International co-operation -> Learning Circle 2004/2005

Subjects:

USA: Transportation project
Anne Lambert, Lindsay McAuliffe, and students from San Diego, California, USA, suggested this project on
Transportation We would like to know what kind of transportation the other students Use (foot, bike, car, plane, etc.) and where they have been.
We also want to know how they would like to travel and where they would go if they could choose any kind of vehicle. We also want to know if anybody is interested in traveling to another planet!

Poland (M_K_I): "Learning through celebrations"
http://webnews.textalk.com/pl/article.phtml?id=45778&page=2

We would like to know:
1. The main celebrations in your country (country holidays): dates (year calendar) + short descriptions and additionally + one self made picture about it if possible [ can be more ]
example: independence day, new year celebrations, religious festivals etc.
2. Some other family (or/and school) celebrations like marriages, baptism or/and school annually holiday (school day) etc.
3. Answer for our question: what holiday would you like to establish in your country and why?

Belarus: "Places Connected with WWII"
As you all know, next year we are going to celebrate a 60-year anniversary of the WWII Victory. That’s why we would like to get some information about places and memorials in your countries dedicated to WWII. Are their any sites near your school or in your community? Can you send us some stories about this place and its history? Maybe there are some photos available as well. How are you going to celebrate this date? How do you usually celebrate this day?

Kenya: "INTERCULTURAL STUDIES PROJECT"
What types of cultures, societies or rather international cultures do you think are within and surround your local areas, school e.t.c and how can you personally identify?
What is your attitude towards discrimination and how can you recognize and explore the variety of cultural influences in their own identity?
In your own society seting, how and what in a comparison manner does a variety of cultures mark significant life milestones, for example birth coming of age, marriage, old age, death expectancies or life span?
Can you compare at least two different societies (Previous and Current) and their cultural expressions towards way of life for example language, dress, food, leisure activities?
What are/is your (traditional or modern) religious belief and practices comparable to two of your own chosen international diversities?
Towards Interculturalism, currently the old age practices & perception towards the links between aid, colonialism, trade, slavery and racism tend to be repeated whereas there is still human trafficking e.t.c what is both your “- or +” perception towards such practices in your society?
How many emigrants, migrants and immigrants do you think are around members of your dominant culture and could you be willing to promote international understanding through host family hosting of international students, visitors e.t.c?

How do you relate with people socially, publicly e.t.c in order to promote inclusive and intercultural behavior for example, at the workplace, clubs, societies, schools, training and beyond?
Can you be in a position (Optional) to send us stories, short essays, images or photos i.e promoting Interculturalism around your school, community and internationally?
Lastly, tell us briefly your cultural origins or your favorite or alternatively the best origin of your current popular music star, cinema, dance, drama, art.

Iran: "My best"

1.MY BEST ……

This is the list of suggestions but we hope you'll feel free to add some topics of your own.

My best day in life
My best relative - brother - sister - uncle - aunt
My best friend
My best teacher
My best dream
My best wish
My best journey
My best holiday
My best pet,
My best memory of playing sport
My best memory of watching sport

THE BEST ……..

The best book you have read
The best film you have seen
The best sentence you have read
The best sentence you have heard
The best music you have listened
The best food you have eaten

2.MY FIRST EXPERIENCE IN ………

We'd like you to write us your first experience about the following topics. Please feel free to add some topics of your own.

Falling in love
Feeling Hatred for sb
Separation from parents, family or a friend
Going to school
Being alone
Feeling frightened
Cooking food
Playing a musical instrument
Going on a trip
Cheating in exam
Telling a lie
Playing a trick
Feeling embarrassed
Making a speech in public
Feeling proud

3.If you had a very huge wall, .......

• what would you call it?
• what would you prefer it was made of?
• where would you prefer it was located on?
• what would you write on it?
• what would you draw on it?
• would you get it extended?
• how would you use it to make a difference in the world?

