Articles by mdezheva

Report on the activities of the “Future cities- smart and sustainable solutions” project

“Future cities- smart and sustainable solutions”
Project number – 2020-1-BG01-KA229-079066

The “Future cities- smart and sustainable solutions” project under the Erasmus + program started in 2020. An Erasmus+ project is coming to a successful end. The last visit was made in Burgas, Bulgaria. The implementation of the tasks took place in the conditions of Covid 19, which necessitated the postponement of some activities and mobilities. In the end, everything fell into place and the planned tasks were carried out successfully. During the first year there was realized one visit to Bratislava, Slovakia. In the second year of the project, three mobilities were carried out, although more often, in Poland, Romania and Bulgaria. In each of the schools visited, successful programs were accomplished that led to the realization of the project’s goals.
The objectives were aligned with the selected priorities, enabling partners to create smart and sustainable solutions for the urban environment. The project work was organized into four (4) stages: research, analysis, work and creation and finally a full set of solutions in an e-book. It is mandatory to use the possibilities of the Internet (taking into account the situation with Covid-19), whenever it was necessary to replace part of the work during a visit with online activities.
The goal of the first year of the project is to research, analyze and summarize data about the urban environment using Internet tools. Through these activities, the creation and use of soft skills is achieved: critical thinking, analysis and synthesis, creativity, teamwork, etc.
The goal of the second year of the project is sustainability in practice. Students continued their work on their websites and included implementing measures and methods to provide smart and sustainable solutions. Students developed smart conclusions to improve the urban environment through the use of IoT. These activities created skills for working with Internet tools, creativity, independence, but also teamwork in the created presentations. Using English as a working language is an opportunity to improve its acquisition as well as develop communication skills.
The project included four stages within two years. During the first (1) stage, students go through Cisco’s Internet of Things (IoT) networking academy online courses. This gave students online experience in finding and applying smart technology. Students learn how to make excellent “Pecha Kucha” presentations. This type of presentation teaches students to speak and explain the events they are presenting within 6-10 minutes. Project activities are intended for secondary school students. During the work on the project, a website was created, in which all the activities are published together with text and photo material for the distribution of the completed activities.
At this stage, all four mobilities have been carried out in Slovakia, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria. At the final stage, an e-book was created that contained solutions for the urban environment to be at the service of the relevant authorities to improve the urban environment.

The last exchange in Bourgas, Bulgaria; elaborating the final document

Erasmus + opens horizons

During the days from July 4 to 8, the last meeting was held on the Erasmus + project, “Future cities – smart and sustainable solutions”, which was won by our school. The Erasmus+ program created another opportunity for teachers and students from Romania, Greece, Poland, Slovakia and Bulgaria to enjoy experiences that cannot be repeated. Five wonderful days filled with deep emotions,  diverse activities and making many friendships. The students and teachers liked our school, the garden and the dormitory where they were accommodated. We – teachers, students and other staff from Bourgas – acted as a well-oiled machine. All activities were done on time and with high quality. There was no end to the surprises of the hosts – a barbecue was organized for the guests in the beautiful yard of our school, as well as a cinema screening. Our guests had the opportunity to enjoy interesting initiatives – to watch how a pie is made at the Biotiful farm, as well as to make a pizza themselves. Separately, they got acquainted with an example of circular economy and permaculture, i.e. ecological agriculture in harmony with the laws of nature. History and culture were our ideas for visiting Sozopol and the island of St. Anastasiya. Work on the project was not left behind either. In several workshops, teachers and students created the final project document. Interesting “smart and sustainable” solutions for the urban environment were proposed. Students from each country will create an electronic and printed version of the proposed ideas, which they will introduce to the authorities. Another initiative was the presentation of objects made by the different schools with the project logo and inscriptions on how to take care for nature. As a wonderful end to a fantastic experience, the hosts gave colorful t-shirts on which their guests had to write messages about nature and its conservation. This grew into exchanging memories and signing those same t-shirts. It was a wonderful event. It was a wonderful visit. It was great. Friendships were formed, there was laughter and merriment. Our students did a great job with their assignments. They behaved like real hosts, for which we thank them.

