"So different yet so similar" is a Comenius 1 project in which the participating schools are sharing ways of celebrating special events and festivities in each represented country. We are exploring different customs for similar festivities such as Christmas as well as national and traditional festivities of each country. Fgura Primary 'A' is the co-ordinating school of the project.

We have printed a calendar that includes the important dates each country celebrates during the year. Each school produced children's drawings for two months of the calendar and for these months the names of the days of the week were written both in English and in the respective countries' language.

The third international meeting of the project took place in Malta last December, attended by partners from England, Germany, Poland and Romania accompanied by their mascots.

During their visit the guests had the opportunity to meet the Fgura school's children and staff. They visited all the classes and attended lessons given by different teachers using the phonics methodology and eBooks.

The teachers and the senior management team exchanged views with the guests on learning and teaching as well as administrative strategies used in the different schools.

During the meeting the project partners exchanged resources, evaluated the work we have done and planned future activities. Since our partners from the Canary Islands were only represented by their mascot, we kept them updated by means of a video conference using Skype.

After the visit each school prepared a PowerPoint presentation of the adventures of the mascots in Malta, showing the historical and natural beauty of our country in a child-friendly way. This will enhance the children's knowledge of different European cultures and so help build a better future for Europe.

A short Christmas concert, for which parents were also invited, was held in the school hall. The children cheered the mascots as they went up on the stage together with their teachers.

During the concert it was announced which mascot would be staying with us for a holiday and to which country our mascot was going. Our Mascot, Finu the dolphin, went to England while Tinu, the Romanian mascot, remained in Malta.

All the mascots will return home at the end of this month, bringing with them a diary of their stay and some souvenirs.