Goodbye!
The Austrian people leave tomorrow. Although we're going meet in April, we feel so sad. We don't want them to go!
Today we did some especial things in the school to say goodbye. Some pupils performed a great theatre about Mozart's life, the Austrian students did a presentation about their country, and 4th of ESO danced a very funny dance which mixed the two cultures. And, of course, we had to show what we had been doing in the topics. We also read a speech and some people cried at the end.
Thanks to everyone, and SEE YOU SOON IN AUSTRIA!
Today we did some especial things in the school to say goodbye. Some pupils performed a great theatre about Mozart's life, the Austrian students did a presentation about their country, and 4th of ESO danced a very funny dance which mixed the two cultures. And, of course, we had to show what we had been doing in the topics. We also read a speech and some people cried at the end.
Thanks to everyone, and SEE YOU SOON IN AUSTRIA!
Dear students,
Two weeks ago I asked you what you hoped to get out of our Comenius project.
I have summed up your answers:
I want to
get to know their points of view
make friends with people from a different culture
learn more English and practise my vocabulary
see lots of sights in Madrid
improve my Spanish
get to know new people
show the Austrian students our way of life, typical food,
make a newspaper about our experience
practise speaking English
learn to adept to new situations
become a better person offering all that I have
try to understand German
spend a lot of time with my Comenius partner
find out how Spanish people live
teach some Spanish to my Austrian student
learn more about Spain
I hope
to learn a lot of new things
to improve my English and Spanish
to learn as much English as possible
that the Austrians will enjoy their stay here
to work together
to get to know the Spanish culture
to play volleyball
to see interesting things
to party
to have fun
to go to a typical Spanish restaurant
that we will stay in contact after the project has finished
that I will meet a lot of new people
the Spanish students will like Austria
to give a good presentation
I can use what I learn in the project for my final exam
I will learn more about Austria
we will meet again after the project is finished
the Spanish people will enjoy their trip to Austria
I have enjoyed working with all of you. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. Working with you and your teachers has broadened my horizon and has given me an idea of what it means to be a European.
I would really like to know which of the above hopes have been fulfilled/not been fulfilled; how you feel about the cultural differences you have encountered; what hopes you have for the second part of the exchange. Please use this blog to stay in contact with me and with each other. Yours sincerely, Elisabeth Neudorfer
I have summed up your answers:
I want to
get to know their points of view
make friends with people from a different culture
learn more English and practise my vocabulary
see lots of sights in Madrid
improve my Spanish
get to know new people
show the Austrian students our way of life, typical food,
make a newspaper about our experience
practise speaking English
learn to adept to new situations
become a better person offering all that I have
try to understand German
spend a lot of time with my Comenius partner
find out how Spanish people live
teach some Spanish to my Austrian student
learn more about Spain
I hope
to learn a lot of new things
to improve my English and Spanish
to learn as much English as possible
that the Austrians will enjoy their stay here
to work together
to get to know the Spanish culture
to play volleyball
to see interesting things
to party
to have fun
to go to a typical Spanish restaurant
that we will stay in contact after the project has finished
that I will meet a lot of new people
the Spanish students will like Austria
to give a good presentation
I can use what I learn in the project for my final exam
I will learn more about Austria
we will meet again after the project is finished
the Spanish people will enjoy their trip to Austria
I have enjoyed working with all of you. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. Working with you and your teachers has broadened my horizon and has given me an idea of what it means to be a European.
I would really like to know which of the above hopes have been fulfilled/not been fulfilled; how you feel about the cultural differences you have encountered; what hopes you have for the second part of the exchange. Please use this blog to stay in contact with me and with each other. Yours sincerely, Elisabeth Neudorfer
El Prado
El Prado in
Family life is great...
here are some of the most striking impressions that Austrian students had at home:
- I am looking forward to cooking with my family tonight. It is very interesting to see how they prepare their food, because there are some differences to Austria and new things I can learn.
