Zdravo, mi smo Taja, Devi in Sergej in sodelujemo v projektu Erasmus+ v prečudovitem španskem mestu Estepona. Za enomesečno dolgotrajno mobilnost smo se odločili, ker smo želeli doživeti šolanje v tujini, izboljšati svoje jezikovne spretnosti in se preizkusiti v popolnoma novem okolju. Že prvi dnevi so bili polni vtisov, prijaznih ljudi in zanimivih razlik. Čeprav nas je spremljalo muhasto vreme, smo hitro ugotovili, da ima tudi deževna Andaluzija svoj čar. Sprva nas je malo skrbelo, ali se bomo razumeli z gostiteljskimi družinami, a se je hitro izkazalo, da smo imeli srečo – ustvarili smo močne vezi, ki bodo ostale tudi po koncu mobilnosti.

Pouk poteka precej drugače kot doma. Ure trajajo 60 minut, med njimi ni klasičnih odmorov, le nekajminutni premori. Dijaki nimajo stalnih urnikov, pogosto prilagajajo termine testov v dogovoru z učitelji. Nimajo omejitve glede števila testov na teden – nekateri jih pišejo tudi po tri dnevno. Pouk poteka v sproščenem vzdušju, učitelji in dijaki veliko debatirajo. Naši vrstniki pri matematiki in angleščini obravnavajo snov, ki smo jo mi spoznali že v osnovni šoli. Zanimivost je tudi ta, da nimajo knjižničarjev – knjižnica je odprta le, ko jo dežurno nadzoruje učitelj.

Poleg sodelovanja pri pouku smo tudi na daljavo aktivno sledili šolskim obveznostim. Sergej je v času mobilnosti na daljavo uspešno odpisal test iz matematike, Taja pa je 22. marca 2025 na daljavo sodelovala na državnem tekmovanju iz psihologije, kjer je osvojila srebrno priznanje. Skupaj smo se vključili v matematično aktivnost Treasure Hunt na temo podobnosti, ki smo jo izvedli v zunanji učilnici v Estepone. Dejavnost je potekala po vnaprej pripravljenih navodilih naše Erasmus+ koordinatorice in je združevala raziskovanje, timsko delo, gibanje in uporabo matematičnega znanja v avtentičnem okolju.

Poleg tega se je Taja prijavila tudi na natečaj DMFA ob mednarodnem dnevu matematike in zmagala s skulpturo iz školjk z naslovom »Morski rez«. Ta prikazuje razmerje zlatega reza (približno 1,618), ki simbolizira estetsko harmonijo v naravi. V izdelku je prepletla matematično znanje, umetnost, ustvarjalnost in ročne spretnosti.

Med mobilnostjo smo se vključili v pouk pri različnih predmetih (matematika, fizika, biologija, športna vzgoja, angleščina, francoščina, španščina), sodelovali smo pri vajah, oddajali domače naloge in online pisali teste iz Slovenije. V času prostih ur smo na daljavo spremljali izbrane ure pouka na Gimnaziji Lava ter samostojno predelovali snov, ki so jo v tem času obravnavali naši sošolci doma. Sodelovali smo pri različnih obšolskih dejavnostih, med drugim tudi pri vadbi flamenka, ter z gostitelji izmenjevali izkušnje o šolskem življenju. Spoznali smo njihov nadaljnji izobraževalni sistem, saj številni dijaki ravno zdaj zaključujejo srednjo šolo in se odločajo med študijem in poklicnimi potmi.

Vsak prost trenutek smo izkoristili za raziskovanje okolice. Obiskali smo Malago, Granado, Marbello in Casares. Ogledali smo si flamenko nastop, obiskali arabsko čajnico, šli v escape room z vesoljsko tematiko ter se preizkusili v biljardu, bowlingu in lasertagu. Skoraj vsak dan smo se sprehajali po čudoviti promenadi ob morju in vedno znova odkrivali nove kotičke mesta. Poseben vtis je pustila Alhambra (čeprav si je zaradi razprodanih vstopnic žal nismo uspeli ogledati od znotraj). Navdušile so nas tudi tradicionalne jedi, še posebej tortilla de patatas. Zanimivo se nam zdi, da Španci Estepono vidijo kot »vas«, čeprav ima več prebivalcev kot Celje.

