* Autor: Teresa Sánchez
* Idea
Si os gustan las historias de aventuras y además que estén escritas en inglés, comparto uno de los últimos proyectos eTwinning en el que andamos metidos.
Max, un personaje belga recorre diferentes coles europeos y vive con ellos una fiesta típica. El primer cole que visitó fue el nuestro y celebró con nosotros "La Chaquetía", después viajó hasta Polonia para vivir con ellos San Andrés o como ellos dicen "Andrzejki". Hasta ayer estuvo en Finlandia visitando a Santa y disfrutando la Navidad en un lugar tan mágico como es ese. En estos momentos se encuentra viajando a Rumania para celebrar una fiesta llamada "Dragobete" y que coincide con nuestro día de San Valentín. El mes de marzo lo pasará entre irlandeses celebrando St. Patrick y en abril se marchará a Ukrania para vivir personalmente allí el día de la madre. Terminada su odisea volverá a casa, en Mérida. Quizá vuelva como un travelbug ¿quién sabe?
* Fases
- Lo primero fue conocernos, evidentemente, y lo hicimos a través de vídeos, calameos.... Cada Centro eligió el modo que prefirió y a continuación nos lanzamos a la creación y la elección de un logo y un personaje. Lo hicimos de manera colaborativa.
El resultado fue el siguiente:
Logo del Proyecto
Intentábamos que la apariencia del protagonista de nuestra historia tuviera alusiones a los diferentes países y celebraciones. Después de casi un mes teníamos a Max. Fue diseñado por el grupo polaco.
Posteriormente los estudiantes españoles crearon un Max físico que viajaría a los diferentes colegios a través del correo postal.
- Comienzo de nuestra historia.
Introduction
The alarm went off and although he had only
slept a couple of hours he jumped out of bed, leaving the pleasant warmth of it
to embark on the adventure that awaited him.
He had spent the day before packing. He was going to make the most
exciting journey of his life, he would tour Europe visiting some schools and
knowing firsthand how some parties were held in those countries.
What clothes had he to wear? The destinations were Spain and Poland
during the autumn, Finland and Romania in winter and finally Ireland and
Ukraine in spring. He chose not to carry much luggage and buy typical clothes
in every place.
He lived in the Rue de Treves at number 81 near the "Classroom
of the Future" in Brussels. Indeed, he was Belgian and his native
language was French but he could defend himself in all
countries because he had a good grasp of the English language and knew
that in all the places where he would go, English was studied as
a second language.
When he was ready, his friend Marc drove him to the airport and
stood there, watching as the plane in which his best friend was now seated
in took flight. They were going to be separated for many months but Max had
promised to send him many letters describing everything that he saw and
experienced in detail. He would also enclose photographs and drawings from the
students.
Max envía una carta a su amigo Marc, desde cada colegio que visita, contándole como ha vivido la celebración. Cada carta es un capítulo. Aunque ya tenemos 3 capítulos os dejo sólo el primero.
Chapter I. “Chaquetía Day”
In Merida, October
28th, 2016
Dear Marc!
How are you? I hope you are well.
I am already in Merida, at last. It's my first
destination and it's been incredible.
Teresa Sanchez, one of the English teachers of the
school, came to meet me at the airport and took me directly there because they
were going to celebrate "La Chaquetía" that same day. You are probably
wondering what Chaquetía is? it is the festivity that they celebrate in Merida
coinciding with Halloween.
It's amazing to
arrive in the city Marc and see its imposing Roman buildings. We will both have
to take a leisurely trip when I finish my travels across Europe and enjoy the
architectural wonders of the place. Antigua's school is tiny, no more than 200
students and about 20 teachers, but it's a place where you feel good because
it's like a big family where everyone knows each other and cares for each
other. And now it's time to go and celebrate "La Chaquetía". The
entire educational community and I head towards an esplanade where there is a
medieval hermitage called "Ntra. Sra. de la Antigua ", yes, yes, like
the school and something curious has happened, the students have adopted it and
take care of it with much affection. For example, they share some festivities
with her, like this one today.
- I'll tell
you how I celebrated the event. La Chaquetía was very funny, Flor, the director
had made quince candy and we mixed it in a piece of bread with cheese. She gave
me the recipe, I am also sending it to you because it does not seem difficult
to make and it tastes delicious. The students sat in groups forming circles, in
the shade of the hermitage and shared their "Chaquetía", that is to
say, they all ate everything, because it encourages sharing. La Chaquetía is
composed of ingredients such as walnuts, almonds, chestnuts, hazelnuts ... and
also grenades, figs, mandarins, grapes and quinces.
