 teachers);

Åmot ungdomsskole, Rena, Norway – two teachers;

ESCOLA ESCOLA BÁSICA D. MANUEL I – TAVIRA, Tavira, Portugal – five teachers.

January 24-25

Guests arriving at Riga International airport. Teacher Iveta from Ropaži Secondary Schools meets all the delegations and take them to the hotel. Students are taken to Ropaži, they will stay with host families.

 January 26

The day starts at the hotel. The school bus and Baiba greets everybody at the hotel.

A forty minute drive to our village. Emotions are high, because the morning is quite cold (- 12^o), deep snow has covered the land and trees. The bus stops in the centre of the village and the delegations take a short walk to the school. Usually we cover this distance in two minutes. Now it takes almost ten minutes – the first photos, the first meeting with the snow for somebody.

At school we are met by our Head- Māra Priede and we go to the sports centre so that to get on another bus. We will be more people now – teachers and students as well.

This day is dedicated to getting acquainted with Ropaži Municipality, its people.

The first visit is to “Lakta” – a famous blacksmith enterprise with Mr Oleksāns as the head of it. We are shown how a tool for a stove is forged.

Then our way goes to the kindergarten “Annele”. It seems that there our guests receive the greatest emotions. The system how the group work is organised, what activities are popular among children, the nice and cosy rooms make everybody admire the time children spend there. Of course, the following questions and exchange of experience are connected with expenses. All educational establishments (they are four in our municipality) are under the guidance and maintenance of our municipality.

After a cup of hot tea we are ready to spend some minutes outside and listen to the young men from the history re-enactment club “Rodenpois”. Their enthusiastic story about the history of our village, the settlement that was first mentioned in chronicles in 1205 was an excellent introduction to the Medieval period of history. The best memories about this visit will be for one student from Bulgaria who was asked to put on armoury that could weigh about 15-20 kilos (he was lucky one, because full equipment would be 40-60 kg).

After lunch time in our school’s canteen we all go to visit the next educational institution in our municipality – Zaķumuiža Elementary School. The impressive performance of the folk group “Oglīte” (A small piece of live coal), the songs and the Latvian folk dance – something we could hear and do together. The educational system in this school is slightly different from Ropaži Secondary School because they have children starting from the age 3 up to age 16 under one roof.

To feel more the cold winter, the guests are taken to the car racing track 333. We meet its owner Mr Šlēgelmilhs and his son Haralds, previous student of Ropaži Secondary School, a car racer. His impressive information in excellent English language let us forget the freezing cold.

The evening is spent at the guest house “Sauleskalns” enjoying hot bath house possibilities with taking a snowy shower afterwards. Students spend the evening at Music and Art School creating print pictures and medals from clay.

January 27

The day at Ropaži Secondary School.

Having arrived to our school the guests are invited to the Culture Centre to meet all the students. All the delegations are introduced to the students. The girls from classes 9 and 11 perform nicely other version of Latvian folk songs. The guests receive souvenirs.

After some minutes the guests can answer the questions asked by the students from classes 10 to 12. They also want to hear some answers from our students.

The next activity prepared for our guests- visiting some classes, but at first they have a short lecture about our school at the museum – a unique institution that has been organised in our school.

Primary classes have prepared different posters, various performances about one definite country. They even try to speak in English asking some questions about the countries the guests have come from. Some delegations manage to visit other classrooms – physics class, biology class.

Then – one of the main activities of this visit –exhibition of adapted games prepared by teachers Ļena and Artis. Class 9.a students show: Sitting Volleyball, Victory Ball and an extra game: Beach Towel Volleyball. The last one is especially liked by our guests.

The next activity-class 8.b students have to perform traditional games from different countries. That is really exciting not only for our students but also for the guest students and teachers, because everybody tries to take part in them.

After lunch in our canteen, we have the project work meeting. The previous task fulfilment is discussed and the new tasks for the next meeting in Norway are drawn.

The plan for the afternoon – to introduce our Music and Art School, meeting with the Sport Centre manager director Evita Eglāja, meeting with Culture Centre manager director Sanita Megere-Klevinska and coordinator of educational institutions in our municipality Antons Cibuļskis. The main question asked by our guests throughout the two days of this visit – How much should students and their parents pay for school buses, for afterschool activities at school, at Sports Centre, at Culture Centre, at Music and Art School, for the kindergarten? Their surprise is immense – nothing or a very symbolic payment (5,-LVL for Music School etc.).

After a short coffee break together with some teachers from Ropaži School, the guests enjoy a part of the concert organised in the Culture Centre ( the annual event). And then – dinner in one of our village’s cafes. The guests are definitely surprised by tasty and healthy food that is served everywhere – at school, at our cafes.

January 28

A day in Riga.

Our guests get acquainted with the capital city of Latvia. Although the weather is cold (-13⁰) and windy, that turned out to be quite an extreme experience, our guests are impressed by our Old Riga, by different legends told by the attractive guide Peteris.

Lunch at the recreation centre “Lido”. Everybody can compare meals at our school and now in Riga. Again- excellent! Guest students manage to find some time for skating. A Bulgarian student has taken his skates with him!!!

Return to the city centre by tram turns out quite an experience. And now the guests may enjoy shopping in the shopping centre “Galerija Centrs” and some other shops.

The evening is spent differently. Students enjoy the evening with their host families, some activities organised by them. Teachers have the opportunity to dance to Latvian pop music in “Četri balti krekli” – a popular dance club in Riga.

January 29

The Cyprus delegation has left Riga early in the morning. The Bulgarians get ready for leaving Latvia. Other teachers and four teachers from Ropaži go to the bakery “Lāči”. You had to see the faces of our guests when they at last understood what it means to make their own loaf of bread.

So we have finished the programme with tasting hand-made and ecological bread.

January 30

The last three delegation – from Spain, Norway and Portugal, are leaving Latvia

Let’s see each other in Norway at the beginning of May.

Ropaži Secondary School Teacher Baiba Lukaševiča