Ambasadóirí Erasmus+ Éireannacha, Ostaracha agus Portaingéileacha ag obair ar an tionscnamh 'Mountains for Change' in Innsbruck
I láthair na huaire, tá Coláiste Ghlór na Mara ag obair ar thionscnamh Erasmus+ darbh ainm 'Mountains for Change', le scoileanna san Ostair agus sa Phortaingéil. Mar chuid den turas, beidh daltaí ón Rang Erasmus+ ag dul ar cuairt chuig an Ostair, chuig an bPortaingéil agus ar deireadh, chun na Bruiséile chun torthaí an tionscadail a roinnt le Parlaimint na hEorpa.
Bhí an t-ádh dearg ar chúigear dalta idirbhliana agus beirt mhúinteoirí ag deireadh mí Feabhra. Fuair siad deis iontach dul chuig Innsbruck, cathair álainn ag bun na sléibhte Alpa, ar feadh 5 lá.
B’ambasadóirí iontacha iad ár ndaltaí agus múinteoirí; ar son na scoile, an cheantair agus na tíre. Bhain siad an-taitneamh as an turas, d'fhoghlaim siad an-chuid faoin áit agus faoin scoil, chomh maith le cairde nua a dhéanamh. Anois, táimid ag tnúth go mór le fáilte a chur roimh daltaí na hOstaire agus na Portaingéile i mí Bealtaine!
Thosaigh an chéad lá taistil luath ar maidin, ag bualadh le chéile san Aerfort ag 8.30. Mar gheall ar mhoill eitilte, shroich an dream CGNM Innsbruck níos déanaí ná a cheap muid, ach b’fhiú lá taistil fada é nuair a bhuail muid leis na daoine ríchairdiúla ar thaobh eile an turais. Chuaigh na daltaí leis na teaghlaigh ósta chun a scíth a ligint roimh na laethanta gníomhacha a bhí le teacht.
Ar an Máirt, fuair na daltaí agus múinteoirí deis iontach dul chun na scoile agus suigh isteach sa rang Béarla. Ghlac na dalta páirt i ngníomhaíochta éagsúla sa rang agus d’fhoghlaim siad faoi conas a mhúintear an Béarla i dtír eile. I ndiaidh sin fuair na daltaí turas scoile. Chonaic siad seomraí ranga, cuairteanna cispheile, agus bhí gliondar orthu bualadh le muic na scoile!
I ndiaidh sin, tháinig cainteoir isteach. Chaith na daltaí cúpla uair a chloig ag déanamh suirbhéanna, díospóireachtaí siúil agus a lán gníomhaíochtaí eile chun fhoghlaim faoi chúrsaí iompair sna háiteanna éagsúla arbh as muid. Ar deireadh, bhí tráth na gceist iomaíoch. Ar an drochuair, fuair na hÉireannaigh an dara háit le pointe amháin, agus thóg na hOstairigh an corn meafarach. Tá píosa beag staidéir fós le déanamh againn!
Bhí seans ag na daltaí agus a bpáirtnéirí taiscéalaíocht a dhéanamh timpeall na cathrach ag deireadh an lae scoile. Chuaigh na daltaí ar fad amach le chéile le haghaidh béile agus cruthaíodh cairdeas álainn idir na hÉireannaigh, na hOstairigh agus na Portaingéiligh. Chuaigh siad ar ais chuig tithe na dteaghlaigh óstacha.
Ar lá 3 agus 4, tháinig an ghrian amach caitheadh uaireanta fúithi ag triail siúil sa sneachta (snowshoeing) agus ag foghlaim na mbunscileanna sciála.
Lá 3: Bhuaileamar le chéile ag staisiún an bhus ar an gCéadaoin agus fuaireamar bus chuig na cairr chábla. Fuarthas an carr cábla suas chuig 2000m agus dhreap an dream iomlán le bróga speisialta suas an 300m deireanach go dtí an crois. Ní chreidfá na radharcanna a bhí ag barr na dreapadóireachta! I ndiaidh grianghraif a fháil, tosaíodh an dreapadóireacht anuas. Baineadh triail as ‘Knödel’ agus ‘Schnitzel’, bia traidisiúnta ón Ostair. Bhí an bia sin le moladh go hard againn! Bhuail cuid den dream le chéile níos déanaí san oíche chun Túr Baile Innsbruck a dhreapadh agus radharc álainn eile den áit a fheiceáil.
