Welcome

We are students from Sexta class. We attend a Grammar School in Policka, the Czech Republic.
Policka is a town in the Highlands. It has got about 10, 000 inhabitants. Policka offers quite a lot of things - a sports stadium, ski slope, swimming pool, theatre, museum, youth club,... The surroundings of the town is good for hiking, cycling,..
If you want to know more look at the websites of Policka.
We have been working in the project for the second year. This year we are trying to make a record of some activities in the school or of some events in the area where we live but also follow some holidays or habits in the Czech Republic.
This is where where we live-our school and the town walls.

In Comenius Project we have met students from other European countries – Sweden, Finland, Norway, Germany, Italy, not from Guadeloupe.
We have seen some Blogs and they are very nice.
At this moment we are writing stories for a competition in Swedish Blog.

This is us in the park - trying to conquer the city!

May

Majales
Every year in May secondary school students enjoy their student´s celebration called Majales, as May is also called Maj in the Czech language. The celebration starts with a parade of students - each class is dressed up in their own masks. Last year we were “CIGARETTES”. After the parade we organize entertaining games for small children in Policka´s park. In the square there are some musical and dancing performances, sports competition or games. We like this day because we have fun, especially if the weather is good and we do not have to sit in school!!!
Pavlina




This is also important!!!!
Kissing under the cherry in bloom
In the Czech Republic it is a traditin of kissing under a cherry tree in bloom. On 1st May men and boys kiss women and girlfriends under the tree. People believe that if they are kissed under the cherry tree their love will stay with them for the next year.
David

April

On Easter Monday morning many boys and men go whipping around. They actually chase and whip all the girls at sight and ask for eggs. Or stop at houses and They get decorated eggs, colourful ribbons and small boys also some chocolates, cakes..You can see a video with David and Magda and get an idea what is happening!


Magda, you should have more shouted!!!

March

Pig-killing time

“Killing a pig” has had a long tradition in the Czech Republic.
Long time ago, most people had farms or houses with animals like pigs, sheep, rabbits or hens. Today, only a few people keep animals because looking after animals is hard work. But at some places the tradition of killing a pig continues. It is a big event for the whole village. You can see some photos from my family.
It all started in the morning when the pig was killed- a butcher was invited, then the pig was washed and cut. After that, some products were made: special sausages, some meat was boiled, a special soup was made, barley was mixed with blood and baked,....
I do not like hog-killing time and I do not like any of the products. But many people like it and look forward to it.
Especially, men have fun.



Do you have something similar in your country?
Bara

February

Winter is also the time of special parades in some villages. Men in masks followed by musicians march through a village, stop at houses, do also some crazy things, music plays,.. This event has a long tradition and many local people but also people from distant places come to enjoy something special.

January

All of us celebrated on New Year`s Eve. On New Year`s Day we had a big meal including pork for good luck and lentils soup for prosperity. Stay away from fish or poultry today!!! Those meals may make your luck swim or fly away.

1st January is also the day when Czechoslovakia split and the Czech and the Slovac Republic came into existence. Not many people celebrate this act, but it’s a pity because it was a very important event for us. The second important holiday is the holiday of Three Kings on January 6. A lot of people go in disguise as three kings, they go to people`s houses and ask: Would you like to contribute to the people in need? Mostly they get some money.

In January we had a lot of work for school, because the term finishes on 31st January and we get a school certificate.
But January is also a months of balls. Our school with the help of parents also organizes one, a Students` Ball ----->
The last year`s students were decorated - as usual, and some programme was prepared by students from different classes, and also by our class. As we attended dancing classes, which has become a tradition for 2nd year and Sexta students, there are usually some dance performances - at the beginning of the ball something more formal, and at midnight some crazier dance........

December in Policka

December in Policka

On the evening of 5th December you can meet St. Nicholas, angels and devils in the streets of Policka. Actually you can hear the bells of the angels and the chains of the devils long before you can see them. St. Nicholas wears bishop clothes and carries a cross in one hand and a book of sins in the other hand. The group enters some houses and flats. The devils frighten children and threaten to put the naughtiest children inside their big bags and take them away. St. Nicholas reads the sins of the children from the book and the children promise that the next year they will be good. Some children also sing a song or say a poem. Then the angels give the children some small presents, usually some fruit, walnuts and also some coal which is a symbol of the devil.


St. Nicholas, devils and angels walked around our school, too. The youngest students in special costumes sang Christmas carols and recited Christmas poems. They walked from class to class and read from “the book” some sins of the students and the students had to promise they would be nice. It was fun.. Our teachers were not excluded and during the main break the students entered the staffroom.
P.S. Notice the big bag over the hand of one of the devils.



