The delay

Well in the morning we had to get up very very early, Then we had our breakfast it was the same toast and cheese and olives. We then had to get on the bus to set of to the airport with our group which was a good group and we had the Germans with us as well-They are so cool.We then set off... it was a longish drive to the airport but we had loads to talk about. We then checked in at the airport and we got told we had 2:45 minute DELAY . That was ok... so we had a look around the airport and played Uno with the Germans. We stuck together because there flight was to Zurich the same time as our flight. We waited and waited and then, finaly we boarded the plane. We had a really nice meal on the plane and I listened to some awesome German songs with my new mate Maurice. We then landed at Zurich and we missed are connection flight back to Manchester but the Germans did not miss there flight back to Dusseldorf, So we parted and said are goodbyes and left. We got told that we got a free night at the 5 star Hllton Hotel... it was amazing, Me and Hal had a flat screen tv and every thing you could want at a hotel it was Amazing. Then in the morning we got a wake up call at 4 in the morning to leave to go to the airport. It was all very quick and we left Zurich for Manchester. We all got free food and we landed in Manchester very quickly and we then went back home....

Hal and I, we are Very Very grateful to Mrs.Underwood and Mr.Spacey for looking after us and choosing us to go on this trip of a life time :)


Thanks for following us

By Thomas Blackburn :)

From Left:

The Grand Bazzar, Istanbul:
A stop for Coffee, Tom and his magic lantern, The wonderful Spice Market

Thomas Blackburn


This was are last proper day in Istanbul so we got up very early to get on the bus we then headed to the school and we had are last project meeting it was really good! After that we- all the students here- wrote some things down about the comenius project and what we thought about are fantastic time here. My new friends and I played basketball- it was great. We then had a huge photo of us all then me and Hal were asked to a English class by a Turkish Teacher and talked to the pupils- That was great - but we missed out on the photo- there are many more group photos that we are in! We then set of for the Grand Bazzar and spice Bazzar they were amazing everything you wanted from Turkey was in there.We got good at bartering and got alot of money knocked off the origional price I got some good kit we then had the best donar kebab ever and we got a picture with the master of kebab making.We then also went back to the Bazzar for another look around with the cool Germans there was also a spice bazzar so we went there to get some spices the smell was overwelming it hit you in the face like a gust of sudden wind it was a facinating smell all the different aromas mixing together it was so nice after that we went for a drink and it was so nice there was also some FREE bread and it was tasty we all then met back up again and headed for the school for dinner for the last time it was so good after that we had are last game of Basketball it was fun and we won again even Mrs.Underwood joined in and scored us a basket! Miss was realy good then we came back to the hotel and played UNO with the other people-- it was great!


Thanks for follwing us in are trip to Istanbul.................




The Grand Bazzar was really great and was so much better than Sainsbury. By the way, this blog does not only mention food! We played cards with the Estonians and they taught me a few new games. I'll really miss Turkey.
Hal

Day 4 - Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Yerebatan Sarnici

Photos:
Right: Our Comenius Group!! 65 People representing 14 Nations in Europe
Top:Tom and Hal with their new friends from Slovenia and Romania
Right: Inside the Hagia Sophia
Bottom:Tom and Hal inside the Hagia Sophia


By Thomas Blackburn

Hello!!! Today was a great day I am going to tell you about it.... well we had to be on the coach at 9 so we got up at 7 then we travelled to the school to pick up the other students where we then headed to Topkapi Palace - I was amazed it was made with real gold leaves and marble it had the skull of John the baptist and also Moses' staff which (they say) he used to part the Red Sea- it was so wonderful and we then left a bit later to go to the Hagia Sophia- it took your breath away.... it was huge and it was also made of Gold leaves... after that we had lunch it was very nice,we had to be quick so we could get to the World famous Blue Mosque... it was big we had to take our shoes off because it was disrespectful to keep them on in the Mosque. We took loads of pictures and Mrs Underwood had to wear a skirt to cover her leggings! We then went down to an ancient underground water resevoir which had pillars and fish in the water....you could buy coffee and Mrs Underwood and Mr Spacey got dressed up in traditional gear and had their photos taken!. I made a wish at the pillar with the head of Medusa- I hope it comes true :)

Thanks for following....