Erasmus + opens horizons – to travel, to learn, to get to know new cultures, to create friendships that last over time! It’s summer! Now it’s time to relax – after taking stock of a job well done! Yii! Awaiting for new horizons!

The final visit – working on the last document

Erasmus + opens horizons

During the days from July 4 to 8, the last meeting was held on the Erasmus + project, “Future cities – smart and sustainable solutions”, which was won by our school. The Erasmus+ program created another opportunity for teachers and students from Romania, Greece, Poland, Slovakia and Bulgaria to enjoy experiences that cannot be repeated. Five wonderful days filled with deep emotions,  diverse activities and making many friendships. The students and teachers liked our school, the garden and the dormitory where they were accommodated. We – teachers, students and other staff from Bourgas – acted as a well-oiled machine. All activities were done on time and with high quality. There was no end to the surprises of the hosts – a barbecue was organized for the guests in the beautiful yard of our school, as well as a cinema screening. Our guests had the opportunity to enjoy interesting initiatives – to watch how a pie is made at the Biotiful farm, as well as to make a pizza themselves. Separately, they got acquainted with an example of circular economy and permaculture, i.e. ecological agriculture in harmony with the laws of nature. History and culture were our ideas for visiting Sozopol and the island of St. Anastasiya. Work on the project was not left behind either. In several workshops, teachers and students created the final project document. Interesting “smart and sustainable” solutions for the urban environment were proposed. Students from each country will create an electronic and printed version of the proposed ideas, which they will introduce to the authorities. Another initiative was the presentation of objects made by the different schools with the project logo and inscriptions on how to take care for nature. As a wonderful end to a fantastic experience, the hosts gave colorful t-shirts on which their guests had to write messages about nature and its conservation. This grew into exchanging memories and signing those same t-shirts. It was a wonderful event. It was a wonderful visit. It was great. Friendships were formed, there was laughter and merriment. Our students did a great job with their assignments. They behaved like real hosts, for which we thank them.

Erasmus + opens horizons – to travel, to learn, to get to know new cultures, to create friendships that last over time! It’s summer! Now it’s time to relax – after taking stock of a job well done!

Yii! Awaiting new horizons!

Presentations from Romania

SMART AND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS- TRANSPORT

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQR2S0KKZHxPOIhN_skOipk4zjcTFOCpCi1E_UBEdDiLV0Onp8OLbqH5YDL4dEmzQ/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000

Green cities

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQUCtkCSZ1mUEPtvoYwT3uLwPccbM81XUsHQUHtrWgHJY0X5YvYE9CMAf0zetpZxg/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000

IT SOLUTIONS

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQIFlnNatW2W1q2RuqoP0qHP1jyfsRpI5OaxTXIQh1dfXMlGYMyij4kSTOUf9Ug0Q/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000

Smart and sustainable constructions

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQk0RRJQ50Tg_lu7zh1H_Cw_xMIoDXGwRadZ8oHfrJAEspQCkkhgqLr9YAAIGExVw/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000

Our amazing trip to Reghin and Gurghiu in Romania!

Day 1 – May 28

Presyian Stefanov 

The first day of our travel started early. We had to wake up at 6AM and start travelling. The bus was small but bug enough to fit all of us comfortably. Our destination for the day was Brasov. And so we started travelling. After we crossed the Bulgaria-Romania border we were halfway there. After some time we got to Bucharest but our travel wasn’t over. We passed through Bucharest with our bus quickly and were able to see a part of it on the first day. After we exited the capital we started travelling towards Brasov. We passed the countryside and mountains which were picturesque. And at long last we got to Brasov. After we got to our hotel and got our rooms we decided to go out as a group. The first thing we were able to see outside of our hotel was the black church and the city centre. We walked around the centre for awhile and got back to our hotel. We the students had a quick rest and decided to go out as a student only group to find something to eat and do some sightseeing. We went to a small restaurant near the centre. After eating we explored a bit more of the town and got back to our hotel ready for tomorrow’s adventure. 

