Thought for the day: "Journey of a thousand miles ends with a single step". (Source unknown), contributed by Steve.

The morning sessions all were successful. As discussed later in our post-dinner session, activities that the students particularly enjoyed were playing the games Taboo and Apples to Apples; breaking the ice with the game two truths and a lie, and remembering that at least one of the ideas has to BE a lie; explaining how they'd like their ashes to be scattered after they died; reading, summarizing, and discussing the articles in the USA Today; mapping and then discussing the geography of one's home state and of Poland; having Sam share her yearbook with the students; comparing a wide range of similarities and differences in Polish and American lifestyles; cutting up and putting together similes; giving directions to try to replicate a drawing that the students can't see; and trying to trick a student into answering a simple yes or no in a series of questions. Kathy re-iterated that she's had great success with the exercises in the books The Non-Stop Discussion Workshop and Five-Minute Exercises. Some of the suggestions from these books include "ordering a baby in the year 2250" and "planning a perfect school curriculum."

After a hearty lunch of minestrone, meatloaf with onions, beet salad, yogurt cake and, of course, boiled potatoes, the intrepid among us set out with the students for a long walk to the ski jump as well as to a private villa built in 1896 which exemplifies the best qualities of Zakopane architecture. The biggest challenge of today's field trip was not negotiating slippery boulders down a precarious incline but rather negotiating a chair lift that took us up the side of the mountain. We took our turns and found the lift was rather tame, slowly churning around the platform at a speed that even the least agile among us could handle. The view from the top was magnificent, especially given how clear and perfect the day was. We also had a chance to examine a real ski jump up close and a little too personal. For those of us who watched the Winter Olympics and wondered who would be insane enough to ski down a ramp at 90 mph and fly hundreds of meters down a hill, our impressions were only confirmed by taking in the view from the ski jumper's perspective.

Far be it from me to complain, but it DID seem as if our fearless guides were a little confused about where exactly the next site--Dom Pod Jedlami--was located. After several detours, including what appeared to be serious consideration of crossing a newly tarred road, we finally made it to the villa. Jola explained that the villa's name literally means "under the pine trees." Because the home is privately owned, we were not permitted to go inside; however, we did have a chance to admire the intricate wood carvings and gables that distinguish this type of architecture, as well as examine the unique trees with their peculiarly bunched needles and the gigantic mushrooms called "huba" that grew from their trunks.

Throughout the walk, the students and teachers mixed more easily than they had on yesterday's walk. Many of us had the opportunity to speak casually with students other than our own. I think those conversations were as helpful to us as to the students we are supposed to be teaching.

The less well-traveled road back to the center of town reminded Chris and me of the area surrounding Reymontówka with its narrow, shady, tree-lined roads, though the architecture remained distinctly Zakopane. At the crossroads we parted ways, some of us heading into town and the rest of us back to Wanta for some respite before our simple supper of soup and sandwiches, with a little of the traditional Polish delicacy--lard--thrown in for our artery-clogging pleasure.

Our parting thoughts for the day came from Steve. He observed how easy it is to work with cooperative students who are smart.