EMAGAZINE 2022 JUNE LTTA IN THE NETHERLANDS FINAL VOLUME PROJECT WEBSITE
TABLE OF CONTENTS 03 HILS in a nut shell 04 Get to know the partners Students' testimonials 05 LTTA in the Netherlands 07 10 HILS Conference 11-23 New Kids in the block
A day trip to Nijmegen with all participating teachers and students during the LTTA in the Netherlands in June 2022
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It is not by accident that this partnership brings together educational institutions from a vast variety of EU regions covering rural and urban areas, north and south of Europe, east and west, and most significantly, students from varying degrees of socio economic and demographic spectrums, as the project's ultimate aim is to robustly challenge the general perception that a healthy lifestyle and all the perks associated with it, is a privileged of children and adults from the wealthier 'side of town' Issue 30 | 234
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In essence this project brings about issues related to social inequality in the context of healthy living and wellbeing, two highly relevant, hotly debated global issues Over its 3 year course, HILS will enable a large number of young people across this partnership to explore a large variety of healthy living aspects, tackle a number of barriers to a healthier, longer and more fulfilling life HILS has been thoughtfully structured by combining methodologies which have been previously tried and successfully tested as well as by bringing a series of innovative ideas and strategies. The activities have been carefully designed and selected to suit the needs of young people across the partnership, by being both accessible and suitably challenging These activities will enable the students involved to learn in a progressive way which will lead to the planned outcomes There is a strong emphasis on students' leadership skills; HILS will empower young people to take control and be the main driving force in their quest for the full implementation of the project's results, which will in turn forge and develop their leadership skills and a let’s do attitude
HILS in a nutshell HILS (Healthy Inclusive Lifestyle through Schools) brings together 8 secondary schools from: Netherlands (Project Coordinators), Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland, France, Italy and the United Kingdom.
Crucially, we have been able to include in the partnership two non school government organisations based in the Netherlands and the UK specialised in public health and healthy schools, respectively. These member organisations play an essential role in providing the necessary expertise and knowledge required for an effective delivery of the project's goals
In many ways, this project has the potential to transform the lives of a great number of young people, who seem to be trapped in a self-imposed vicious cycle of poor lifestyle choices leading to poor health, academic underperformance, lack of aspirations and ultimately, a shorter, less fulfilling life.
Gettoknowthe partners HILS Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices A strategic partnership for school education Head coordinator Pallas Athene School Ede English partner AIM North London Academy (until 2021) Christ's College Finchley (since 2021) French partner Ecole Hôtelière de Paris Lycée Jean Drouant Italian partner Liceo Scientifico Leonardo da Vinci Floridia Finnish partner Latokartanon peruskoulu Helsinki Spanish partner Instituto de Educación Secundaria Playa San Juan Alicante Slovenian partner Osnovna šola Benedikt Portuguese partner Agrupamento de Escolas Alberto Sampaio Braga English Health Organisation Enfield Council Dutch Health Organisation Veiligheids en Gezondheidsregio Gelderland Midden Arnhem EDITORIAL OFFICE Agrnominkatu 22, 00790 Helsinki, Finland EDITOR IN CHIEF Seda Altunbay SUBSCRIPTIONS Visit our project website here for further information Page 4
INTHE NETHERLANDS
Marisa from Slovenia The final LTTA took place in Ede, the Netherlands. The main theme of this incredible one week experience was HILS Health Conference. Students and teachers from all partner countries got together one last time to present their own topics and materials they'd gathered since the beginning of the partnership in 2019
Here is students' experiences of the week from their own perspective.
Zana, Slovenia
"The trip to the Netherlands was long but fun. First we were driving to the airport in Vienna. It was my first time flying in a plane, which was fun When we were in the air I saw beautiful clouds, it was a nice view Later when we landed we went on a train and by bus. When we arrived at the bus station, a lovely teacher from Pallas Athene College came and drove us to school where we met our host families On Monday we had presentations and we got to know each other. After school, I and my friends went to the city named Utrecht. It was fun, but it was raining all day On Tuesday we visited a museum. We saw there a lot of interesting paintings and other stuff."
I am really grateful I had a chance to experience the Erasmus project and go to a different country that’s a bit far away from yours.
LEARNING TEACHING TRAINING ACTIVITIES
6th - 10th June 2022 Page 5
"On Wednesday at 900 we had a presentation about healthy food and at 1130 we went to the city of Nijmegen where we took a group photo and had to do 88 challenges (we didn’t need to do all) Afterward, we had free time till 1700 to explore the city and then went on a pancake boat, were we ate pancakes and enjoyed in a ball pit. It was really interesting. We got home at 2015" Emanuela, Slovenia We had the opportunity to have a picnic altogether before having to say goodbye to our English friends and colleagues.
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Lukas, Slovenia On Friday the rest of the group went sailing in a place called Ottenhome in Kortenhoef The day was sunny and warm, so doing waters ports in international groups was the perfect way to finalise an absolutely fantastic week of activities and the final mobility of our project.
