Dober dan!

Soon our trip to Slovenia is over and we are on our way home. We have now arrived at the airport in Trieste, Italy, after a two-hour long bus ride. It feels sad to go home and to leave all new friends we have made during our trip. Also, we are going to miss the beautiful landscape, environment and the opportunities to learn things from other countries and cultures.

At first it was a bit scary to meet new people but now after a week, we are glad we came here and got to know all of them. We have learned a few things about everyone participating in this project. Even though everyone had different proficiency levels in English, we have all been able to communicate and laugh with each other. For example, in some cases we got to use French, Spanish or German. Also, Google translation has been a very helpful tool to understand one another. We might already have known from the beginning that it is possible to communicate without verbal language but overcoming your fears and taking that first step is a whole different story. One of the main purposes of this project was for us to get to know students from other European countries. From that initial icebreaking activity to the folk dance on our last day, we were encouraged to be curious, to use languages, to communicate. That has been an invaluable experience and we could not be happier to have participated – we have made real friends.

This experience has also equipped us with invaluable knowledge in the field of natural conservation and cultural heritage. Our second day started at the Slovenian Forestry Institute in Ljubljana with a lecture about invasive species in Slovenia and relevant data for the upcoming expeditions of the week. This was when we first encountered the Japanese knotweed, the plant that would also be the most mentioned species during our journey. We have learned that the Japanese knotweed, a big bush that may reach a maximum height of 3-4 meters and survive many harsh conditions, is one of the most common invasive species in Slovenia. For example, it can survive in -35^oC and it can also grow through asphalt. These factors make this plant hard to eradicate and that is why it is now so widespread. Cultural heritage was also part of the project. We got to explore the political and cultural history of Ljubljana with a passionate guide who also told us about the student life in the city. We can announce that one of our Swedes is now very positive to going back to study there in the future.

The possibilities of the past and the future were on the agenda throughout the entire trip. On Wednesday, we got the opportunity to learn more about invasive species when we visited the Triglav National Park and the lake in Bohinj. Then we had a ride to the lake Bled where we learned about an invasive species of mussels. In addition, we got to experience traditional Slovene landscapes in the old village of Studor with its double haystacks. On Thursday, we were back at the school and science centre, where we tracked animals and coloured fabrics with the roots of Japanese knotweed. We think it is good to get to know more about possible uses of invasive species and not only that they are bad. If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. And if life gives you Japanese knotweed, dye clothes. This can give us new perspectives and make us think outside the box. Perhaps, someday this can change the world 😊.

The last day together with Erasmus+ participants was spent at the school. There, we were working on our panels about what we have learned about invasive species during the week. Also, we did some funny games, including traditional Slovenian folk dance. We finished the day with a farewell lunch and a ceremony for those who had been a part of the Erasmus+ project in Slovenia. We can all agree that it was sad to say goodbye to our new friends, but we leave them with new experiences, new knowledge and great new memories. This is very interesting things to take part of because often you don’t have the chance to do it in such detail we have done it this week.

So, Erasmus+ is a great opportunity for young, curious students to learn more and have more understanding for other cultures. For those who may not go to language exchanging programs, this could be the perfect chance to still see the world, use different languages and meet other people. Also, it can give us a better understanding of the EU and how to prevent conflicts.

Best regards, Sanna & Paulin

Today was the last day of our trip and we woke up to One Direction so we knew this was going to be a good day. We went down and have a good breakfast as usual and took the bus to the school one last time.

We got to school and was greated by our Slovenian friends, we got together in our groups again and started with working on our panels of invasive species. Each group received one IAS to work with so we started working together as separate units on the computers.   

When the groups had finished their task and goal we all went outside to the entrance of the school and everybody ate apples and pieces of cake. 

Later we returned to school and joined everybody in the PE hall. First, we all received a paper and a pencil and we got the task to first draw a picture of ourselves, the second was our best memory in Slovenia, the third what was best in the entire Erasmus and the last was simply to write our names. Thereafter the Slovenian leader students took our pictures and mixed them all together, there on we received one random paper and had to present the person and ask a question. 

When the questions were finished that we were soon going to take part in the traditional dance of the country-side in Slovenia. Half of the participating countries got paper where there were names which was the Slovenian partner each one of us was going to dance with. So everybody had a dance partner, first we just trained the simple technics so everybody understood the basic moves. A little time later we did a dance competition against one another around a circle made of chairs. Instead of having a phone with speakers as music the school brought in two students who played the accordion. Nobody knew when the music went completely silent.

We got the sweat and moved to the cafeteria where we had the weekly picture competition in Erasmus. Every student had three votes on 24 alternatives, there was a third, second and a first winner. 

