Italians in Hradec Kralove
During the week of 21–28 March, Gymnázium Boženy Němcové and Hradec Králové came alive with an international atmosphere, as we welcomed students from the Sicilian town of Scordia as part of the Erasmus+ project. A group of ten Italian students — five boys and five girls — arrived accompanied by two teachers and spent several days living with Czech host families. Our school's "delegation" consisted of nine girls and one boy, and was joined by a French student as well.
The programme was packed from the start. We headed straight to Prague, where we explored the historic city centre — the Old Town, the Astronomical Clock, Charles Bridge, and Malostranské náměstí. After a free afternoon, during which many students made their way up to Prague Castle or simply wandered the city on their own, we finished the day with a visit to the planetarium, which everyone found fascinating.
The highlight of the week was a Wednesday trip to the Adršpach Rock Town. For some of the Italian students, it was a truly unforgettable first — they saw natural snow for the very first time in their lives, and actually got to touch it. The excitement was unmistakable. And anyone who hasn't spent an entire train journey practising the Czech tongue-twister "strč prst skrz krk" simply cannot understand what Erasmus is really about.
The Italian guests didn't just observe school life — they joined lessons alongside their Czech classmates, took part in an impressive physics show, and put their minds to the test with puzzles and quizzes in the physics lab. They also made brilliant use of their free time, organising things themselves and forming what can only be described as a truly stellar group of friends.
The week flew by at an incredible pace, but left behind a wealth of memories, new friendships, smiles, and tears on both sides at the farewell. All of this is proof that something far more important and lasting took place than just another school event, however international. Thank you to all the participants, and a huge thank you to the host families.
We're already looking forward to sunny Italy. A presto, i nostri amici Siciliani!
