From the Diary of a Teacher (part I – English version)

Autor: RNDr. Jaroslav Kocman <kocman(at)ghb.cz>, Téma: Projekt Finsko, Vydáno dne: 07. 11. 2007

My dear teacher’s diary, you have already survived many things. During the years too many unexpected events, which I have confided to our hard disc have happened. That, which I want to talk about now, has certainly never been here. Imagine that those lines are written about 1.900 kilometres far away from our charming Brod’s alma mater. In case you would draw an imaginary line going through the place I am staying now, you would find out that 99 % inhabitants of Europe live on the south, exactly on this line and then further to the north would be the remaining one percent.

My dear teacher’s diary, you have already survived many things. During the years too many unexpected events, which I have confided to our hard disc have happened. That, which I want to talk about now, has certainly never been here. Imagine that those lines are written about 1.900 kilometres far away from our charming Brod’s alma mater. In case you would draw an imaginary line going through the place I am staying now, you would find out that 99 % inhabitants of Europe live on the south, exactly on this line and then further to the north would be the remaining one percent. Havlickuv Brod’s grammar school joined an educational program of European Union “Comenius”, thanks to which we cooperate with a similar secondary school in a Finnish town Savonlinna, which is situated some 400 kilometres to the north-east from Helsinki, and only 50 kilometres further begins endless, almost uninhabited wilding of Russia. Our and Finnish students (all together excellent, young and hopeful) should change their experiences with organizing graduation ball. My dear teacher’s diary, you are too young and inexperienced, so pay close attention to remember how to carry out such a project. Those, who came up with such an idea, must fill in kilograms of tricky forms at first, email days and nights with the other side, wait tensely for a result, and in case of success find and instruct students etc… After all these preparations we may set off. The bus is leaving very early in the morning; the best time is half past 6, from our great educational establishment. The bus takes you in front of the Ruzyne airport. Smiling and proper staff checks out your huge luggage, then they make sure you are not a terrorist and then you finally may float to the king’s place for passengers. The plane, heading to Helsinki, is elegant, big and white; it has two wings and many windows. After exciting take-off the plane is silently mumbling in 10.000 metres above the land so as the sea. Before you even realize it, you are in Helsinki and you are on your way up north to far-away town in the northern corner of Europe with population of 25.000. Here you are welcomed by nice and smiling (couldn’t be different) Finns. Students so as teachers meet each other in the night icy Savonlinna (half past nine local time), after that the Finnish take their Czech opposites and they are heading to their homes. Saturday’s so as Sunday’s program takes place in a private direction of each family, because the official educational part of the project starts on Monday. We, teachers, are enjoying many interesting events during those three days. We converse with our Finnish colleagues, exchange experiences, look at local northern architecture, we are guided around the empty school with perfect facilities, visit the home team volleyball match, listen to a concert of classical music in a local Lutheran church and see and do many other things. I wanted to write you more, but everywhere is a deep night, my eyes are itching from the screen and I am too sleepy. Don’t worry; I will talk to you soon. And I want to be alone… Don’t forget to look at all the photos, which are made by my colleague Jaroslav to catch all the unforgettable events from our trip. I have known you a couple of years already, so I am sure you like the photos better than my talking…
Your Hynek.
(Translation: Misa Drapelova =)