North Macedonia
4.5-8.5
(Teachers perspective)
Travel Day:
Today we arrived in Bitola, Macedonia, after a long day of traveling for about 12 hours. This time, teachers Jonas Håkansson and Carina Hedén are traveling together with the students Tuva Bohlin, Amelia Liljerum, Ella Elm, Sofiia Piretska, and Kajsa Karlsson, all from the Arts Programme. The first thing that struck us when we arrived was the stunning landscape. The taxi ride between Skopje in northern Macedonia and Bitola in the south, offered breathtaking views with snowy mountain peaks and deep valleys. After the long journey, we grabbed a bite to eat at a local restaurant and then headed to our hotel to get an early night after an exhausting day.
Day 1
Today we met the rest of the delegations taking part in this Erasmus project. We gathered at the school, where we received a very warm welcome from both the students and teachers. We started by getting to know each other a little better before being given a tour of the school. As Swedes, it was very interesting to gain an insight into what everyday life looks like for Macedonian students.
After the school tour, we were invited to the local cinema, where we enjoyed traditional Macedonian music and dance. For this gathering, the students from each country had prepared presentations about their schools’ work with sustainability. Once again, it was interesting to see how the different schools approach this theme.
Our own students presented how we work with sustainability at Vägga. Among other things, they talked about the school’s recycling system, the cafeteria’s efforts to reduce food waste, and how the students in the aesthetics program use recycled materials in their projects.
To conclude the day, we were invited to take part in a traditional group dance together with everyone else.
Day 2
Today we were back at the school. At the start of the day, we were divided into different groups. Each group had to choose a motto that in some way reflected the theme sustainability. The motto was then illustrated on a T-shirt. Both students and teachers were given complete creative freedom to decorate their T-shirts however they wished.
After presenting our mottos and designs, a winning group was chosen through a vote. The winning team was given the honor of planting a tree at the front of the school.
The afternoon was dedicated to a digital workshop where the students, in new groups, worked on problem-solving tasks and created an action plan to highlight a problem and propose a solution.
The action plans were then presented as PowerPoint presentations and delivered orally to all the groups.
Day 3
Today we had the opportunity to visit the city of Ohrid, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its rich religious history (the city is often called the Jerusalem of the Balkans) and its unique nature and culture.
Ohrid is located by the stunningly beautiful Lake Ohrid, whose water is crystal clear and so clean that you can drink straight from the lake. We started by walking along the lake, up towards the old town. Among other places, we visited the paper museum, where we got to see how paper is made in the traditional way, and they even had a working replica of Gutenberg's printing press. Paper has been produced in the city since the 16th century.
Furthermore, we visited the Church of Saint Sophia, one of North Macedonia's most important historical landmarks, and learned more about the Middle Ages in the region from our eminent guide. He then led us to the amphitheater, which was built 200 years BC and is the only Hellenistic theater in the country.
After that, we continued to the Plaošnik monastery and on to the outstanding Church of Saint John at Kaneo. This 14th-century temple, dedicated to Saint John, is likely the most iconic and picturesque tourist destination in North Macedonia.
Finally, we took a boat back to the city center, where we strolled around on our own. Many shops specialize in selling pearls harvested from the lake, and it’s safe to say that a few teachers and students took the opportunity to expand their jewelry collections.
Day 4
Back at school after yesterday's excursion. The morning was dedicated to workshops with a recycling theme. The students were divided into teams to compete in who could reuse various waste materials in the cleverest way. Creativity was flowing, and the products presented ranged from rainwater gauges to jewelry.
Following these workshops, we received a detailed presentation from the Macedonian students on the advantages of a circular versus a linear economy. The activities wrapped up at lunchtime so that we could recharge before tonight's closing party for the entire mobility project in North Macedonia.
As evening approached, it was time for the party at a local restaurant. When we arrived, we were immediately struck by the creative interior design and how they had utilized creative upcycling, which was naturally a perfect fit for us. We were treated to a delicious buffet and a fantastic vocal performance by one of the Macedonian students, Aleksej! Diplomas were also handed out to everyone who had participated in the mobility. Aleksej's performance really got the other students inspired, and our Swedish students stepped up to perform Veronica Maggio's Måndagsbarn and Tommy Körberg's Stad i ljus!
After these generous performances, the party spirit was at an all-time high, and both teachers and students danced the night away to the tunes of both national and international hits!
Day 5
On our final day together with the group, we headed to the capital city of Skopje. It was about a three-hour journey, during which we also made a stop along the way to visit a biogas plant. We were given a guided tour by the plant manager, who explained the production process and mentioned that it is based on the same biological decomposition that occurs inside a cow's stomach (!). Very interesting.
Eventually, we arrived in Skopje, where our eminent coordinator Sonja guided us through the city. Among other things, we visited the Old Bazaar, which was packed with various shops, a major specialty being gold and jewelry. After finding our way out of this bustling labyrinth of gold and tourist souvenirs, we headed to the newer part of town. A grand bridge called [the Stone Bridge] marked the border between the old and the new. Once over on the new side, we were struck by lavish monuments, massive bronze statues, and architecture that brought antiquity to mind. It later turned out that these grand buildings weren't old at all. They were part of a project completed in 2014, aimed at, among other things, making the city more beautiful and strengthening the Macedonian identity.
Our final stop was a museum dedicated to Mother Teresa, who originally came from Skopje.