After the competition, it was time to have the official Erasmus ceremony, we got to hear a lovely speech from Christoffer and from the mayor of Naklo. We got our well-deserved certificates and to finish it of Christoffer cut the cake. The cake was delicious and we had a great time. When everybody was full of the lovely cake it was time for the Swedish surprise, Swedish candy! We started with the liquorice and as we went around we got mixed opinions about the taste. Some thought it was quite good and even liked the taste but for the most part it was a mix of disgusted faces, weird noises and comments on how sweats can eat that sort of candy. Then after they had recovered from the experience we brought them the real gems of Swedish candy which brought better reactions from those who tasted it and ss a perfect ending to a great Swedish fika the Belgians brought som delicious Belgian chocolate. We began saying goodbye to our new Slovenian friends and exchanged contact info so we can keep in touch. 

As the last goodbye, we took a group foto to remember this great week we have had. We finished saying goodbye and took the bus to the hotel. It has been an amazing week and an amazing project to be a part of. To contribute to the EU and to the beautiful nature we have in all the countries as been an experience we will never forget and we are endlessly happy for the opportunity that is given to us by the people that make this possible. There is no words to describe what this means to all of us. We can just thank you and make sure that the opportunity and effort doesn’t go to waste.

Hello again!

Today was Thursday, our fourth whole day here in beautiful Slovenia. It all started as it usually does, with a huge breakfast buffet, great as always. After breakfast we went to the school by bus, and we were greeted in a classroom by a man in a lab coat. We got divided into our groups whom we now know and love, and three groups went with the laboratory man, and another three with Monika.

We were led into a laboratory where the man who had previously greeted us told us about the uses of the Japanese knotweed. You could tell that he loved what he was doing, and it really caught on in us students. We were told about what you could do with the knotweed, you could eat the stems and it tasted ok apparently but nothing special, and you could use it as dye. We got to pick our own colours and cut the fabric in whichever shape we wanted, Edvard took the opportunity to make a whale. The groups we were in during the dyeing weren’t the same as they usually were, but it was great fun to speak and work together with some people whom you hadn’t spoken that much to before. We’re looking forward to seeing the results tomorrow!

After the knotweed dyeing experience, or vice versa for one half, it was tracking time. Monika told us about the art of tracking animals, and it was more intricate than we thought. There were so many layers to finding out about where an animal has gone and where it’s going. But the two things we were going to focus on today were footprints and faeces.

Now here comes the shitty part… Animal poops! We were asked to match the faeces and prints to each individual animal, it went WAY better than expected for both our groups since we had poop-talented people in both groups. One could say we knew our shit 😉. Monika was extremely knowledgeable and just as the day before we could tell she was interested in everything she was saying. We went out into the woods and looked at badger poop, we picked it up with small chopsticks to put it in a vile of pure ethanol. Most people were disgusted by it, but a select few were brave enough to play the claw machine of poop. Maja found a triturus alpestris, a black salamander with a orange belly, while on poop-scavenging. Edvard and Eric got to use plaster to create paw prints in the mud. Eric’s looked pretty but Edvard’s hadn’t dried yet so hopefully it will be finished tomorrow.

We got back to the hotel and relaxed for a bit before going to the canyon on which the town of Kranj was built. At the canyon we were asked to find any species that were native to all our countries, and there were some spruces, pines, beech trees and alder. While on the trail we joked around with the Portuguese, especially at the end with what we will call the “archaeological excavation”

Today was a great day and we’re sure tomorrow will be as well!

Bye from Maja and Edvard!

Hello everyone

Our third day in Slovenia was spent in Bohinj (Triglav National Park) and Bled. The day started with breakfast. At 8 am the bus left the hotel and we were on our way to the beautiful nature. The bus tour took about an hour and we were all fascinated by the environment with the high mountains, floods and lakes. Some of the Slovenians think that “the high mountains” are just hills, but if you’re from the south of Sweden, those “hills” will look huge.

When we arrived at Triglav National Park we got into our groups (that consists of one or two Slovenians, one Swede, one Portuguese and one Belgian). We got a map that showed the whole national park

and then we started to walk towards the Bohinj lake. It was a beautiful lake with crystal clear water. In spring when the glaciers on the mountains melt, the water runs down to the lake, which results in the water change three times a year. After a photo session by the lake, we continued the walk around the national park. We were always surrounded by mountains and nice views.

After a pleasant walk in the enjoyable weather, we came to a small village. In the village most of the houses are made from wood, and even if there are newbuilt constructions, they still have respect for the traditional architecture of houses of wood. Later, we came to a nature center where we listened to a presentation about Triglav National Parc and nature conservation. According to the organization behind the national park, the park has rich biodiversity because of the surrounding alpines. Also, we got to know that Triglav is the highest mountain in Slovenia (2864m) and it is important for Slovenia’s identity. In the park, more than 5500 different plants and animal species have been discovered so far. Another thing that we learned is that the most common invasive species is Japanese knotweed. The house where the presentation was held was also built in wood. In the same house, there was also an exhibition about the Bohinj lake.

