"AMV" - Impressions

From learner to teacher
As I was once taught by a very talented and passionate girl, also in a European project, I like now to teach other people how to create their own traditional jewelry. They discover that they can make original gifts now and with talent and patience they can create a piece or art. The most important thing is that I help them to discover that national tradition is not necessary old fashion. Working with disadvantaged children from orphanages made me realize how important is the support and education that a family gives to a child.

Barcelona – a new experience
Even if I didn’t felt it directly, Barcelona changed somehow the way I see things. I found out that we all are alike, but the national traditions and culture give to each country some characteristics: gastronomical, architectural etc. I am still amazed by what Gaudi could build, by the shapes and colors of his creations, by the fact that his crazy imagination is practicable. And speaking of craziness, I now can say that I saw Picasso’s paintings and that I changed my mind about his work, or at least I saw that not his entire work is that strange like the paintings from his last period. What I’ve read about the festival “La Merce” before I got to Barcelona was nothing compared to the actual being where the action takes part. The same thing can be said about flamenco. I liked the flamenco show, it’s a very powerful dance, and I know it is a traditional dance and music also, but I saw it more like an art form, where the musical expression meets the expression through movement known as dance.
The gastronomical experience was also interesting and... tasteful. There were many sorts of food (starting in the first hours in Spain at “mostra de cuina”) and although I am a hoggish type of person I still think that I’ve never ate that much as I ate in that week. Oh, yes, and paella is my favorite food, of course after our sarmale. In conclusion, I like Barcelona, the people, the activities, festivals, buildings, the relief, the nearness with the sea… I think traveling, meeting different cultures, different people, socialize is more helpful to one’s development then, for example, going to school every day.
And of course I like the European projects, the best way to open our minds, to know new places and to meet new people.

by Iulia – volunteer - teacher for jewelry on beads workshop

Award trip in Barcelona
At the beginning of 2008 an article on internet drew my attention. It was about a photo contest and because I like the photography I decided to participate to this contest. I didn’t imagine at that moment I’ll be the winner. But September came and my prize came too – a trip to Barcelona. Although the weather wasn’t our friend, I felt wonderful. From the cotton mountains through which we descended on landing and until the emotion and the unavoidable feeling of regret of going back to the airport I experienced a bunch of adventures that I will remember a long time with pleasure. I became fascinated by the people I met: Rosa, with her flaming spirit (and lively step), the Italians and their funny accent, Rory, the English teacher, the flamenco dancers, Delfina and her fluffy dog and, of course, or friends from Gorj. I was amazed by the ease with which we crossed over the cultural barriers, having a good time and also work together (truly, me less). Barcelona is a great city. I was very impressed by the harmonious way the abundance of architectural styles are combined, each presenting such elegance without obstructing or disturbing the others. Still, the city hides many unique places: Picasso’s museum, the houses of Gaudi, park Guell, the impressive Sagrada Familia, botanical Garden, and the delightful squares that overloaded with people in honor of Saint Merce.  
The story would not be complete, if I wouldn’t, of course, remember the food: the large number of portions I ate in the first day dressed up in an apron and with a straw hat on my head, then Paelia, Patatas Bravas, the tiny croquettes and Iulia’s omelet and, not last, the Japanese specialties from the Sushi restaurant. Surely the list in not complete (with all these my mouth is watering), but if I had to add something, it would be the pleasant atmosphere and the conversations we had during these times, when I had the chance to find out more about the other participants.
I hate to write endings … maybe because, in my mind, I still wish it wasn’t finished. The trip to Spain is one of the experiences I want to live again (and most often). In this mood, I keep on my desk the stone I picked up in front of Casa de Cultura in Castelldefels. If I ever had to bring it back, I’d love to meet you there as well.

by Vali – winner of the photo-reportage contest

Visit our website: http://www.aspiratii.bravehost.com

Iulia Matache	Vali Chis	Staff and beneficiaries in Barcelona

"The Word of Gorj" - Impressions

Working in progress „Harmony of traditional music can teach us how true things should be and that the culture is the only way through which people can peacefully live with other in Europe and all over the world’’ - was the impression of a romanian beneficiary of Rome ethnia, Rap Laurentiu, Music Contest winner.
„The tradition means truth. The „lautar” doesn’t know the musical notes but he was born with the music and because he feels it, he can sing very well.”     
„So, this project Grundtvig LLP, ‚Cultural Heritage From People To A United Europe’ helped me to discover in my country, and also in Spain, that the cultural heritage and holy tradition mean creation, emotion, festivals, joy. It means the power of being, capacity of love, in different cultures, just manifested to show the way of unity in variety.’’      

