Teacher impressions - Portugal

             I would like to thank you for the time we spent together during the working programme in Portugal. All days were full of activities, one more interesting than another. You mixed very interesting the scientific activities like laboratory activities with the teamwork of students or artistic activities on the boat, theatre show, Brazilian dance.
About Porto….What a lovely day we spent together there.
Anabela, you are a perfect team leader who accomplish all you put in your mind. Congratulations to all your collegues from this project “ Biodiversity of rivers” because you succeded to create unforgettable memories. I hope to meet you again.
                                                                                                                                                Dana Bodean

    Looking back on those few days spent in Portugal, I can't say what I liked more. Because everything was wonderful. There were many new things to see, to live, to learn, to admire. So much harmony in everything, balance, the activities were well chosen and perfectly placed in the program, so that every day was full of originality.
We had the opportunity to discover the world almost invisible from the depths of rivers in a beautiful lesson held in the biology laboratory but also to discover a new corner of Europe with a fascinating history and culture, generous in castles, cathedrals, museums. Visiting Porto or Gyumaraes cities, towns of a special beauty, the cruise on the Douro River, visiting the imposing castle Lanhoso are now memories for life.
It was a really joy for me to discover the beauty of Portugal through the the traditional Portuguese music. The "Canto Daqui" Group offered us a great show and such a nice music went right to my heart.
I think this meeting revealed the force and benefits of the "teamwork".
Whether it's about students and their work in international teams … they were able to know each other better, to be more open to each other, to overcome prejudices.
Whether it is about the portuguese team, and should I say… what a TEAM ! ... multi-talented, dedicated, professional in all respects, one heartbeat… With a wonderful “conductor”, Anabela, always cheerful and full of surprises. You made everything to be magical and for this .... many thanks.
                                                                                                                         Laura Filimon,

Back in Santiago de Compostela, when I remenber the wonderful days of V meeting our project team Portugal has given us, I see many moments of pleasant living and a great work of the entire team of Portuguese students and teachers.
On the first each team wrote news on environmental issues in newspaper format. also we enjoyed practices on macrofauna in the laboratory after an excellent lecture on the subject.

The second day will remain in our memory cause the tour of Póvoa de Lanhoso Castle and the beautiful Albufeira Andorinhas area, but especially by the wonderful reception that children of the group of schools Poboa of Lanhoso gave us. In this school the educational community pleasantly surprised with a ornated center focussed on environmental subjets and using very different and ingenious recycling materials. In the evening the musical that preceded the presentation of certificates enveloped us in the sweet and charming traditional Portuguese music of the musical group Canto D`Aqui. This group gave us a delicious dinner musical desktop in the farewall dinner.
At night we could enjoy the monumentality and history of the Guimaraes city.
On the third day we could enjoy the grandeur of the Porto city, especially the boat cruise on the Douro river and the intimate atmosphere of its famous wineries where we could taste a wine of the world's best.
In my view, the Spanish students were integrated perfectly all time with their Portuguese colleagues and their families, having a friendly atmosphere among all participating teams. In summary, we will always remember the enormous work done by the Portuguese team, but even more the affection and friendship we experienced with them. Our hearts remain in Portugal.

Pablo Gómez Segade, Biology and English teacher coordinator

     Once upon a time there was a country, where the world’s huge seas ended. That country was a country, where North and South was much more bigger than the East and West. The North of the country was more warm, more vivid, more colorful than the South. Huge big fishes of the huge seas adorned the tables. The meal was accompanied by desserts, sweeter than honey, drinks in the temperature of blood. People were kneaded with the dough of friendship. God, has gifted a friendship glitter and the love shines on the people which were very rare in the world. The people of this country worked in peace and friendship life-long. The people renewed and beautified their country. There was also rivers of each city in this country. Vitality and hope was flowing from the river, instead of water. And the people of this country were thankful to God for the gifts, remembered the beauties given by God, while they were drinking the water and eating the fishes which were provided by that river.
At the beginning of our journey, we didn’t have any impressions about Portugal. We only had some hearsays. One March day we took a step into Portugal, we were accompanied by a delicious Fado in the Duomo river which runs through the heart of Porto and Galia; and while we were reading the life of the Alfama streets the first residential place of Lisbon and greeting the gate of the country, behind the homes that was like the tale city in Guimerans, our minds which were like blank boards filled with enthusiasm. This priceless enthusiasm certainly came from the people of Portugal. We were not in the ocean coastline, we were like in our neighbor’s home. Despite being a new culture for us, we did not even realize how quickly we became accustomed to their beautiful spirits.
And we found ourselves saying “ Here is our Porto ! “ We greatly enjoyed the people and the culture of Portugal, while listening to the story of this ocean country . We want to add one more “superlative” to the country that has the world’s most inspiring bookstores, most beautiful toilets , most unique Mc.Donalds , in the words of our Portuguese friends:
The world's most cordially, welcoming country…
Many thanks for everything, Portugal…
We wish to continue the sharings evermore…

                                                                                                                                        Turkish Team
                                                                              FMV Erenköy I??�?k High School / Science High School

Impressions from Anna Maria Themistokleous