Spain - Zamora
Friday 16, Saturday 17, Sunday 18 May 2015
After a nice flight - except for a shaky landing - we arrived at Madrid Airport. We had to search for our bus but after a while we found him. We were happy with the airco in the bus, because it was very warm. 28 degrees!
At school we were very warmly welcomed by the Spanish students and their parents. After a drink and some words the students went to their new family's house.
At the end of the afternoon the teachers met several students in the parc near the cathedral and the fortress of the city.
On Sunday we did all kind of things. Some went to Portugal but others only visited grandparents of the family in the countryside. The teachers went to Valladolid. In this city our king Philip the second was born. But all of us could enjoy the very nice weather during this weekend!
Monday we all met at school at 8.30h. This is starting time on a regular school day in Spain. We will work untill 14h. and than it's siësta time. At the end of the day it's sporting time but it will be very warm than!
Monday 19 May 2015
Today we went to the north in Spain. It was a long ride with the bus. At first we visited the archeological site of Atapuerca. We learned a lot about the work of paleontologists and about the origin of human species.
It was a pity that it was so cold. The difference with yesterday: 20 degrees! It was windy as well and that made it very cold. Only Koen was not bothered by this while he was walking on slippers and laughing all the time!
In Burgos we visited the beautiful museum with the same subject: the human evolution.
It was a long but very interesting day. We arrived back in Zamora at 10 o'clock.
Tuesday 20 May 2015
At school we did a workshop with again the game Time warp. After that the photo-ralley through Zamora began. We started at the square of the cathedral. In little groups we puzzled our way through Zamora and we made pictures of the hotspots of the town. And there are many!
In the evening we had a party in a bar with the beautiful name El buen amor. We started at 18.30h and around 21h. the party was over. Than everyone went home for the meal.
It’s hard to get used to this different rhythm of having your meals at odd times for the Dutch students.
Wednesday 21 May 2015
This was a full day but according to many students the best day up till now. First we went to Urueno. In a very small Agricultural village we visited two museums. The most interesting was the ethnographic centre where we did a calligraphy workshop.
After that we went to Salamanca. A beaytiful city, visited by many tourists. We took a tourist train and after that we visited The cathedral and the tower. In between the students had time to shop and have lunch ( Mc Donalds..) and visit the amazing main square of this city.
We arrived at 21h at school with the bus.
Thursday 22 May 2015
This was the second day that we went out of school all day. First we went to Uruena where we visited a musical museum and an ethnographic centre where we did a workshop Calligraphy.
This was a very nice activity!
And after that the bus took us to Salamanca. There we had time to lunch and to buy souvenirs. After a visit of the tower and the cathedral we left this beautiful city. We arrived at school at 21h.
Friday 23 May 2015
In the morning we wrote reports about the week and we finished the workshop about our game.
We went to the theatre to prepare the cultural evening with the parents. Just when we were all seated to begin the fire alarm went off. And it didn’t stop. After a while a man came to take us out of the building. After half an hour everything was okay and we could really start with the rehearsals.
At 19h the evening in the theatre started. It was a real theater and the performances looked very professional. The parents were very enthusiastic. After some words about the project of the coordinators we went to school for the farewell party. And than at 10.30h our exchange programme was finished. Like in Holland the parents were thanked and they got a flower as well. Many tears dropped..
Saturday 24 May 2015
We left Zamora by bus at 9.30h. After the great farewell with many tears it was very quiet in the bus. The week was very nice but very exhausting!
Nevertheless, we had a lot of time in the afternoon before we had to be at he airport and therefore we took the chance to visit Madrid shortly. It was quite an adventure with 35 persons in the subway, But we managed to get a glimpse of this capital. The Bernabeu stadium was impressive and the city centre as well.
After a nice flight we arrived at Schiphol where the parents were waiting for us.
It was a great week!