Italy, 14-18.11.2022

-On Saturday 12th November the group from Poland arrived to Naples. After a short rest in the hotel, we took a walk to the Port of Granatello in Portici. We strolled on the dock and took some pictures at sunset. Finally we had dinner together.

-On Sunday 13th November, awaiting for the arrival of the group from Greece, we went to visit the famous city of Sorrento by the Circumvesuviana train. Sorrento is a coastal town facing the Bay of Naples. Built on the cliff that separates it from its delightful marina, Sorrento is famous for its sea view and for the historic center, which is a maze of very picturesque streets, where we walked along the beautiful surroundings and where we enjoyed shopping as well as we tasted the typical specialties of the area, such as the gnocchi alla sorrentina, the sweet delizia al limone (lemon delight), the limoncello liqueur and the artisan ice cream.

-On Monday 14th November, at 9.30, a welcome ceremony of the Erasmus+ delegations, took place at Lower Secondary School “Monti” in the presence of the most relevant city and regional political authorities: The Councilor for Education of the Campania Region, the Councilor for Education of the Municipality of Naples, the President of the VI Municipality of the City of Naples, the Erasmus+ / eTwinning Institutional Referent of the Regional Scholastic Office of Campania, the Director of the National Railway Museum of Pietrarsa.

Then, students from Lower Secondary School welcomed Erasmus teachers and students with both trendy music and traditional dances, while pupils from Primary School introduced the genius of Leonardo, talking about his inventions and his works, singing a song about his life and finally giving models of parachutes (handmade by them) to the peers from the host countries.

Besides, coffee and refreshments were offered to all the host European members, Erasmus teachers and students. To boys and girls of the partnership was also given a booklet containing games of skill, crossword puzzles and information on Leonardo, his life, works and inventions.

Breaktime was followed by four different workshops, developed for the Erasmus students in mixed groups with italian students: 1. Creative art workshop on the Mona Lisa 2. Embossing workshop on copper foil to reproduce The Vitruvian Man 3. Science laboratory and experiments 4. Body percussion activity.

After that, we had lunch at a restaurant with typical Neapolitan homemade dishes.

Once lunch finished, we went to visit the National Railway Museum of Pietrarsa, led by an English-speaking guide, and we participated in a suggestive virtual journey, with augmented reality, by the first train of Naples - Portici: the legendary Bayard locomotive.

Meanwhile, the Spanish group arrived. Later, after a short rest in the hotel, we all walked to dinner together at a Pub & Burger, not far from the hotel.

-On Tuesday 15th November, in the morning, we swam at “Centro sportivo Portici”. Students were assisted in the water by experienced instructors and supervised by lifeguards.

At the same time, an organizational coordination meeting took place at the swimming pool premises to evaluate the state of the art of the project and agree on the next steps, in view of the conclusion of the same and the drafting of the final report.

After that, we had lunch at a Pizzeria, to taste the typical Neapolitan pizza cooked in a wood oven.

Then, the bus took us to Kindergarten and Primary School “Sarria”, where Erasmus teachers and students were cheerfully welcomed by kindergarten children and partcipated in three workshops on Leonardo: 1. construction of a model helicopter 2. Living remake of the painting "The Last Supper", with disguise of the diners, preparation of the table and positioning around it for a group photo 3. Living reproduction, in pairs, of the Vitruvian Man, using a circle and a frame.

Subsequently, groups of primary school pupils greeted Erasmus teachers and students in the outdoor courtyard, inside the school, offering them gifts and taking group pics.

After school, we went to look at the mural of Maradona, painted on the facade of the buildings where most of the students of the school live with their families. Then the bus took us back to the hotel from where, after a short stop to rest a little, we headed to the restaurant to enjoy a good plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce, Italian style.

-On Wednesday 16th November, we visited “Città della Scienza” (the Town of Science) in Napoli. In the 3D Planetarium, the most technologically advanced in Italy and one of the most advanced technologies in the world, we went on a fascinating journey to discover the Universe and its mysteries, the celestial vault and the astronomical objects that populate the universe. Also, at “Corporea” - The first interactive museum in Europe on the human body, entirely dedicated to the theme of health, biomedical sciences and technologies and prevention, Erasmus students and teachers were able to do direct sensory experiences, as well as workshops and practical experiments on the laws of physics and electricity, living a great variety of fun and engaging experiments.