"On Thursday was our last day in The Netherlands We had our last presentations about the project. After the presentations, I and my friends went to eat ice cream After that, we went to a BBQ and a party at school. The party was fun I really enjoyed it In the end there was time to go. I was saying my goodbyes to people that I met. It was a little bit sad if I’m honest The next day when it was dark outside, we went to the airport. We got on a plane After we landed in Vienna, we got home by minibus. This experience was amazing and I will never forget it"
HILS Health Conference HILS Health Conference took place on the 4th day of the LTTA, on Thursday 9th June 2022, in a culture hub named Cultura in Ede, the Netherlands. The main theme of the conference was to showcase our individual topics in an interesting and engaging way To watch the livestream of the entire conference click here. Each partner presented their own health related theme on the stage. Slovenia Well being Spain Exercise and sport Italy Health, Safety, and Environment Finland Body image and dangers of social media France Food and nutrition Portugal Smoking, alcohol and drug prevention England & the Netherlands Relationships and sexual health Page 7 Team France
PROUD HILS MOMENTS Page 8 Team Portugal Team Slovenia Team Italy Team Finland Team Spain Team England
Page 9 Team Netherlands
N E W K I D S I N T H E B L O C K
Christ’s
Avni Aliaj Project Coordinator College Finchley UK
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London’s Christ’s College Finchley are finally official part of HILS In an incredible final twist and after a long saga of bureaucratic hurdles, Christ’s College Fichley (CCF) from London has managed to finally jump on board the HILS project, by replacing the other British partner, Nightingale Academy who quit the project in October 2020. In a dramatic turn of events and rather symbolically, the CCF managed to bring their delegation of nine students and 2 members of staff to the final HILS LTTA here in Netherlands, and they couldn’t believe their luck! In spite of a last minute scramble to take in and process a huge amount of information (the school has never before been part of anything like this) the CCF team took the challenge like ducks to water! They worked very hard during their school holiday week prior to the trip to prepare for the event and get ready for what seems to have turned into a life changing experience for them. They decided to write these testimonials even before the end of the Ede experience, which is an indication of their eagerness to express their take on it. Upon return, they wrote about the experiences in French or Spanish, two languages they are currently studying at school Their enthusiasm has been palpable!
London
Mari, Finland "Going to The Netherlands was one of the best things that has ever happened in my life. We travelled by plane and that was my first time going on a plane When our plane landed we went to town Ede by train.
only known for five days would be that hard When I was saying goodbyes to everyone I cried, because I knew I would never see them again. Maybe I will see some of them in the future but that sounds kind of impossible I am really grateful I had a chance to experience the Erasmus project and go to a different country that’s a bit far away from yours I also tried some Dutch snacks and they were very tasty."
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Students' testimonials
When I met my host family I was very happy that all of them could speak English One day, when I had dinner with my host family, I tried Dutch croquettes and they were very good I really liked their school (Pallas Athene College) Almost every day we went to school by bike and that was a lot of fun. I met some very nice and awesome people in The Netherlands One day I went bowling with my host and her mom and her brother and we had so much fun. The weather in The Netherlands was mostly rainy, but the day I went out with my friends was sunny and I was very happy about that. We also went to the pancake boat and the pancakes we ate were delicious That pancake boat also had a ball pit. One day me and some of my other friends went to Utrecht, and we saw some amazing buildings We also went shopping. On Thursday we had BBQ and then later party. . The party was very good and music was also good I was nominated for an Oscar on that party and I also won it At the end of that party we all (Slovenian people) had to say goodbye to everyone because we were leaving Ede early next morning I didn’t know saying goodbye to people you had
Matilde, Portugal "Our trip around the Netherlands was awesome. We had a few difficulties but positive things crossed the bad things and we really enjoyed the trip We finally met the students with who we worked online and it was really fascinating to see them in real life We made tasks, walked, danced, celebrated a lot.
Marisa, Slovenia
"Hi, I am Matilde from Portugal. It was my first experience in Erasmus and it was fantastic I will never forget this week I met a lot of new friends. I love the country and all the activities."
"First of all I'm very grateful for the coordinators to arrange this trip for us We had been waiting for this 2 years and thankfully we got go just after we graduated. We had so much fun meeting many new friends from many new countries, doing different kind of things and getting to know The Netherlands. I learned how to speak more English, some fun facts about The Netherlands like, Dutch people don't bicycle with helmets. I also got to taste many delicious Dutch food and my host family was very lovely They took a very good care of me and I'm very grateful for getting them as my family. The best thing from this trip was the party and when we were at Nijmegen Thank you for everyone for arranging this program, for the Dutch students for helping us and for the host families for taking care of us "
Seeing and learning about the culture of the Netherlands was fun and exiting. The length of the trip was pretty good and over all I would give this experience 9/10 Would recommend " Milja, Finland "I am Rodrigo and I was in the Netherlands two weeks ago and my host family was the best in the world It was really a great experience in my life that I will never forget I enjoyed myself a lot and I would like to repeat this amazing experience."
