Erasmus Day 2 – Escola Sant Bernat Calvo
Today was another wonderful day on our Erasmus trip.
We started the day with a 7:30 wake-up call. The children went to breakfast and had a selection of everything from croissants to eggs to salads to cheeses and some people even find an ice cream machine for breakfast!
At 9am we took a bus to the town of Vila-Seca where we were greeted warmly by the students of Escola Sant Bernat Calvo. They all had a poster done out with Irish symbols and words and we walked with them back to the school. This is a big school with two of every class and it is four stories high. The children were surprised at the lack of grass as their pitches are all sand covered. They got to know the pupils by doing some ice breaker games. We also played one of their traditional games which involves the clicking of a stick – a little like mumming without the music! They did some presentations to us and we presented them with some chocolates and a photograph of Hook Lighthouse. Some of their students played music and did some acrobatics and then one of our students Titan did some stick throwing and showed them all of his skills. Following that, we went to the yard with the whole school who did their dance for us. This got us all awake! Following that, it was break time so they all spent time together and had a snack.
After that the students were divided into 6 different groups. They worked on robotics, Lego, 3D printers and in the sensory room. Doing these activities allowed them to get to know each other and they got to grow in confidence. It was wonderful seeing how some of the children who were quiet and shy started to talk to other kids and get to know each other.
Lunchtime came at 12.30. In this school a lot of the children go home to their grandparents for lunch as their parents work. Lunchtime ends at 3pm and this is the only region of Spain where this still happens. Neither the students or the staff like this arrangement. At lunch, our students sat with the Spanish and were treated to a three course meal. Lots of special treats were put on for the Irish children. Firstly they had a pasta dish, then they had some salad with a cheese and ham goujon and then they were treated to ice creams and snacks. Following that they went out to the basketball court and they played volleyball, soccer and basketball. They got to know each other very well and they also got to respect each other and understand some different cultures and languages.
At 3pm the classes resumed and our children went with the two Spanish classes for an orienteering -course around the village of Vila-Seca. They had to read some clues and find the answers on the various buildings in the town. This was a good team exercise and helped to develop their friendships. We said goodbye to our Spanish students and took a bus back to the hotel.
The weather was a little bit windy and cool so we took the kids off for a little bit of shopping where they got to buy some treats for their families. Following that we went down to the games area, had dinner and they finished the evening playing some games and doing some dancing. The children were so well behaved and they were a credit to the school.
You can see a video of their day here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSN5baIF6f0