Lá 4: An lá sciála! Bhí gach duine ar bís roimh an lá seo agus ní raibh díomá orainn! Tugadh na scíonna dúinn agus tosaíodh an dúshlán is deacra: na buataisí a chur orainn. Chaith muid cúpla uair a chloig ar fhánaí na leanaí, agus ba leor é sin do lá amháin! Ag deireadh an tréimhse bhí na hÉireannaigh agus Portaingeiligh mar ríonna agus banríonna fánaí na leanaí. Thaispeáin na hOstairigh ealaín na ceirde, agus baineadh na scíonna dínn. Chuamar suas i gcarr cábla eile chuig an NordKette, an áit is airde in Innsbruck, agus arís bhí iontas orainn roimh na radharcanna dochreidte. Níorbh fhada ansin gur tháinig an t-am le dul anuas ó na sléibhte agus pacáil.
Ar an lá deireanach, dhúisigh na hÉireannaigh agus a bpáirtithe go luath ar maidin chun an traein a fháil ag 6.30 chuig Munich. Fágadh slán leis na hOstairigh agus rinneadh gealltanais iad a fheiceáil arís i Mí Bealtaine, ach in Éirinn an uair seo!
Chaith an cúigear dalta agus an bheirt mhúinteoirí cúpla uair álainn in Munich; fuarthas bricfeasta, rinneadh turasóireacht ag an ‘Residenz’ agus, ar ndóigh, ghlac muid an turas riachtanach chuig an siopa Lego. Tháinig an t-am le filleadh chuig an aerfort in Munich, agus bhíomar lán le scéalta agus Toblerones ó Duty Free ag eitilt abhaile. Ní dhéanfaimid dearmad ar an turas eisceachtúil seo riamh!
Five Transition Year students and two teachers were very lucky at the end of February. They had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Innsbruck, a beautiful city at the foot of the Alps, for five days.
Our students were fantastic ambassadors for the school, the local area, and the country. They thoroughly enjoyed the trip, learned a great deal about the area and the school, and made many new friends. Now we are really looking forward to welcoming students from Austria and Portugal in May!
The first day of travel began early in the morning, with everyone meeting at the airport at 8:30am. Due to a flight delay, the CGNM group arrived in Innsbruck later than expected, but the long journey was worthwhile when we met the incredibly friendly people waiting for us on the other side. The students went with their host families to rest before the busy days ahead.
On Tuesday, the students and teachers had a great opportunity to visit the school and sit in on an English class. The students took part in various classroom activities and learned about how English is taught in another country.
Afterwards, the students were given a tour of the school. They saw classrooms, basketball courts, and were delighted to meet the school pig!
Later, a guest speaker visited the class. The students spent a few hours completing surveys, taking part in walking debates, and doing a range of activities to learn about transport systems in the different places we all came from. Finally, there was a competitive quiz. Unfortunately, the Irish team came second by just one point, and the Austrians won the metaphorical cup. We clearly still have a little studying to do!
At the end of the school day, the students and their partners had the chance to explore the city. All the students went out together for a meal and lovely friendships formed between the Irish, Austrian, and Portuguese students. Afterwards they returned to their host families’ homes.
On days three and four the sun came out, and we spent hours trying snowshoeing and learning the basics of skiing.
We met at the bus station on Wednesday and took a bus to the cable cars. The cable car brought us up to 2000 metres, and the whole group climbed the final 300 metres with special snowshoes to reach the summit cross. You would not believe the views from the top of the climb!
After taking photos, we began the descent. We also tried traditional Austrian food such as Knödel and Schnitzel, which received very high praise from our group!
Later that evening, some of the group met again to climb the Innsbruck City Tower and enjoy another beautiful view of the city.
Day 4 was skiing day! Everyone was excited about this day and it certainly did not disappoint. We were given our skis and began the most difficult challenge of the day — putting on the ski boots!
We spent a few hours on the beginner slopes, which was more than enough for one day. By the end of the session the Irish and Portuguese students had become the kings and queens of the beginner slopes. The Austrians showed us how it’s really done!
Afterwards we took another cable car up to the Nordkette, the highest point in Innsbruck, and once again we were amazed by the incredible views. Soon afterwards it was time to come down from the mountains and begin packing.
The Irish students and their partners woke early to catch the 6:30am train to Munich. We said goodbye to the Austrian students and promised to see them again in May — but this time in Ireland!
The five students and two teachers spent a lovely few hours in Munich. We had breakfast, visited the Residenz, and of course made an essential stop in the Lego shop.
Soon it was time to return to Munich Airport, and we flew home full of stories — and Toblerones from Duty Free! We will never forget this exceptional trip.