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Rodrigo, Portugal "Hello everyone, Netherlands mobility was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life so far! People there were amazing, particularly the one who hosted me, I felt so welcome and the environment was so warming About the workshops, they were very interactive and I learned some things I use everyday All in all, I believe I will remember that for ever and I'll definitely keep every single moment of the week in my heart thanks!"
At 18.00 we had a BBQ it was good but we Slovenians do it better. After the BBQ we had a party it was super fun, I met a lot of people After the party we had to say our goodbyes because we were leaving at 2 00 am I really miss the Netherlands it was an amazing experience and I wish I could go back to see you soon <3" Emanuela, Slovenia "Last week was really incredible I couldn’t ask for a better exchange program experience. Waiting for 2years was definitely worth it. The best thing was definitely the party and the pancakes. If I had to give some negative feedback it would be that we weren’t given so much information and that we spend a lot time in the bus
Erica, Portugal "I remember with pleasure the week spent in the Netherlands! I appreciated the organization and the welcome I am really grateful for having this opportunity "
Inês, Portugal "We travelled for a long time before we got to the Netherlands but it was worth it because it was my first time on an airplane. On Sunday I and my host family visited Het Openlucht Museum Arnhem and it was super fun I learned a few things and ate mini pancakes On Monday we were in school till 14 00 After I and my friends went to the train station and visited Utrecht we went shopping and bought some souvenirs. It was raining a lot and none of us had umbrellas It was pretty cold too so I had to buy a jacket On Tuesday we had a presentation by GGD at 9 00 we picked up lunch in school and left for Kroller Muller Museum and Park de Hoge Veluwe. We came back home at 16 30 and after that, I and my friends visited thecentere of Ede We had to bike there it was really fun On Wednesday at 9 00 we had a presentation about healthy food and at 11.30 we went to the city of Nijmegen where we took a group photo and had to do 88 challenges (we didn’t need to do all)
Afterward, we had free time till 17.00 to explore the city and then went on a pancake boat, were we ate pancakes and enjoyed in a ball pit It was really interesting We got home at 20 15 On Thursday we had a HILS conference about what we have learned From 14 00 to 18 00 was a free afternoon. During that time I and my friends went to get ice cream (it was really good).
Guilherme, Portugal
We met new friends and had to say goodbye to them We had very good time and I wish we all would keep in touch. The best part of the trip was going to the graduation party. It was the first and the biggest party I've ever had Music, drinks, friends and dancing, that was unforgettable Our teacher Seda Altunbay did a huge job! Thank you all for this amazing experience, without you all we couldn't have made it :)" Anastasija, Finland "Taking part in an Erasmus exchange is the most amazing experience you can have! I loved going to the Netherlands It is a small and lovely country, with very nice people and delicious food The activity I liked the most were all of them."
Soon after that it was time to present our project experience so far, which went okay and after that, we tried our first
"The trip to the Netherlands was long but fun First we were driving to the airport in Vienna It was my first time flying in a plane, which was fun. When we were in the air I saw beautiful clouds, it was a nice view. Later when we landed we went on a train and by bus When we arrived at the bus station, a lovely teacher from Pallas Athene College came and drove us to school where we met our host families. On Monday we had presentations and we got to know each other. After school, I and my friends went to the city named Utrecht It was fun, but it was raining all day On Tuesday we visited a museum. We saw there a lot of interesting paintings and other stuff. On Wednesday it was even more fun We went to Nijmegen We had to do “tasks” and we were in mixed groups After this mission, we had free time and we went exploring the city. It was raining the whole time we were there and it was a little bit annoying. We went to McDonald’s and other shops After the free time, we got on the “pancake boat” which was very fun I tried a pancake with onion and it wasn’t that bad it was quite good. The boat had a room with plastic balls under deck and we were just throwing the balls at each other The next day was our last day in The Netherlands. It was fun and sad. We were enjoying the BBQ... we went to a Hollywood party at school. It was so fun because we were all dancing I have never seen my friends dancing that much, which was something new It was so fun but, in the end, we had to say our goodbyes. It was hard even though we knew those people for 5 days. The next day it was time to leave : ( When we got to the airport we were waiting so long to get through the things we had to go through. The flight was good and we got home safe."
