To Kaliningrad we go!

Soon a new group of enthusiastic pupils from Lillestrøm high school will leave for Kaliningrad! This will be the 15th year, the 15th time, that our IB students spend a week with the children at a Kaliningrad orphanage.
Hopefully we will be able to blog a little report with some photographs to share our experiences with you!

News from Skola Internat no 7

The children and staff at Skola Internat no 7 in Kaliningrad sends their greetings and gratitude to the pupils in Lillestrom high school who participated in collecting money and clorhes etc for them, and for the very pleasant visit in April!
Albina, the school director, tells us how the grant from the Lillestrom 2IB group has been used:
During this summer on money of students we could make much:

- Have bought materials for repair (wall-paper and paint). Teachers and children have made repair in bedrooms.
- Have established the big case in a medical class.
- Have changed furniture (100 %) in a sewing class





- Have changed completely furniture in a class where children learn how to cook.

Now we build on the territory an arbor. Materials are bought, and works are done by children and teachers. It is interesting for everybody. The main thing is children learn to build and protect that have made by their hands.

Have bought the sports equipment (balls, tents) for the organization of campaigns.
- Have bought for our football players sportswear and footwear.
- Have issued a dining room

 Many thanks to all students from Norway. Without your help we couldn't make it! Thanks once again!

Your photo is published in the report of the Ministry of Education of the Kaliningrad region. On September, 1st it was the visit of the Minister of Education in our school. We told about our friends from Norway.


We will be glad to accept your students again! It’s really nice to hear that you continue the project further.



The school has a homesite

Here is a link to Skola Internat no 7!

http://gouskoschool7.ucoz.ru/

Some information about the project: Fleamarket and visa applications!

Fleamarket on Lillestrøm videregående skole Saturday 6th of March 10:00  - 18:00 and Sunday 7th of March  10:00 –16:00.

Fleas can be delivered at school Friday 5th between 15:00 and 21:00.

The invitations from the Russian authorities will be ready early in March, so make sure you have a photograph that meets the rules given December 9th below. As soon as possible after the invitations have arrived, we will apply for visas, so meet in class to fill in the forms and have your money and passport ready!

Bus from Lillestrøm to Nynäshamn, ferry from Nynäshamn to Gdansk, and bus from Gdansk to Kaliningrad is ordered!

Skola Internat no 7 has established a partnership with Kaliningrad Humanitarian College, and their students will be our hosts! Everything seems fine now, so let’s just hope the flea market is a success!

Information concerning the journey!

Most likely we will leave on April 14th at 08.00 from Lillestrøm and return on April 21st in the evening.

We will go by bus from Lillestrøm to Nynäshamn, and then by ferry to Gdansk, and bus again from Gdansk to Kaliningrad. We will arrive in Kaliningrad some time in the afternoon, depending on waiting time spent on the border between Poland and Kaliningrad.

In due time before we go, I need to scan your passports so that we can get invitations from the Russian authorities. LAST DATE for handing in passports: December 15th!

We also need to fill in application forms, which we will do in class in January. Bring a photograph. Below you can see the demands for the applicants concerning passport and photograph from the Russian Consulate:

1.2. Valid national passport (original only and it should have at least two blank pages). It must be valid not less than six months after the expiry date of the visa.

IMPORTANT! Any damage of any page of the Applicant’s passport (especially of the page with a photograph) will result in the rejection of a visa application.

1.3. One recent passport-sized photograph (35 x 45mm) of an Applicant, stapled to the upper right corner of an application form. The photograph must be:

a) of true likeness and not more than 6 months old; showing full face;

b) taken without headgear, head coverings and hats;

c) taken against a plain, evenly lit light background.

Photographs that do not meet these requirements won’t be accepted.

More information will follow!

Visit in April 2010!

In April 2010 a group of about 14 pupils and two teachers from Lillestrøm videregående skole will visit Skola Internat no 7! We plan to leave around 14th of April and return on the 21st. The fundraising has started, cakes have been sold to parents at various parent meetings at school, and to teachers and pupils. Plans are being made for a flea market in March. Knowing that the orphanage Skola Intenat no 7 is in need of quite a few things, it won't be a problem to make use of the gatherings our group will be able to collect. Time flies, and there will be a lot to do! But, as the members of the former groups states repeatedly: It is really worth it! When in Kaliningrad with the kids, you experience that your effort makes a difference!

Utbedringer på Skola Internat no 7

Pengegaven som Skola Internat no 7 mottok i mai av IB-elevene fra Lillestrøm vgs, har blant annet blitt brukt til å utbedre kjøkkenet med bedre og mer hygiensk utstyr. Et rom har blitt utstyrt som et slags "hjemmetreningsrom" der barna får lære hushold i familiemålestokk: Lage mat på en vanlig komfyr, dekke bord til en familie osv. Dette er viktig lærdom for barn som vokser opp på en stor institusjon, og som har mangelfull kunnskap om hva en familie og et hjem er fra tiden før barnehjemmet, de har isteden erfart omsorgssvikt og fattigdom før barnehjemslivet. Et rom har også blitt utstyrt til et slags terapi- og utviklingsrom, der barna, som har mange ubearbeidede vonde opplevelser fra tiden før barnehjemmet, kan få både fysioterapi og mental hjelp til å komme videre.