Looking forward to hearing from you all
Thanks, and best wishes,
The students from Farzanegan Zeynab Educational Center, Iran

Iran to Poland: Ramadan Celebration

During the holy moth of Ramadan Moslems fast. It is called the Fast of Ramadan and lasts the entire month. Ramadan is a time when Muslims concentrate on their faith and spend less time on the concerns of their everyday lives. It is a time of worship and contemplation.
Throughout the Fast of Ramadan strict restraints are placed on the daily lives of Muslims. They are not allowed to eat or drink during the daylight hours. Smoking and sexual relations are also forbidden during fasting. At the end of the day the fast is broken with prayer and a meal called the iftar.
A lot of parties are held during this month and people invite their relatives and friends to the parties in which they break their fast together and stay with each other until midnight. Some public parties are also held in which a lot of different people take part. In these parties there is no music, dance or drink. People usually pray and read our holy book "Quran". Last week we had a breakfast party in our school. We had a good time with our friends and ate a lot of delicious food.
At the end of Ramadan the Eide-Fetr feast, a joyous occasion for attending religious services and visiting friends and family, people give a small gift of money, called the Fetrieh, to the poor.

Bye,
Students from Farzanegan Zeynab

Iran to Poland: Festival Of The Last Wednesday is one of the Persian New year ceremonies

In Persian cultures, there is a Wednesday that named "Chaharshanbeh Soory".It is the last Wednesday of a solar year. Iranians believe that the fire is a holy thing, so they make fire at "Chaharshanbehsoory" night. They burn the old things that they do not want them in the fire and will be ready for a new year with new things.
This fire is a thing for heating the world and bringing a pleasant spring.
"Chahar" means "four" and "soory" means "red".
Iranians buy some things in this night. For example they buy a mirror as a symbol of sincerity. They buy a pitcher and some wild rue. Pitcher is a pot for water and water is the symbol of purity.
People do this things at "Chaharshanbeh Soory" night:
-Making fire
_Breaking a pitcher
_Going to deserts
_Breaking some eggs
_Soothsaying ý

Another New Year tradition is Spreading the news of the coming year by Haji Firooz.

"Haji Firooz" were some men who had black faces and couldn't pronounce some fonts, so for supplying their necessities they wore red clothes and made people laugh.
Now Haji Firooz is a man with red shirt and trousers and sharp pointed shoes .His shoes have some tassels and his long hat has them, too. He is so funny. He makes his face black and walks in the streets and spreads the news of the coming New Year. He hangs himself some funny things. He has a little bell.
He sings some songs like these:
Hello...
Raise your head.
Why don't you laugh?
see Black.
Your eyes can see, so offer thanks to God.
Don't see up, See under your feet
God gave you, You gave to he poor.
And too:
Hello...
Raise your head.
Nowruz (Iranian's new year festival) has come ,a kiss to my cheek
It's time to kissing a kiss to my cheek.
World is two days, Why don't you laugh?
Why don't you dance?
Why don't you laugh?
And he says:" New Year festival is coming."

Iran to Poland: the festival of Tirgan
(on the picture)

There are several national festivities that have existed since ancient Iran one of tem is Tirgan. The festival of Tirgan is observed on the early July, when the hot weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere and when Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, is in conjunction with the sun in the summer. It is primarily a rain festival and it is one of the three most widely celebrated feasts (along with Mehrgan and Nowruz) amongst Iranian peoples. Tirgan corresponds with the summer solstice and celebrates the longest day of the year. Tirgan, the summer solstice celebrated the life of Arashe Kamangir, an Iranian national hero who sacrificed his life to preserve the territorial integrity of Iran.

Iran to Poland: Yalda festival

Yalda is a festival survived through the centuries to the present day.
Yalda, the winter solstice on December 21st. celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, right over wrong, good over evil and the birth of the "Sun-God", Mithra.
This ceremony is as ancient as the time that people organized their lives based on seasonal changes.
Since the first night of winter is the longest night and from that night on the days get longer and the warmth and light of the sun increases, that night was supposed to be will go the time for the re-birth of sun. The Aryan tribes, in India, Iran and Europe celebrated sun's birth at the beginning of winter. Yalda corresponds with the winter solstice and celebrates the longest night of the year.
People gather on this night and make fire, and arrange a special setting on which any fresh fruit which is preserved and also all the dry fruits are put. The fruits resemble people's hope for a fruitful spring and summer. They spend all the night together beside the fire.

Zahra, Parisa, Sahar & Roya
Tehran, Iran

Norooz
dates: (the first 13 days of spring in our country)
all the family come around and in same time all the people in Iran celebrate and the oldest people in family give some presents to young members of family before celebrating ,families put seven things on the table that the first letter of their names starts with letter S : (Seeb)apple, (Serkeh)vinegar , (Sekeh)coin ,(Senjed)buckthorn ,(Somagh) sumac , (Seer)garlic , samanoo (kind of food that prepare with wheat sprout)

pagosha : when a young couple marry for months later the closest people in their family give parties for them. And they dance and eat dinner together. Through these parties the two families meat each other and get closer together.