- I like the fact that the people spend a lot of time with me: playing cards, talking about the day during the dinner and especially the sobremesa
- My family helps me a lot with learning the Spanish language. Sometimes I can't understand a sentence and they explain it to me in detail - so my Spanish is improving a lot!
- The first sentence they said was 'Mi casa es su casa'. That means that I am not only a guest but a family member who can use everything in the house and really feel at home. My life there is very comfortable!
- When I arrived my host mother kissed me like my mother never does. The truth is that I liked it and I will tell my mum to hug me more often.
- My host parents are very helpful, caring and open-hearted. They ask about my well-being a lot, so that I always feel sound and safe.
- My family shows me around a lot and introduces me to their way of life as much as possible. I even went to church with them which is a crucial part of their culture.
- In my house I am free to do whatever I want. My family lets me participate in day-to-day life and they even share their cooking secrets with me! I will cook Spanish dishes in Austria for sure!
- I feel connected to the Spanish culture because of my family and the fact that they talk to me a lot. When there is something special or new, my family explains it to me in detail - so it's easy to really feel at home!
Thursday
Today we went to Madrid, we visited ''El museo del Prado'', it was good.
Then, we went to ''El Madrid de los Austrias'', I liked it very much.
We visited ''The Mayor Square''(La plaza Mayor). I think that it was very exciting.
Now I'm going to play tennis.
Bye-bye, carlos
Then, we went to ''El Madrid de los Austrias'', I liked it very much.
We visited ''The Mayor Square''(La plaza Mayor). I think that it was very exciting.
Now I'm going to play tennis.
Bye-bye, carlos
More personal impressions from the Spanish side...
First day: Austrian people arrive! All of us (spanish people) were so nervous because of this event! We thought that it would be an unforgettable experience... and it is! At first Austrian people seemed a little bit shy, but that wasn't a problem. On Tuesday: It was Marlene's birthday! And we (my sister, my parents and me) decided to give her some presents. My parents gave her a leather case with pens. Me and my sister bought a frame where we put a photo of ours and a set of candles . Then all the Spanish people gave her a cap, a scarf, a clock, a bracelet and an elephant felt. I think that she liked all the presents a lot! Well, I hope so. 
All this week we were getting in contact with them and finding out some of their customs. I think that their customs are a very important thing for them because they can't put them out, I mean, I think that it's difficult for them to adapt. On Friday, we went to Alcala, just to show them some places and to have a walk there... we went to McDonal's... 
On Saturday I organised a party at home because I wanted all the Austrian people to have fun! At the beginning I was thinking about a normal party, but then I realized that it was carnival! And I decided to prepare a carnival party =). In this week we are relating more each other and I think everything is going better. I hope that all our guests will have a great time in Toledo and then here, in Madrid, because on Friday and on Saturday we are going out.
All this week we were getting in contact with them and finding out some of their customs. I think that their customs are a very important thing for them because they can't put them out, I mean, I think that it's difficult for them to adapt. On Friday, we went to Alcala, just to show them some places and to have a walk there... we went to McDonal's... 
On Saturday I organised a party at home because I wanted all the Austrian people to have fun! At the beginning I was thinking about a normal party, but then I realized that it was carnival! And I decided to prepare a carnival party =). In this week we are relating more each other and I think everything is going better. I hope that all our guests will have a great time in Toledo and then here, in Madrid, because on Friday and on Saturday we are going out.
Hello to everyone!
Today is Wednesday, 17th. I'm very happy about this exchange. We (Spanish people) understand Austrian traditions much better now. The students came here one week ago, and now we are like brothers and sisters.
Tomorrow we are going to go to Madrid. Although they went there already last Friday, I would like to show them the capital of my country myself, as I hope they will do in Austria.
(unknown Spanish student)
Tomorrow we are going to go to Madrid. Although they went there already last Friday, I would like to show them the capital of my country myself, as I hope they will do in Austria.
(unknown Spanish student)
Topics on Wednesday
After clarifying organisational questions for Thursday (Visit to Madrid, Prado Museum), all 24 students of the exchange program created two individual maps of Spain: The Spanish students made up a jigsaw with information about their country that they consider very important, while the Austrian students made up a jigsaw with things they have learnd in the last 10 days, their image of Spain according to their impressions so far.
