6th November
arrival of participants, accommodation
visiting and exploring Prague
First we met with the students from other countries,Slovenia,Portugal and Estonia in the hotel. We also met the teachers from The Txec Republic, who were going to show us Prague. Then we went to a famous square, the Wenceslao square. There we met a guide who told us about the history of Prague and showed us very interesting buildings. After a little explanation about the square and the important statue we visited the statue from the famous artist David Černý. We went to a square with a big clock in it.Also we visited a Jewish quarter and the most famous square in Prague. We walked along the most expensive street in Prague. After that we went near the Charles Bridge where we could see the big palace in front of us.While we were there we also went up the Charles Bridge tower and had the opportunity to see all Prague from there.We went to have dinner in a musical restaurant where university students usually go. Then we took the train to go to the hotel.After going to sleep we bought some snacks and something to drink. We went to the room and we met all people from other countries in one room and got to know some things about the other countries and some things about the people. We had a great time in Prague and the most important we learnt a lot of things and also made a very good friends.
The second day we went to a internet company at the morning,we had a brake to eat some snacks and the instructor told us to continue the speech. Then we went to lunch in a popular restaurant.We sat with people from other countries specially from Portugal.At the afternoon we went to visit the prague castle.After visit it we take the train back to the hotel.We had twenty minutes for free time.So we had time to buy some things there. After that we went to take our suitcase and went to take the train which was going to take us to Uherske Hradiste.It was a long journey,around tree hours and a half.We arrived there at ten o’clock more or less.When we arrived there our homemates were waiting for us, they welcomed us and then we went to our partner’s house.
SPA
Prague at night, teachers‘ meeting
7th November
visiting the company CZ.NIC in Prague
We were kindly greeted by an employee of the Czech company CZ.NET. First he told us about the areas CZ.NIC company covers. Then he explained that IP addresses are like postal numbers for sending requests to open web pages when we surf the internet. The domain names are transformations of IP adresses, just like your friend’s name in your contacts book is a transformation of their mobile number. They are composed of characters (such as letters – they make words –, numbers,…), not of a bunch of numbers separated by dots.
Example: example.com instead of 213.427.29.12. That makes the path to a certain server easier to remember. Similarily, it’s easier to remember you have to call John instead having to call 031123123.
A domain name cosists out of at least 2 parts:
1. Top level domain: .com
2. Second level: google -> google.com
3. Third level (optional, as well as forth, fifth and so on): help ->help.google.com
We have 3 types of top level domains:
1. ccTLD: national (.si, .us, .cz)
2. gTLD: generic (.com, .org, .info)
3. new gTLD (.google, .berlin)
This explanation was followed by a short brake and the snacks were delicious.
After the break we learned about the prices of booking a domain name, about IDN (Internationalised Domain Name) and how national-specific letters in the domain names work. We also had two competitions with awards:
1. was about the number of domain names, registered in the .cz registry, the award was a speaker
2. was about guessing which country an alphabet belongs to, the award was a czech game
We finished with a 10-minute Q&A and left the company.
SLO
visiting and exploring Prague
We had a tour in Prague on Tuesday (07.11.2017). It is a very beautiful city and we visited some very nice historical places. For example, the biggest castle in the whole world, at least according to the Guinness Book of Records, the Prague Castle. We also saw the biggest clock in the Czech Republic, the Charles Bridge and St. Vitus Cathedral. Our guide Karel did a very good job, telling us stories and interesting facts about the places. All in all, the day was great, we had a lot of fun and even though we were exhausted, it was a good chance to see this beautiful capital city and spend some time together.
EST
transport to Uherské Hradiště
accommodation, teachers‘ meeting
8th November
welcoming in GUH, introducing the school
On our first day in Uherske Hradiste we were welcomed at Gymnazium Uherske Hradiste by the president of the school and by the students participating in the meeting. After the president welcomed us, a group of folklore dancers of the school sang and danced to Czech tradicional dances. They also played instruments which was very interesting. We should mention that the students rehearse their performances at the school and they usually perform in town events.
After that, the students went on a visit around the school and they were able to visit some classrooms and see how the classes work. It was so interesting to see other students with their teachers learning the same subjects that we learn in our country, although we could see some differences.
