Mobility Diary: Scientific Theatre in Ravenna, Italy
Science is intertwined with art. We see it everywhere: in our daily lives, in education, and business. The mobility activities at LICEO SCIENTIFICO STATALE “A.ORIANI” in Ravenna, Italy, incorporate themes from both science and theatre. These diary entries explore experiences in the lives of participants who are involved in scientific theatre production, blending real-life scientific concepts with the art of performance.
Add your entry by describing the skills, experiences, and academic and cultural knowledge you learned during the mobility. Also, add your ideas and how you will spread them among other students in your school or community. Don’t forget to add your name.
The participation in this project – from writing the play to bringing it on the big stage in Italy – provided an educational and colorful journey, from which I mostly value how much I got to experience in Italy with my theater mates.
The preparation of our play was a demanding, but rewarding process. Having incorporated countless changes, I got to practice not only translation, but also writing original text. By having scientists visit us and demonstrate a variety of experiments, foresight and good judgment were useful in determining whether certain experiments could be included in our play and ‘played’ off as natural components. I certainly have noticed growth in my own acting prowess, and I thank not only the project, but also the adventure the theater club had provided for encouraging positive change within me and bringing back the sociable side of me I’d lost.
Many unexpected changes challenged our ability to adapt and tested our resourcefulness. I was shown time and time again that obstacles are best conquered together.
We couldn’t have performed to a better audience – one that hushed any chatter instantaneously and eagerly participated in our workshops.
The most rewarding part was connecting with people – both foreign and already familiar. Through the kind and welcoming Italian students I got to learn about parts of Ravenna’s history, finding its likeness to Liepaja’s. Not only that, I also got to connect with a few of them through a shared interest in theater, chuckling over pictures and videos of our past plays. Journeying together through Italy’s cities, sharing a small bus and living next to each other strengthened our theater club; the conversations shared late at night both in the cramped bus and cozy hotel I’ll remember fondly upon.
I think I haven’t ever blinked this little in attempts to see everything – the mountainous horizons of Austria and Italy, the vibrant streets of Italian cities, the intricate and elaborate basilicas and monuments, the busy Bologna, peaceful Ravenna and silent Lido Adriano. The taste of espresso and my sour face, the sand in my hair and the crunch in my mouth, the blocking of my ears and the breeze met on the tip of San Marino – the few things I’ll recall Italy and this project by.
Parts of our exciting trip were captured through vlogs, pictures and short horror films, which I think definitely have to be shown when showcasing our participation in this project.
I appreciate the theater squad’s patience and the technical staff’s contribution.
I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to partake in such a project. Very few people are given the chance to meet and make friends with students from a completely different country. I had no idea what to expect from this trip since the first day, but every part of this adventure was a wonderful experience. Our Italian friends we’re very welcoming, outgoing and friendly since the first time we met. Talking to so many new people definitely improved my communication and social skills. It was very fun to exchange and talk about different parts of our cultures like education, food, language and more. I’d encourage anyone who is given the chance to participate in Erasmus+ projects, because it’s truly an unforgettable experience.
It was a wonderful experience. The show was very nice and the experiments were very interesting
With this experience I’ve improved my listening skills in English and I discovered some new experiments and things that I didn’t know before. Thanks for all!
It was a very cool experience. I loved seeing science and theatre mixed together; thanks to the experiments and the actors I learned a lot of things about science and theatre. Finally I want to thanks all the guys and girls that attended this project, it was a wonderful experience.
I really liked this experience, because it helped me improve my language skills and meet new people. I also found it funny and interesting, and I’d like to thank you for this project
This experience was enjoyable and useful. It allowed us to learn how different experiments can be carry out and we had the opportunity to make them by ourselves. I want to thank the students that joined the project for their kindness.
Thanks for everything, I really enjoyed this experience it was really fun and exciting. The show was nice and the experiments were really interesting.
In my opinion it was a great experience because having a Latvian girl nearby in the arrangement of the desks gave me the opportunity to learn to speak spontaneously and therefore start thinking in English.
I really liked this experience, because it helped me improve my language skills and meet new people. I also found it funny and interesting, and I’d like to thank you for this project.
This experience was really nice. The two guys who came to class were very nice and taught us a lot about the history of Latvia.
The afternoon show was very interesting especially the experiments.
I think that cultural exchanges are important for learning and appreciating cultures different from ours.
It was a very interesting and fun experience. I had the possibility to expand my vocabulary and learn something new. Thank you for everything
It was a wonderful experience and I had a lot of fun. It allowed me to practice my English and exchange ideas and habits, such as at school.
