It was a very bright and beautiful day that looked like it was bringing big promises ... The four kids had agreed to meet at the library.

The library is located on the second floor of the International European School .

It is a big library, with a lot of space, colored with many books and other resources.

The four soon to be friends, soon that is they are becoming to be ...., were there to know each other, to learn other languages, other cultures. Other ways of seeing the world.

They were anxious but, at the same time, excited and curious to know more about each other.

The Portuguese student, Manuel, was the first one to speak.

- Hi, how are you? I am very happy to meet you in person.

Each kid introduced himself.

- To know more about me, I bring you my favorite book "A maior flor do mundo" (The biggest flower in the world) by José Saramago. I think this is the best way to know each other: to talk about we like and what makes us happy.

Bartu AKKAYA, who attended the speech from Turkey, continued.

-I enjoyed reading the book The World's Largest Flower. The book explains that everything can be overcome with hope and dedication. We read the book as a class and my friends and I liked it very much. "You are a hopeful and devoted person, I am very pleased," he said. When their teacher told each child to buy a book that best described them and described them, they did not understand it, but gradually all the children began to understand why they said so.

Bartu AKKAYA opened the gift he brought with him, which was important to him. The book "My Giraffe Can Fly" written by Mert ARIK came out of the box. Before introducing the book, Bartu gave paper and crayons to his new friends and asked them to draw a picture of friendship. Four friends started to draw a picture of friendship. They all drew different pictures. No two pictures were

alike. He said to Manuel Bartu: "I think there is something wrong here, the pictures we drew are not similar to each other, you drew a cat instead of a friend." Bartu, my best friend is already a cat, he said and laughed and told them that it is our imagination that is important. We are children from four different countries with different languages and cultures. It is natural that our pictures are different. Stating that people's imaginations can be different as well, Bartu said that his other friends should trust themselves and not limit their imaginations. All the children started making pictures beyond their imagination with paper and pencils...

After spending a long time drawing pictures, the four children headed to the lab.

Maria, the girl from Spain, told them that the laboratory is a magical place where anything can happen. Maria opened a cabinet door and took out a microscope. From her backpack, Maria took out a jar of water, took a small sample and placed it under the microscope.

The children looked through the microscope at what was in the sample. They were tiny little creatures floating in the water and moving energetically back and forth. "Nature is our friend," said Maria. We must respect it and take care of it, because we are all important, the big beings as well as the smaller ones.

"Yes, that is so true!" cheerfully said all of them, in a single voice.                                                                   

   Then they all started shifting uneasily in their seats, yet their eyes were glowing with curiosity for the next step.                                                                                

   Cristina the Romanian girl, who was the first one already up, poked her fingers while eagerly leading  the way out of the school.

"Where are we headed now?", asked Manuel.               

"Just follow me!" said Cristina, unable to hide her smirk.

" Is it something to do with nature, perhaps?" Maria wondered.

"I'd love us to spend some time together outside!", exclaimed Bartu.

"Now I guess it's on us to imagine where she is taking us... " Manuel added in a whispered voice.