After all the seminaries ended, the mobility in Casteldefells, Barcelona, Spain, Circiu Amelia, Music Contest winner has kept her feeling more powerful of’’ never leaving Romania, just to travel all over the world”. „This is a clear proof, that our identity means our cultural spiritual heritage, which helps us to live together, but every people has his own culture and although there are temptations to leave in other countries, in searching for a better life, after a while we all need to return to our origins, to redescover ourselves’’ - Circiu Amelia. Bianca Istratescu, said that,’’ in fact we discover by Grundtvig LLP project that unity means love, starting from the family, school, communities, or from the different people in the European Union.
The spiritual heritage doesn’t mean just to participate at festivals, wearing traditional costumes or eating with the wooden spoon, but means also keeping them alive, and so we discover the feelings of the creation act, which in this society of consumption is forgetten but unreplaceble. That’s why the Spanish and Italian partners had discovered this feeling in Romania. Their cultural tradition didn’t die, it was just forgotten, the whole european culture heritage,having at the base, the Christian feeling’’.

At the Curtisoara Village Museum, Florin Vacaru had discovered the’’ harmony also in the nature, that’s the simplicity is not just a purpose but a way to perfect yourself and the joy to succed. The Grundtvig program helps every beneficiary to show his talent and to be able to communicate through his own oppinions, to know other cultures and forms of social manifestations. With the help of Mrs. Cocan and through this project, i had the opportunity to see other cultures, not totally different from our culture but with their specific. In the voyage to Venice, I was able to discover for the first time,  a different culture but the same in the way of latinity. I had the opportunity in my country and in Italy to show my spirituality, my identity, in my culture and I realised that is the same feeling for other people. I was informed, I taught, in Venice - San Marco, Frari, Accademia, that the art and spirituality are being materialized only through human being and through  his will for sharing ideas and feelings to others. That’s cultural heritage means . ’’

„From a good period of time I haven’t seen many things that have pleased my eye and my soul. Today,at the exhibition of the Foundation ‚Word of Gorj’ when I hear and see this wonderful things created during this Grundtvig LLP project I am deeply moved. I can say that when you don’t truly know your own history, tradition or culture is like then when you don’t know your identity. Congratulation to those who had thought at promoting our identity and our huge cultural heritage. I wish all the best and good luck for the young people who can represent us at any moment and everywhere in the world”.-Brandibur Simona

 „For me, taking part at the contest « Let your culture travel » of the Grundtvig LLP project was a great experience. First, because I had the chance to meet wonderful and very talented people, who through the songs had tried to build with sensibility and talent, connections between different cultures of the world. Knowing the cultural treasure and the traditions of each nation can lead to the discovery of the differences and the resemblances between different cultures and at the same time to a better communication between people. This is what the modern society needs. That society which, caught in the middle of the changes had forgot which are the real values. My participation at this contest gave me the possibility of knowing better the culture and the spanish traditions which had fascinated me. I left Spain with a larger amount of spiritual information and I had learned many new things from the other competitors who were also very well prepared. I would like to take part at the future activities of this project”.  

Visit our website: http://www.cuvantuldegorj.ro

Simona Brandibur	Dunga Andreea Maria

Eurogems - Impressions

"For me it was a real surprise to win the competition of poetry, in particular because I participated with a poetry in which, symbolically, I greet my grandfather, in my dialect: the Venetian. With this win, I was able to greet my grandfather  even with stronger voice. Besides the "symbolic" fact  to gain the contest,  the prize meant also having the opportunity to participate in a trip to Barcelona, then visit a new city and meet new people with whom to share the same passions. Unfortunately, a couple of days before the desired departure time, I was the victim of a car accident, fortunately not serious, but it was for me impossible to  participate and to be involved much more in the project, thanks to Castelldefels meeting. Nevertheless, I am also happy because I was able to discover the various initiatives of Eurogems and very special people like Simone and Lucia (winner of fiction’s contest), the latter known, unfortunately, only by mail."

