Second project meeting

 

Croatia 15th – 19th February 2016

 

First day we had activities at our school OS Gornje Vrapce. All professors attended reception so they can know each other better. Our headmaster was there too.

After the reception the official part of the programme started. First our headmaster welcomed everyone. She pointed out importance of this project to all of us, especially to students. She thanked us and wished pleasant stay in Croatia to all our guests.

Our coordinator Ana Budojevic presented our project Europe through the lines of literature to  special guests, the mayor of Zagreb, Milan Bandic , his colleagues and many journalists interested in our project.

Our mayor, Milan Bandic recognized the importance of the project and he is very proud of our school, partner schools, students and teachers  participating in this project. He pointed out importance of reading and learning about the other countries.

First we presented our school, Zagreb and Croatia with video made by our students. Each country presented themselves with video or presentation. Poland team came to our school later because of their flight so they didn't present on the first day. Professors from Italy presented their work with students about Ivana's  tale Regoč. Their students read tale Regoč, first in English and then in Italian. They have learned some English words from tale like giant and fairy. They also made interesting game about Regoč. There are two columns with some facts from the story. If you connect them right you will turn up small light. Students from all countries tried to play that game.

In the evening professors were having dinner at SE-MI restaurant. They have tried traditional Croatian meals and wine. We had a chance to talk to each other about our schools, jobs, similarities and differences.

 

 

 

Second day we were in Ogulin, town where Ivana Brlic Mažuranic was born.  Ogulin was very inspiring for Ivana's tales like mountain Klek for Regoč. Our guide told us a legend about Đula, girl who throw herself in abyss after she heard that her boyfriend died in a war. You can see his face on the cliff over the river Dobra where Đula died. We saw the house where Ivana was born and the church where she was baptized. In Ogulin we drank water from magical well. The legend says if woman drinks water she will stay young forever. If man drinks water from well he will marry girl from Ogulin. After lunch that we had in restaurant Frankopan, we have visited Ivana's house of fairytales. We were divided in two groups. This house is made as a tribute to Ivana Brlic Mažuranic. Lights and sounds are changing this ordinary house into a magical forest. Interactive screens with games and riddles, puzzles on the walls and secret tunnels are just small part of this house. We saw animated movie about Ivana's childhood. Students were included in two workshops about Ivana's tales. In first workshop students were in two opposite teams and they needed to put together puzzles from Ivana's tale on the wall. In second workshop two teams were acting scenes from Stribor's Forest only using body movement and sounds. It was very interesting and fun for all of us.

 

 

 

Third day we went to the center of Zagreb. We took public transportation because we wanted for our guests to experience life in Zagreb. Our students were guides so on every location that we have visited they told us why this location is important. Our first stop was King Tomislav Square. He was first king in Croatia and he is very important for our history. We walked beside Art Pavilion and came to park Zrinjevac. There is a statue of Ivan Mažuranic, Ivana's grandfather who was ban in Croatia. Our next stop was the main square of Zagreb, Ban Josip Jelacic Square. We went through Zagreb's biggest open market, Dolac. Then we visited Zagrebs Cathedral. We took the bus to graveyard Mirogoj where Ivana  was buried. In return we visited Church of St. Mark, House of Croatian government where Ivana's husband and grandfather participated in politics. We saw the house in Jurjevska street where Ivana lived. Through the Stone Door, where people are praying, we came to tower Lotrscak. This tower is famous because every day, at noon you can hear the sound of cannon and people know what time it is. There is a legend that people from Zagreb saved themselves from Turks with only one cannon. After visiting all important places we had lunch, and free time to go shopping.

In the evening professors were having dinner in restaurant Mali raj. We talked about impressions they had about Zagreb, Ogulin and the project in general.

 

 

Fourth day we visited Slavonski Brod, town where Ivana lived after she got married. First we visited Museum of Brodsko Posavlje where we saw Ivana's herbarium. Local guide took us to river Sava, border between Europe and Bosnia and Herzegovina. We saw statue of Potjeh (Quest). Our guide took us to house where Ivana lived. The house is on the main square that has her name. There we had interactive play from tale Čudnovate zgode šegrta Hlapića (Lapitch the Little Shoemaker). Students could fix shoes like Hlapić did. There was also interactive play Kako je Potjeh tražio istinu (How Quest sought the Truth). After this play we took pictures, made interviews for local media and had lunch in the restaurant. Then our guide took us to Tvrđava where we saw how prison looked like long time ago, and we visited Museum of tambura (musical instrument). People from Tourist office of Slavonski Brod gave to all students a cup with picture taken in Slavonski Brod.

 

 

On the last day we had presentation of work on Ivana's Tales from long ago. In hall of our school was girl dressed like Ivana Brlic Mažuranic. She was writing and then Brownies from her story Stribor's Forest started dancing. She asked students few questions and we took pictures with her.  Presentation of our work started with Croatia. We presented our play Stribor's Forest. Spanish team worked on Ribar Palunko i njegova žena (Fisherman Plunk and his wife). They presented the story with pictures in power point presentation. German team worked on Sunce djever i Neva Nevičica (Bridesman Sun and Bride Bridekins). They made puppet play. Team from Cyprus presented research about numbers in Ivana's tales and they compared it with Greek mythology. Team from Poland first presented their school, city and country and then they showed us story about Ribar Palunko i njegova žena (Fisherman Plunk and his wife) made from pictures taken in their city.

At the end of program we thanked all participants and wished them good luck.