Zana, Slovenia "It started on a very, very early morning as we got in front of the school and waited for the 2 mini vans to arrive. Once they arrived we said out goodbyes to our parents and got in We have been told that in one of them there would be strangers so of course, our imagination went wild, we mainly got the idea that there would be grannies that pre ordered the bible and that we would get candies from their purses Well, it was nothing like that. Either way, we got into the minivans and started our journey. It was mainly filled with excitement and sleep After 3 hours we got to the airport For most of us, it was the first time we would go through airport security and fly. The getting through security part was mostly smooth but the flying bit was a bit more interesting I was very excited to fly and it certainly met my expectations, it was filled with adrenaline. The 2 people sitting next to me didn’t share my excitement though, but they got through it.Soon enough we landed and then it hit us that we are going to live with strangers for the next week Anyways we got on a train and then bus and we finally arrived at the school where we met our hosts. At start, I was a bit nervous but I quickly calmed down and got quite close to the whole family Their home was a bit different, but it definitely had a home vibe. The next day we got to school were I finally reunited with my friends and we started talking about our experiences
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On Wednesday we went to the city Nijmegen where we had to do “tasks” After the challenge was completed, we had free time. We were walking around the streets and buying stuff like people normally do when they visit something new After “shopping” we went on the pancake boat where we ate pancakes. They were delicious and yummy. When I went home I was tired and I went to sleep
"In the week of 5th 10th June, we visited The Netherlands. It was so fun and it was such a great experience First, we got on the plane and it was my first time flying which was awesome When we landed we went on a train and then on a bus to Ede. After a few minutes, we met our host families The next day we drove to school by bikes. We got to know each other and then we ate fries and croquettes. I and my friends visited the city Utrecht which was a lot of fun On Tuesday we went to the Van Gogh museum. We saw his artworks and other things from other artists. We were driving to the museum by bikes and it was really fun
Dutch food. Personally, it wasn’t that good. Then we went home to rest and hang out with our host families Next day we went to 2 museums which were kind of boring but they were cleverly designed that it required biking to get to them. That was very fun. When we got home we decided that our group would go explore the center of Ede It was full of new things, adventures, and hanging out with friends The next day was more adventurous and trying new things (Boba tea, Dutch McDonalds ), hanging out with students from other countries, and the pancake boat, filled with delicious pancakes and a ball pit At the start, we had more presentations which were more stressful than last time. Then we got a short break and it was party time Everyone was having a blast At start, it was a bit boring but it got much better Sadly, we couldn’t stay too long as in a couple of hours we would have to go home. That time quickly arrived, we said our goodbyes and then we were back in Slovenia I loved this trip It was amazing meeting new people, trying ew things and for the future, it gave us a lot of experience with travelling I am very glad I joined this project and went to The Netherlands " Žan, Slovenia
On Thursday was our last day in The Netherlands We had our last presentations about the project. After the presentations, I and my friends went to eat ice cream After that, we went to a BBQ and a party at school The party was fun I really enjoyed it. In the end there was time to go I was saying my goodbyes to people that I met It was a little bit sad if I’m honest The next day when it was dark outside, we went to the airport We got on a plane After we landed in Vienna, we got home by minibus. This experience was amazing and I will never forget it
"
Lukas, Slovenia
"On the 5th June we went to the Netherlands with the Erasmus+ project HILS After a long ride and flight, we arrived in Amsterdam and then went on the train that took us to the city of Ede. On Monday, we first had presentations on different topics Ours was WELL BEING But because we are so talented in dance, we also performed the duck dance During the day we made new friends who were Amy, Selena, Jonas, Mateo, and Atilio. At the end of school, we decided to go to the city of Utrecht, where we walked for several hours On Tuesday we arrived at school still half asleep and tried to stay awake on the bus. We took a look at the nature that surrounded the museum and then drove to the art museum by bike Teacher Igor did his best to find a painting, which unfortunately was not in the museum at all. On Wednesday, we went to the city of Nijmegen, where we did 88 crazy tasks, walked around the city, wondered where the teachers were, went on a pancake boat, and also witnessed a fake birthday. We returned to the families very late, at eight in the evening Thursday was our last day, so we tried our best to make it special We also introduced our relaxation method “chicken nuggets”. Followed by the BBQ at six o'clock and a party at eight. When the party was over, we were full of tears It took a lot of hugs to finally say goodbye On Friday, we were already walking on our home soil. This trip taught us many things about healthy living, mental state and much more For all this, we can thank teacher Darja, because, without her, we would not have excuses for delays in class, for unfinished homework and of course, we would not have had such a beautiful experience."
"I decided to participate to this mobility, because I had participated to this project last years and I loved it. ! During this mobility, I did some activities, like two presentations for the Erasmus Project, discoveries of surrounding cities, we canoeed on a lake, it was beautiful, and of course we cycled to school.! During this trip I learned a lot about a new culture, a new way of life, and it was very interesting Of course I learned about all the themes regarding health that all the other countries presented.
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The hardest part, in fact, was saying goodbye to my host family who, from the very beginning, welcomed me in the best way. I was lucky to have found a super kind and helpful host buddy and I hope to meet her again someday Although it was a tiring week, I had a lot of fun, my favorite part was using the bicycle to get from one place to another just because before this experience I was not very good at it and instead now I have improved a lot I’m very happy to have experienced this and I’m grateful that I was given this opportunity Thank you y’all!"