Day 2 – May 29

Christina Bolashikova

Today me and the girl I was sharing a room with woke up and went to the hotel restaurant to have breakfast at around 9:30. After that we went for a brief walk around the city centre. There were a lot of people walking on the main street although the sky was cloudy and the weather was quite chilly. Personally, I really enjoyed the overall atmosphere of the city and especially the old buildings, which were beautifully decorated with romantic ornaments. There were a lot of restaurants and souvenir shops and interesting places to visit. After that we headed to a park, in order to get to which, we had to go up a lot of stairs but we made it. The park itself was very beautiful, it was placed on kind of a hill and there were a lot of places there to eat as well. After a little bit of disorientation, we found our way back to the centre. There was a square where people were free to play various games such as ping pong or volleyball. Me and my roommate, for example played badminton for a little while. After we were finished with that, we went to a couple of shops to buy some souvenirs. When we were ready with this, we went back to the hotel, packed our bags and went downstairs. Then we set off for Reghin, which was where we stayed for the longest. We arrived in the late afternoon and were really tired from the long ride. Later some of us decided to stay in, and the others went out, because albeit it not being as big and busy of a city as Brasov is, Reghin can still offer things to keep you entertained during your visit.  

Day 3 – May 30

Kostadin Taligadzhiev 

After arriving at the school in Gurghiu around 9:00 we gathered in a room and each of the partner countries gave a presentation. Bulgaria presented IoT and IT solutions, Poland a presentation on Construction sustainability, Romania a presentation on Flora and fauna used to enrich the town’s environment and Slovakia a presentation on transport solutions. Then we were divided into teams at random and had the task to make a presentation. After lunch organized by the school which was composed of traditional food we planted thujas. After that, we got back to Reghin and spent the time resting. 

Day 4 – May 31

Mirena Dzhebarova 

We got up and had breakfast at 8. At 8:30 we took a bus to Gurghiu. We met the students from Slovakia and Romania, as well as their teachers. The Romanians welcomed us with drinks and food, and then showed us the school, the kindergarden, the high school and the animals they have. They had little ponies that we could pet. 
The next thing we did was going to a park near the school in Gurghiu. There were some different kinds of plants and trees we saw. 
After the trip to the park, we had time to eat and walk around the school. Later, we went to a hunting museum. There was a whole building filled with trophie animals from the whole world. The man that was working there told us that there are many bears in the Carpathians. 

Day 6 – June 2

Stanislava Andonova 

On the 6th day of our visit to Romania (the 2nd of June) we took a trip to a couple of places. First, we went to a park in which we took a walk and were able to see and take pictures of Lake Ursu – the only heliothermic lake in Europe. The weather was especially hot and sunny that day, but we managed to keep cool with the help of the shadow created by the trees. We had around an hour and a half to spend there after which we got in the bus and continued our journey to the next destination – the Praid Salt Mine, located in the Gurghiu Mountains. There we could buy tickets for another bus which later took us to the mine itself – we got off in a tunnel and after going down a large staircase we arrived in the spacious salt mine. The atmosphere was breathtaking – I’d never been to such a place before. People who go there can participate in different activities – there are games, playgrounds, restaurants, small souvenir shops – it’s like a city under a city! Opposite to the scorching temperatures outside, the mine was rather chilly.

Day 7 – June 3

Stanislava Andonova 

The 7th day of the visit was the last one we spent in Reghin. After waking up and getting ready we went to visit the Gurghiu Forest High School for the last time. There we received our Certificates of participation and sadly had to say goodbye to our international friends from Romania and Slovakia. Thankfully we still had one more place to go with the people from Poland – the medieval town of Sighisoara. Sighisoara is the birthplace of Vlad Dracula whose life and actions were the inspiration of Bram Stoker’s book, Count Dracula. This small city is filled with astonishing and colorful architecture. Being honest, this day was the most emotional one, we all got a bit depressed by the fact that we have to separate, and all go our separate ways – everyone to their own country. We said our goodbyes with the Polish girls and set out to the capital of Romania – Bucharest. We arrived there around 10pm and after checking into our hotel we took a short night walk around the city with our teacher.   

