Impressions from our visit to COF, Amay

Hello everyone!

After reading your posts about our visit to COF, the Belgian partner, I would like to leave a message with my impressions about this trip.

For me, this was the first time I was going to meet all the partners and I was very excited about putting real faces to names, pictures and work. I must confess that at the beginning I was a bit overwhelmed with all the names, trying to remember them and match them with the real person, but I got it at the end... I just needed a bit of time!

  

The best part for me was to see how they work at COF and meet the students there. Their profile is very different to my students; as Riitta mentioned in her post, the language students at COF have the goal of learning a language to help them to find a job, whereas the students I work with are already working and they learn the language for pleasure, so they can use it when they go to Spain on holidays or because they would like to move to Spain when they retire. This visit made me realise that the picture is much wider and I was very touched about that. Seeing the students so enthusiastic about being able to communicate in a different language and work with people from other cultures and nationalities with a big smile on their faces was my highlight of the trip. We also met other trainees and the job they do at COF, such as repairing/building a boat, gardening or even converting a container into a house!! They made us feel welcome and be part of it for two days. Excellent job!

The organisation of the visit was also a big part of the success of this trip. Everything was spotless, the centre, the activities, the tours, the social gatherings, etc. That created a wonderful atmosphere, everybody was involved in all the activities and we were able to meet and work with each other properly. I must say, it was so well organised that I feel pressured for the visit to Chester! I must start thinking and getting it organised so it is up to level!!! 

Finally I would like to mention that the visit to the Belgian partner fully succeeded on achieving the goal of these mobilities. Students and teachers were working together, learning from each other at different levels and bringing parts of Europe and its cultural differences to just one place, melted in just one group. What else can we ask for??!! 

Marta Marquez - Chester