By Tyrese Hübner about the meeting in Riga 10/2019:

 

After the German group had arrived with six students and three teachers at Riga airport the Latvian teachers took us to our hotel by car. The first impression of Riga city was very good.

 

I liked the houses and churches a lot and I noticed that the public roads were very clean. Riga has got many old houses being built, in the Art Nouveau period which looks special and unigue.

 

The next day we were taken to the Latvian private school where we met the other participants from the countries.

The following countries were included: Poland, Italy, Turkey, Latvia and the German group.

The German teachers were Mrs. Wöhrmann, Mr. Gründemann and Mr. Rückert the German students were Svenja, Rinad, Paolo, Robin, Joel and myself. Every day was full of different activities.

 

One day all groups presented their tables with their local food and drinks.We did many activities and "warming ups"and listened to a film specialist who gave a lecture of the design of film scenes.

 

Another day we went to "Cinevilla", a „Village“ where numerous films have been made.

 

A man showed us varios special effects, which were used for creating film scenes.

 

The next day each school showed two films about different topics that had been made and introduced them to the audience.

We visited the „Rundale Palace“, which looks very distinguished from the inside. On the last day we practised a „flahmop“ and in the evening there was a disco evening and farewell party.

 

During my stay in Latvia I realized that I want to work harder in English as I noticed what it is like only to communicate in English .

My personal highlight was the disco evening, because most of the time I was talking to most of the Italian students in English, we all sang and danced together.

 

By Robin Mattern about the meeting in Riga 10/2019:

 

When we were picked up from the airport by the Latvian teachers in Riga and drove to our hotel, I thought to by myself what a beautiful city Riga is. Riga is a big, beautiful and very clean city. The Latvians themselves were very nice and polite. At the Erasmus project in Latvia 4 countries participated. Germany, Italy and Turkey stayed in a B&B hotel. The Polish people were in another hotel nearby. The Turkish group arrived just like the Italians with 7 students and 2 teachers. The Polish and German took part with 5 students and 2 teachers. When we all went to school on Monday I thought only to myself WOW what a school! The school was big, had many rooms, in every classroom a TV and in every room Internet! The teachers and students were all very nice and hospitable. In contrast to our school, this school is more modern. The difference is, that our school isn't so big and has so many televisions and all that stuff. In the course of time we have all been very good with each other. The best thing we did was to get in touch with the Italians, some of us still have contact with them even now. I have to say about the program, it was well prepared and very good in general. During the week, we were accompanied by a guide who showed us a few things about Riga and explained something about it. On Monday she showed us the old town of Riga and told us a little story about some houses. The next day we had a day trip to Cinevilla. We went there together by bus. The journey lasted approximately an hour. We looked at houses and locations and watched some short films about the locations we visited. Cinevilla is a Latvian film studio where many films and series have been shot. After that we went to a church where we had a workshop with a green screen. The workshop was called Experience the making of special effects in movies. The man who showed us this, picked some students and teachers from us and made a scene with them with the Greenscreen. For example, one student sat down on a bicycle and another student was pretending to run after him, but she just walked right on the spot. In the background you saw a road and it looked like the student was riding the bike and the other student was running after him. Left and right there was a TV where you could see everything. The next day we went to school and had a workshop. The workshop was run by an expert of the Riga Film Studios. He told us how to cut a movie. After that we formed groups and got different tasks. Each group had a color and you always had to do something with it. For example, make a piece of clothing with cardboard. On Thursday we had another day trip to a palace called Rundale Palace. Our guide showed us around and explained something about it. On the last day we had a flash mob where we practiced a dance and presented it to the teachers. In the evening we had a party where everyone danced and celebrated together. The party was my personal highlight. The next day we were taken to the airport and said goodbye.

 

In general the trip to Latvia was very nice and we got along well with everyone.