POR
Erasmus feast, presenting „Our schools, regions and countries“
On Wednesday we had erasmus feast. This is the best thing of erasmus, because we could try food from another country. In the morning we started to prepare tables, flags and some food. After that we started introduce our food. We had some typical czech food and we fryed potato pancakes. Another coutry had their typical food. Everything was very delicious. we enjoyed it. 🙂
CZE
game „Like a Google“
There was another day of our project, 8th November. After our visit of museum of Moravian Slovakia, we came back to school. There teachers told to us we are going to play a game „Like a Google“. So we made groups, teachers gave us paper with questions, a map of Uherské Hradiště (there were points, which we had to visit) and our game could start. All of groups were finding places, where were some tasks and we had to replay to this. It was very good, but it started raining, so our game changed to game „find a shelter“. But altough it was raining, we successfully finished our game. I think, it was very good experience for us. We could meet better in our groups and I think, we a little improved our english skills. I am looking forward to another game.
CZE
visiting the Museum of Moravian Slovakia
The 8th of November we visited the museum of Moravian Slovaquia, which is placed in the Smetanovy Dady park, in Uherské Hradiště. In this museum we could assist to one presentation where we learned about the traditional costumes and the festivals in this country. One video showed us how the Czech Republic is divided: there are two big regions, which are Bohemia and Moravia. Then we can see different parts of each one: Karlovy Vary Region, Ústí nad Labem Region, Liberec Region, Plzen Region, Central Bohemian region (where is Prague), Hradec Králové Region and South Bohemian Region, in Bohemia, and South Moravian Region, Olomuc Region, Czech Silesia, Moravian-Silesian Region and Zlín Region in Moravia. Vysocina Region and Pardubice Region have a part of the Region in Bohemia and the other part in Moravia. Uherské Hradiště, were we stayed, is a city of the Zlin Region, in Moravia. We could see a map of the different regions of the country. We could discover Bohemia, where Prague is) on the west and Moravia, which is on the east. There is Czech Silesia too, on the north-east. The presentation was mostly about the Moravian part. Then we saw the costumes that they wear for special occasions.
Every region has their own costumes: Blata folk costume, Doud lebsko folk costume, Haná folk costume, Chebsko folk costume, Chodsko folk costume, Opava folk costume, Plzeňsko folk costume, Prachensko folk costume, Slovácko folk costume, Táborsko folk costume and Valašsko folk costume. All of the costumes were folk, Moravia has the slovácko folk costume. With this kind of costumes, the girls have to wear a short wide skirt, an apron, a woolen or cotton bodice, and a scarf on the head, and the boys wear special jackets and trousers, with boats. These costumes are very expensive, and they use a lot of garments with them.
We learned also some traditions of the country, including what they actually do in local festivals, like drinking some wine, which is the most recognized beverage there. They also sing and dance in pairs wearing these traditional costumes.
In this museum we could also see old tools used for farming as well as beautiful ceramics decorated with beautiful patterns.
In my opinion, it was interesting to know more about the traditions and the region where we stayed. Although I think it was a short presentation, we could learn some different things, and it was good to see the different costumes. I enjoyed visiting the museum and I think it’s good to know more cultural things about the country watching the presentation and the museum.
SPA
teachers‘ meeting
9th November
visiting IT company DAT
Thursday morning was started with a visit of the the DAT company which provides internet services for the entire Moravian region in Czeckia. Amongst the major activities of the company is maintaining and managing their customers' web pages (currently, the number of these websites is aroud 1000). One of their employees gave us a tour through rooms, filled with metal-wardrobes with thousands of flickering lights and cables connecting them. As he later explained, we were looking at their internet servers that transmit the
internet to their router stations across the region. We saw many things which we haven't seen before, whoch made the experiance that much more memorable and valuable.
SLO
welcome ceremony at the Town Hall
The Ceremonial welcome in the town hall of Uherské Hradiště took place on Thursday (9.11.2017). When we first got there everyone sat down and we listened to a welcome speech by the mayor, Mr Stanislav Blaha. He talked about how happy everyone was that a project like this was taking place and that all of us were there. After him the principal of the Gymnázium Uherské Hradiště had a word. He repeated the same idea as the mayor, how he was really happy to see everyone there and that he was glad that the school was taking part in the program. After the speeches everyone wrote their words of gratitude and names in the big guest book and then everyone drank wine (alcohol free for the students, of course). We also took some group pictures there, it was a lovely experience.