Sarah, Italy
Katarina, Slovenia "This journey to the Netherlands was amazing and if I could I would go back in time to relive it again and again. I didn’t want to leave this beautiful country because I fell in love with its lifestyle, the breathtaking landscapes, but most of all the people who live there.
What surprised me the most was the food, it has nothing to do with French food ! What I will remember all my life are the moments when we were all gathered The moments when we all laughed for simple things, like just having a good time around a fire. I am very grateful for participating to the unique experience !"
It was a beautiful experience and I'll remember it forever. I had the chance to meet beautiful, kind hearted people and I couldn't be happier about it There will always be a special place in my heart for the people I've met (especially my little buddy and her family❤) and for this amazing Erasmus project. Thank you, truly." Alessia, Italy
"I decided to participate in the Erasmus project and this mobility in particular because I wanted to discover this country, improve my English and meet new people from different countries ! During the mobility I was lucky to be welcomed into a very nice family My correspondent is called Annemarijn, she has a little sister and a little brother. On the first day we had the chance to see presentations from each country on what we learned during the whole ERASMUS mobility. In the afternoon we had free time and I went with a few other people to Utrecht, a charming city that we visited and where we went to a shopping center. On Tuesday we had a conference on relationships. We also went to the Kröller Müller museum In the evening I accompanied Annemarijn to her volleyball training, it was great!
Aurélien, France
I could write a billion things about this wonderful experience, not only in the Netherlands but the whole Erasmus project in general I cannot express in words how I feel about this adventure that we did and took part in When we arrived in the Netherlands I was happy and a little bit sad because I just knew that it would have been the end of this project for me, but I tried not to think about that and enjoy my time there with everyone.
What I preferred during this week was to be able to meet new people I find it so enriching personally Being able to talk with people from other countries is something I particularly appreciate. !
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Going from a place to another with our bikes was very interesting because I was able to see more of the place where we were living, Wageningen, and more about the place where the school was, Ede. We also visited Utrecht and Nijmegen where we ate pancakes and played a game with 88 challenges which made me stay with people who I hadn't got the chance to talk until that time; I had a lot of fun with them and even got a picture with a dutch bus driver who I didn't know and also yelled "WE LOVE JOEP" with my group mates in the street
Wednesday we participated in a conference on potatoes and healthyfood then we all went to Nijmegen The Dutch students had organized a crazy 88. It was funny, we had to take pictures of the pledges we had to make We ate pannenkoeken on a boat Thursday we gave a conference on Healthy food and we had a stand with games and small gifts to win!
"If somebody some years ago had told me that I would have done this experience I would have never believed him During this week in the Netherlands I really had fun, I visited beautiful places, particularly the Kröller Müller museum with his magical gardens, knew a lot of people and I felt like I belonged to this place
"I decided to participate to the Erasmus project because I think it is an opportunity to study about a subject in a different way. It is very nice to meet other people from different countries and I think that Erasmus is the best opportunity to do that During this mobility we have learnt a lot about food and nutrition, relationships and sexual education, environment and sustainable development We visited the Kröller Müller museum which contains a lot of Van Gogh’s paintings. We went sailing on a big lake and it was very nice! We did a lot of activities and games. We ate a lot of traditional foods like stroopwafels, pannekoeken which are pancakes that we had on a cruise in Nijmegen, etc I improved my English, lived like Dutch people, learnt a lot about subjects like food and nutrition, relationships, even on how to grow potatoes! What I preferred was meeting new people, celebrating european friendship with all the students, riding my bike, driving a motorboat and sailing I was surprised by the kindness and benevolence of Dutch people and I will always remember the Van Gogh paintings and the amazing atmosphere and of course the people!"
At the beginning I wasn't really happy to cycle for a long time everyday but I actually enjoyed it because I could see some of the Netherlands' landscapes and doing physical exercise at the same time. The family that hosted me made me feel at home so I couldn't ask for better I felt really lucky to had the possibility to do this journey, I learnt new things, made new friendships, visited a beautiful country with its own lifestyle and I'm sure that I will never forget it and that I will always be grateful for having had this opportunity "
Valentine, France
Ginevra, Italy
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It was really fun. In the evening there was a party organized by the school on the theme of Hollywood Everyone was well dressed and we danced well Friday for the last day, we went sailing. At noon we had a big picnic by the lake. We spent the afternoon and the evening on the banks of the Rhine, we made a fire, we ate pizzas and we enjoyed it ! Saturday, with a lot of emotion our heads full of memories, we went back to Paris. During the mobility I discovered the Dutch way of life, the culinary specialties, the bikes. What I preferred was the moment when we did the conference and the stand with the games because we were able to talk with lots of people from all over Europe ! What surprised me the most was the food and the amount of bread we ate during that week What I will always remember is the last evening on the banks of the Rhine where we all enjoyed ourselves in European friendship."
