PARTICIPACIÓ DEL NOSTRE INSTITUT EN EL PROJECTE EUROPEU ERASMUS + :“LA BIOTECNOLOGIA EN LA NOSTRA VIDA”
Un any més el nostre institut ha format part del projecte europeu de tipus Erasmus + amb el títol “La biotecnologia en la nostra vida”. En este projecte participen alumnes de 1r de Batxillerat de 5 païssos, Alemanya (Bielefeld), Anglaterra (St. Neots), Holanda (Haarlem), Italia (Verona), Estonia (Pärnu) i Espanya (el nostre institut).
L’objectiu d’aquest projecte no només és que els alumnes puguen conéixer el present i el futur de la Biotecnologia, sinò també que puguen compartir amb els estudiants dels altres païssos la cultura pròpia en el sentit més ample de la paraula, així com les inquietuds tan personals com acadèmiques. Tot això utilitzant com a llengua vehicular l’anglés.
Durant este curs hem fet al mes d’octubre una estada en Bielefeld; durant el mes de febrer hem estat en Saint Neots i per acabar hem fet d’amfitrions durant el mes de març.
En acabar cada curs lectiu del programa es publica un fullet amb articles on alumnes que han participat escriuen les seues pròpies impressions.
Considerant que els protagonistes reals del programa són els propis estudiants i la seua valoració la més valuosa, ací remitisc l’article original escrit per la nostra alumna Paula Ming Vercher arran de la seua pròpia experiència en este projecte.
BIOTECHNOLOGY IN OUR LIFE By: Paula-Ming Vercher Benavent ;
The third meeting took place in Xàtiva, Spain from Saturday 25th March to Friday 31st March. We were so excited about meeting again all our friends from last meeting (St. Neots) and also about becoming the host of the last meeting, so we took this as a responsibility because we wanted everyone to have the best time here in Spain while we were all learning, working, exchanging traditions, know-hows and also having a real good time.
The organization was also a little bit difficult because we wanted for everyone to be happy with all the activities. Teachers organized all the activities that took place during the morning and sometimes the afternoon whereas hosts from Spain (us) organized activities for the evening and sometimes the night. We usually thought about light evenings like visiting parks, have a drink with everyone else and chill or even go out for dinner, although it was quite difficult to fit forty people in a café or a restaurant. In spite of that, according to the opinions some of the guests told us, they were really happy with these kind of activities; because in that way we could get to know each other so much better as we stayed together all the time.
First of all, the arrivals took place on Saturday 25th, luckily, everyone came and left the same day, so that Saturday we hung out, watched a football match and had dinner together and when we all met again, that feeling was such as one of the best ones ever.
Next day, despite of being Sunday, we all started working early in our presentations. Then, we had lunch and we went on to a tour around Xàtiva. It was a really nice and sunny day, so we all enjoyed the Castle we visited which was located at the top of the mountain.
On Monday 27th, we went on a trip to the University of Valencia, where we did a laboratory practice called: “DNA Extraction”. After that, at the Faculty of Physics, we attended a lecture by Prof. Dr. Joan Ferré about the safety of transgenic food. Then, with a guide, we walked around the center of Valencia, visiting the most important monuments there such as the Cathedral or the City House. Next, we came back to Xàtiva and after hanging out together; we went home and had a rest.
On Tuesday, we had a lighter day, where we attended a bioinformatics workshop (“Bioinformatic analysis in detection and identification of plant viruses”) lead by Dra. Ana Ruiz and Dr. Antonio Olmos. Then, after having a break, we continued working on our final presentations and we went home to do the “siesta”, something guests really loved from Spanish culture. That afternoon we visited “El Palasiet” a garden grown symmetrically in town which also has a noble house and a specific area for animals. Then, as usual, we went to have a drink and we finally went home, because next day was going to be very exhausting.
One of the best days was Wednesday 29th, one of the most complete days where we first visited a Life sequencing company in Burjassot and then, we visited the City of Arts and Science which consist of different buildings about different matters. First we went to its aquarium called the Oceanographic where we saw lots of aquatic animals from all around the world. After lunch, we continued our visit through the Science Museum where there are several exhibitions and some of them consist of practical experiments for the demonstration and the acquirement of the theorical explanation. Afterwards, we went to the IMAX Cinema where we watched a film called “Mysteries of the Unseen World”. When we came back to Xàtiva, we brought everyone to try the traditional Spanish hot chocolate with “Churros”, which I think that was a complete success for our guests.
The last day before the departures was Thursday 30th, that day we finally presented our topics in the House of Culture in front of the people from the project and also some students of the hosting high school. After presentations, Dr. Prof. José Miguel Mulet, a biotechnology researcher gave us the chance of asking him some controversial questions about GMOs and farming biotechnology. After the last official event everyone in the project went to have a Valencian paella cooked by the high school staff which was a complete success because some students ate “anxiously” large amounts of that typical dish. For ending in a good mood this outstanding story we lived together, that day we ended it having dinner out, dancing and singing everyone together, guests and hosts.
Finally, on the 31st March, all guests left during the morning giving an end to this wonderful experience which we recommend to everyone who has the chance, because that is where we all acquired skills about biotechnology mainly, but we also learnt English, sightseeing, about other cultures, how to have fun, how to respect, how to take care of each other, but the most important thing, we have learnt a little more, just a little, about life.