1. The Comenius week at the English School 3 rd to 8 th November 2008

2. The main components Visitors from the partner schools in Europe Organization at the English School for hosting the guest pupils Meetings with the guest teachers Setting up the terms for a Poster Competition. Arranging for workshops as creative and ice breaking activity between guest pupils and a big number of English School pupils.

3. The main components Arranging entertainment for the guests, and giving them the chance to know Cyprus and Cypriots. Contacting parents for sponsorship, so as to save the budget for as many people to travel as possible. Spreading the event through the media with participation in radio and TV shows.

4. The visitors Three teachers from IPTA Instituto Profissional de Technologias Avancadas in Portugal Two teachers and six pupils from the Bischoefliche Canisiusschule in Ahaus Germany. One teacher from the Liceum Ogolnoksztalcace Nieszawa in Poland.

5. Organization at the English School Presentation of the project to teachers, parents and pupils at different times. Recruitment of staff interested in participating in the project. Leading the pupils through an application in identifying the activities in which they would like to take part. Setting up teams for workshops during the week of November and teams of work for the two year main project.

6. Prior to the week in November Coordination amongst volunteered staff/teachers to lead the workshops, and pupils, in order to get the ground ready for work. Helpful: Teachers’ enthusiasm and close collaboration

7. Prior to the week in November Arrangements for hosting of pupils in families and organization of their contribution to activities. Coordination of sponsors: cocktail/lunch, pizza lunches, a dinner,busses for excursions; purchase of presents to offer, contact with media by our team for the promotion of the event etc.

8. The workshops Two teams of work started their activities earlier and their task in still going on. These are : - The journal writing - The promotion team

9. The workshops - Four other teams started and finished their product by the end of the week: These are : -The poster competition -The dance club -The choir -The setting-up of the website

10. The Poster Competition

11. The poster Competition The 36 pupils of this team were allocated to groups by their teacher Mrs Syrimis, with one German pupil in each team. This enabled them to create together and realize,for a while,that in real life Europe’s citizens work for common goals, putting together their skills for a better result.

12. The Poster Workshop Mrs Syrimis helped create an outstanding piece of work!

14. And the winner is…

15. The Choir

16. The team of 13 pupils and their teacher Mrs Leonie Hadjithoma worked for two consecutive days for more than one hour each time, on learning to sing German and Cypriot songs. The workshop was duly overseen by Mrs Tellalis. The result was very impressive and encouraging for the next step to be taken.

17. The Choir Team

18. The Dance

19. The 13 pupils and their teacher Mrs. Maria Christodoulou worked for two consecutive days for almost three hours. The amazing result of the German pupils performing Cypriot dances with our pupils, was together with the choir songs,the main entertaining part at the farewell party.

20. The Dance Team

21. The website workshop

22. The Comenius website Twelve school pupils and two German guest pupils worked together on writing data to be uploaded on the website. The outcome is very satisfactory thanks to the teachers in charge: Mr Rajeev Rishi and Mrs Stavroulla Ambiza, who very patiently followed and monitored the work done by the pupils. The pupil in charge of uploading the data is and will be doing so for the period of the next two years, so as to keep the site updated.

23. The Promotion Team

24. The promotion team’s work This very active team consisted of some energetic youngsters who showed their enthusiasm in various ways. Through two radio shows, a TV show, articles and power point presentations some of which have been published in the Cyprus Mail, and other local newspapers. To be also included in youth organizations' websites.

25. At the Cybc live TV show

26. The promotion team’s work They also followed the work of the workshops, took photographs and interviewed the participants, whose interviews appear on the website and the Comenius journal. They also wrote the slogans and mottos on display in main building corridor on the ground floor.

27. The Journal This end product is still being prepared by the same pupils under the monitoring of the librarian Mrs Natasha Ashiotou, who very meticulously is carrying out the layout of the pages to be included in this only edition of the Comenius Journal.

28. Vanessa’s creative writing. The Gym First there was Starbucks, and then there were diets because all that fresh cream and luxurious coffee bean mixes had obvious consequences...and then there was the gym. It’s simply the new craze in Nicosia, and generally around the world; wherever you go, whatever age they may be, everyone’s newest gossip is about who they saw at the gym yesterday, who was doing cardio, who was there for 3 hours. In fact, you could call it the new fashion.... (six pages long)

29. Katerina’s article on cafenia Cafés in Cyprus The Cypriots traditionally socialized in the small coffee shops or ‘kafenia’ of the villages and of the cities. This was at first a privilege that only men could enjoy, since it wasn't 'proper' for a woman to be involved in such social activities, so women were having their coffees in their yards or living rooms. These local coffee houses were the centre of the social life of the villages and of the neighbourhoods of the big cities for everybody that went there since it was not usual not to go to the kafenia at least once a day. There people discussed local matters, gossiped and off course they argued on hot political issues….( to be continued in the Journal)

30. Some of the authors but not all…

31. The fun they had…

32. The various Excursions On Monday the 3 rd the guests were offered a welcoming coctail /lunch sponsored by Epidorpio and then taken on a bus tour to the old town of Nicosia. The had the chance to see the part of Nicosia within the walls as well as its monuments. The visiting teachers had also the chance to rest for a while at the Starbucks café in Ledra street, as the pupils walked along.The coffee was offered by the Comenius Budget.

33. The morning walking tours Some visiting teachers benefited from their free morning time on Friday, and some on Thursday, so they took the guided walking tours to the old town of Nicosia.

34. The full day excursions On Saturday the excursion was sponsored by Top Kinisis and Iordanis Coaches. It was a tour to the ancient sites of Kourion and Paphos mosaics. The lunch to teachers was offered by the Comenius budget.

35. The excursion to the mountains This was guided by a CTO guide specialized on the medieval churches of Cyprus. The bus was sponsored by Louis Tourist. The visit started from Ayios Sozomenos in Galata village and continued at the Kykko Monastery, a special request by our German guests. They were left with very good impressions. Lunch was offered by the Monastery.

36. The Sponsors and helping Parents Many parents responded most enthusiastically to my requests for contribution. This was most encouraging for all of us and especially for the teams of work in November. I would like this to be a grateful thank you to all those who contributed through sponsorship or other kind of help, in the success of this week’s activities.

37. The Hosting families A very special thank you to the families who offered their best hospitality and helped to make the beginning of the two year project a success and a stepping stone to the future work to follow.