Erasmus+ day 2 in Macerata
1 oktober 2024
Day two broke rather early for our Mavo 3 DLE pupils, so that we could meet our Italian hosts on time for our journey to their sister school, just out of town, the IIS Garibaldi, which is one of the oldest schools in the region for agriculture. The pupils here were whisked around the boarding school and were shown very few classrooms, but some impressive laboratories used for plants and hydroculture. This last one impressed the pupils as they tried to understand why there was a goldfish tank filled with prized shiny, flashes of orange which darted to all four corners of the basin. The puzzle was solved for them and they learnt that the fish fertilise the water that the plants drink. The plants filter the water and the water is recycled back into the fish tank.
A walk through the 70 hectares of school grounds gave us stunning views of the undulating hills in the Marché region, where white cows were grazing, alongside fields and fields of vineyards. Olive trees, some of which were nearing or just over a hundred years old, shaded us from the Italian sunshine. Their herb garden was perfectly planted by the teachers and students, with carpeting plants in the shade of others alongside a number of very fragrant herbs, which gave variety in height to please the eye.
With information about the pressing of the olives and the quality of the oil to the pressing of the grapes and the aging of the wines produced, we left full of ideas about how healthy, sustainable food can be cultivated and enjoyed.
After a sensory visit to the school, it was back to hear more about healthy eating and we attended a presentation about the food pyramid for the Mediterranean diet. Unfortunately, we were very disappointed to hear that our lunch ‘Tiramisu’ was at the pinnacle of the pyramid and was something that we should more or less replace with fresh fruit and vegetables…well, maybe we’ll think about that tomorrow!
The afternoon’s Italian lesson proved popular and it was a fun one to observe as our pupils learnt too to use their hands when using the language. Once the Italian lesson closed, it was time to work on the Macerata Diaries and record our learning for the day, before heading into the Palazzo Buonaccorsi, home to delightful frescos and murals and to our favourite the Aeneid room, depicting the adventures of Virgil’s Aeneas.
Filled with culture, the Italian language and knowledge about heathy, sustainable food, it was time to head back to our hotel for… you guessed it… more food… we certainly weren’t disappointed!