"The first thing I can proudly say about this week is that it’s been amazing! At first I was a bit anxious to meet my host, hoping that we could really get along but it happened! I’ve been really lucky because it felt like home in there and it’s not something to take for granted! I enjoyed every part of the programme (especially riding in dutch streets) and not only, seen that our dutch friends organised also other activities in the afternoon such as visiting Utrecht, playing bowling or going to “De Rijn”, eating pizza and dancing all together However, what I liked most was knowing a lot of people face to face from all around the world: it also happened thanks to the online mobility and in Italy too, but this experience was better than all the others, I think because it was the last one so we really felt it I truly loved the Netherlands and I will surely come back one day to visit even more! Agatha, Italy
Camille, France
During this mobility we talked a lot about health as it was the main topic we did 2 presentations one on Monday so we could present ourselves and talk about the previous mobilities, then we had some cultural activities such as visiting the kröller müller museum, and saw a lot of paintings , we also had some free time to enjoy our stay, and we stayed with families so we can understand more about the way they live in the Netherlands
Matteo, Italy
There was nothing I preferred in particular because everything was incredible:the people are nice, the food is amazing, the activities were nice Seeing the kindness of everyone surprised me and also how everyone was open minded Of course I will always remember the people I met because
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"I decided to participate to the Erasmus project because I wanted to improve in English while meeting new people from other countries We did many activities like sailing and visiting the incredible Kröller Müller Museum. We attended many conferences on different subjects. For example, about growing vegetables such as potatoes, relationship and social media Our own theme was food and nutrition and we had to present it on Thursday during the HILS conference in front of a big audience. I learned many things about health thanks to this mobility but also about sport like how to sail, and I discovered Dutch specialties and their lifestyle I love the welcome that the Dutch gave us and their involvement in this mobility. I also liked to speak English with the other students and the Stroopwaffles ! I think what surprised me the most was the conference on potatoes I will always remember the warm welcome in Holland and my experience on the Pannenkoekenboat!"
My highlight from the Amsterdam visit was without a doubt the attraction "This is Holland" Saturday we finally had to go back home. This experience was nothing like anything I've done before I got to meet so many amazing people, especially my host family which was welcoming, kind and I can't thank them enough for hosting me. I also want to thank my buddy Jonas who was always with me to show me around in the various locations we visited I hope I can meet him and his family again in the future to repay them for their amazing hospitality."
I learned a lot of things such as potatoes have the most potassium and also how Dutch people live which is different from how we live
The next day every country showed a presentation about the HILS project and we got to know the other students in the afternoon we organised with a group of students and went to visit the city of Utrecht The day after we visited the Kröller Müller museum and the Park de Hoge Veluwe which I both really enjoyed. I especially liked the bike ride in the woods to get to the museum After that we hung out in Ede, while doing shopping in the city centre On Wednesday we had a trip to Nijimegen where we could explore the city in the afternoon. We then had dinner on a pancake boat which was really enjoyable On Thursday we held the final presentations and played bowling in the afternoon After that we had a BBQ and a dance party which I was happy to take part in. Friday was our final day for actual activities. We sailed on a lake and had a picnic aftwards. In the afternoon we went to Amsterdam and visited a lot of different attractions
Stella, France "My experience with the HILS project has been extremely positive After the experience of hosting foreign students in Italy it had been nice going to another country instead. We departed on the 5th of June, and we arrived in the Netherlands at about 7 P.M. and after a small ride in the Taxi we got to Ede, the city where my host family lives After getting dinner at a Pizza place we were finally home and I got to meet the entirety of my host family
"I did an Erasmus online project last year and I loved it, so the moment my teacher said she had a project this year, I couldn’t say no to this trip to the Netherlands to get to know more people and get to work on my social skills which actually got a lot better after this trip!
Abdullah, England
Nazanin, England
Biking has been one of the best experiences by far. It has been amazing to see how all people, young and old, cycle in the Netherlands, which is quite a rare sight in London I am glad I was offered this opportunity and I will enjoy my last few days in the Netherlands. I would like to take part in this project in the future as it is a life changing experience Thank you "
"Since we arrived in Netherlands, as part of HILS Erasmus+ project there have been various exciting activities and a lot of education on healthy living We began our first day with introductions of all the schools and their journey's so far on the Hils project, explaining how they've learnt to improve their health so far and meeting my amazing host family who has been taking care of me throughout the entirety of this project with lots of love. On the second day, we took a trip to the De Hoge Veluwe National Park and viewed many artworks from a variety of artists including Van Gogh We later biked throughout the woods and we also saw animals such as deers. The third day then consisted of travelling to Nijmegen and exploring the city We began with an 88 assignment task where we had to complete as many of them as possible, we had to speak Dutch to strangers, throw shoes, order a big mac from burger king, had to high five all employees and even propose to a stranger. The trip has been nothing but incredible and I hope to spend these last few days by continuing to learn and experience events outside my comfort zone and maybe in the future we'll be able to go on more adventures like this."