Then, the bus took us to the center downtown of the city of Naples, where we walked along the beautiful surroundings, taking a long promenade along the seafront, visiting among other things, the Borgo marinari, in front of the Castel dell'Ovo, Piazza del Plebiscito, the Galleria Umberto I, via Toledo along the Quartieri Spagnoli, until reaching the historic center of the city, where there are many souvenir shops, up to San Gregorio Armeno, the street of the cribs, famous all over the world. Finally, from this emblematic touristic yourney, at 18:30 we get on the bus to go back to the hotel.

Later, we organized to go to dinner all together and end the wonderful day in joy.

-On Thursday 17th November we moved by bus to Pompeii where, thanks to an expert English-speaking guide from the Campania Region, we visited the ruins of the Roman city, walking in the streets and freely exploring the houses of the vast archaeological site, which was buried under meters of ash and pumice by the catastrophic eruption of Volcano Vesuvio in 79 AD. A dip in history that enveloped and excited us. A true journey through domus, everyday furnishings, frescoes, mosaics and statues, useful finds to help understand the uses, customs, habits and art of life of over two millennia ago.

In the afternoon, after having had a picnic at the end of our route in Pompeii ruins, we moved again by bus for an excursion to Volcano Vesuvio. Due to previous adverse weather conditions, the visit on foot to the great cone of the volcano was forbidden due to a landslide. The road we traveled by bus was magnificent, surrounded by wild and lush nature. The path to the top that we took by bus on our journey showed us one of the most spectacular landscapes that can be seen from above. A breathtaking view over the entire Gulf of Naples and the islands of its archipelago: Capri, Ischia, Procida. Once at the top, it was possible to take some beautiful pics immersed in the nature of the Vesuvius National Park and buy some handmade souvenirs with the lava of the volcano.

At the end of this extraordinary day, Erasmus friends asked us to organize a dinner in a surprise place, where it could be possible to eat both pizza and pasta. A restaurant on a terrace in the quaint little port of Granatello in Portici seemed to us the ideal place to spend the last dinner together, before the group from Greece left the next day, in the afternoon. The choice turned out to be right. We really spent a wonderful evening in joy, all together, singing typical songs of our countries and dancing embraced traditional dances, learning the steps from each other. A festive and relaxed atmosphere, imbued with friendship, sharing and brotherhood. The spirit of Erasmus.

-On Friday 18 November we visited the Secondary hotel management School I.P.S.E.O.A. “I. Cavalcanti”, not far from our Istituto Comprensivo, in the same neighborhood. Here, after the icebreaker welcome in the Aula Magna with the projection of a video on the educational offer of the Institute, Erasmus teachers and students, divided into groups, took part in four different workshops: 1. “Mise en place”, that is the French expression that is used to indicate the preliminary preparation procedure for the dining room service. It literally means "setting in place" and refers to the complete setting of the table. 2. “Regional cooking”, with the preparation of all courses, consisting of appetizers, pasta, main courses, side dishes and desserts, which we ate for lunch at the end of the workshop 3. “Dough and pizza”, to learn how to make real Neapolitan pizza in a wood oven 4. Visit to the permanent exhibition "Domus Foris Flubeum", that is kept within the Museum inside the institute, a true treasure which has an inestimable value: ceramic dishes and furnishings, kitchens, ovens, but also clay oil lamps, balsam bottles, agricultural tools and frescoes of a 1st century domus. In all about 40 exhibits in a room adjacent to the Aula Magna of the Institute.

Ceremony for the delivery of the Certificates of participation, by the Head teacher, in the Aula Magna of the Institute.

After lunch, the bus took us to the hotel, where we all waited for the Greek team to leave by taxi, to reach the airport. A moment full of emotions, hugs and promises to keep in touch.

Afterwards, we went for a walk, to eat an ice cream, to go play hide and seek or take a ride in an urban park near the hotel, whose characteristic are the artistic benches, painted by the students of a high school, with images of Pinocchio, Cinderella, Dante Alighieri and Harry Potter.

Finally, we walked out to the beach and the pier of the Granatello port, to take the last photos of a week which, in the end, flought away quickly.

The evening ended at dinner, over a nice plate of lasagna. The next day also the Polish and Spanish groups left.

And students reports: