The start of a trip

Our trip started early - at 2:30 a.m., 27 April. There were 11 people going to visit Spain, Melide. Everybody was extremely dozy, that is why nobody felt how fast we reached the airport of Vilnius. It was thanks to Deimante's and Ruta's parents who took us there. We had a connected flight: from Vilnius to Frankfurt, then, from Frankfurt to Madrid. Both of them were pleasant and... tasty. We drank tons of coffee in Frankfurt airport – we DIDN'T have to pay for it! Everybody felt the effect of coffee and the second flight was less calm than the first one. We reached our pre-last destination - Madrid at around 1p.m. Amazingly, the bus drivers who had to take us to Melide had already been waiting for us in the airport. A long journey by bus started. It took us 8 hours to reach our final destination - Melide. We enjoyed the marvellous view through the window of the bus and... delicious refreshing oranges when the bus stopped for a while. Our Galician friends met us with a sincere hospitality and hosted us with the utmost care and attention but none of the hosts was calm: there was a huge match that night - Barcelona against Real. So we had a quick meal and went to the bar to watch the game. Barca won 2:0. Perfect ending of a difficult day!

The start of a trip

Our trip started early - at 2:30 a.m., 27 April. There were 11 people going to visit Spain, Melide. Everybody was extremely dozy, that is why nobody felt how fast we reached the airport of Vilnius. It was thanks to Deimante's and Ruta's parents who took us there. We had a connected flight: from Vilnius to Frankfurt, then, from Frankfurt to Madrid. Both of them were calm? (gal pleasant and... tasty. We drank tons of coffee in Frankfurt airport – we DIDN'T have to pay for it! Everybody felt the effect of coffee and the second flight was less calm than the first one. We reached our pre-last destination - Madrid at around 1p.m. Amazingly, the bus drivers who had to take us to Melide had already been waiting for us in the airport. A long journey by bus started. It took us 8 hours to reach our final destination - Melide. We enjoyed the marvellous view through the window of the bus and... delicious refreshing oranges when the bus stopped for a while. Our Galician friends met us with a sincere hospitality and hosted us with the utmost care and attention but none of the hosts was calm: there was a huge match that night - Barcelona against Real. So we had a quick meal and went to the bar to watch the game. Barca won 2:0. Perfect ending of a difficult day!

A MUSICAL DAY - Un día moi musical

After the morning lessons, we had to be ready for the events after lunch: cooking tortillas for our hosts. The others went to rehearse the musical performances, the storytelling show, and some other things. The ethnocultural party was absolutely great: traditinal Lithuanian costumes, instruments (although it was even better to hear them). The Galician team got into storytelling, lie drawing and even playing and singing (of course with traditional instruments and traditional songs). once it all finished, at the canteen, we were invited to take part in a wonderful display of Lithuanian dances from all the different parts of the year. First observing, then practising, and, in the meanwhile, tasting the delicious Lithuanian food.

Depois das clases habituais da mañá, había que preparar o que se nos aveciñaba tras o xantar: preparar unhas tortillas para os nosos anfitrións, e os demais a ensaiar un espectáculo musical, así como de contacontos con debuxo en vivo de Iria. E así foi. Na festa etnocultural intercambiámonos músicas tradicionais, bailes típicos, incriblemente executados polos alumnos lituanos. Foi un pracer coñecer os intrumentos antigos e, sobre todo, escoitalos, da man dos profesores de música. O grupo galego aportou parte do noso: tradición oral, e un conto tradicional galego. Mentres Xisela contaba en galego, Andrea realizaba a versión inglesa. E finalmente Iria plasmaba todo elo nunhas fabulosas ilustracións realizadas EN VIVO. Cando todo rematou, no comedor, puidemos desfrutar dos bailes tradicionais lituanos de todo o ano. Foi divertido aprendelos, bailalos, e degustar produtos típicos para ir collendo forzas.

BUSY TUESDAY - Un martes esgotador

The morning started with the normal lessons with the Lithuanian friends. But then we had a special visit: a group of students of Spanish from another Lithuanian school came with their teacher, Agne. She is an old friend of Jolanta's, the person who made this project possible. All together, we heard Lucía, Fran and Iria's presentation on Galicia and Spain. Good for you, Iria, for your professional attitude in front of a big group. Then, a song: "Jueves", by La Oreja de Van Gogh. We worked on it, and all the Galician group conducted the activity. And again Iria was a kind of helpful leader: "Any volunteer?" "You, yes, the one in blue!" "Come on, try, you can". She wouldn't be a bad teacher!
Then a game about the European languages, and a final reflection: we have common origins, and we are not so different. And back to presentations: Lithuanian first, and Galician then. Greta and her friends spoke about the history of Lithuanian, but they also told us some linguistic anecdotes, they taught us words, expressions, sayings, and everything combined with humour. Andrea, David and Judith told the rest about the origin of Galician, its obstacles to survive. They all learnt to say a riddle: in Lithuanian, Galician or Spanish.
And then, to the kitchen. Our Lithuanian friends invited us to cook something absolutely similar to Galician ORELLAS. But with honey on them. Tasty, very much.
And finally (we said it was a long day), music and drama. A theatre play performed by Lithuanian and Galician students: they sang, played the piano and the guitar, and there even was some poetry. WONDERFUL!
A mañá empezou coas clases normais cos amigos lituanos. Pero despois tivemos unha visita especial: un grupo de estudiantes de español de outro instituto lituano veu coa súa profesora, Agne. Ela é unha vella amiga de Jolanta, a persoa que fixo posible este proxecto. Todos xuntos escoitamos a presentación sobre España e Galica de Lucía, Fran e Iria, esta vez en español. Moi ben, Iria, pola túa actitude profesional ante un grupo tan numeroso. Despois unha canción: “JUEVES” de La Oreja de van Gogh. Traballamos sobe ela e os alumnos de Melide dirixiron a actividade. De novo Iria foi a conductora: “algún voluntario?”, “Sí, ti, a de azul”, “Vamos, inténtao, si que podes”. Non sería unha mala profesora.
Despois un xogo sobre as linguas europeas e unha reflexión final: temos orixes común e non somos tan diferentes. E de volta ás presentación: Primeiro o lituano e despois o galego. Greta e as súas amigas falaron sobre sobre a historia do lituano pero tamén nos contaron algunhas anécdotas lingüísticas, palabras, expresións, refráns… todo combinado con doses de humor. Andrea, David e Judith falaron das orixes do galego, dos seus obstáculos para sobrevivir. E todos aprenderon un trabalinguas: en lituano, galego ou español.
A continuación, á cociña. Ensináronnos a facer algo moi semellante ás ORELLAS, pero bañadas en mel. Deliciosas.
Por último (o día foi realmente longo) teatro. Unha obra que integraba pezas musicais, con piano, guitarra e voces fabulosas, e algo de poesía. Actores e cantantes eran tanto galegos coma lituanos. Xenial!

A NICE MONDAY - Un agradable luns

Hello!!Today Noelia and Fran are writing.
Today we went to highschool at 8.00, because we went with ours lithuanian friends. Fran went to physical education and Noelia went to english. The next hour we had a discussion about the differences and simituds between Spain and Lithuania. . After, we had a expositon of Melide and IES de Melide. Later we went to have lunch beacouse in 30 min we had to go in a excursión to Anyksciai. We saw a museum of horses where we had a good time when we was playing and taking photos in the park. We Had the chance of making lithuanian bread. We had a good time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ola!! Hoxe escribimos Noelia e Fran.
Hoxe fumos ao instituto as 8:00 da maña porque os compañeiros lituanos tiñan clase. A Fran tocoulle ximnasia e Noelia foi a ingles. Na seguinte hora discusitimos cos chavales lituanos sobre as diferencias e similitudes entre España e Lituania. Despois, unha exposición acerca de Melide e do IES. Xantar rápido e volta ao bus: unha excursión a Anyksciai. Vimos un museo do cabalo onde o pasamos bastante ben, facendo fotos logo no parque. Tivemos incluso a oportunidade de facer pan lituano. Foi un día estupendo!!

VILNIUS, THE CAPITAL CITY - Vilnius, a capital

Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania, was our destiny today. It is quiet, luminous, and with a lot of history behind. As it is on the way of everybody, Russians, Polish, Germans, Napoleon, crusaders, and many others made it their home (either if Lithuanians wanted or not). We visited the cathedral, and we also were in the catacombs under it: tunnels with graves, coffins and there used to be treasures in them, but now they are gone (=stolen).
While in the cathedral, the choir was rehearsing, and Iria started to feel the presence of a superior being within herself. Then a stroll around the city: incredible streets, with different styles. A short time to buy some things on a street market, and back again to the visit: the guide told us loads of stories about Vilnius, about the Jews, about deaths and lives…

Vilnius, a capital de Lituania, foi o noso destino de hoxe. É tranquila, luminosa, e cunha longa historia detrás. Dado que está nomedio de todo, pasaron por alí rusos, polacos, alemán, o mesmo Napoleón, os cruzados, e moitos outros, e convertérona na súa casa (sen que os lituanos o desexasen). Visitamos a catedral, e ata estivemos nas catacumbas debaixo dela: túneles con tumbas, cadaleitos e o recordó de tesouros que unha vez estiveron e agora xa non (porque os roubaron). Na catedral, o coro empezou a ensaiar, e Iria notou, de súpeto, a presenza dun ser superior no seu interior. Despois un paseo pola cidade, con guía.: rúas incribles, con diferentes estilos. Un ratiño para comprar cousas nun mercado, e de volta á visita. A guía contounos centos de historias sobre Vilnius, sobre os xudeos, sobre mortes e vidas…

A WALK THROUGH THE STARS - UN PASEO POLAS ESTRELAS

The first thing we have to say is that Inés wants to become an astronaut. YES! Maybe because she is very tall and her head is nearer the stars.
We visited an Ethnocosmologic museum, and an astronomy observatory, with a giant telescope. A nice scientist gave us a speech about the universe, and after it, we all felt very, very little (except Inés)
O primeiro que temos que dicir é que Inés quere ser astronauta. SI! Quizais porque é moi alta e a súa cabeza está máis cerca das estrelas.
Visitamos un museo etnocosmolóxico, e un observatorio astronómico, con un telescopio xigante. Un científico deunos unha charla sobre o universo, e despois diso, todo nos sentimos moi, moi diminutos. Bueno,... todos... menos Inés.

FRAN FOR PRESIDENT! - FRAN, PRESIDENTE!!

We didn't know it, but this man has a politician (or a teacher) inside. Lucía, Iria and he spoke about Spain and Galicia. It was after listening to our Lithuanian friends talk about their country and customs, on a day of speeches. But Fran, that man, surprised us all: questions, jokes, gestures, spontaneity, music, Deportivo, ... We could hardly believe it! All the audience loved it, and we realised it was an excellent way to speak, with emotion and passion, about a topic. But every important has got a great intelligent woman behind: LUCÍA. Good for your superb selection of images, the Powerpoint presentation, the texts and all the technical effects. CONGRATULATIONS!

And then, in the middle of the speech, when they said "muiñeira", Xisela and Noelia started dancing it. Good for you! At the end, the Galician anthem: everyone stood up and sang it.

Non tiñamos nin idea, pero este home ten un político dentro de si (ou un profe). Lucía, Iria e mais el falaron sobre España e Galicia. Foi despois de escoitar aos nosos amigos lituanos falar do seu país e dos seus costumes, nun día de discursos. Pero Fran, ese home, sorprendeunos a todos: preguntas, bromas, xestos, espontaneidade, música, o Dépor, ... Non dábamos crédito! Todo o público rendeuse aos seus pés, a démonos conta de que foi unha maneira excelente de falar, con emoción e paixón, sobre un tema. Pero todo gran home ten sempre unha muller intelixente detrás: LUCÍA, xenial pola selección de imaxes, a montaxe no Powerpoint, os textos e os efectos técnicos. PARABÉNS!!

E entón, no medio da charla, cando dixeron "muiñeira", Xisela e Noelia empezaron a bailala. Ben por vós!! Ao final, o himno galego. Todo o mundo levantouse para cantalo.

Sharing presentations - compartindo presentacións

Hello!!!Here we are Keko,Ines and Judith. Now we had to be in the lessons but we don't understand lithuanian. So, we're going to talk about the things that we made yesterday evening and today morning.

We saw some interesting classrooms and facilities, like dance class(we saw a repetition of a show for us, it was very funny.) We were in a place where there were a batery and some electric guitars (some guys played rock songs for us).

And in the evening we went all together to have a warm drink and we saw the basketball match (between a spanish team and a lithuanian team, we won!!:) in a cafeteria.

Today we came to their high school for having our first lesson in lithuanian, it was very strange!!!!!

Then we went to listening to some lithuanian presentations, and Fran, Lucia and Iria talked about Spain and Galicia to the other people...

And that's all by now.

We hope you like it.