Christmas in Svojanov Castle /the castle is the property of Policka/

Policka also organized a fabulous Christmas weekend in the castle of Svojanov. The castle belongs to the town Policka. The warden of the castle invited a group of fencers and they showed some parts of knightly fights. The Visitors were able to see an exhibition of naticity scenes , too. The guides put on period costumes and sang Christmas carols. In the dining room, there were tables prepared for Christmas dinner.

Every year Policka has a Christmas tree in the middle of the square. But this year for the first time almost everybody was able to decorate it, because people were invited to make Christmas stars from different materials. You can see the Christmas tree in the square. It stands near the Town Hall, which you can see below.
















Pavlina

November

November

November=Fall of leaves /Listopad/ in the Czech language.
All Souls‘ Day (on 2nd November) vs. Halloween (on 31st October) ..is it the same?

In the Czech Republic we have not Halloween but we have All Souls‘ Day. These two holidays have the same origins in a pagan celtic festival-Samhain. They are associated with ghosts and souls. It is because Celts believed that at this time the spirits of the dead could come back and be with the Libiny peoples. These holidays are a little bit different now. Halloween for somebody means dressing up, sweets and going to costume parties. Halloween is crazier and funnier than All Souls‘ Day. On All Souls‘ Day you remember the died people and you are nostalgic.

11th November
The day of the fight of freedom and democracy.
Our country was under the supremacy of Germany, then of communism .
In 1939 Germans closed all universities.
In 1969 Jan Palach disagreed with Russian occupation, so he protested and burned him self.
Finally in 1989 communism was broken. We call this big event Velvet revolution. It started when students celebrated the anniversary of Jan Palach’s death.

October

October

October is Říjen in the Czech language. This name means deer rut.

28th October is a holiday, because in 1918 the Austro – Hungarian monarchy broke up. Czechoslovakia, Austria, Jugoslavia etc. came into exisrence.
But Czechoslovakia changed because Slovaks wanted their own state, so in 1993 Czechoslovakia broke up. Now there are the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
In 1918 Czechs and Slovaks had their first democratic state.

September

September


September was a very sad month for most of us as we had to return to school.

But it was fun to see our friends again and everybody had a lot of stories. And this year we had a school trip to England. We could compare not only the two countries but also schools because we spent one day in a private school. We also visited Oxford, Stratford upon Avon and London, of course. Good experience!


Perhaps September 28 is the second most important holiday in the Czech Republic. It is a holiday related to the tradition of Christianity and the tradition of Saint Wenceslas. On that day, Saint Wenceslas, the duke and future patron of the Bohemian nation, was murdered by his brother Boleslav in Stara Boleslav. Every year there is a Saint Wenceslas´s pilgrimage organized in this place, and at Prague Castle the president awards Saint Wenceslas medals to personalities who have contributed to the Czech statehood.

Quiz on the Czech Republic

1. What is the capital city of the Czech Republic?
a) Bratislava
b) Wien
c) Bern
d) Prague

2. How many people live in the Czech Republic?
a) about 11 million
b) about 10 million
c) about 8 million


3. What is the name of the Czech president?
a) Vaclav Havel
b) Vaclav Klaus
c) Vaclav Vydra

4. What is the national tree of the Czech Republic?
a) Lime
b) Oak
c) Willow
d) Pine

5. What is the typical drink in the Czech Republic?
a) Wine
b) Beer
c) Vodka
d) Juice

6. What is the Czech national dish?
a) Roast chicken
b) Pizza
c) Fruit salad
d) Svickova (a special sauce, beef and dumplings)

7. What is the most favourite sport in the Czech Republic?
a) Football
b) Ice-hockey
c) Rugby
d) Lacross

8. The Czech ice-hockey player is:
a) Jaromir Jagr
b) Emil Zatopek
c) Lukas Bauer
d) Roman Sebrle

9. The Czech Anna Geislerova is:
a) Singer
b) Sportswoman
c) Actress
d) Politician

10. Karel Gott is the famous Czech:
a) Explorer
b) Politician
c) Sportsman
d) Singer

Other information about the Czech Republic,the Czech president and the Prague Castle:

Pavlina

Quiz - Correct answers

Correct answers
1. d)
2. b)
3. b)
4. a)
5. b)
6. d)
7. b)
8. a)
9. c)
10. d)

Pavlina & David