Day 3 - Bosphoros Tour

Photos: Our Meal onboard the Boat.

A view from the boat looking onto the Asia side of Istanbul

Hal with the Hungarian girls!

UK and Hungary at one table together- Mr Spacey and Hal can now say a few words!

Basketball with students from Germany, Slovenia and Turkey.







We awoke at the same time, but Mr Spacey called on us at seven thirty, as we needed to let other people finish their presentations which they did not have time for the other day. After seeing most of the presentations, I really want to go to most of these countries.
Then we took a short fifteen minute recess in which I scolded my fingers on boiling hot coffee (not recomended). I then joined the others for a short basket ball round.
Mrs Underwood suggeted that I interviewed a few people about their country and what they thought of Comenius. I was dangerously close to being Piers Morgen Jr!
We then had one of the best lunches that I've had since we've arrived, which consisted of a buffet of traditional Turkish foods, we planted a tree sapling which had earth from all reigons of Europe in the soil. The soil was provided by the people from their countries.
After a photo in front of the tree sapling, we hopped on the coach for the penultimate time that day and went to the Bosphorus for a boat ride. I think my camera must be angry at me now as I went trigger happy on the shutter button and took well over one hundred photos. I will probably delete most of them, as many of them were blurry.
The dinner was fantastic with two fillets of fish and a selection of different salsas, dips and cheeses. The desert though topped it all with a lovely pastrey but with a syrupy inside. Unfortunatley this description does it no justice to how lovely it was. Despite telling myself that I was full, I ate two of these about half the length and width of my hand.
Then after dinner, we did some riverdancing which was all a lot of good fun!
We got back early, about half past seven, justifying an early start. Apparently there are no more project meetings, apart from a short one in the morning, so that means more leisurely activities. Yippie!
Hal

Day 2- lessons in our partner school -Coscun - and a tour of the Topkapi Palace

Photo far left: Dinner at Turkish Family's house with our French and German representatives. Lovely meal and great company!

Right Photo: Military show outside of the Palace

Left Photo: Tom looking out over the Bosphorus on a beautiful sunny day!

Right Photo: Standing on the terrace of the Coscun Secondary school in Istanbul- what a view!

Right photo: Mrs Underwood teaching our partner schools' Turkish students about life in England.





by Thomas Blackburn

Today we went to the school then we showed each other are slide show presentations we did it first so we would get it out the way all of the other contries did a few of theirs they were great. After that we got sent to othere classes in the school and observed there teaching methods.i was sat next to a boy he was very kind and he is half scotish and half turkish then the mupets show theam song went of it signified there break then in there break me and some other boys on the trip played basket ball withh the turkish it was great.we then had are lunch and left to go to Topkapi palace it was fantastic they had gold leaf every where and it also had a chandelier that was 4 and a half tones and it was made from English crystal.After it we whent to galata tower it was so high it had great views of Istanbull we then headed back to the school and we got sorted out to go to different families houses and have tea with the family we went to a boys house how goes to the school the food and the house was very nice and we had to take are shoes of to enter the house we then went back to the school and came back to the hotel.


By Thomas Blackburn





The Turkish family tea was amazing. I had soup and then there was a selection of meat balls and beef and rice. The desert a was rice pudding which was really good and then a selection of fruit.
Hal

Tom and Hal with Turkish students after traditional dance performance

Day 1 of the Comenius project

After having breakfast which consisted of ham cheese and toast (not what we had but what there was on offer) we joined the rest of the group for the bus ride to the school. There are over 15 countries here all of them European and it is very interesting to hear some of their stories from their homeland. When we arrived at the school we were led into a small auditorium where we were treated to some Turkish music and dancing. It exceded all expectations! Afterwards we hopped on the bus again to go to the schools sister schools. Their schools are so different to ours in the way that they immerse thereself in foreign languages and their resources are in top quality. When you look at Turkey you realise not only is the goverment different and have different takes on the way the country is run. After looking through the school we went back to the original school and had a project meeting. Veryinteresting for most teachers but for us a bit boring! All Tom and I could do was reflect on how bad Mr Spacey's jokes were! Tomorrow should be better- museums and our presentations! A lot of the food is an aquired taste but it is yummy all the same. Very hot in Istanbul. We need to drink lots of water. Hal Meakin