Our last trip in Erasmus+ Knowing Our Organic Food project has officially ended. This time we were exploring Romania and its organic food with partners from Italy, Spain,Portugal and Romania.

Arrival Day

Our journey began on May 14th at the Katowice airport, where full of positive energy, we were ready for an amazing trip. The flight to Warsaw was really fast and pleasant because it was only 40 minutes long. The flight to Bucharest also passed very calmly. After landing in Romania we were picked up by a bus which took us to our destination -a town called Targu Jiu. We admired a beautiful landscape during our journey. We arrived in the town late in the evening and our hosts were already waiting for us.

Day 1

We started our activities in the Erasmus+ program with a visit to the partner school Liceul Tehnologic Barsesti where we were greeted in the traditional way - with bread and salt. After the opening ceremony,Romanian students gave presentations about their country, town, school and traditional Romanian dishes. Later, we visited the school, especially the veterinary lab, where students learn how to protect plants and conduct many different experiments. Then we all went to explore the city. The high buildings of the city, a beautiful city park located along the Jiu River and three majestic sculptures located along the city axis: the Table of Silence, the Gate of Kisses and the Infinity Column made a huge impression on us. At the end of the day we went to the local stadium located in the city center to watch city schools beauty contest. After the announcement of the results, a concert of a well-known singer-

Irina Rimes took place.

Day 2

Tuesday started early in the morning with a trip to the city of Alba-Iulia, located in the center of Transylvania. The main attraction was visiting the largest fortress in Romania, located in this city. Its star shape and breathtaking viewpoints made this place even more charming. We also visited a beautiful Orthodox church, filled with wonderful sculptures and paintings. Later we went to the torture chamber and to the place where the oppositionists were hiding during communism. At the end of the day we went to a festival organized on the anniversary of the city. We tasted traditional Romanian dishes there and spent a nice time with Romanian students.

Day 3

On Wednesday we focused solely on organic food. We visited a small chocolate factory located in the village of Crasna. It was founded by a Belgian couple who moved to Romania. Their chocolate is hand-made by the inhabitants of the village, and its additives are imported from local farmers (nuts, dried fruit). We had an opportunity to try liquid chocolate in various flavours and buy delicious chocolates. Next we visited a local farmer whose crops are sold at the city market. He showed us different, natural ways of fertilizing and watering plants. We were all shocked by the fact that the farmer obtains from 10 to even 15 tons of tomatoes per year on such a small area! Returning to the city, we admired the wonderful rural landscape. In the afternoon we went to the mall and local fast-food restaurants. We ended the day by going to the stadium to watch the final of Monday's competition.

Day 4

Thursday started by visiting the renowned Raureni factory, a pioneer among brands in the production of vegetable and fruit preserves. The company has its own organic vegetable and fruit crops, so it does not have to buy anything from farmers. We had the opportunity to buy their natural products such as jams and preserves. Then we went to a small zoo to relax a bit. The next point of the program was a drive to the village of Horezu, where we watched traditional ceramic workshops and folk handicrafts. The hand-made plates, tableware and vases available for purchase made a great impression on us. In the evening we went to the cinema to watch an adventure film in English.

Day 5

We started our last day with a visit to the school, where we analyzed statistics of organic farming and organic food in Romania. Then we watched a concert of the band from the music school, which played traditional Romanian songs. Romanian students and teachers showed us their typical dances and invited us to dance with them. In the evening we all went for a farewell dinner and a walk around the city, during which we admired the beautiful panorama of the city for the last time. It was an unforgettable farewell.

Departure day

Early on Saturday morning, we gathered together in front of the hotel with the Spanish and the Portuguese to say goodbye to our Romanian friends for the last time. We arrived at Bucharest airport in the early afternoon. While waiting for the plane, we recalled the beautiful moments we experienced in Romania. Both flights were pleasant and trouble-free. We landed in Katowice at 17:30, where we were picked up by our parents. We returned home full of joy with beautiful memories.

THE POLISH TEAM