 

By Joel Broux about the meeting in Riga 10/2019:

 

My first impressions in Latvia were that Riga, the city we lived in, was pretty cold and very clean. We were in Latvia because we met there with four different schools from four different countries for the Erasmus + project. The school, a private school, was also very clean. The students and teachers had extra ID cards so they could open doors. Five countries with five different schools took part in the meeting in Riga. The Italians were there with a total of 7 people, two teachers and five pupils. The Turks had travelled to Riga just like the Italians with 7 people. They also travelled with two teachers and five students. The Poles had also come with two teachers and and the German group were 3 teachers and 6 students. The highlights in Riga were 'Cinevilla' as well as 'Castle Rundāle Palace', a 5 star restaurant 'Government' and last ('Lido Leisure Centre') and Lido krasta. 'Cinevilla' is a small village built especially for making movies. 'Lido Leisure Centre' is a 5 star restaurant with a large theme park. The castle Rundāle is a baroque castle owned by the state since 1902. It is located in the Latvian region Semgallen, 10 kilometers west of the city of Bauska. It is often referred to as the 'Versailles' of the Baltic States. In the course of the week some things became clear to us, e. g. that we had a completely wrong picture of the Latvians and that they were actually quite nice. We also saw how difficult it is to shoot and edit a movie. My personal highlights were 'Cinevilla' and 'Castle Rundāle'.

 

By Paolo Herrera about the meeting in Riga 10/2019:

 

On Sunday the 13th, after we had arrived at the airport of Latvia, we were picked up by the Latvian teachers.

 

When we were on the way from the airport to the hotel, the city made a very good and interesting impression

 

The houses and in general the construction of the houses reminded me to the architecture of Art Nouveau. I especially liked it, to see something new. Besides the city had been very clear and well restored. I will not forget lots of beautiful churches that can be admired there as well.

 

The hotel was one of my personal pluses, because it was very well equipped and you felt very well there.

 

Although our group didn’t really know each other, expect Robin because he’s in my class, we founded out quite quickly that we actually got along well. Right on the first night we got to know the Italian group and therefore we got along with those best on the entire trip.

 

But with the help of joined activities, for example: (eating dinner together or work together at the Latvian school) the groups came together pretty close in the course of the excursion, until everyone realized that they all got on well together.

 

Another of my personal pluses were the Latvian hosts, they were very diligent in planning and preparing, so everything worked smoothly.

 

In Latvia, we got important information about film design and production. That was the main reason why we met there, then later to create an ,,Endmovie‘‘ which is going to be presented in Izmir to finish the project.

 

Actually everything was very well, but what I liked most was “Cinevilla”. It was the second day of the excusion when we visited “Cinevilla” for the first time. “Cinevilla” is a village created especially for making films and I was impressed about it because I was always interested in how movies are made.

 

By Rinad Hijazi about the meeting in Riga 10/2019:

 

The Erasmus project meeting on the topic “Approaching social issues by film” of the Friedrich-Ebert-School took place in Riga; the capital city of Latvia. The first image I saw of Riga gave me the impression that it was a typical big city; cathedrals, trendy stores, museums and a river cutting the city in half. The more I learned about Riga, the more the impression of it being a city of art grew.

 

After a 2-hour flight we finally landed in Riga airport and were driven by the teachers to the hotel. Every day was a bit different from the other; on the first official day we went on a tour around the Latvian school ISMA PREMJERS. After everyone presented their countries and schools we got to try different foods from the participating countries in the European food market. During that time, we got to finally talk to each other properly. Whenever we went to school we ate warm lunch at the cafeteria. And the last thing we had before having a delicious dinner which was mostly at Lido, a Latvian chain restaurant which offered a buffet of traditional food, we also went to other restaurants like Governments. We had a very well-organized schedule that meant that of course that we had enough free-time which we used to go shopping, walk around the city with friends from other countries… etc. Other than presenting our films, taking workshops on editing and talking with the other students, we went on different trips that taught us more about Latvia’s culture like our visit to Rundale palace in the Rundāle Municipality and a guided tour around old Riga. When I was doing some research on Riga, the art noveau style caught my attention and made me want to see it with my own eyes. I found the buildings constructed with that style very beautiful which made them my favorite thing about Riga.

 

By Yasemin Yildiz about the meeting in Bydgoszcz 05/2019:

 

The day came and we took the train to Poland. The outward journey was very amusing and funny. After a few hours of travelling we arrived in Poland, Bydgoszcz. A taxi picked us up and we were taken to the hotel where we met the others.

