Welcome to Baia Mare! Welcome to Romania!

Well, it's time for the Romanian Grundtvig project meeting! And our guests, project partners from Spain and Poland, were here from October 2 until October 7.
We have had great, full days! We have learned together about Romanian traditions and culture, about our food and drinks, about the history of these places. We have seen Baia Mare and Maramures, with the wooden churches and monasteries, the wooden houses and gates, the Merry Cemetery in Sapanta, the traditional costumes and clothing, we have enjoyed traditional meals, we have tasted the Maramures hospitality and kindness.

And that was not all! We also have visited Esperando Day Care Centre for physical and mental rehabilitation of physically disabled people and talked to the staff. And we have had the opportunity to learn even more: we all took part in Esperando's International Conference on therapies for disabled people. One day filled with presentations from specialists from Romania, Hungary, Poland and Spain (each partner made a presentation, too!). But not the usual boring talk-talk-talk-no results Conference. Because every single presentation had to show also a practical demonstration of one therapy. Most of the presentations were live, on the spot, including with the disabled people! So, no wonder we have seen standing ovations, tears and happy faces!

And, of course, we have talked about the project, the job done so far and what is still to be done. And we do have a lot of work ahead us!








The third project meeting is now over.
What remains is the memory of a beautiful time spent with great friends, lots of things learned and a little bit of Romania in every one of the partners that were here.
For me, there is one more thing that has remained: the nice words of the foreign people about us and about our work, and how more people should have the chance to learn about the real Romania and how Romanians really are...
Daniel

Learning Events - Education with a Smile

Hello, hello!

Together We Learn, or TOWEL, isn't just about project meetings and international activities. It's also about learning events made in each of the partners' countries.
For Esperando, it was a great opportunity to experiment this wonderful way of making education a blast, while sharing with the staff, volunteers and other people knowledge and information.
We have started with events regarding the non-profit life, the organizational management and development, strategic approaches. We have passed through learning how to make small painted ceramic objects, "martisoare" - spring symbols in Romania.
We have then dedicated few hours to photography and filming. How to use a camera, how to take the shot taking into consideration the lighting conditions, how to frame a picture and so on. How to make a nice film, a kind of documentary, basic rules, functioning of cameras.

Well, apart of the satisfaction mentioned by the participants, the results have come in the form of better work and relations, and in better pictures. Yet to come: the beautiful films!
Education can be fun! Learning is good! Together we can learn better, easier! Together we are strong!

Daniel

Salamanca, Mi Amor!

Hola! Que tal?

Well, we have moved forward, to Spain, this time. The second project meeting of the TOWEL Grundtvig Partnership project was in Salamanca, in the spring of 2012.
It was time for Beatriz and Enrique to become the lovely hosts. After a bit of trouble because a general strike in Spain, all the partners met in Salamanca. Impressive city!
University that is the best industry of the city - as Enrique loves to call it. CRMF Centre that is a beauty and a wonderful place for the individuals with disabilities. History on every street, at every step. Tourists and students, in a perfect blend with the local people. A great museum (with a Dimitris Cipariu great Romanian sculptor of splendid criselefantinas).

All these in a nice harmony and balance with very good project meetings, with nice results presented to the partners, things done by the CRMF students. They have done a great lob! Starting with the logo for the project!
A surprise for everybody was the presence of the journalists in the meeting, with a long interview that was nicely reflected the second day in the newspaper.
Gracias, companeros! Thank you, dear friends! Hasta la vista, Salamanca!
Daniel

Poland - First Date!

Well, I hope you didn't think we will stop with the first post.

Of course we have done a lot of work, and we will tell you about it.

Our first project meeting, for instant, took place in Poland. Marta and her colleagues waited for us in Warsaw and prepared a first meeting with the Head of the Polish Teachers Union. Lots of things to find out about the education system and the teachers' union in Poland! Very, very interesting!

Also, we have learned about Warsaw and the history of this wonderful city. Amazing places, great history, so nice to be here! Then, the cuisine: we haven't eat so well and much in a long time! (and late!) Great experience and so many things to learn about it, too.

We have then moved to Bialystok. Again, perfect arrangements made by Marta and the fellow teachers!

A surprise to have so many of them at the formal meeting! Discussions, ideas, desire to cooperate! Great evening! Thank you, folks!

A tour of the Polish nature, with other learning circles on the animals and plants, on the channels and the history that marked the region. Off course, lots of places with the memory of Pope John Paul II. A day to remember!

Then, work, work, work! Brainstormings, plans, ideas, designs of future steps... Nice team, great teamwork!

There are many things to say! But I want you to stay focused! We can talk more about it later on!

Thank you, Marta! Thank you, Poland! Great to be here!

Daniel

WELCOME TO TOWEL - WELCOME TO GRUNDTVIG

Hi!
We are begenning a new journey. After several months of work in the project, we are now starting the blog of the project TOGETHER WE LEARN - TOWEL. A Grundtvig 2011 Learning Partnership project supported financially by the European Commission.
During two years, three partners from Romania, Spain and Poland will work with a new way of learning: small events or circles where people can come together to learn and share their knowledge in an informal way, open and easy.
The events are opened to everybody who wants to participate. Disabled people are welcome. For them, too, it can be an easy way to learn more, to participate, to show to the others their knowledge and, finally, to build bridges with the society.
The partners in the project are:
Esperando Association - from Baia Mare - ROMANIA
Centre for the Recovery of Physically Disabled People Salamanca - SPAIN

Polish Teacher's Union, District Board of PTU in Bialystok - POLAND

Until July 2013 we will continue to come back with news about our work!
So, keep an eye here!
See you!

Daniel Filipas
Project Manager
Esperando Association