"To think that I’ve participated to this project for 3 years! It feels like it’s been only a few months This experience was more than just visiting a different country and exploring its culture but also cooperating with different new people you know nothing about. This makes me reflect on the importance english has in our daily lives. I knew basically nothing about the Netherlands when I arrived there but now that I have visited the country and with the help of exeptionally good “guides” I can finally leave saying that I somewhat know what the Netherlands are all about: worderful people, stunning places and a LOT of water. The rain didn’t stop us from visiting Nijimegen though or the Kröller Muller museum where we admired some really famous Van gogh’s paintings, Amsterdam’s architecture or just Ede’s city centre. I must say that I was really astonished when I saw how many people were cycling around at all times and how welcoming and avaiable my hosts wereat all times Overall this experience helped me understand how diverse and unique some cultures are I haven’t travelled that much but now I want to find out what other countries are like, what they do that my country doesn’t. This experience was truly mind opening " Attilio, Italy
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"My trip to Ede has been a pleasurable and memorable experience so far I love the Dutch culture and I am enjoying my time here in the Netherlands. Calling my host family amazing would be an understatement. They have been the kindest and most welcoming people, who have treated me as family The presentations from foreign countries were interesting to see as I was curious to hear about the topic of healthy living from their perspectives Meeting these people from different countries has helped improve my social skills tremendously and has been a learning curve for me, as I have seen how life is different here from the UK
The places we have visited have been very interesting and exciting. Roaming around the city of Nijmegen was a sensational experience. I got to visit landmarks and converse with the locals as well as foreign exchange students
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"My experience of Ede, Netherlands has been a such a pleasure My host family are amazing The presentations from other countries were fascinating to watch as we learnt first hand what everyone thought about the important ways of healthy living Meeting students of similar ages but from different nations has been super exciting, especially because it has been possible for us to hear stories about their school lives and the similarities and differences between schools there and schools in the UK
The places we have visited have been very fun and interesting My favourite experience by far has been bike riding, which I haven’t done in a very long time I hope that there similar trips in the future as it really is a great experience."
Travelling to the town centre and going on boats and visiting museums has also been extremely fun and eventful, I hope I get to experience more projects like this HILS in the future and be able to learn more about interesting topics such as healthy living and healthy relationships
Dhara, England "I have experienced many new things in Netherlands so far, which I am excited to share.
Lukasz, England "My experience here in Ede, the Netherlands is turning out to be one of the most enjoyable trips i have ever been on Ever since I first arrived I was welcomed into an amazing and loving family who treated me exceptionally well, they have a lovely bulldog and a beautiful home where we’ve had delicious food and have watched TV shows and played very fun card games. The most fun thing was biking around the town with my friends and trying new foods and seeing how different it is here, compared to the UK, as well as meeting all sorts of people from different ages and backgrounds. I feel as if it has really developed my social skills hugely and has allowed me to experience different peoples’ cultures Seeing presentations from other countries HILS teams of students has widened my perspective on healthy living and how to take care of yourself mentally and physically
Aryana, England
On our first day here we started off with our presentations on how healthy Christ’s College is We followed with a number of team building activities to get to know the other students coming from different countries During these encounters, I made many friends, who I speak to every day Our host families then brought us home, which was an opportunity to get to know each other better; we played board games and had heaps of laughs The following day we went to a nature reserve where we experienced a range of different activities such as a pleasant bike ride through beautiful woodland and a visit to the fantastic Kroller Muller museum The day ended with CCF students having a lovely day out in the centre of Ede, together. On Wednesday we set off to the city of Nijmegen, there we had lots of fun adventuring and having lunch We even played pool against Mr Aliaj! Afterwards we met at the Pancake Boat where we had many delicious pancakes, whilst cruising up and down the river, followed by the best ball pit of all time The ball pit was probably the highlight of my day, we played and had lots of laughs. My impression of the trip so far is wonderful, I am enjoying myself so much! I am sure the next 2 days will be a blast!
Vinny, England
However my favourite experience has just been riding on a bike everywhere, which is something that is not really common in London I really hope that there are more trips like this in the future as it really is an incredible experience."