by Alessia Barbaro - winner of poetry contest - beneficiary

A needle through which a transparent and valuable wire, that one of words and art, has succeeded in uniting precious fabrics from different lands.
This is what I think was this project.
For some days I found myself in the middle of various currents, rivers of traditions, histories and experiences that have joined, have mixed their waters to be confused and to create a unique calm one who continued his journey to the sea.
An experience that enriches and is enriched by the same persons, an experience that is above all an occasion to open the eyes to escape from the daily routine  and watch with surprised eyes, the beautiful picture that each of us has hidden within itself.

by Lucia De Filippo - winner of fiction's contest - beneficiary

"The project was certainly a source of new discoveries: not only from a touristic point of view (the visit to the cities and places of art), but mainly from the personal side, in fact, I have known people from other nations and this has allowed me to understand much more that we are all equal and Europe is a great family. During the trip to Romania I had the opportunity to discover a beautiful reality too often criticized and discriminated against: unfortunately only experiencing some experience one can understand in depth the "mindset" of a country, otherwise we run the risk of influence from what is broadcast by the media. The people with whom I have lived these two experiences, each different from the others, with strengths and weaknesses, have contributed to the growth of the participants giving testimony of their lives and of those great values that are the acceptance and mutual respect. I was therefore happy to have participated and satisfied with the outcome of the project. I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity and wish to continue on this path because it will bring good fruit"

by Francesco Pomiato - beneficiary

"It's been such a good chance for me to meet people from all around Europe and discuss with them about our tradition and history. I teach History and I am aware that the so called "social history" is definitely not considered with the same dignity as political history. And I think that's wrong. So I have to thank all the people I met in Romania, Spain, and here in Italy, for the great opportunity they gave me with their knowledge and friendship!"

by Giovanna Tonon - Eurogems staff

The experience related to the project has been very positive. I had the pleasure to participate in the meetings in Spain and Romania. In both cases it was possible to discuss the projects developed by all partners. In the case of Spain was very interesting to see reality of school education in Castelldefels and Barcelona. The partners have participated in discussion groups for the continuous development of the project. Romanian host partners certainly  have operated very good to present the realities of history and culture of their country. Interesting visits to churches and convents, but certainly very original was a visit to a local peasant family, who reported memory at all these flavors and Italian dynamics that we already  lived in the past. Even lunch with gipsy musicians was very beautiful and also because it gave occasion to the Italian group to integrate and participate through the universal language represented by the music.
The various groups despite their differences they show in carrying forward cohesively an ambitious project but certainly unique.

Eurogems Association for Social Promotion - http://www.eurogems.eu

	Clara Cappelli	Giovanna Tonon

When Rosa asked me to participate in the project CULTURAL HERITAGE I found it a wonderful idea. From then, we began a relationship that would lead us to collaborate with Garnikalia and its team during the three-years of the project. We passed to our immigrant students the questionnaires in order to study the needs of the newcomers from different countries such as, Argentina, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, Bolivia, Ecuador, and so on. And the results were the same concerns of those people coming to live with us and we know so little. I want to thank the team Garnikalia, the partners of the project Cultural Heritage, Oana from Romania and Simone from Italy, for its support at any time, and their interest in that project achieved the purpose for which it was created.

by Carmen Ramiro
Teacher of IES Mediterranea

My visit in Romania focused on the area of Targu-Jiu, Tismana and Bucharest. Targu-Jiu belongs to the district Gorj  and is located on the east coast of the River Jiu. In the park of this city we could see the "Table of Silence," "The Kiss Gate" and the"Endless Column", works by Brancusi whose sculpture is located in the city. We also made some interesting cultural visits, including the City Hall, where we talked with the Mayor.  We could see its Folklore  in the Popular Music and Arts School, in the city, where they played wind musical instruments such as Nai, with several tubes, another instrument like a nut, a glass bottle ... who were accompanied by a  guitar and accordion. Responsible for making the presentation was the school principal, Stefan Popescu and the students danced and sang folk songs, called Briul with costumes consisting of white blouse and skirt with embroidered red silk and wearing handkerchiefs on their heads.