We had many holidays and celebration in my country near hundreds years ago but it is disappeared by passing time I wish we could relive them and celebrate them again.

State Holidays in Belarus

 July 3 – Independence Day and Day of Belarussian Constitution.
Many years ago in 1944 Minsk was liberated from fascists on this day. Since then the 3rd of July is known as Independence Day.
Day of Belarussian Constitution was celebrated on another day some years ago. But 2 years ago our president decided that this holiday would be held on the 3rd of July as well.

 2nd Saturday in September – Day of Minsk.
Earlier it was held on the 3rd of July too, but then it was transferred to this date. On this day people are usually free and our state organizes a lot of different concerts and competitions. Besides, the transport is usually free on this day, so you don’t have to pay for it.
But in our college we usually study on this day, so for us this holiday is really awful. We have to sit at school when other people have fun and we even hear the music from the square…

 November 7 – Day of October Revolution.
In 1917 the socialists got the power and the Socialist party became the leading party in Russia. This holiday was very popular in the USSR and even after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, though we don’t live in a socialistic society now, we still celebrate this holiday and this day is even a day-off in schools. But a lot of young people in our country don’t even know what this day means.

Natasha Tulinova, College #24, Minsk, Belarus

State Holidays (continuation)

The first state holiday we celebrate is on the 1st of January and it’s the New Year’s Day. On this day children have holidays and adults don’t need to go to work. All the family gathers together near the New Year’s tree. Some people prefer to go out on this day or to visit their friends or relatives. Not only houses of people but the whole city is beautifully decorated. In the middle of our central square there is the biggest New Year’s tree in Minsk, encircled
with a skating rink. New Year’s Day is the best day of
the year.
On the 7th of January we celebrate Orthodox Christmas.
It is not as popular in our country as the New Year’s Day, but it means very much for people, who are religious. Many of them go to the church service that reminds: More than 2000 years ago Jesus was born to suffer for us and to save us…
The next state holiday is the 8th of March which is also known as the Women’s Day. On this day men congratulate women and present them with flowers or other beautiful things. This day makes women remember how they should behave and how they should look…
Radonitsa is the day when we remember our ancestors, relatives and friends who are dead. This holiday has no fixed date. It’s celebrated on the 9th day after Easter. On this day people go to the cemetery and visit the graves of their relatives, where they leave flowers.
The 1st of May is Labor Day. We don’t celebrate it in any special way. With time it lost its original meaning and today it’s just one more day when you can stay at home and relax.
On the 9th of May we celebrate the Victory Day. This holiday means a lot for elderly people who participated in the World War II and saw the victory with their own eyes. Young families don’t usually celebrate this holiday in the family circle. But the 9th of May is widely celebrated by the state. There are a lot of concerts and festive arrangements
including a military parade.

Marina Soshneva, college #24, Minsk, Belarus


To be continued...

Kenya has varried cultures and traditions unlike our class students.

Therefore, Kenya being an established British colony in the year 1895, was first populated by a number of small dispersed tribal groups. The main groups were the Kikuyu, Kamba, Luo and Maasai with an exeption of other unmentioned tribes and cultures. These tribes shared the same area of land although they all had different origins.

Therefore, In the Luo society setting (dholuo being the language) originated with regard to cultural or natural situations and as advised by grand parents, children’s ethnic identity is determined by their paternal origins and possibly cultural matters pertaining to the family life.

My community is one of Kenya’s most diverse groups and cultures called the Nilotic migrations subdivided into three categories:-* Highland Nilotes * Plain Nilotes and * The River Lake Nilotes from which I belong. The (Luo) group moved up from Lake Turkana area, westwards to the Lake Albert and River Nile. They began moving southwards in the 14th and 15th centuries and gradually settled in Kenya between the 15th and 17th centuries AD. 1500 AD marked the advent of the Luo who displaced the Luyia (Bantu) speakers from the Lake Basin. The Luo occupation of the Lake region during the last 500 years resulted in the retreat of the Luhyia eastwards to higher ground. These Luo communities are currently found around Nyanza province of Kisumu town and along the Lake Victoria extended where they settled as fishermen and farmers.