The meeting in Klaipeda, Lithuania

 

Naturally, our trip to Lithuania began with the lessons. We had fostered so many prejudices, starting with the colour of the hair and up to personality traits or cultural stereotypes, that a 3-day destruction of all those was absolutely necessary.

 

The Begininning and the talking

We had our presentations, when every group showed what they thought to be the best assets of their country. We got to know what they are proud of, what they want us to know and respect, what they find representative. There were shows and there were posters, there were various reactions.

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The travelling and the informal talking

Then came the sightseeing. We visited the town of Klaipeda, we learnt about symbols that lie scattered around the streets, without tourists noticing them (seriously: one of their local celebrities is a copper mouse that can fulfil your wishes; its size is ... the size of a mouse). Almost a whole day was dedicated to exploring Neringa, a natural reservation that combines geographical features (the forests, the Baltic Sea) with cultural elements (the path that tourists take is lined with wooden sculptures that represent the most famous mythological creatures of Lithuanian folklore). We got to see the Curonian Spit, where great dunes of sand represent the border between Lithuania and Russia. And also the Sea Museum or the Dolphinarium, where a 10 dolphin-show amazed us.

During these trips, not only did we encounter the natural environment of the country, but we also experienced its weather and got to know the other members of the project. It all prepared us for what was next.

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The Workshops

This information became the prime material we used during workshops. Several plays were performed, a radio programme was created, the magazine was written: all with the help of our fresh impression of the places and people, being guided by teachers and Lithuanian students alike and using the photographs we had taken.

 

A learning experience, indeed. But also discovering the fun, great sense of humour and help that our Lithuanian friends were eager to offer. Thank you all for the kindness, enthusiasm and hard work! Long live the Erasmus project.