A Czech-French Diary

When we landed in France, we were very surprised that the woman in the airport information center couldn´t speak English very well. It was a problem because we didn´t know the way to TGV station, but finally we found it.

When we came to Laval, the French group was waiting for us. We went out of TGV and we got three kisses on the cheeks for a welcome. French young people do that almost every time even if they meet five times a day.

French cuisine is very famous all over the world. There are many special foods, but people in Czech Republic aren´t used to raw meat.

French cities are very clean and trim with many historic houses. French young people are friendly. They sometimes arrive late. They are independent. They live mostly alone and they have their own car. I can´t compare French family customs to my own. I stayed with a boy that lived 50 km from Laval and I was there only one night.

France has many big parking places. When I went home with my host we had to go through 13 roundabouts.

 

A German-Swedish Diary

 

 

The European Comenius Programme arranges journeys to different countries twice a year. In march, 2007, it was the first time for me to take part.

 

 

The trip to Sweden was a great experience, because I was able learn so many things. I met people from Sweden, France, Turkey, the Czech Republic and Poland.

First, I was a little bit worried, if I was able understand everything and talk to them in English, but then I noticed, we all had about the same level. And if I didn´t know a word, the others helped me, because we were a community, a little family, with the same aim: to unite Europe.

 

 

To reach this aim, we were in a Swedish school and presented to each other our different countries and we made some trips, for example to the isle of Ven or to Denmark.

 

 

We were very independent, because we lived in a hostel with the Turkish und Polish people. The others lived in host-families and had the chance to get to know the normal Swedish life. Although we slept in different houses, we had contact to everyone.

 

 

All in all, I can recommend this project to everybody. You get to know new cultures, lives and people and never forget this time. If you have the chance to be part of this development to unite Europe and to be a member of this organization, I can only advise: Make use of it!

 

 

Katharina (17), Germany

 

A Czech-Swedish Diary

I stayed with a very friendly Swedish family. Everyday I ate with them at their family table. I thought that I would eat only fish and some things like this, but food in Sweden was similar to food in the Czech Republic.

The school where we worked on the project was very big, there were a lot of students. In the Czech Republic this is very different. Here we have a small school and fewer students.

When we went to the city – Landskrona, I saw that people put lamps in their windows. When I asked why people do this, they told me that it is romantic and lovely for Swedish people.

In Sweden everybody could speak English. It was good in shops, in streets and it was good everywhere, because there weren´t any problems speaking with people.

Very different were Swedish young people. In the Czech Republic it is normal that teenagers usually go with friends to a bar or to a disco, but it isn´t normal in Sweden. Young people are usually at home and watch TV. In Sweden it is prohibited for anyone under 21 to buy any alcohol.

 

 

A Polish-Swedish Diary

In April 2007 I took part in the meeting in Landskrona in Sweden. It was one of the long–awaited experiences in my life because I had never been to Sweden and Denmark. Most of the students and almost all the teachers who came to Sweden I had met during our previous meeting in Poland. I was able to communicate in German and a little in English. Most of the teachers and some students spoke German. The most interesting question for me was: what is the life in Sweden like? And the answer was surprising. It looked almost similar to life in Poland. Modest and gentle people, friendly relationships and beautiful views. During my first afternoon with my host family I was a little confused because they showed me a kitchen and a full fridge and side “help yourself”. Lack of hospitality? No. They wanted me to feel nice in the new place and they were a little busy. It was easy to get used to it for me and more practical than looking after the guest all the time as it is established in Poland.

Our project meetings were fruitful and I was admiring different ways of thinking and working among my mates from different countries. We had a great time visiting Hven Island, Landskrona and Copenhagen.

I obviously managed to take many splendid photographs – it’s my hobby. To sum up: five days in Landskrona in some ways is worth five months at school.

Lukasz

 

 

A Czech-Polish Diary

I was in Poland last year and I was very satisfied. I lived in a nice house with one girl. I think that Polish people are very friendly.

I met many many people and everyone was friendly. When Polish people meet someone, they shake hands. This isn´t usual in the Czech Republic.

Next thing which is different for me is their tea. I know only tea in a teabag. I think that Polish cuisine is not very different from the Czech, but it is delicious. They have faster and more chaotic traffic than we have. Our traffic is also chaotic, but not as fast as in Poland.

I liked everything in Poland. Bielsk Podlaski was very nice to me. Prices in the shops were the same as in the Czech republic. We have cheaper shops, but the difference is not big. Our people have a similar hobby, this hobby is allowed only if you are 18… It is beer.

And my last thought about Poland is:

 

 

Polish people are very nice and I like them!