About our first mobility experience with Saldus Pamatskola in Latvia 

 

Our first mobility took place between 11th and 15th November, 2024, in Saldus, Latvia. Committed to green travel, we began our journey on the 9th and arrived in Saldus on the 11th. Similarly, our return trip took 2.5 days. Focusing on shared natural treasures, a prominent topic for both schools, we spent 3 days at the Saldus Pamatskola elementary school job shadowing, sitting in lessons, and learning with peers. We experienced the Latvian way of teaching and learning.

Our students had been previously tasked by their teachers with presenting two topics: one on our general area and school, and the other on our natural treasures. Both presentations took place at the school. The students also had the opportunity to experience using VR glasses in a school setting and learned to create an e-book presenting a natural treasure of our region.

We undertook two educational field trips. One led us to the UNESCO-listed town of Kuldiga, the Baltic Sea, and a bog tour. Here, students completed tasks related to exploring Latvia's natural landscape and sustainability principles on a nature trail. The following day, we visited Riga, getting to know the capital of Latvia with its unique history due to its seaside location, architecture, and significant landmarks.

As our visit coincided with the anniversary of Latvian independence, we also participated in a traditional torchlight parade in Saldus and the Independence Day performance at the school. We had a great time with our Latvian partners, made some lifelong friendships, and came back home inspired to incorporate our newly gained experiences and learnings into our everyday lives.