Židovské suburbium Bardejov
Bardejov, April 06, 2016. Even this year continues partnership with Norway. To be specific, cooperation between Gymnazium of Leonard Stöckel in Bardejov and Videregående high schol in Norway. On March 31st, 2016 came to visit students and teachers from city of Molde.
In the late evening hours in front of gates of Gymnazium we anticipated our Norwegian friends with opened arms. Who else , then a comely pair in traditional folk costume could offer them welcoming bread and salt? After a short acquaintance, guest families took care of their entrusted ones. They couldn’t even catch a breath and make themselves feel at home and the very next day early in the morning we all went together to familiarise ourselves with beauties of our country. Seeing that Slovakia is known of its rich history and great amount of historical monuments, we couldn’t forget to show our Norwegian friends the domain of our district Presov- Spis castle. After a nice walk and an interesting lecture we went to Red Monastery- the entry gate of, in that time sun drenched Pieniny, where we found an accommodation. Since the sunny weather in Norway is very rare, so Norwegians during the rafting down the Dunajec river enjoyed it and also during the longer hike on the tourists‘ trail. Here, by the spactacle of National Park of Pieniny, we could cement our friendships. After this exhausting and fullfiling experience we returned back to our hotel, where there were Swedish tables filled with slovak specialties waiting for us. Full and rested we exercised our tongues in an effort to learn something from each others languages. The next day we looked through the area of Red Monastery and the return back home followed. An individual program in which they could get to know their guest families better, awaited. Next, came Monday morning, which we couldn’t spend any other way, then by preparing for school. There, in the school was waiting for them display of schol classrooms and lectures in the field of politics, in which they feel at home. A conjoint lunch in our lunchroom, a lecture at the Old Synanogue and the Bardejov Holocaust Memorial and the viewing of our town Bardejov followed. Neither a festive welcoming ceremony by the city authority could not be missed. The program in which, we, the students were the only ones entertaining, continued. It contained sitting in the pizzeria and the spontaneous move into the insides of our school , where we could enjoy evening sport activities. During our last day together we visited the wooden church in Hervartov and Bardejov bathhouse, including Skanzen. As the last dot of our official program was the conference, where talented students of our Gymnazium performed folk traditions, songs and dances, which our friends from north could try as well. Once again, our traditional slovak food in the form of Swedish tables was not missed. We said good bye by the bonfire, which melted even the very last pieces of ice between us. On April 6th, 2016 in the early morning hours we walked our Norwegian newly acquired siblings in front of Gymnazium, where their bus awaited them. After the moving saying of good bye we‘ve acknowledged, that we’ll miss them and we can’t wait till May 9th, when they’re going to welcome us in their town of Molde.
Veronika Gregová, Simona Staviarska, student of the Gymnazium of Leonard Stöckel in Bardejov, 3.B, 2.E
