“The Wonderful Green World”
Erasmus + Learning, Teaching Training Activity
hosted by Súkromná stredná odborná skola
in Giraltovce, Slovakia
11th – 16th June 2023
As part of the Erasmus+ project “The Wonderful Green World” 6 students and 2 teachers from the 2^ International class travelled to Giraltovce in Slovakia for a 6 day trip. There they met the Spanish and Polish groups from partner schools and were hosted by the Slovakia students and teachers from the Súkromná stredná odborná skola in Giraltovce. As each school is situated in a biologically unique area the aim of the project was to make our pupils aware of the common and specific problems of preserving the environment within their biome. The working language of the project was English and it has given students an invaluable opportunity to improve their linguistic skills.
On the first day the group went hiking in the Poloniny National park, a UNESCO natural heritage site. They were accompanied by a nature guide who described the flora and fauna of the forest and explained the reasons for its protection. This was followed by a visit to a hemp farm to learn of its uses and of its potential for sustainable living. The day concluded with star gazing at Kolonica Observatory.
The next morning we visited Starà Lubovna castle which included a falconry exhibition followed by a team building activity in a plant maze and finally, a visit to Nestville to learn about distillation.
The final day was spent in Giraltovce where the students were given a tour of the Slovakian school. They learned about the Slovakian education system. In the afternoon they took part in a plant identification and tree measuring workshop.
The following day we started the day with strawberry picking in international teams followed by a boat cruise on Domasa dam to learn about the reservoir’s rich flora and fauna. A traditional Slovakian lunch was prepared for us by a local herbalist. After lunch students took part in a herbal workshop where they learned about local plants and trees and local remedies. To conclude the day the students worked in international teams in the Slovakian school kitchen to make strawberry jam and cake.
On the last day the group departed early for Budapest where they then spent the day sightseeing before catching a late flight back to Milan Malpensa.