Day 8 – June 4

Christina Bolashikova

This was our last day in Romania and it was reserved for walking around in Bucharest. We all wished to have had more time for spending in the Romanian capital, but we still made the most of our time there. We saw the palace of the parliament, which is the heaviest building in the world and also the second largest administrative building. The weather was really hot and sunny, but that wasn’t really a big bother. We took a lot of pictures near the many giant fountains in the centre, and stopped at a few stores for food, souvenirs and to cool off. We took a stroll in the old part of the city. The architecture designs – the buildings, the streets were all beautiful and could really make one thing as simple as walking and looking around so enjoyable. Our time flew by and it was suddenly time to go home. It was a long ride again and by the time we got to Bourgas we were all exhausted and a little sad that the trip had ended, but also greatful for the wonderful opportunity that we had been given.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our wonderful adventure to Bilgoraj and Krakow in Poland!

Няма налично описание.

Monday

Impressions of  Martin Mechkov

It was an interesting day. In the morning we had breakfast and headed to school. We were accommodated in a huge hall where we would present our presentations. Each country brought food that was placed on a long table and everyone could walk and taste the food. We presented our school, our work on the project till then, and after that we had lunch in the school canteen.

In the afternoon the hosts took us outside. The weather was a little rainy. They took us around Bilgoraj. We passed through different buildings and were told the history of the city. Interesting history starting from the Medieval ages when the main craft was the making of sieves. It was still raining.

We were tired and went back to the hotel. In the evening we were invited to go out to a restaurant with students from other groups to get to know each other. We went to a pizzeria called Chillout. There we ate pizza, played billiards, darts and many other fun games. The day was wonderful and we couldn’t wait to go out again with our new friends!

Няма налично описание.

Tuesday

Impressions of Ivelin Vassilev 

On Tuesday, after we had breakfast, we departed to the city of Zamość. There we got to see a beautiful ancient castle and a number of monuments; it was amazing! The castle was located in the old town of the city on the big main square, which has been preserved since its creation. There were also old colourful buildings, constructed by Armenian and Jewish merchants. After that we took a group photo in front of the castle and they let us have some free time to go around the city, eat, relax and buy some souvenirs. The city and the people were great. It was really clean, not only in Zamość, but in every city which we visited while in Poland! There were all types of transport, but people were mostly using cars, which is bad considering that there were public electrical scooters and bikes which you could rent. On the other hand, there were a lot of parks and green places with a lot of plants and trees where people could sit and rest. A little part of the city of Biłgoraj, is being used for building wooden houses made by an old Jewish model. They are also being sold so you could buy one and live there. All in all, it was a wonderful experience and I’m happy that I got the chance to see all those majestic places and get to know a lot of new amazing people!

Няма налично описание.

Wednesday

Impressions of Yoanna Simeonova

Wednesday was both a very productive and fun day. In the morning we went to the school and got divided into international teams consisting of 6 people. Each team was assigned a different task on which to prepare a presentation using the Pecha Kucha approach. We knew that we would be presenting the finished product on Friday. We had about two and a half hours to complete our 20-slide presentations, including all stages from finding the information to making the slides stylish. In my opinion we ( the Bulgarians) had an advantage as we’re from a technological school. After we were ready with the assignment we went to the city’s bowling alley. This time we formed the teams ourselves, but we still managed to keep them international. We had lots of fun and some people found out that they are better at the game than they had imagined.  The whole day felt super fulfilling and we managed to bond with our partners even more.

 

Няма налично описание.

