Mobility 2 in Târgovişte: Blog




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Monday: Welcome and workshops at school

Yesterday, after a good flight and a noisy and fun bus journey, we arrived safely in Târgovişte. The pupils from our school were given a warm welcome by their host families and some checked into our hotel. We had dinner together with the pupils from other schools who were staying in the hotel and then we went to bed.
Today, we all met at school and got to know the other participants. We listened to a lecture given by Mr Valentin Mandache. Afterwards, we split into two groups. One went of a tour of the town with Mr Mandache and the other took part in workshops. During the tour through Targoviste we learned all about Art Nouveau and looked at lots of buildings, including small architectural details, e.g. door handles and garden fences. Participants worked hard in their international working groups, mostly in English, the common language, and we had lots of fun. In the Quilling group, we made shapes out of paper, for example, hearts, palm leaves, and butterflies and then, using glue, we stuck them together to make interesting objects.

   
   

At the end of our working day, the groups met in town which they visited again independently. Then everyone went home to their host families and ate together.

   

Tuesday: Trip to Bucharest

Today Bucharest was on the programme! Once we arrived, we visited the Romanian Parliament which is the second largest administrative building in the world after the Pentagon and the largest parliament building in the world. Most of the building, which was built in the 1980s, stands empty.

Afterwards, we were served a four-course meal in an Art Nouveau themed restaurant.
In the afternoon, we visited the Romanian-orthodox Stavropoleos Monastery and our tour guide, who is a teacher of religious studies at our Romanian partner school, told us about the Orthodox Church. Then we had thirty minutes free time when we explored the Old Town in groups of five, each led by a Romanian pupil.

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On our arrival back in Targoviste, we were met by our host families and went home with them for dinner.


Wednesday: Trip to Sinaia

We went to the mountains today. After a two-hour drive through Wallachia, we reached Sinaia, a small town in the Carpathian Mountains.
We were divided into two groups. First of all our group visited Pelisor Castle where there is an abundance of Art Nouveau objects and design. One of the seventy beautifully decorated rooms is the Gold Room. In this impressive room, everything is made of gold; even the walls are covered in gold leaf.

   
   

Then we went to a restaurant where we had a three-course lunch. Afterwards, we visited Peles Castle which is built in the style of the German Renaissance and was the summer residence of the former Romanian kings. Next, we had an hour's free time and could look around the town of Sinaia in small groups.


Finally, we drove back to Targoviste where we were met by our host families and taken home for dinner. We made the most of this warm, sunny day to talk to the pupils and teachers from other countries and to learn more about their culture.


Thursday: Jewellery in Art Nouveau Style

In the morning, all the participants met together in the library because today's programme consisted of workshops. Before lunch we had the same workshops as on Monday so that each of us could have the chance to experience two different workshops.
Over lunch, we again made the most of the opportunity to get to talk with pupils from other countries and to talk about different things.
After lunch, we had a series of workshops which were organised outside school, One group, for example, had the chance to work with iron. We went to a smithy in a nearby village and were introduced to the art of the blacksmith before being allowed to have a go ourselves. This was a unique opportunity for each of us! The other groups went to the local School of Art and did glass paintings, made postcards decorated with corn dollies and learned how to decorate eggs using the hot wax technique. We had great fun making objects inspired by the Art Nouveau style.


   
   

We thought that the various workshops were very successful and that this was a lovely change from the sightseeing we had done.


In the evening, we had dinner with our host families or in the hotel and this brought our day to a close.


Friday: Farewell and Exhibition

On our last day in Targoviste we attended a reception with the Mayor in Targoviste's historic town hall.
Next we went to the Curtea Domneasca, a royal court with a royal church. Here we were told about the history and the legends surrounding the court. Close by, Vlad Tepes, better known as Dracula, once lived alongside at least forty others I am missing something here! Can you sort it?) Although it was raining, the view from the tower was still impressive. We enjoyed a lovely lunch together after this visit to the Old Town.

   

Then we went back to school where we were greeted with the traditional welcoming gifts of bread and salt. The results of our week's efforts were put on show in an exhibition. It was great to see just how many beautiful things we had created in such a short time.

   

The Headmistress and the Romanian Erasmus Coordinator, Mrs Macris, awarded us our Certificates of Participation at the Closing Ceremony and the visiting teachers thanked our Romanian friends for their generous hospitality and their wonderful welcome in Targoviste. (I have changed this and moved the grosszuegig around.)
We spent the evening together in the hotel at our farewell dinner. There was delicious food, including many traditional Romanian dishes, traditional Romanian folk dancing and a good time was had by all in the happy atmosphere. We exchanged our contact details. This was an amazing evening! It reflected our whole Romanian journey with all its visits, workshops, and the extraordinarily good atmosphere which reigned amongst the participants.



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We are really looking forward to seeing our new-found friends again!