Ethno treasure hunt 1st project meeting. Baia Mare November 2010

In November 8-13, we held the 1st project meeting, hosted by School "Vasile Alecsandri from Baia Mare, Romania.
It was the opportunity to meet the partners and get to know each other.
We had a busy schedule for the meeting: visiting the school, meeting the school headmistress, Mrs. Adina Cosma, who received the gusests in the traditional Romanian style: with bread and salt, meaning that we share our cultural treasures with our guests.
Then we worked on the project documents: work programme, responsibilities, deciding which end products will be made and the deadlines for them, etc.
We had demonstrative classes in Romanian language and literature (proposed by Adina Iosif), English language (Daniela Buda) and Arts and crafts - an Origami workshop ( Marcela Zaplac).
The Romanian sports team organized some international teacher-student football matches. All participants won the matches as they had lots of fun.
We officially launched the project, using as venue the stage of the Puppet Theatre from Baia Mare, as we expected many guests to come and see what we want to do. Then we presented the project objectives and activities planned for the 2 years, and the partners presented their schools. The activity ended with a very nice show of songs in Romanian and foreign languages ( grade 5A, coordinated by Adrian Iercosan and Daniela Buda), a scketch written by Caragiale and performed by students from grade 8A (coordinated by Adina Iosif), a traditional Romanian dance (coordinated by Mariana Deac), a Gypsy dance (coordinated by Loredana Mihaly), the school's Cheerleaders (coordinated by Clara Ambrus) and, last but not least, a Romanian winter tradition performed by the students coordinated by Maria Costea.
We also visited some cultural sights, important and relevant for our project: the Ethnographic and Village Museums from Baia Mare, Sighetu Marmatiei and Bistrita, the Merry Cemetery in Sapanta, Maramures, the beautiful Monastery from Barsana, Maramures, the Mineralogic Museum from Baia Mare, etc. We also visited Mr. Dracula at his castle at Tihuta, and we were lucky enough to find him at home.
We had some very interesting international evenings, with songs and dances specific to the countries involved. We had lots of fun together and we made friends.
I think this is the best project team anyone can ever ask for, because we work very well and have lots of  fun together.
Through the camaraderie and involvement of all partners in the project activities, I believe this project is already successful. Each of the people involved in the project (children, parents and teachers alike) have learnt a lot of things during the time spent together and I'm sure this will go on during the two years of the project, and it may last even longer.

Romanian version:

In perioada 8-13 noiembrie 2010, am organizat prima reuniune de proiect, gazduita de Scoala "Vasile Alecsandri" din Baia Mare, Romania.
A fost o buna ocazie sa ne intalnim partenerii  si sa ne cunoastem reciproc.
Am avut un program incarcat: vizitarea scolii, intalnirea cu d-na directoare Adina Cosma, care i-a intampinat pe musafiri in stilul traditional romanesc: cu paine si sare, simbolizand faptul ca noi ne impartasim comorile culturale cu musafirii nostri.
Apoi am lucrat la documentele proiectului: programul de activitati, responsabilitati, am decis care produse finale le vom realiza si termenele de finalizare, etc.
Au fost prezentate cateva lectii deschise: la Limba si literatura romana (propusa de Adina Iosif), la Limba engleza (Daniela Buda) si un atelier de lucru in Origami, propus de Marcela Zaplac.
Echipa de profesori sport din scoala baimareana au organizat si meciuri internationale de fotbal intre elevi si profesori. Toti participantii la meciuri au castigat, deoarece s-au distrat de minune.
Lansarea oficiala a proiectului a fost gazduita de Teatrul de Papusi din Baia Mare, deoarece noi am asteptat multi musafiri sa vina sa vada ce dorim sa realizam cu acest proiect. Au fost prezentate obiectivele proiectului si activitatile ce urmeaza a fi desfasurate pe parcursul celor 2 ani. Apoi s-au prezentat scolile partenere. Ce din urma a fost Scoala "Vasile Alecsandri", care a incheiat programul cu un spectacol pregatit de elevii scolii, indrumati de profesorii lor: un grupaj de cantece in limba romana si limbi straine (coordonat de Adrian Iercosan si Daniela Buda), schita "Justitie" de I.L.Caragiale, prezentata de elevii clasei a 8-a A (coordonati de Adina Iosif), un dans traditional romanesc (coordonat de Mariana Deac), un dans tiganesc (coordonat de Loredana Mihaly), un dans realizat de majoretele scolii (coordonat de Clara Ambrus) si o Sezatoare traditionala din Maramures, pregatita de elevi sub indrumarea d-nei Maria Costea.
Am vizitat si obiective culturale importante si relevante pentru proiectul nostru: Muzeele de Etnografie si ale Satului din Baia Mare, Sighetu Marmatiei si Bistrita, Cimitirul vesel de la Sapanta, Maramures, frumoasa Manastire de la Barsana, Maramures, Muzeul de mineralogie din Baia Mare, etc.  L-am vizitat si pe dl. Dracula, la castelul sau de la Tihuta, si, pre norocul nostru, l-am gasit acasa.
Am petrecut si niste seri internationale foarte interesante, cu dansuri si cantece din tarile partenere. Ne-am distrat impreuna si ne-am imprietenit.
Am convingerea ca aceasta e cea mai buna echipa de proiect pe care si-ar pute-o dori oricine, deoarece muncim bine si ne distram impreuna.
Prin camaraderia si implicarea tuturor partenerilor in toate activitatile proiectului, cred ca acest proiect este deja de succes. Fiecare din persoanele implicate in proiect (atat copii cat si profesori si parinti) au invatat foarte multe lucruri in perioada petrecuta impreuna. Sunt sigura ca acest aspect se va petrece pe toata perioada de doi ani a proiectului, dar si pe mai departe.