This document summarizes interviews conducted with students from various countries who are participating in an integration project at a school in Spain. It discusses their reasons for coming to Spain, their prior impressions of the country, and their perspectives on Spanish festivals and how they compare to festivals in their home countries. The students mentioned festivals like Easter, Carnival, chestnut festivals, and others. Many came to Spain for economic or family reasons and had positive impressions of aspects like culture, history and landscapes prior to arriving. They also noted similarities and differences between Spanish festivals and those celebrated in their home countries.

1. IES A Sangriña GRUNDTVIG PROJECT “ INTEGRATION OF INMIGRANTS IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS”. SECTION: International Calendar. National and International festivities

2. STUDENTS INVOLVED: IES A Sangriña María Elena Cachucho Vázquez VENEZUELA .13 years old, 2nd year Adriana Maud Mesanza ARGENTINA .13 years old, 2nd year

3. IES A Sangriña Vladislav Shvets RUSSIA .17 years old, 1st year Bach. Miguel Grullón DOMINICAN REPUBLIC . 14 years old, 3rd year

4. IES A Sangriña Ana Filipa Sousa Braga PORTUGAL .19 years old, Bussiness Course Mery Gómez Caro PERU . 20 years old, Adult Education

5. IES A Sangriña Marcela Troncoso da Gama BRASIL . 32 years old, Adult Education Gustavo Cunha Portela BRASIL . 33 years old, Adult Education

6. 1.- DATE OF ARRIVAL IN SPAIN Adriana .- 19 December 2009 Vladislav .- June 2006 Mª Elena .- 2004 Ana Filipa .- Summer 2008 Mery .- 2002 Marcela .- April 1989 Gustavo .- April 1982

7. IES A Sangriña 2.- DID YOU HAVE A PREVIOUS IMAGE OF THIS COUNTRY? MENTION AND DISCUSS IT/ THEM Adriana : “I have been travelling from Venezuela to Spain since a was a child, so my knowledge of the country was very good”. Vladislav : “Better life, better house, the sun, the beaches and the clean sea”. Mª Elena : “I thought that it was colder than Venezuela and that there were beautiful and ancient monuments”. Ana Filipa : “Life was better in Spain and I liked its culture and folks.” Mery : “ I thought that Spain was a country full of history, castles, medieval past and with a full range of landscapes”. Marcela : “The medieval past, the flamenco, paella, jamón Serrano and all the delicious food in general”. Gustavo : “Its history and peculiar geography. The rich gastronomy “

8. IES A Sangriña 3.- WHICH WERE THE REASONS FOR YOUR COMING? FAMILY,POLITICS, ECONOMY,OTHERS. Adriana : We came here to find a better life due to the lack of jobs and money in my country of origin. Vladislav : To study in the Spanish Educational System. MªElena : We came here for political and economic reasons. Life in Venezuela is becoming worse everyday and my mum decided to come to Spain to start a new life. Ana Filipa : For economical reasons and because fortunately we have family here who could help us to find a job and a house. Mery : My father has Galician ancestors and in Peru economy was going worse and worse, so that is the reason because we chose A Guarda to settle. Marcela : My father is from Goian close to A Guarda and my mother is Brasilian. When my father lost his job in Sao Paulo, we decided to move here. Gustavo : Part of my mother´s family was living here.

9. IES A Sangriña 4.- WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING FESTIVITIES WERE MORE WEIRD, ATRACTIVE OR DIFFERENT FOR YOU? MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL

10. IES A Sangriña EASTER PROCESSIONS

11. IES A Sangriña EASTER PROCESSIONS

12. IES A Sangriña CARNIVALS IN GALICIA

13. IES A Sangriña ALL SAINTS FESTIVITY

14. IES A Sangriña MAGOSTO (CHESTNUT FESTIVAL)

15. IES A Sangriña LOBSTER FESTIVITY CORPUS CHRISTI CARPETS

16. IES A Sangriña PARADE OF THE THREE WISE MEN

17. IES A Sangriña Adriana : Corpus Christi carpets and the Three Wise Men. Vladislav : Mountain Festival. Mª Elena : Mountain Festival, Corpus Christi carpets, Lobster festivity. Ana Filipa : Carnivals in Galicia and Mountain Festival. Mery : Mountain Festival and Chestnut Festival. Marcela : Mountain Festival and Chestnut Festival. Gustavo : Mountain Festival , Carnivals in Galicia and Magosto.

18. IES A Sangriña 5.- WHICH OF THE FESTIVITIES MENTIONED ABOVE HAVE ANY SIMILARITY WITH ANY OF YOUR COUNTRY ORIGIN? Adriana : All Saints Festivity, because I think it has a long tradition in the catholic countries. Vladislav : Easter is also a very important festivity for the Ortodox Church in Russia. Mª Elena : All the Easter celebrations are similar and we have also the three Wise Men festivity the 6th January. Ana Filipa : They are almost the same as in Spain, but Easter and Corpus Christi carpets are also very common in Portugal. Mery : The carnivals and Easter processions are common in Peru and I think in the rest of South America. Marcela and Gustavo : In Brasil we have a mixture of cultures from Africa, Europe and even China so apart the Carnival and some catholic festivities in our country of origin is quite different.

19. IES A Sangriña 6.- WHICH AT LEAST TWO FESTIVITIES OF YOUR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN THAT HAS LITTLE OR NOTHING TO DO THE ONES OF THIS COUNTRY? Adriana : Carnivals, Student´s parties, grape harvest. Vladislav: “Maslenitsa” which is a festivity to welcome spring, 23 rd february Victory of the former SovietUnion. Mª Elena: Independence day (Simon Bolivar). Ana Filipa: In Christmas we do not have the typical Spanish desserts and we celebrate the 13rd of May to commemorate the Virgin of Fátima. Mery : Independence Day Marcela and Gustavo : “Temanja” , festivity to honor our family spirits.

20. IES A Sangriña THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS COOPERATE WITH US IN THE ELABORATION OF THIS PROJECT