Snow in Educrea
Yesterday the whole school went crazy, because it snowed. Some students got picked up by their parents because they were afraid that they would not be able to get home if it snowed more. Most Spanish people do not have winter equipment for their cars and because of that, there is a traffic chaos when it snows.
Estas to flipo?
(Agnes, Klemens, Christina)
In the Spanish lesson some students of our age taught us some teenage language. Here are a few examples:
Te voy a dar una leche.Estas to flipo?
(Agnes, Klemens, Christina)
The most famous son of Alcalá
Among the other things we saw in the historic centre of the city were the birth house of Miguel Cervantes. His book „Don Quijote de la Mancha“ is the 2nd most translated book the world, after the wholy bible. His birith house - now a museum - is located in the Calle Mayor, the commercial street of Alcalá.
Cultural differences according to a Austrian student
Things that we consider a bit weird, because they don't happen in Austria:
Spanish people usually do not take off their shoes, not even in the house
tend to leave the doors open
fry everything
the driving style is “loco”,
never heard of pavement, stop signs, etc.
a lot of people watch TV as a background noise
there are a lot of bathrooms
church is important and sometimes controversial
tend to leave the doors open
fry everything
the driving style is “loco”,
never heard of pavement, stop signs, etc.
a lot of people watch TV as a background noise
there are a lot of bathrooms
church is important and sometimes controversial
Guernica - big, excellent, interesting, and exciting
On Friday we went to Madrid to see the famous painting “Guernica” by Pablo Picasso. For all the students it was very interesting and exciting to see the painting. Some girls said that it gave them goosebumps. For me it was very interesting to see the original and I liked it very much. I enjoyed discussing the picture and we got a lot of information from each other. (unknown)
For more information see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7986540.stm#featuretop
For more information see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7986540.stm#featuretop
The museum Reina Sofía...
is dedicated to Queen Sofia of Spain. In the past this building was a hospital and the new part is very impressive and modern.
The world-famous painting “Guernica” by Pablo Picasso is shown there.
Many of us said that this picture gave them the creeps. We were lucky to have studied the main symbols before we went to the museum.
For me the mother with the dead child in her arms is the most emotional element in this painting.
(Klemens Hofer)
The world-famous painting “Guernica” by Pablo Picasso is shown there.
Many of us said that this picture gave them the creeps. We were lucky to have studied the main symbols before we went to the museum.
For me the mother with the dead child in her arms is the most emotional element in this painting.
(Klemens Hofer)
Getting started...
Together with a Spanish teacher the Austrian students took an early-morning walk in order to get to know the village of Villalbilla. It is a new housing area with many young families only a 40min. drive away from Madrid where most of the people work. You can imagine the commuting traffic that bothers the inhabitants every day. The class was also invited to the town hall and met the mayor who gave everyone a very warm welcome.
Agnes Zotter's first day
We are overwhelmed by all the new impressions. Here are just a few impressions from our first days:
The Spanish guys are very active students and outgoing.
Many Spanish people like fish. They have their main meal in the evening, what many of us are not used to.
The Spanish guys are very active students and outgoing.
Many Spanish people like fish. They have their main meal in the evening, what many of us are not used to.
When you are introduced to somebody, they kiss you.
From the school which is on a hill we have view as far as Madrid.
From the school which is on a hill we have view as far as Madrid.
The aim of this blog should be...
sharing impressions as well as keeping records of the exchange program for you, your family and friends. Therefore I encourage the German students to write a few sentences about their first day in Spain (in English of course). Anything that you found striking, funny or noteworthy? Any stereotypes coming true?
Send me an email and connect your friends and family with this blog in order to keep them up-to-date.
A very warm welcome ...
to the Austrian students who have just arrived in Villalbilla/Alcalá de Henares. We hope your first impressions were nice and that you had a pleasant journey!
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