I also found the show interesting. I would definitely do the experience again.
Hi, i’m Davide, i loved this project, the activity that we do in the theatre was really uplifting and also talking with the student about our life and our countries. Also the show was very gripping and realistic they were very good.
I just wanted to thank you for this experience, I fuond it really interesting and cool. I enjoyed a lot talking to you in English and found out new things about your culture!
I am happy to have participated in this initiative! Meeting guys from another country gave us the opportunity to learn about another culture. All together we participated in theatrical improvisations, scientific experiments and we gathered to spend an afternoon of laughter and surprises.
It was a very beautiful and instructive experience which allowed us to put into practice the knowledge of English acquired over the years.
Furthermore, the scientific experiments done during the show were very interesting.
I would like to thank all the guys for making themselves available to come here and show us their show. I had a lot of fun and the guys were very friendly and kind!
I would like to thank the Latvian boys and girls for giving us the opportunity to learn about their culture and for bringing an interesting show to the stage, with equally interesting workshops.
I really enjoyed this opportunity to meet guys from another European nation. It was a day full of news and new things learned, both on a scientific level: I learned new experiments of which I was not aware but also on a cultural and language level: thank you for this day.
I am very happy to have experienced this. I think that cultural exchanges are an opportunity to grow and learn about other cultures. I want to thank all the guys, very nice and helpful.
I would like to thank you for everything. it was a very beautiful and fun experience and i had the possibility to speak in English.
I would like to thank you for everything because it was a truly interesting experience that expanded my horizons and opened my mind to new cultures. I also learned experiments that I didn’t know about.
I’m Giorgia, a student of the scientific high school in Ravenna and I’m glad my class took part in the project, and I think that everyone should have the opportunity to have an experience like this with the school. Indeed, in my opinion, the opportunity for international exchange with peers is precious to be aware of a different culture and improve one’s listening, speaking and social skills. In addition, it’s been an amusing experience and I would recommend not to miss it if you can
In my opinion, having the opportunity to meet young people from another European country was one of the most amazing experiences of the whole school year. It allowed us to share about our ways of life, our cultures and our points of view on the world. Concerning English, it definitely contributed in enhancing our confidence and fluidity in speaking. It was extremely rewarding to be able to communicate effectively and pleasantly with strangers. Everyone involved was nice and eager to get to know each other, which made the time we spent together very enriching. And the play was a real success, just like the ensuing workshops!
I’ve really appreciated the Scientific Theatre project as it allowed me to meet new people and to develop my scientific knowledge. Getting to know the students from Latvia was super interesting and we had a lot of fun. We learned something about them and they learned something about us: I loved this cultural interaction.
Moreover, thanks to them I had the chance to try directly the experiments involved in the play, improving my English skills at the same time.
The experience was great and different from the activities we usually do. We have had the opportunity to discover some features of a foreign culture and also to do some interesting scientific experiments. The experience was also useful from a human point of view since we learn how to know them . Moreover we also improve our creative skills thanks to the improvisation. To conclude, i think that this project has been beneficial from many points of view, and I am glad to have taken part in it.
I found this cultural exchange really interesting from my point of view. I really had a lot of fun during the scientific experiments and the show and in general I found these guys and girls really kind and funny. I hope to see them again in future because it has been a beautiful experience!!!
The experience was really interesting, especially the scientific experiments such as the one with the bubbles that caught fire. Moreover, I had the opportunity to listen to a play in english and I improved my listening skills. The guys were friendly and I enjoyed spending time with them even after school.
I am grateful to have been able to participate in this experience. The show was interesting and I found the following experiments fun too. spending a school morning with students with whom I could only communicate in English allowed me to expose myself, which I never do because I’m quite shy, and I was happy for this. In the end I think the experience was fun and interesting both from a personal point of view (getting to know the latvian students) and an educational one (practicing my english and watching the play)
This experience was really fun and stimulating, I enjoyed spending a day with two guys from another country learning about their culture and teaching them about mine. The show was amazing as well as the acting, I found the performance great and the experiments they showed us after were really interesting and fun to try. We also had a lot of chats with the latvian students, who were really nice and outgoing. Overall I think this experience has been very useful and fun.
The whole experience was stimulating, since the students that came here in Italy were polite, extroverted and happy to know new things as we, Italian students, were. The part that I liked the most were the laboratories after the play, which was also well organised and interesting. In my personal experience, to know international students is always memorable and particularly this one time.
