Report on the visit in Montenero di Bisaccia, Italy 15-22 of April 2018

During the second year of the implementation of the European program Erasmus+ entitled «No Early School Leaving by Sports, Musical, Theatrical, and Artistic Activities», code: 2016‐1‐IT02‐KA219‐024218_4, a visit to our partner school in Italy took place by five teachers and four students of our school.

BEFORE THE VISIT

Before the visit there were some discussions among the teachers regarding the general aims and objectives of the program, the benefits the students will derive from their participation in the program, as well as the difficulties they might encounter during the visit. A printed tourist guide of the area and the sites to be visited containing all the necessary information, the program, notes, and some basic Italian words and expressions were given to students and teachers so as to be able to communicate in Italian. A brief presentation of the visit schedule and some practical issues were also discussed.

The students from our school participated in many rehearsals for the theatrical play that was about to be presented, entitled 'Odysseus'return to Ithaca'. This effort was coordinated with the help of a theatrologist. Moreover, costumes for all the actors of the play were sewn. Our students came in contact with the students who were going to host them through Facebook, Messenger and Instagram to get to know each other better and develop relationships before the meeting.

The coordinating school took the responsibility for organizing the visit and coordinating communication with the partner schools during the preparation. The communication was conducted via Email and via Messenger among the coordinators of each school.

DURING THE VISIT

The main purpose of the visit was the last Transnational Project Meeting, in which three of the teachers took part, the mobility for Learning / Teaching / Training Activities, the students' participation in theatrical activities, "live" co-operation between the coordinators and teachers of the participating schools, the planning of the activities to be undertaken by the end of the current school year (June 2018) and the preparation of the final report of the program.

More specifically:
1. During the meeting, the participating students and teachers of each school were presented, by wearing T-shirts with the logo of the program in a different colour.
2. The National Anthem of each country was performed by the Music teachers of the Italian School and each team sang it.
3. Teachers, students and parents had the opportunity to taste traditional dishes of all the participating countries during the International dinner.
4. The students attended courses at school and they took part in sports activities, getting to know each other games undertaken by a theatrologist and took part in many rehearsals for the theatrical play they were going to present to the local community.
5. Meetings between the coordinator and the teachers who participated n the TPM were realized so as to discuss about the final report, the next steps for the project’s work and other issues.
6. During our stay we visited the Town Hall and met the Mayor of Montenero.
7. We also visited the lovely neighbourhoods and the churches of Montenero.
8. The Italian teachers organised visits to Vasto, a seaside historical town, Agnone,a village known for the manufacturing of bells by the Marinelli Bell Foundry and finally Pietrabbondante, a place known for its ancient theatre.
9. During the closing ceremony students and teachers were given certificates of attendance and they had the opportunity to taste traditional Italian dishes.
10. Each country presented its theatrical play on stage and during the farewell dinner party all students and teachers were pleasantly surprised by a unique cake with the logo of the program on it.

During our stay, colleagues and students from the host school welcomed us warmly and guided us on the school premises and the most important sights of the area. The meetings and students’ activities mostly took place at school and at the theatre. Our students who were hosted in Italian families had the opportunity to become aware of the everyday life, the habits and culture of the host country, Italy.

AFTER THE VISIT

On our return to Greece there was an internal programming session regarding the materialization of the agreed actions whereas the material gathered from the visit will be published on the school website and the local press.

Drama, 7/5/2018

The participating teachers
Aikaterini Chousanli
Kyriaki Fotiadou
Theodora Ketsetsidou
Efstathia Giagkiozi
Evmorfia Chatziese

The participating students
Iason Sachanidis
Dimitrios Kynigopoulos
Spyridon- Panagiotis Tasios
Kalliopi Poutouridou