EST
visiting the Open-Air Museum and Živá voda in Modrá
On the third day of our visit to UH and went on a trip do the Open-air Museum and Zivá voda in Modrá.
At the open-air museum we could see a early medieval town as it was originally. We could see how the houses were built and how small some were and the conditions they had. They had animals living there too and even a small church. It was a very nice experience, because it was something very different from what we as azoreans are used to see and because we don’t have a medieval history, because the islands were discovered later.
After that, we went to Zivá voda in Modrá, a botanical and freshwater exposition of some species that exist in the Moravian region. We watched live fish, some of them really big. The part that was really interesting was that we were able to go to a tunnel under water and really see the fish.
POR
visiting the Velehrad Monastery
On 9th of November 2017 we took our hosts from foreign countries to the city called Velehrad. It is one of the most famous pilgrimage place in the world because Cyril and Metoděj were here in the past. Even Pope from Vatican came here two times. We also took some pics and beacause it was winter in Czech republic the weather was quite nice.)
We took them to the church and chapel, and to the sweet shop for some coffee and cakes.
CZE
teachers‘ meeting
10th November
visiting the Moravian Karst, Macocha Abyss
Macocha Abyss is a quite special place full of beauty, it is located in Vavřinec, a province of Czech Republic . We went on a long journey to get there , it was about 2 and 14 minutes from Uherské Hradiště , when we got to the car park we had to walk down a slippery steep hill , which in my 0pinion could be called perfectly the path of the fallen( because you fall a lot when you are walking down) We had a tourist guide , ( we weren’t allowed to take photos ).We walked through the cave , we saw the beautiful abyss where we learnt some curiosities about it , and we took some photos. At the beginning of the Pustý Žleb* (Desolate Canyon*), below the town of Sloup, the waters of the Sloupský Brook,, helped to form an extensive system of underground passages, domes and abysses, measuring approximately 6,500 meters, known as the Sloupsko-šošůvské jeskyně (Sloup-Šošůvka Caves). At 3,000 meters long the viewing circuit is the longest underground trail open to the public in the Czech Republic.
While the Sloupsko part features large domes and deep abysses, the Šošůvka caves section, on a somewhat smaller scale, is remarkable for its amazing fragile and colorful dripstone formations. One of the stalagmites, called „Svícen“ (Candle), has a lace-like collar an effect created by sinters . Part of the circuit includes the tunnel-like cave known as a Shed, which has been the subject of much archeological work
The Macocha Abyss It is a popular tourist attraction for foreign visitors to the region, in addition to cavers and advanced technical divers.
After that we went to a restaurant and we had typical Czech food, it was delicious.
SPA
presenting „Publishing options“
presenting „How to search effectively“, activity „Traveling through different countries“
teachers‘ meeting
11th November
activity „Moulding untouchable presentation tools and means“
The first activity of our last day in Czeckia was quite unexpected, but fun. All the students gathered in the art classroom in GUH, where we were given drawing sheets and instructions to draw our Facebook profile on them. To make things more sociable and interesting, everyone also had to pick five random exchange students and ask them about their favourite drink, czech food, school subject, etc. This was one of the most fun activities because of the creativity and social interraction that the students had to show.
SLO
St. Martin’s Day celebrations
On November 11th its celebrated Saint Martin’s Day, and as in Portugal, Czech Republic also celebrates this day. In UH they have a big ceremony and hundreds on people come to the city center to eat and drink some traditional cuisine and to the the tradicional Saint Martin’s Parade. After the celebratory parade, people go to wine stores and cellar houses to drink the new wine of the season. At this celebration we could see the performances of the students from the folklore group of the GUH that welcomed us on the first day.
farewell dinner, teachers‘ meeting
At the end of the whole meeting was organized farewell party in a very painted cottage which is called Slovacka buda. That building has historical and cultural significance for our region. The meeting was attended by all representatives of all participating schools and they all very enjoyed. All the entertainment was supported by the student folklore team from our school. Everything ended with smiles, hugs, shaking hands and tears.
CZE