I enyoed so much this experience: the show made by them was fantastic and I learnt some new experiments which i tried to do later improving my skills. The two boys who came in our class were really funny, in fact we decided to go out together on saturday evening.
I’m happy to have partecipated to this project because i had a lot of fun meeting the guys, witch were very friendly, extroverted and also their acting was great. Both the experience at school and the one at the theater were interesting, in particular doing the activity and chatting with all of them. I hope to do again this kind of project.
It was really interesting to see a show that combined theater and science. It was really instructive and I liked it a lot.
The show was spectacular, each of them played his character very well. All of them are very nice and kind, I became a lot together with them both during activities and outside of them. Thanks to them I learned some new science tricks, I could improve my pronunciation and become even more fluent. I could also learn some of their traditions between music festivals and other activities they usually do in their free time. They also explained to me a little about their situation regarding the war with Russia. I really liked them.
The experience was really interesting, especially the scientific experiments such as the one with the bubbles that caught fire. Moreover, I had the opportunity to listen to a play in english and I improved my listening skills. The guys were friendly and I enjoyed spending time with them even after school.
I’m happy that my class participated in this project, because i like so much meeting new international students. The show was great and interesting. I like it so much. I learned different experiments that I didn’t know about.
Io penso che l’esperienza di teatro e scienza sia stata molto interessante, non solo perché rappresenta un’idea originale, ma soprattutto perché é riuscita a trasmettere nuove conoscenze a noi studenti senza rendere ció pesante. Abbiamo potuto assistere ed essere coinvolti in maniera sicura ad esperimenti scientifici soprendenti come l’ esplosione e il lancio del “razzo”. Ma abbiamo appreso anche tecniche digitali e di recitazione, che potrebbero servire durante la proprio vita e soprattutto durante la proprio carriera. Quindi, oltre ad essere stata un’attività divertente e inusuale, é stata formativa ed utile.
Parlerò di questa esperienza con i miei amici e famigliari, affinché siano incoraggiati a partecipare ad un’esperienza del genere se ne avranno la possibilità in futuro e spero che il progetto venga ripetuto con altre classi.
The whole experience was stimulating, since the students that came here in Italy were polite, extroverted and happy to know new things as we, Italian students, were. The part that I liked the most were the laboratories after the play, which was also well organised and interesting. In my personal experience, to know international students is always memorable and particularly this one time.
I’m a student of Liceo Scientifico A. Oriani. I’m very happy that my class participated in this sort of project, because meeting new international students, especially from Latvia (so cool), was really exciting and fun. The girls that came in our class were so nice and extroverted, and we had a lot of chats together. Even better was the play that we watched in the afternoon, the guys were amazing, and the acting was great. The post-play was a lot of fun, my friends an I had to act in front of everyone, making up a scene in 5 minutes, and what came out was hilarious. The guys were amazing and they were not only great actors, but we were left speechless about the level of english they had (they basically sounded mother tongue). It was a lot of fun and good to build our acting skills.
I loved it!!
– Melissa Balaj
It was a wonderful experience, thank you for everything. It was interesting to learn about a new culture, new people and habits. The show at the theater with all the related activities was also done very well. I hope you had fun with us and were well, happy continuation of your studies and life.
It was an interesting experience. The themes were particular and in particular I appreciated the scientific experiments. The show was well structured and the latvian students were absolutely amazing actors and actresses. I loved meeting other international students from an other country. I think this was very stimulating and cute. The workshops were lovely, especially the gun powder’s experiment. We spent a beautiful time together. It is always good learning something new about different cultures
It has been really interesting, the show was very beautiful and really instructive.
The experiments were well organised and really interesting. I learnt a loro of new things
From the experience I learnt a new skill, in fact they taught us how to improvise. We have also learnt new experiments which the guys did during the show. In addition I also made some friends and the snacks was very good
This experience was really nice. The two guys we had in class were very nice and we learned a lot about the history of Latvia.
The show in the afternoon was also very interesting and I particularly enjoyed the scientific experiments.
This experience was very interesting, the girls were nice and outgoing. We were very happy to have for a day two new people in class. During the day I learn about the history of Latvia, and during the afternoon the play that they made was very good, especially because of the scientific experiments that were in it. It was also a good idea the possibility of recreating and trying the experiments after the end of the show, and also the acting laboratory was fun
It was an interesting experience. The themes were particular and in particular I appreciated the scientific experiments. The show was well structured and the latvian students were absolutely amazing actors and actresses. I loved meeting other international students from an other country. I think this was very stimulating and cute. The workshops were lovely, especially the gun powder’s experiment. We spent a beautiful time together. It is always good learning something new about different cultures.
was very interesting and pleasant this project. we learned many things. specifically we have learned a lot about their school and known information about the latvia. finally they were very good at acting the show.
