2013 - 2014

 APRIL 2014
Our project friend  Cerassela / Romania  has sent very beautiful photos of her students while writing this year's Easter cards.

Additionally, I have taken this as an opportunity to show you some very interesting information about Easter in Romania - supplementary to Cerassela's pics. It is really worth a look! Please be sure to click:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLyMyD5_QbE&feature=youtu.be

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!!! HAPPY 2071 !!! to our friends from Nepal!

Our project friend Govinda/Nepal pointed out that the official annual year begins in Nepal tomorrow (Monday, 14th) and it will be 2071. (Below you can find some  information from Wikipedia)

 The traditional New Year of Bikram Samwat is one of the many festivals of Nepal, marked by parties, family gatherings, the exchange of good wishes, and participation in rituals to ensure good fortune in the coming year. It occurs in mid-April each year, and coincides with the traditional new year in Assam, Bengal, Maharashtra,Burma, Cambodia, Kerala, Manipur, Orissa, Punjab, Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu and Thailand.

In addition to Nepal, the Bikram Sambat calendar is also recognized in northern India , eastern India, and in Gujarat among Hindus. In Buddhist communities, the month of Baishakh is associated with Vesak, known as Visakah Puja or Buddha Purnima in Nepal, India and Bangladesh, Visakha Bucha in Thailand, Waisak in Indonesia and Wesak in Sri Lanka and Malaysia. It commemorates the birth, Enlightenment and passing of Gautama Buddha on the first full moon day in May, except in a leap year when the festival is held in June. Although this festival is not held on the same day as Pahela Baishakh, the holidays typically fall in the same month (Baishakh) of the Bengali, Hindu, and Theravada Buddhist calendars, and are related historically through the spread of Hinduism and Buddhism in South Asia.

.... and ...

New Year's Day falls on the first day of the waxing moon during the Swanti festival. Traditionally, traders used to close their ledgers and open new account books on the first day of Nepal Sambat.

Newar observe New Year's Day by performing Mha Puja (Nepal Bhasa: म्हपुजा), a ritual to purify and empower the soul for the coming New Year besides praying for longevity. During this ceremony, family members sit cross-legged in a row on the floor in front of Mandalas (sand paintings) drawn for each person. Offerings are made to the mandala, and each family member is presented auspicious ritual food which includes boiled egg, smoked fish and rice wine during the Sagan ceremony .

Outdoor celebrations of the new year consist of cultural processions, pageants and rallies. Participants dressed in traditional Newar clothing like tapālan, suruwā and hāku patāsi parade on the streets. Musical bands playing various kinds of drums take part in the processions. Streets and market squares are decorated with arches, gates and banners bearing new year greetings. The president of Nepal also issues a message of greetings on the occasion of New Year's Day.
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MARCH, 2014

We received new photos from our project friend Montse/Spain.Have a look yourself. It's worth:

17 March 2014

https://mail.rambler.ru/m/redirect?url=http%3A//www.flipsnack.com/5CFDE8BA9F7/ftiqoal8&hash=f273e19a607b8fa4b0df4d4307a3b8ed 

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Stephen (our teacher friend from Australia)  visited with his students (year 3, 4 and 5) the world famous Formula 1 racetrack (Albert Park Circuit) in Melbourne/Australia, just one day before this year's Grand Prix started in Melbourne.
https://mail.rambler.ru/m/redirect?url=http%3A//youtu.be/QLe3domfCBI&hash=a759fe5b7831a2429bd7d3dd00b35a0a
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 March 13th, 2014 -- simply brilliant! It's the official fun holiday worldwide for ... POPCORN!! It is celebrated this year on 13 March (always the second Thursday in March of each year). 

You love popcorn too? Have a look:https://mail.rambler.ru/m/redirect?url=http%3A//www.popcorn.org/EncyclopediaPopcornica/WelcometoPopcornica/HistoryofPopcorn/tabid/106/Default.aspx& hash=d1ed84dbe16c6f655a2c95645fc857d0
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 The students of  Dana / Romania  in Galati (Southeast Romania) have prepared a big surprise for you. They created and sent out Romanian 'Martisoare' cards to you this week. 
 http://youtu.be/2Wefva9gV0
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FEBRUARY, 2014

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JANUARY, 2014

In January, it makes a lot of fun to follow the unofficial U.S. holidays.

 On  January, 25 they have "Opposite Day"
 -where every action is modified so that meaning is inverted,

 and the 31st of  January is "Backward Day" -       a day to do everything backwards. .



Our teacher-friend Stephen / Australia and his students celebrated the "Backward-Day" at school  and obviously had a lot of fun by doing it :))


 https://mail.rambler.ru/m/redirect?url=http%3A//youtu.be/b1ck3InrZHo&hash=ed2060504c976f84f72b86765a81180d
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 DECEMBER, 2013

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NOVEMBER, 2013

 


    

This year 36 students are corresponding with epals from Verona, Italy. The school is called "Liceo Scientifico Statale "Angelo Messedaglia". This High School specializes in such subjects as Science, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science. Students also study Humanities ( Italian literature, English, Latin, Philosophy, History).
Have a loook at the school link:
www.messedagliavr.it

  These are two links of two short films which were created by Italian students about their wonderful school:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7FrL3mKPh_YY0JQYXd6UU1UTFk/edit

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7FrL3mKPh_YMnRSMXdMRmVLSTg/edit
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