The next thing on the agenda was a stop by some construction where they dry hay in the past. There we once again worked in our group and this time we were supposed to make a drawing of the construction and invasive species. We also learned about the Slovenian agriculture. Then it was time for lunch. Today, we tried Slovenian traditional food. For the appetiser, we had noodle soup with bread. For the main course, there was chicken with a potato ball and sauce that tasted a little bit like Swedish “Vörtbröd”. And for dessert, we were served some cheese with lingonberry jam, cinnamon and sugar. It was very interesting to taste some of Slovenia’s traditional food. By doing these kinds of things, we can learn more about their culture. Also, during lunch we got to know some of the people from Belgium better. Me (Sanna) and Paulin got to use our French knowledge that we have learned during our years in the school while talking to them which was very fun.

After lunch, we went to Bled and walked along the lake that is located there. We learned that the difference between lake Bohinj and Lake Bled is that the water in lake Bled doesn’t change the water the same way it does in lake Bohinj. There’s no new water getting in or out, which results in the lake change the water three times in ten years, compared to lake Bohinj that changes water three times in one year. We also got a lesson about an invasive species in the lake. The name of the species is Dreissena polymorpha and it is a clam. From the beginning, it comes from Russia and Ukraine. Humans, birds and other species are spreading larvae to other ecosystems. This clam is the most common invasive species in the world.

Now we are back at the hotel and have eaten dinner. It was a long day, full of interesting new things, both fascinating facts and wonderful environment. You will hear from us again on Saturday!

Paulin and Sanna

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Hello!

We woke up at 7 A.M with with a view of the mountains peeking through the blinders. As Edvard went to have a shower, however, there were no towels! After a quick sprint to the lobby the showering was back on track. After the slight inconvenience we were a little bit late to the breakfast, but, it didn’t really matter as there was basically an unlimited supply of bacon and eggs. There was yoghurt, sandwiches and lots of fruits too, something for everyone. After breakfast we went to our rooms once more to finish ourselves up for a day at the school.

We went to the school by bus, as we saw a huge building on top a hill we asked a slovenian girl who sat what it was, appearently it was a hotel looking over the entire green valley inbetween the mountains. Then we arrived at the school, and went into a classroom with chairs in a circle. The icebreaking made us realise that it is not ”Slovenians, Belgians and Portuguise”, they are individuals who we simply haven’t spoken personally to yet.

We got a tour around the school, they showed us the different quirks that it had, like the cute baby cows, their own bees, horses and a complex watering system featuring fish and plants living symbiotic. We got to visit their store filled with the school’s own dairy products, and carefully selected local products fo the students to purchase. We got to experince their canteen, sitting with people from Slovenia and Portugal, talking about our everyday lives and school, we even tried to play some swedish quizes, however, not even us Swedes knew any of the questions 🙂

We went back to the hotel by bus once more using the bus cards that we got in the morning. We went to a local supermarket and bought some snacks inbetween the orientation and school. We went down to the lobby and reunited with our groups that we had during the discussion once more to roam around town. We followed the map we got around the old town to different historic monuments and places, it was supposed to take roughly an hour and a half, however,  we were finished in less than 45 minutes. (We hadn’t told the teachers we had been there the night before 🙂 ) As the teachers arrived we had already gotten to know eachother in the different groups, for instance the guy I (Edvard) had joked around with earlier in school, was in my group and we had a good time the entire day, which continued onto card games that evening.

As dinner came up we were faced with another buffet containing a popular carbonara, ”Belgian fries” and chicken. It seemed that we had really connected to a lot of people, and it was only our first day.

See ya from your friends Edvard and Maja

One year has passed since last time students from the Natural Science Programme at Aranäsgymnasiet in Kungsbacka, Sweden, blogged about the ERASMUS+ Save Our European Heritage from Invasive Alien Species Attack project.

Since then, our school has hosted a visit from our fellow partners Portugal, Slovenia and Belgium, during which we all explored the natural and cultural heritage of some parts of the Swedish West Coast. For instance, students visited Fjärås Bräcka, a 14.500-year-old ice-ridge formation, and went fishing in the Gothenburg harbour. In addition, the groups had guided tours in The World Culture Museum of Gothenburg and Universeum Science Center, as well as a lovely day on the Koster Islands near Norway.

Now we are about to start the next leg of our journey. During October 6^th to October 12^th, we will be in Kranj in Slovenia. Stay tuned for more, our students will be blogging daily!