High school A. Oriani Ravenna by Amira.
Being able to share a day with two new companions and participate in their show was a really interesting experience. I was impressed by the complex, non-trivial plot and their acting skills. The activity allowed me to learn something about acting. The activity also helped me to text my english speaking ability. In summary everything was nice and usefull.
It has been really interesting, the show was very beautiful and really instructive.
The experiments were well organised and really interesting.
It was a wonderful experience, thank you for everything. It was interesting to learn about a new culture, new people and habits. The show at the theater with all the related activities was also done very well. I hope you had fun with us and were well, happy continuation of your studies and life
This experience was very interesting, the girls were nice and outgoing. We were very happy to have for a day two new people in class. During the day I learn about the history of Latvia, and during the afternoon the play that they made was very good, especially because of the scientific experiments that were in it. It was also a good idea the possibility of recreating and trying the experiments after the end of the show, and also the acting laboratory was fun.
This was a very interesting and fun experience. The show captivated me a lot and the actors acted very well. The girls who were in class with us were lovely and taught me a lot about the history of Latvia that I knew nothing about. I also really enjoyed tasting specialties from another country and finding out more about their culture. The experiments, however, were very fun and magical. Overall it was a wonderful experience.
It was a good experience. All the guys were very kind, polite, friendly and sunny. The show was very good, interesting and engaging. The work shops were great. Last thing they are all very good at acting and have very good English pronunciation.
I really enjoyed this cultural exchange. It was very interesting and funny. The two girls we had in class were very nice and I enjoyed “spending” our time with them.
The show was really well made and interesting too. All the students were very good on acting and, also, they were all nice while doing the workshops. I appreciate being able to have this cultural exchange and I would’ve like to go visit you in Latvia but I don’t think it will be possible. Thank you for this beautiful experience and congratulations again for your skills and your behaviour. ly <3
It was a fun project in which I met a different culture from mine. I really liked the play, full of twists and numerous experiments that unfortunately I could not test. By participating in improvisation, I discovered that I could defeat the embarrassment of speaking in front of an audience a language different from mine.
It has been really interesting, the show was very beautiful and really instructive.
The experiments were well organised and really interesting.
From the experience I learnt a new skill, in fact they taught us how to improvise. We have also learnt new experiments which the guys did during the show. In addition I also made some friends.
It was a wonderful experience, thank you for everything. It was interesting to learn about a new culture, new people and habits. The show at the theater with all the related activities was also done very well. I hope you had fun with us and were well, happy continuation of your studies and life
The show was great and very interesting. After the show I learned how to improvise, which is a great skill. Firstly, I was kind of scared but then on the stage I enjoyed the moment having fun with my friends. I also learned different experiments that I didn’t know about (like the one with bubbles and fire).
Hi, I wanted to thank you for everything, it was a very fun experience and I managed to expand my English vocabulary thanks to you
In the Erasmus+ project to Italy I was the youngest one there. And let me tell you the experience was amazing. The process to even be on stage in Italy was a lot of preparing. Year and a half ago the play was in Latvian, and just was performed in the school theatre, but then we got the opportunity to perform in English in a theatre festival where we got second place. Then we got an opportunity to perform in Italy, but it had to be connected with sceince. We had a guy to show us some cool experiments, which we used in the play. Then our “saviour” Kitija put in the experiments in the script, and we headed to trying. We performed the play in school and everyone there loved it. When we headed to Italy it was frustrating. The long road there made me stressed what if they dont like it? We got to Italy, explored the city and the next day we were headed for the school. The atmosphere was diffrent. The students were very freindly, they were dedicated to school. The thing that suprised me the most is that they dont have breaks between periods. After the school we were headed to the theatre to perform the play. The stage was very diffrent to the stages we had performed in. It was a real theatre stage, with insane lightning and around 160 seats whitch were all taken. After the performance we had workshops, the stundents loved it. When we got back to the hotel I felt like everything that we worked for, was completely worth it. The next days of the project were just exploring and learning more about the country. From Italy I learned that u have to be very dedicated to achive something great.
It was a wonderful experience. The show was very nice and the experiments were interesting.