I like the monasteries, all of them with  its charm and history. In one of them they told us the poem of "Argesului Monastery," Romanian folk poetry of folklore which tells the story of Manuel and Ana .
In the garden site there were two buildings in the form of a basilica, that have been built with the ruins of others old monasteries. It also has the tomb of the second king of Romania, who died in exile in the city of Lisabona. One of the things that caught my attention was that all the places you could place candles for the living and dead people. The monastery that we visited was Lainici, in the very beautiful mountains and whose walls were built with stones from the river. It is painted in bright and golden colors . We meet at the monastery of Tismana, an enchanting place surrounded by mountains, trees and a river. There it is the tomb of St. Nicodemus. The nuns gave us the change to enjoy their desserts: cake nuts, honey ... Gathering together the rich cultures of the people from Romania, Italy and Spain, was so touching experience that I can not forget. We share experiences and opinions in a privileged environment.

by Pilar Garde Nicolás

The exchange of cultures, the generational exchange, the exchange of characters, in short all exchanges, promote the transformation of everyday life, including changing  traditions, you can make possible the construction of new people, new perspectives,  linking individual with the collective,  friendship, communication, equality, fraternity, solidarity, love and peace. Accepting the unknown to show the differences, accept different points of view, accepting different ways of viewing reality, how to dress, how to move, dance, laugh and so on. All this is possible when meeting a group of people of different cultures and traditions. It is also possible when you speak different languages, if one accepts the existence of differences in listening, in the form of reasoning in how to reach conclusions, in how to reach a common goal. If we want transmit we must communicate with others, we empathize, we need to reach agreement, we agree and allow the arrival of a final agreement. To know and be able to share with people from different communities, ethnicities, color, religion, personalities , dialogue and understanding, it is our hope. Discover the monastic life of Tismana, knowing those religious neatly dressed in  black that always willing to smile, communicate and be attentive to serve you with delicatessen. Dance, dinner and music from Vila Ursu. Enjoy the landscape and people of Gorj, the voices of children and young  choirs Ponoarele and see the glass blowing,  drink Tsuica  leads you to a sense of placidity. Being in Tirgu Jiu and meet  the School of Art, where there are number of artists, painters, musicians, instrumentalists, ceramics, stroll through the park and pass under the Gate of the Kiss, sit around the Table of Silence, discover Column of the Infinite, all works of Constantin Brancusi, and visit family house  Brancusi in Hobita. On reaching Bucharest we discover, the Arc of Triomphe, the Government House, walk through the Victory Square, Unirii Square,  Odeon Theater, National Theater, the Opera Theater. See lit House of the People and the University of Bucharest and  to taste excellent dishes at the restaurant Caru'cu bere, Strada Stabropolros, and walk through the old town of Bucharest. Above meet interesting new people in this country, Oana, Andreea, Vlad, Carmen, Marcel, Lori and Mary Anisi, Simone, Giovanna, Magda, Barbara, that was an experience that I will never forget.

by Roberto Saavedra Gálvez

A passionate country where the different cultures have unified understanding each other expressing their differences, coexisting without prejudices and maintaining their differences with pride. The most interesting thing from my point of view was how the music created a path of communication between the countries. In one of the excursions we had, we went to a little cottage in the woods where we experienced the local delicacies: Meats, vegetables, delicious deserts and fantastic wine. The best part was when in the middle of our feast a colorful dance started, we were drawn in and danced around the table. Friendship and joy, cultures connected through music, music that allowed us to communicate with each other and to live a unique moment, all together,  without age or racial prejudice , without caring about our different origins, we were simple human beings interacting and connecting with each other.   

The hospitality of the Romanian community is extraordinary and their eagerness to please their guests and visitors is inspiring. It’s a country that is opening its doors to the world with desire of both cultural and economic growth and expansion, with  its gastronomy, landscape and outstanding monuments making  this country the perfect candidate for such an expansion and extraordinary for the visitor.
Places so emblematic like Curteade Arges or Tismania do take you back in time. Monasteries that bring 15th century alive make this experience one filled with beauty and art and shows us how enigmatic this country really is and also makes  us all realize how every culture is worthy of our respect and how interculturality enriches all societies despite the symbolic complexity of many of its practices.
Discreet, simple, kind and profoundly religious people, always willing to give you a smile and a kind look made this journey an enriching experience the interaction between societies was there at all times. Music, art, and laughter formed the basis of our enthusiasm and that allowed us to learn and enjoy these unforgettable moments that will always be present in our memories and that will strengthen the link between all our societies.

by Angela De La Rosa - psycologist and Garnikalia staff

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For informations please mail to: Garnikalia

Carmen Ramiro