After a delay at heathrow our journey was without problems and we all arrived safely in Martina Franca.

The children were all very excited to meet their host families and went off to spend the evening settling in and hopefully catching up on some sleep!

Day began with a sharp drop in temperature and rain. I think we brought the weather with us. In the morning we all visited a local farm where they train the best horse in Italy which was very interesting. This was followed by a lunch with all the students with some lovely pasta.

The afternoon has been spent practising for our performance in the town square tomorrow before the children heading off for some basketball and time with their host families.

We all hope the predicted sunshine for tomorrow arrives as forecast!

Ciao

Mr Smith

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Here we are then all excited; hopefully packed and ready to go! At approximately 4:15am tomorrow morning we set off for the sunny south of Italy for a fun filled friendly adventure with our Italian, Czech and German friends.

Have you packed everything you need? I think I have…

Mr Smith

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With only just over 2 days to go keep practising those small phrases that will be good to use to get to know other children and being polite with your host family.

Also if you have some spare time use an online resource or a phrase book to browse the names of different foodstuffs. This is really useful when you are getting your breakfast, lunch and tea so you know what you are having! Check out the names of fruit, vegetables and different meats. Especially brush up on those fruit flavours for the multiple ice cream choices you get in Italy.

Weather looks set to be sunny and fair for the duration of our trip with temperatures at the moment a little under the seasonal average at 20-21 degrees Celsius.

Mr Smith

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As you know I like my photography and I will have my camera to hand to document our trip as well as take some more personal pictures. I would encourage all of you, if you have one and are allowed to take it, to take a small digital camera. Martina Franca is by all accounts a photogenic town. Unlike lots of other narrow streeted Italian towns Martina Franca is blessed by it’s illuminated whitewashed walls to provide great lighting at all times. Combine this with ample sunlight for arty shadows and blue skies for contrast It should provide many great shots.

In addition to this the more photographs we can take collectively the better for sharing our experience on our return. I can take plenty of the school, the town, and our trips out and about. However, the area where possibly your longest lasting great memories will come from and the things that will be really interesting to your families and the rest of the school are photos of your experience of Italian Family life. So please if possible look to take plenty of pictures documenting this aspect of the trip as we will be putting together presentations for the pupils and your parents on our return.

Mr Smith

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Not here! we know it’s cold and wet here, not very seasonal at all. In Martina Franca it will be very different though. They do not have seasons like us really as the Mediterranean climate is slightly different and Martina Franca is on the same latitude as Spain, Greece and Turkey. For them essentially spring is moving into summer.. Average daily temperatures for this time of year are around 22/23 degrees Celsius (72-74 Fahrenheit), a pleasant summers day for the UK! This year in Martina Franca seems like no exception although while we experience much colder than average May temperatures parts of Europe are way above average.

At the moment the beginning of the week we are going the temperatures look to set to be a touch higher than average, 25/26 degrees Celsius (77-79 Fahrenheit). So pack your summer clothes to keep cool; remember sun cream and a hat and take your swim things just in case you have the opportunity.

Having said all that night time temperatures at this time of year can still dip down to 10/11 degrees Celsius on a clear night so make sure you pack warm clothes for the evening too!

Mr Smith

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