1st Day of Portugal Mobility

 

Day 1 – Welcome, Integration and Discovering Our Portuguese Host School

The first day of our Erasmus+ mobility in Portugal marked the beginning of an exciting five-day international experience, bringing together students and teachers from Türkiye, Greece, Poland and Portugal. From the very first moments, the day was designed to encourage communication, cooperation and intercultural exchange, while giving everyone the opportunity to become familiar with the Portuguese school environment and the local community.

Our first destination was Agrupamento de Escolas Henriques Nogueira, where our Portuguese hosts warmly welcomed all participants. The atmosphere was friendly and enthusiastic, as students who had travelled from different countries came together and began what would become a memorable week of learning and friendship.

Getting to Know Each Other and Our Schools

The day began with introductions and presentations from the participating schools and countries. Students and teachers had the opportunity to learn more about school life in Portugal, Poland, Greece and Türkiye, discovering both the similarities and differences between the education systems and everyday experiences of young people in each country.

These presentations were much more than a formal introduction. They created an opportunity for students to share their experiences, traditions and perspectives and to realise that, despite coming from different backgrounds, they have many things in common. The international setting encouraged curiosity and open communication, helping students feel more comfortable speaking with their new friends from the partner countries.

Following the presentations, participants took part in a guided tour of Agrupamento de Escolas Henriques Nogueira. Exploring the school allowed everyone to become familiar with the educational environment of our Portuguese hosts and to see where Portuguese students learn, study and spend their school days. The visit also provided a valuable opportunity to compare the facilities and atmosphere of the Portuguese school with those of our own schools.

Learning About Inclusion Through Goalball

One of the most meaningful experiences of our first day was an introduction to Goalball, a Paralympic sport created specifically for athletes with visual impairments.

The activity was presented by Rui, a blind student from the host school and a member of the Sporting Clube de Portugal national team. Through his presentation and demonstration, participants learned about the rules of Goalball and, most importantly, gained a better understanding of the experiences and challenges faced by people with visual impairments.

Some of the students were given the opportunity to try the sport themselves. Playing Goalball required participants to rely on their hearing, concentration and communication rather than their sight. This made the activity both challenging and enjoyable, while also encouraging everyone to think differently about the way people interact with their surroundings.

The experience showed us that inclusion is not simply a concept, but something that can be experienced and practised together. By taking part in the activity, students had the opportunity to understand different abilities from a new perspective. Goalball demonstrated how sport can bring people together, promote equality and create opportunities for everyone to participate.

It was also an important reminder that differences should not be seen as barriers. Instead, they can help us discover new ways of communicating, cooperating and learning from one another.

Discovering Torres Vedras Through a Peddy Paper

After the activities at school, the international group headed into Torres Vedras for a fun and interactive Peddy Paper. Using the GooseChase app, students worked in mixed international teams and explored the town while completing a series of challenges and tasks.

The activity transformed the streets of Torres Vedras into an outdoor learning environment. Rather than simply visiting the town as tourists, students were encouraged to actively discover it, investigate different locations and learn about aspects of its history, culture and local identity.

Working in teams made the experience even more special. Students from Portugal, Poland, Greece and Türkiye had to communicate with one another, exchange ideas and cooperate in order to complete the challenges. In many cases, students who had met only a few hours earlier were already working together, laughing, solving problems and discovering the town as a team.

The Peddy Paper therefore served two purposes at the same time: it was an opportunity to explore Torres Vedras, but it was also an effective ice-breaker and team-building activity. It helped students overcome the initial shyness that naturally comes with meeting people from different countries and created a relaxed environment in which new friendships could begin.

A Day of Learning, Cooperation and Cultural Exchange

While students were participating in the activities, the project coordinators were also working on the organisational and educational aspects of the Erasmus+ programme. They held a working meeting focused on the project's framework, analysed the results achieved so far, developed strategies for the upcoming activities, allocated responsibilities and discussed follow-up and dissemination actions.

This parallel work was an important part of the mobility, ensuring that the activities experienced by the students were connected to the wider objectives of the project and that the outcomes of the mobility could be shared with the participating schools and wider communities.

A Memorable Start to Our Erasmus Journey

Our first day in Portugal was therefore much more than a simple welcome day. It brought together international cooperation, inclusion, sport, education, technology, teamwork and cultural discovery.

We began the day by learning about each other's schools and countries, explored the Portuguese educational environment, experienced the challenges and possibilities of Goalball, and then discovered Torres Vedras through an interactive digital activity. Each experience encouraged us to communicate, cooperate and look at the world from different perspectives.

Most importantly, Day 1 gave us the chance to move beyond national borders and begin building a genuine European community of students and teachers. The friendships, conversations and shared experiences that started on this first day would become an important part of the rest of our Erasmus+ mobility in Portugal.

For all of us, it was the beginning of a week filled with discovery, learning and unforgettable international experiences. 🌍🇵🇹🇹🇷🇬🇷🇵🇱