"My experience at the HILS Erasmus+ project has been sublime and every single day is more exciting than the last At Pallas Athene College here in Ede we have been learning about healthy lifestyle, then make research, create and pitch our presentations The concept of healthy lifestyles has really highlighted most of this trip (despite a few savoury snacks!) It has been very fun coming to Ede and my hosts have been very kind I have enjoyed riding my bike everywhere, as well as communicating with other students from a number of other countries and learning about their culture and customs, which has been very interesting"
Pushkar, England "So far my experience of staying in the Netherlands has been incredible. We have been staying with host families in and around the town of Ede, which is in the centre of the Netherlands
Riona, England
"My experience of Ede, Netherlands has so far been an absolute pleasure and I am enjoying every minute of it My host family are just wonderful, welcoming me with opening arms, and I don’t think I could’ve asked for a better family. The presentations from other countries were a pleasure to watch as we could hear first hand accounts of what everyone thought about the important topic of healthy living Meeting students of similar ages that are from many different countries has been a completely new, but exciting as we hear stories about their school lives and the similarities and differences between that of the UK. The places we have visited have been interesting and very fun and I am sure that they will continue to be this way in the coming days we have left here in Ede
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On the first day of our trip (Monday) we presented our projects on healthy living at CCF and watched other schools from all around Europe present too We learnt a lot on how different the education system and living styles are in different countries. On the second day (Tuesday) we went to De Hoge Veluwe National Park to visit the museums there and ride bikes all day And finally, today (Wednesday) we spent the entire day in the city of Nijmegen where we formed groups with the students from all the other countries and completed fun tasks around the city This trip has truly been amazing and I hope that in the future there will be more opportunities just like this" Ruby, England "So far, my time in Ede, Netherlands has been the most wonderful time The activities we do have been incredible, as we do them with the many different nationalities too. This new experience has helped me to learn about many cultures and being able to appreciate them at a much larger scale! Also, my host family have been very welcoming, as they help navigate me through Ede I specifically enjoyed going to the city of Nijmegen and exploring it, as we get a much larger intake of true Netherlands culture! The places we have visited have been exciting and full of joy and I can only assume the next few days will follow My time here has altogether been spectacular, thrilling and joyous My only hope is that there are similar trips to this so that others can experience what we have this week"
On Monday we tried different dicycles and we ended up using my sister’s and my mom’s to cycle to school. At school, all countries presented their school The Dutch presentation existed of a treasure hunt Me and other Dutch students who helped organising stood somewhere in the school to tell something about the location and about the school After the treasure hunt, we went to the creation location where others tried to draw a portray of me. Later, we went to the PE rooms and played games were working together was the key to success At the end of the day, we ate French fries with a Dutch snack: kroket, frikandel or a kaassoufflé When the program finished at school, I went to Utrecht with a few classmates and their exchange students It was raining all day, so we went shopping in a shopping mall Some of us even stayed to have dinner at Five Guys. On Tuesday morning the Dutch health care centre (GGD) gave an interactive presentation We played kahoot in teams and I was in the winning team! The price was even better stroopwafels When the presentation finished, all students gathered at the bus to drive to the Kröller Müller Museum, Park de Hoge Veluwe and Museonder In the park we cycled on white bikes to the museums At the Kröller Müller Museum, all students divided into small groups My small group first visited the sculpture garden and later the Vincent van Gogh gallery After the lunch break, we followed a guided tour through the park and ended the day with a visit at the Museonder What I liked the most that day was when I cycled with a small group to a place where we watched deer When Valentine and I arrived at home, we quickly eat dinner and changed into sport outfits. My father drove us to my volleyball club where we played a ‘whippedcreamtournament’
Annemarijn, the Netherlands
"From the fifth until the 11th of June, 55 students from seven countries came to Ede They all arrived at Pallas Athene College, were their Dutch hosts picked them up I, Annemarijn, was the host of a French girl named Valentine I gave her my room and saved space in my closet which she could use There was a bit of a delay at the train station, but eventually she arrived at Pallas where me and my mom picked her up Arrived at home, she ate dinner, and we played a board game with the family
On Wednesday, all students drove to Nijmegen with the bus First, we took a group picture and then Ida and I explained the rules of the Crazy 88. This is a game with eighty eight small assignments which you must complete The group who completed the most assignments wins The four judges, including me, decides who won and told the group that they had free time until dinner I joined a group with French people and went shopping One of the shops we visited was the Dutch warehouse HEMA We bought tompoucen and something to drink. Then, we bought kibbeling at a fish food truck. We went to a couple other stores and then returned to the pancake boat Various kinds of toppings could be sprinkled on the pancakes
It was a big tournament of five teams mixing up and paying small matches At the end everyone ate whipped cream cake
Transformed into little child’s, we entered the ball pit When Valentine and I arrived at home, we played the game who is it? and the game dobble Tuesday was a fun day as well We cycled from school to Cultura where booths were settled for every country, and presentations were given I enjoyed playing games at the booths When I came home, me and Valentine watched the movie Jumanji We drank a Dutch soda called cassis After watching the movie, we changed and went to the BBQ When we finished, Hester and I changed into dresses and handed in our phones for the Hollywood party It was the best school part I have ever been Friday was one of my favourite days. We started the day with sailing. I was on a boat with Ida, Berber, Cloe, Britt, and Hester and had the most fun We brought a music box and I even helped sailing the boat When we arrived back at school, Valentine and I cycled all the way to de Rijn (a river) There we ate pizza with all my classmates who participated in the program and their exchange students We swam, danced, ate pizza, and talked. I remember laughing a lot. Saturday was the day we needed to say goodbye We drove to the teacher’s hotel and waved goodbye to our new friends I have enjoyed every moment of the week!"
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Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices A strategic partnership for school education 2019 - 2022
