Polish team on the historical track in Latvia

We liked our visit to the “Mazsalacas” national park and a full-day trip to the capital of Latvia – Riga, where we listened  to the incredible  facts from the history of this city and visited the National Library of Latvia.
An important point of our trip was to learn about history – the UNESCO “Baltic Way” independence campaign from 1989. It was a mass protest of around 2 million inhabitants of the three Baltic republics of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, that were part of the SSRR, against the political situation at the time.
The rich culture of Latvia has made a special impression on us: traditional folk songs and dances, which have been cultivated from the youngest generations. We liked Lithuanian specialties: dumplings, birch juice or kvass.
We learnt from the Latvians how to be proud of their folk traditions!

We felt a strong bond with our neigbours on the East border. It was wonderful to meet another Slavic nation and find out that we have a lot in common!

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Folklore and History in Latvia (Team Hungary)

Riga, with the National Library of Latvia in the background

We had many amazing experiences in Latvia. After the flight we headed towards the north, almost to the Estonian border because our partner school is located in Naukšēni. During the lengthy bus ride we looked at the beautiful forests of the countryside and realized that Latvians are closer to nature than us. The whole time we spent in Latvia we experienced an amazing enthusiasm regarding music, dance and singing. The famous Cabinet of Folksongs, inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World list in 2001, is not only some distant object from the past, placed in the National Library in Riga. Latvians love singing and dancing and it is part of the school culture as well. Most of the students sing, dance or play a musical instrument.

A presentation by Latvian students

History is also alive in Latvia as we experienced on the Estonian border when we visited the monument dedicated to Baltijas ceļš, or the Baltic Way, also known as the Chain of Freedom. In 1989 millions of people held hands spanning hundreds of kilometres through the three Baltic countries, demonstrating their love of freedom and independence. We could stand in the monument and understand more about the peoples of the Baltic.

At the Baltic Way monument

We also visited Riga, the capital, and took part in a guided tour of the city’s beautiful buildings. On our way back we stopped at a beach of the Baltic Sea – a must for landlocked Hungarians.

Folk dancers and the Hungarian guests

Students took pictures and created videos of their experiences using Photostory3.

Singing and dancing in colorful Latvia

The glorious summer days in Nakuseni will stay in our minds for a long time. It was a pleasure to visit this beautiful country and learn about the culture and history of Latvia. One of the highlights was to learn to sing a folklore and dance a people dance and to take part in a show at the final night. 

Our students were really satisfied and happy. They enjoyed making new friends, learn about Latvia and to see the beautiful nature that is so different from home. Thank you Latvia, thank you Naukuseni, Daina and all the great Latvian team!

Impressions of the Latvian exchange by the Spanish team

Wonderful, amazing and great days in our host country Latvia!

Spanish students in Riga

We wouldn’t  know how to express all our thankfulness to Latvian students, teachers and parents who welcomed us for three days, offering us the best of themshelves and their valuable heritage: incredible large forests surrounding us everywhere, lakes and nice river trips… and green, green, green places everywhere… their lovely and catchy songs and dances (everybody can dance and sing beautifully, even we were able to perform at an endearing school concert, singing and dancing traditional songs. We had learned to read the loooooooooong Latvian vowels before_ )…and green, green, green everywhere… delicious tasting of handmade food (some of it only cooked at the Summer solstice)…. and green, green, green, everywhere…. the beautiful old Riga, the awesome National Library with its eleven floors and the Cabinet of Folksongs (UNESCO World Memory), the unexpectedly quiet and bright Baltic sea, and our favourite place, the Baltic Way, the monument on the Latvian- Estonian border, a remembrance place of a peaceful political demonstration on 23 August 1989 when two million people joined their hands across the three Baltic states, demonstrating a popular desire to be free from the Soviet rules…. and everywhere green, green, green…

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 …and thank you for these blissful unforgettable days. Thanks very much to Daina, Aiga, Inga and rest of the teachers involved in the organisation of this program, you have done a great job. Congratulations!!! We hope we meet you again.

Italian impressions about Latvia

The mobility in Latvia was another opportunity to strengthen the relations between partner schools of national prides in a European context.

During all the interesting activities carried out, the students had the opportunity to go back in time and relive history by visiting the places that were the backdrop for particular moments of Latvian history and its independence from the Soviet Union.

It was a brilliant idea the preparation of the international choir of students and teachers who, singing together, well understood the importance of music for the Latvian culture and verified the added value of cooperation between equals.

Sicilian impressions by Polish participants

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This trip gave us a lot: loads of joy, new acquaintances and a taste of Sicilian culture. We were fascinated by Sicilian dishes and heritage.
Everything was amazing but we loved the most the families with whom we lived.  There were also a lot of wonderful people we have made friends with. We’ve always dreamed about travelling so we are glad that thanks to this project our dream has come true. We had a Chance to visit the beautiful cities of Palermo, Cefalù and Monreale, as well as fly by plane 😁.  It was a great time. Everything we saw there will  remain in our memories forever.
Thank you for this opportunity.  Polish team: Svetlana, Hanna, Maja, Dominika and Gabriela

Eventful days in Sicily (by Icelanders)

The Icelandic team had some eventful days in Sicily in April. The students had an experience of a life time. Spending time with families and getting to know new habits is something a normal tourist never or seldom experience. And then it was the food. What is real Italian food? We tend to think of Italian food as being just pizza and pasta. In this mobility we really got to eat authentic Italian food.

 It is not the same to take a vacation to Southern Europe and participating in Erasmus+ project. Or eating in Italian restaurants in Iceland. We know so little when we think we know everything.

Having these thoughts in mind it is a privilege to take part in Erasmus+ project like this. Grow and become a richer and more experienced citizen.