Vanessa & Åsa

Friday was our final full day in Portugal, and this one would be spent in a nearby city called Guimarães. The bus ride was about 30 minutes long and our first destination was the Guimarães Landscape and City Laboratory.

This building was newly built, modern and located right next to one of Guimarães’ many small rivers. Inside, our guide had prepared a presentation of the work being done in the laboratory, a lot of which was focussed on the treatment and prevention of invasive plant and animal species.

Afterwards, we were all shown around the lab by the guide. We got to see and learn about different species of fish and plants that were part of the lab’s work. There was also an interactive three-dimensional map of Guimarães and the neighboring parishes, where areas of, for example, water, forest and city areas or different water sourcing areas could be displayed digitally on the physical map.

Lunch for the day was enjoyed at the nearby University of Minhos. We were offered a variety of foods, but most of us opted for potatoes with fish or rice with lamb. We were all happy with the food. No complaints.

During the first part of the afternoon, we were given some free time to enjoy the beautiful city centre of Guimarães. The buildings were old but very well preserved and the atmosphere felt vibrant and alive. Many of us bought ice cream and we all had a splendid time.

Our knowledge of the city would later expand further when we were divided into groups of 6 and given a scavenger hunt-type challenge, where the aim was to run around the city centre looking for answers to questions like ’The statue in Santiago Square was made in which year?’. The hunt was intense but we all had great fun and could agree that it was one of the highlights of the entire trip.

Our Guimarães experience ended with us visiting the city’s well-known medieval castle. In the setting sun, we wandered inside the structure built around the year 900, and it all felt quite magical.

Well back in Vila do Conde, we ended the day with a farewell dinner involving all the students and teachers having participated in the week-long event in Portugal. Many laughs were shared in the restaurant as we enjoyed our final meal together as a group. By the end of the gathering, some of the happiness turned to sadness as we said our final goodbyes to the group we had gotten to know very well over the six days spent together.

The entire Swedish group is very happy with how the entire trip turned out. We are also very thankful for how well the Portuguese team organised events and field trips and for how welcome they made us feel in their home country.

With this event finshed, we’re all looking forward to the next meeting in may!

The day started with a second degree warning about storm and therefore we could not visit the intended destination. Instead the whole group went to Sea World, located in Porto. There we looked at aquariums and unfortunately we thought that many of the tanks were too small for the marine animals. In one tank a turtle were stuck between two rocks and couldn’t get out. Someone informed the staff and basically you can say that we saved a life today.

Later on we ate a ”lunch snack” at a shopping mall also located in Porto. It was a huge mall with many different stores. The entire day was pretty unclear and due to the weather we had to reschedule the outdoor activities.

After lunch we visited a museum about bio diversity. A guide showed us around and told us about things such as: evolution, Charles Darwin and natural selection. The guide were pretty enthusiastic about the topic and he told us about the importance of biodiversity and how every individual is important. In the end of the exhibition there were pictures of humans with different ethnicities. The reason of this was to show that every person are special and unique. In addition, the guide said that the difference between wild animals and humans are the cultures that exists in our society.

This chilly wednesday started with us joining the other nationals on the bus at 9am. We were taken to one of Porto’s man-made parks, called Serralves. Upon arrival we were greeted by Rita, our guide for the visit.

Inside one of the parks pretty wooden buildings, Rita introduced us to the park, with facts and figues of some of the different plant species that could be found there. We were told that the vegetation of Serralves has been significantly affected by invasive plant species since its opening during the beginning of the 20th century.

We were later brought outside to study the diversity of the trees in the park. In groups, we chose a 10 by 10 meter area inside which we would analyse the amount of native, non-native, and invasive species respectively. As a result we could conclude that the number of invasive plants species, such as the large Eucalyptus tree, makes up close to one third of the plants in the park, which is quite a worrying figure.

The study was followed by a lovely walk through the park of Serralves. Along the way, we saw animals, flower installations and even got to go inside a small cave underground.

For lunch, we ate a restaurant in the city of Porto. Some of us decided to try one of the region’s specialities. This dish is called Francesinha, and consists of a variety of different meats, hams and sausages, all covered in melted cheese and with an egg on top. It was quite intimidating upon being placed in front of the two of us that had ordered it. However, the final verdict was good, even though it was one of the richest and densest pieces of food we’d consumed.

The final activity of the day was a field trip in the beautiful forestated landscape outside of Porto. We walked on a dreamy path overlooking a flowing river at the bottom of the pass. Our activity relating to invasive species was to help locals with the removal of invasive acacia trees. We were taught to remove the bark from the trees in a specific manner, and then given gloves and garden knives to set to work ourselves. Even though this was quite physical work, we all enjoyed it and could walk back to the bus feeling like we hade done concrete work to make the wild Portuguese nature a better place.

Go Baj!