But they did not just share with each other. A few
meters from the hermitage there is a center where the elders of the city meet
during the day, and can you guess what is called? Exactly, La Antigua. Many of
these elders are the grandparents of the students and it was very emotional.
The grandparents had a fire where they were roasting the chestnuts that the
children brought but first the professors split them because if they did not do
they said that the chestnuts may
explode. Then they made small, little packets with paper and put several
chestnuts inside them, they were delicious!
I made an
incredible discovery Marc. One of the elders told me that The Procession of the
Souls was a widespread tradition in Extremadura in the XIX during the night of
the dead, on October 31. The souls, who were people dressed in black or white,
walked the streets of the village asking for money while going from house to
house. And it used to end up in the cemetery. I deduce that Halloween was already
celebrated here before the Europeans arrived in America and took with them the
Celtic Halloween celebrations. It really shows that in this area there must
have been Celtic settlements and its culture still survives.
There is more
to tell you. When they finished sharing their "chaquetías" and
roasting the chestnuts, they began to play. They were traditional games, from
those of yesteryear. Even some grandpas and grandmas participated as well. It
was hot, very hot. I have been told that it has been a very hard summer and
that there have even been days of 45º C. and it was apparent that autumn had
not yet arrived. Luckily there was a very large fountain where we were and we
were able to quench our thirst.
After two
hours the professors gathered their groups of students and we returned to the
school. Some children had kept their packet of roasted chestnuts to share at
home with their families. Marc, this celebration has been a real lesson of
sharing.
Before leaving I had been given drawings, photos,
videos and letters ... For the moment I am sending you this letter, some photos
and also some drawings where I will explain to you what they are doing.
When the time for the farewell came, there were hugs
and tears. It's funny, the Spaniards love to hug and kiss, I really felt at
home.
I am writing to you from the plane that is taking me
to Poland. I am loaded with very good memories and with the hope of continuing
to enjoy myself while I go through the different European centers that I have
been commissioned to visit.
Max
Evidentemente el texto no lo han escrito los niños, no en inglés, pero si lo hicieron en su lengua materna, y a partir de sus redacciones se crea la carta. También elegimos un vocabulario básico que acompañará al texto y lo traducimos a todos los idiomas nativos de los países participantes: inglés, español, polaco, finlandés, rumano, gaélico, ucraniano. Para facilitar la colaboración, lo hacemos a través de un tytanpad. Acompañamos el vocabulario de pequeñas imágenes que estudiantes de diferentes países realizan. Entre 10 y 15 vocablos por capítulo. Ahí va sólo un ejemplo:
cards
karty
cartas
cartai
карти
kortit
cărți (playing cards)
La carta va acompañada siempre de una receta típica del país desde donde se escribe y la cual se cita en el capítulo, Ésta es la española:
“Dulce de Membrillo" Recipe
Ingredients:
-
Quinces
-
sugar
Elaboration
The quinces are washed and covered with water in a pot. They put on the
fire the necessary time for the punctures with a fork to be soft.
They are allowed to cool, peel and remove the seeds.
We added the same amount of sugar that we have of fifteen.
Example: For 1 kg of quince 1 kg of sugar.
From here there are two ways to do it.
The traditional one.- You pass through the mixer the fifteen and the
sugar and put the pot to the fire, it is spinning (with a wooden spoon) until
it acquires the desired texture. We must be careful because it splashes and we
can burn.
The
modern one.- It is passed through the
mixer and placed in a microwave-safe container. At maximum power is put in
periods of 5 minutes and meet until it acquires the desired texture.
Fotos y dibujos acompañan al texto, también.
ESPAÑA
FINLANDIA
POLONIA
Max da testimonio de que ha visitado cada uno de los países, haciéndose una foto en cada uno de ellos.
FINLANDIA
ESPAÑA
POLONIA
- Llegados a este punto y con la carta, el vocabulario, las fotos... Llega el momento de que los estudiantes investiguen acerca de ese país para conocer un poco mejor a sus nuevo amigos y mejorar su dimensión europea.
Estamos disfrutando mucho con este Proyecto. Y esperamos que en un futuro no muy lejano podamos publicar toda la historia.
Nuestro objetivo final es la edición de un libro donde se narrará toda la Odisea de Max por Europa.
