Day 1, 30.1.2012 -Poland, where are you?

First rehearsals started, at the Lovisa Gymnasium... We had to start without the Polish, because they were meant to arrive today. The spanish students were rehearsing the most, and almost looked they had forgot their show :)

But they did great!!! We  Finnish weren't practising so much, 'cause the spanish students needed to get used to the new, strange stage :)

After the rehearsal, we went to our school to have lunch. The new experience, snow, slowed our journey very much. There was always somebody taking pictures, or playing in the snow or something like that.
And they were always walking down the road.. It felt like a hour of walking, though it was
only 10 or 15 minutes.

I though our schools food is bad, but the spanish
ate with a good appetite. Maybe they were only being polite, maybe tehy really liked the food... I don't know..

Our schedule said, that next there was going to be a sightseeing. But before that, we had 1 ½ hours free time. In Finland, that means a snow fight!!!!
Take a look (there's also pictures of the sightseeing)

At the same day, just a little bit later, we went to a local pizzeria with the Spanish students to pass the time before the Polish students were supposed to come. I don't know were the Spanish ones familiar with pizza, kebab and all the other stuff, but I think that they enjoyed they're meals (though I don't understand how somebody could eat a pizza with eggs. I just don't get it, it sounds terrible). Enjoyed so much, that we didn't find the time to pass... And suddenly i get a call that the Polish were at our school a little bit beforehand!! Thank god  we were already leaving the pizzeria. Some people ran to our school (like me) and some just walked chilly, with no hurry.

Meeting the Polish was so full of joy and happiness!!! Hugs, kisses and friendly saying filled our corridors :) Then we all left, waiting for the next day...

Finland Was Fantastic!!

Sorry, I've been lazy :) I haven't been writing this blog for a long time... but I'll hope you forsake me, I try my best for now on :D

The Spanish arrived 29.1.2012, near 17.00 , all the people were so happy, hugging each other, some almost crying... I were late a little bit, but it didn't matter :)

Day 3, 8.11.2011 - V.I.C.P. - Very important comenius person/people!

Today was the day we (V.I.P.C) went to the Valencia cityhall. I think we were supposed to have rehearsals before that, but we left the school straight to the center of Valencia. Rumors were told, that we would be in local TV during our meeting with the city council. When we arrived, no tv-cameras could be seen. Instead, we got a real PAPARAZZI! :D We sat there listening the president of city council talk in spanish, a man next to her translating it in english.

After the speech, the president gave presents to the teachers, Big book about the history of Valencia (I dont know about how heavy it is to read, but atleast it's really heavy to carry! :D) We also gave them a book about Loviisa!

After all the giftgiving, was ofcourse time to take photos. So the paparazzi woman jumped in front of us and put us in nice rows and started taking photos. Eventually, her camera died (maybe the comenius group was just too hot to handle! :D) and she had to borrow Gonzalos one. Anyways, she got some good pictures, and here is one of them!

After all the photos were taken, we went to see a museum which lies inside the city hall.

First room we entered was called "the crystal room" because of two huge crystal lamps hanging from the ceiling. They weight 300kg each and I must say, the room was gorgeous, not just the lamps but the paintings and decorations in it!!

After the crystal room, we went to the actual museum, and got a spanish guide to tell us about the monuments and relics. It was actually quite interresting in my opinion, especially the fact that BAT is evolution of a Dragon! Some people thought the tour was bit too long, but after it was over, no one seemed too dead :) that was good, because it was AGAIN time for a group photo! V.I.C.P. - gather up again!

After city hall, we went back to school to have rehearsals again. It was time to practise our values, for Finland it ment race discrimination and democracy, I was one of the "dislikers/racists" in race discrimination along with Emmi and Kasii. Robin did the rap part, and Juho danced some amazing breakdance!

Democracy part went great too, and they really liked the song and the dance! Phew!
After hard practicing we ended the schoolday, and went to hang around with friends, you know, shopping, eating, talking, laughing, in general, having FUN! (thats what we are the BEST at!!)

With love,

Johanna :)

Very important Comenius person - V.I.C.P.

(oh yea, and because I know all of you understand Spanish, here's the link to the local magazine we got into! http://www.valencia.es/valencia/noticias/NOTICIA_021589?lang=1&seccion=5&temId=5&nivel=5_2_5 )

Day 2, 7.11.2011 – Learning the ropes!