Thursday

Impressions of Georgi Jechev

Our day started with preparations for an excursion from Bilgoraj to Sandomierz. With my first view of the town, I saw the stunning palace looming over the surrounding area.I liked the walk near the river. The only drawback is that it was too short. After that, we took a scenic route to see the surroundings of the castle. When we entered I felt overwhelmed with the size and architecture still standing in this place. Definitely one of the most stunning moments of this day. Then we climbed to the next hill next to a church. However, the interesting thing is not the church; it is how I went down the hill after. There was a ravine going all the way down to the base of the hill. In the end I had some free time and explored the little town on my own.

Friday

Impressions of Yordan Stoyanov

Friday was our last day in Bilgoraj. Factually, it was the last day of our cooperative meeting about the Green Cities project. After our early morning breakfast, we were heading to the school, where we would finally give our cross-country team presentations in pecha kucha format, regarding various ecological problems and their solutions. Each and every presentation was unique and fresh in its own way. Some had really good design, but weren’t really information-rich, some had inferior design but were really informational, and some were excelent in both categories. After all the presentations, we got our certificates for taking part in the project. This was made possible by the head teacher on the polish side, and our teachers. With our certificates in our hands, we all lined up for a group photo, and the next moment we were all dancing some traditional national dances, and some widely known ones.

Няма налично описание.

Saturday

Impressions of Jacqieline Yordanova

The day we visited Krakow was gloomy, cold and rainy, but that didn’t stop us from seeing the beauty of the city. We started with the center, where we bought souvenirs from the indoor market. The city is extremely beautiful. With navigation and confusion we reached the Schindler Museum, but as it was too far we caught a golf cart. But going to the museum we met a wonderful guide, who on the way to the museum told us about the city and the history behind the museum. The museum was extremely nice and interesting, each area was decorated according to the atmosphere of the place in the camps. There was extremely beautiful architecture all over the city.We rode electric scooters, which help to move around the city faster and protect the environment at the same time. We traveled around the city in a golf cart and it was extremely interesting, because it was very easy to see a large part of the city and its beauty. We visited the castle in Krakow, but since it was extremely cold, I had to visit it.

 

 

 

Travel to Poland – another mobility of our project Erasmus+

One of the Erasmu+ projects of PGCPI – “Future cities smart and sustainable solutions” held its second mobility in Poland, the city of Bilgoraj. Long journey, tasks, excursions, friendships, pleasure and entertainment, and most importantly – experience. These are the words with which I can briefly describe our experiences during this period.
Our plane was an hour late from Sofia. There was a risk that we would not be able to catch the connection in Frankfurt. There – were long corridors, picky customs officers, running. Finally, the Plane flew to Krakow. Then about three hours by bus to Bilgoraj. Finally a hotel, accommodation, and sleep. The next day we met with other mobility participants from other countries.
We started working on the project. First of all, the reports on the work done so far were presented. All the schools had worked hard. Interesting initiatives were presented, and problems were pointed out. The students from our team had interesting presentations.  After all, they had prepared a lot!
The next day we visited Zamosc, a beautiful town with a historic center and beautiful colorful buildings, an example of the sustainability of the city center from the Middle Ages.
Next day: work in international teams on the topics of smart and sustainable solutions in cities according to the Pecha Kucha model. The students worked for about 2 hours. Disadvantages that were identified: only one computer per group, insufficient IT training of the students from other countries, in general, only our students were the engines in each group, it can not be otherwise!
Another interesting day was the subject of our visit – Sandomierz. The city originated in the early Middle Ages, benefiting from its excellent location at the crossroads of the Vistula and San rivers and along important trade routes. Favorable climatic and soil conditions are a good prerequisite for growing vines, nature is beautiful and here you can see the phenomena of plant species and terrestrial forms. Wonderful only sunny day for us and a great hike (we walked a lot).
We also came to the presentation of common presentations, which took place on Friday. The students did well, I’m not saying great. They lacked proposals for the use of technologies to protect the urban environment.
We received certificates of participation, we made a lot of friends, it was wonderful. The students were very happy, and this was the most important thing. We wish these events to accompany us regularly in the life of our schools.