 

We got our room keys, brought our stuff into our rooms and we went straight down to eat. The next day we had a little program and after that a lot of free time. That’s why we decided to explore the city of Bydgoszcz. We visited huge shopping malls, town parks and saw even more.

 

The first impression of the school was astonishing. The school was huge. We got a tour to see and learn about the school and their own inside swimmingpool. On the tour we saw the Erasmuswall with all the old pictures. The time passed too fast and we went to have lunch, where everyone was together.

 

At the beginning, the students were very shy, which is quite clear, they were complete strangers. But after that we met a lot of time because we stayed in the same hotel. That was the reason for becoming friends quickly. We spent a lot of time together. After breakfast our shuttle came to pick us up to take the activities. We visited the townhall in Bydgoszcz and met the mayor. We visited a museum in Gdansk and we even got a city tour. After all this we drove to Sopot, a city by the sea.

 

One day we got a workshop and learned about shortfilms. We got a lot of explanations and advices that we should use because after this we directed a seven second lasting shortfilm. These experiences were very interesting and helpful. It was a lot of fun to work together with everyone.

 

The week was very nice. The beginning was first hard for everyone but after two or three days we became real friends. We exchanged our data. We grew so close, that parting was very hard and emotional.

 

My personal highlight was the trip to Gdansk and Sopot because we all together, was so much fun and this day and we grew together very much.

 

This trip was a great experience.

 

By Kiara Drag about the meeting in Bydgoszcz 05/2019:

 

On Thursday 22nd May 2019 in the morning we finally went to Poland. The trip over there we all talked about how it will be to meet all the new people and to experience all the great things. We drove about 8-10 hours, were picked up at the station in Poland by the Shuttle service and we're taken to the hotel.We were thrilled by the hotel. It was beautiful and of high quality furnished with a red long carpet that went from one floor to the other. Since we arrived at the hotel late at night, we did not do anything exciting anymore, but had dinner in the hotel and get in touch slowly with the students of the other countries. We were picked up every day early in the morning by the shuttle service and taken to school and taken back to the hotel in the afternoon. Arriving at the school we all met in a classroom. In total we were 5 countries. The school was huge and it even had a swimming pool. On one day we also had a European market where each country brought some specialities from their home country.All students took part in a film workshop where we were taught how to make a good movie in 7 seconds without cutting and editing. Every day at school we learned something about other countries and people. At the beginning we were all a little bit shy, but after a fe days we got along very well. We met the mayor where we talked to and presented the Erasmus project. In Gdansk, a very nice old town, we went on a tour of the city and then a museum visit. My highlights were all together and spend time together. By the sea for example we listened to music, danced and did a lot of crazy things. But the best and unforgettable things was our last evening. The Polish students organized a meeting at a very nice place in Bydgoszcz where only we students celebrated a bit with the students of the other countries. It was beautiful, but also emotional. So it was pretty hard that we had to say Goodbye the next morning. This trip was a great experience where you could make friends and this friendship until today. I would recommend Erasmus project to all other students and it was one of the best experience in my life.

 

By Angelina Krombach about the meeting in Bydgoszcz 05/2019:

 

When we got there, we were granted very nicely by the Polish teachers. We bought a luggage in the room. Next and downstairs and had dinner. Together we explored the hotel building discovered the where we stayed every night.

 

The next day we had breakfast and then drove to school. At school there was a European Marked where each school presented food specialties from our country. We where taken back to the hotel Pod Olem by taxi. The rest of the afternoon we had free time and explored the city with a visit of a shopping mall.I preferend exploring the city on our own to a guided tour. In the evening we where in a restaurant food.

 

The next day we presented our schools and had a workshop about “long shot films”. Therefore we should also film our own film and were allowed to move around the school brought us closer to the other students especially the Italians. On Sunday we made a trip to Gadansk and Sopot where we had a tour through the city, visited some churches and finally we went to the museum of solidarity. When we came back in the evening we had something in the hotel.

 

The last day we were indivited to the city hall and had walk through Bydgoszcz. We also had a farewell event at school. Little by little we realized that this wonderful week was over and some tears poured.

 

The next morning after a funny last evening with the other students we took our train back to Gießen

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