Today is the day. We will finally start practicing the musical. We go to school for rehearsals, and start with starting percussion, which will start the whole musical. At the same time, the other students are playing the percusion, 4 from each country are dancing a great begining coreography made by the spanish people! Me gusta ;)
At first, I had some problems with the percussion and got frustrated… In the end tho, everything went well and the beat I have is actually really nice and easy, Im playing together with Pilar, my host-sister as you know. All I need to do now is try to smile and be happier. :D feels hard when I really concentrate to something, but it will be fine :) I also met my first Comenius friend Ada, and I was so happy I started crying :D Its weird, but it was amazing moment!
Then, we had tour in the old part of Valenca (they actually pronounce it ”valenthia” btw) and I took so many photos, that my camera was almost on fire!! :D Its so beautiful in Valencia! Here, I will show you some pictures:








Later we ate in the McDonald’s with Pilar and her friends
and continued our journey to underground and back to this part of Valencia we are in. Everyone was more or less tired.
Later we went to the shopping center ”Arena” with a big group of people, I bought many pieces of jewelry and headbands, oh there was everything SO nice…. We go there alot, It’s the place in here where all the young people hang out, I REALLY wish we had one in Loviisa… :/ I have propably never had this much fun during one day in my life! Everyone is so so nice and fun :)
Finally: Home, dinner, shower and to bed. The day was a success, more of days like this, POR FAVOR!
Hyvää yötä, Good night!
With love,

Johanna

Aurinko paistaa! Sun shines

Today we had the official meeting at the City Hall. Muodollisessa tilaisuudessa valtuuston (city council, valtuutettujen maara suhteessa kaupungin vakilukuun kuten meillakin ja istunnot julkisia)salissa (varsin mahtava, kuten koko rakennus) ojennettiin kirjalahjat ja otettiin virallisia kuvia. Kiersimme myos englanninkielisen oppaan johdolla kaupungintalon pienen museon ja kuulimme melko plajayksen Valencian ja Espanjan Peninsulan historiaa, vahan pitka kierros niin isolle porukalle, mutta historian opettajana ei voi valittaa:D. Tarkein asia, joka jai mieleen: lepakko on kehittynyt lohikaarmeesta! Olinpa tyhma, kun en sita aikaisemmin ollut tajunnut.
Ja sitten taas harjoittelemaan... lounaan jalkeen on koko homman lapimeno. Opiskelijat seurustelevat sujuvasti englannilla erilaisissa kokoonpanoissa...ja Anjan kanssa mielenkiinnolla ja uteliaina seuraamme

Ensimmainen paiva Valenciassa/Our first day in Valencia

Aamulla satoi ja oli harmaata, melkein yhta kylmaa kuin Suomessa, vahan pettymys. The weather was grey and rainy and allmost as cold as it was in Finland. Where is the sun!?!
Opiskelijat vaikuttivat tyytyvaisilta isantaperheisiinsa ja opettajana tietenkin olimme tosi tyytyvaisia. Our student were very satisfied for their host families and we teachers were relief of course.
At the school we met Polish students and teachers and our rehearsals begun. We also heard that "Here we are" composed by Anja is very popular here at the school!
Harjoitusten ja lounastunnin jalkeen aurinkokin oli tullut jo esiin. Hyppasimme metroon ja ajaa hurautimme kaupungin vanhaan keskustaan. Siella Txeman johdolla teimme rivakan kiertokavelyn ja naimme paljon keskiaikaista ja vahan uudempaakin Valenciaa.  Opettajien ryystaessa kahvia opiskelijat ehtivat tehda jo ensimmaiset tuliaisostoksensa.

Johanna jatkanee opiskelijoiden kokemuksilla ja tuntemuksilla....

First day of our comenius trip to Valencia, Spain (6.11.2011)

After saying Goodbye to parents, it was 05:08 when we left Loviisa with minibus, Helsinki-Vantaa airport as our first destination. Everyone was tired, but too excited to let it affect them. Talking was filled with laughter and eager guesses about near future. We practised some spanish sentences and took photoes of eachother and sooner than we realised we arrived to the airport. we finally got through all the security ans boarding checks, and quick taxfree -shopping we were allowed to enter the plane. In plane, we were served breakfast containing tea and sandwich with additional lemonade of our choice.

After many hours of flying, we finally landed to Paris airport, very aware of the 6 hours we would be spending there, just to find out that the airport wasn't really as glorious shoppingcenter we had imagined (yeah, like my suitcase could hold any more stuff!) Still, somehow, we managed to buy some souveniers and snacks for us and camp in a row of seats to chat and joke around.We read some of the magazines we bought earlier and Robin…
Well, you can look yourselves!:

After long waiting we decided to have food in a airport cafe with Anja, Riitta and Janina (Later Ville joined us too!) Then, FINALLY it was time to check in for the flight to Valencia!

In Valencia, everyone was feeling more or less utopistic. It didn’t feel real, that we really were in Spain! And the memory of the early morning felt really really distant. After taking our suitcases we met the spanish host students and teachers. My host-sister (thanks Juho for the sister/brother idea!) is Pilar Martinéz, she is very nice and fun and her family is lovely, even though the parents dont speak english. I have own room, which is actually Pilar’s, but she was so kind, that she decided to sleep with her sister, thank you so much! After giving some presents from Finland to the family, we ate dinner while chatting. I got to answer alot of questions about Finland!

Then finally, after being awake for 23 hours straight (not to mention the little sleep I got the night before!) I finally fell asleep, feeling like I was still in the plane, flying above the clouds.

With love, from Spain,

Johanna ♥