Ta izkušnja nas je izzvala na mnogih področjih – od komunikacije v angleščini, prilagajanja na drugačen ritem vsakdana, do razvijanja samostojnosti in odgovornosti. Ugotovili smo, da znamo premagati negotovost in stopiti iz cone udobja. Spoznali smo drug šolski sistem, drug način življenja in ustvarili nova prijateljstva, ki nam bodo ostala v lepem spominu. Še posebej smo hvaležni našim gostiteljskim družinam za sprejem, prijaznost in trud, ki so ga vložili, da smo se tukaj počutili kot doma.

Vse izkušnje, dogodki in odnosi, ki smo jih stkali tukaj, bodo z nami ostali še dolgo. Erasmus+ mobilnost v Esteponi ni bila le potovanje v drugo državo, temveč tudi v nova znanja, razumevanje in prijateljstva.

From Mathematical Treasures to the Sea Section: An Erasmus+ Experience in Estepona

Hello! We are Taja, Devi, and Sergej, and we are participating in an Erasmus+ project in the beautiful Spanish town of Estepona. We chose to embark on a one-month long-term mobility because we wanted to experience schooling abroad, improve our language skills, and challenge ourselves in a completely new environment. From the very first days, we were surrounded by impressions, kind people, and fascinating differences. Although the weather was unpredictable, we soon discovered that even rainy Andalusia has its own charm. At first, we were a bit worried about communication with our host families, but it turned out we were lucky – we formed strong bonds that will last well beyond this mobility.

School life here is quite different from what we’re used to. Lessons are 60 minutes long, and there are no traditional breaks, just short pauses. Students don’t follow fixed timetables and often arrange test dates directly with teachers. There’s no weekly limit on the number of tests – some students take up to three in one day. The atmosphere in class is relaxed, with lively discussions between students and teachers. In math and English classes, our peers are covering topics we learned in primary school. Interestingly, there are no school librarians – the library only opens when a teacher is on duty.

Besides attending local classes, we stayed actively involved in our home school obligations. Sergej successfully completed a math test remotely, and on March 22, 2025, Taja took part in the national psychology competition online, earning a silver award. Together, we participated in a math-based “Treasure Hunt” on the topic of similarity, conducted in Estepona’s outdoor classroom. The activity was guided by instructions from our Erasmus+ coordinator and combined exploration, teamwork, physical movement, and the application of mathematical knowledge in an authentic setting.

Additionally, Taja entered a DMFA contest for International Day of Mathematics and won with her shell sculpture entitled “Sea Section.” The piece represents the golden ratio (approximately 1.618), symbolizing aesthetic harmony in nature. She integrated mathematical knowledge, art, creativity, and manual skills into her creation.

During our stay, we joined various lessons (math, physics, biology, PE, English, French, and Spanish), took part in exercises, submitted homework, and took online tests for our Slovenian classes. In our free periods, we followed selected lessons from Gimnazija Lava remotely and independently covered the material our classmates were learning back home. We engaged in extracurricular activities, including flamenco dance lessons, and exchanged insights on school life with our hosts. We also got to know their educational system better, as many students are finishing high school and deciding between university and vocational paths.

We made the most of every free moment to explore the region. We visited Málaga, Granada, Marbella, and Casares. We attended a flamenco performance, visited an Arabic teahouse, tackled a space-themed escape room, and played billiards, bowling, and laser tag. Almost every day, we strolled along Estepona’s stunning seaside promenade and kept discovering new corners of the town. The Alhambra left a special impression on us – even though we couldn’t visit the interior due to sold-out tickets. We also enjoyed the local cuisine, especially tortilla de patatas. Interestingly, Spaniards consider Estepona a “village” – even though it has more inhabitants than our hometown, Celje.

This experience challenged us in many ways – from using English daily and adjusting to a different rhythm, to developing independence and responsibility. We learned how to overcome uncertainty and step out of our comfort zones. We discovered a new school system, a new way of life, and built new friendships that we will cherish for a long time. We are especially grateful to our host families for their warm welcome, kindness, and effort to make us feel at home.

All the experiences, events, and relationships we built here will stay with us for a long time. Erasmus+ mobility in Estepona wasn’t just a journey to another country – it was a journey into new knowledge, understanding, and friendships.