Friday activities and weekend adventures

Message of the day: “And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.” – From America the Beautiful. Attributed to Katherine Lee Bates and offered by Fred who wished to note “from sea to shining sea” includes the whole world, not simply the space between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in North America.

Activities were varied on Friday as the first week of camp was ending. Some students were asked to write and then read about summer vacation plans or tell more about their family and neighbors. Scavenger hunts were held, stories and discussion ranging from working together or complimenting each other with reflection on how they are affected when they receive a compliment. 

Plans for the final program, Halloween Jingo and July 4^th review continued to help spoken skills develop. Games such as Apples to Apples and memory cards with animals were played. Groups switched and field trips were taken to the sklep (shop in English and in this case specifically the grocery store). Lori’s group went to the church and translated the signs on the military monuments there, excited to note that the “code names” of some of the Polish Resistance Force are displayed here.

On Friday afternoon, Lynn took a long walk into Zakopane where she visited the old church and the very special cemetery. 

Brenda had a special treat when two of her students, who had attended the very first Zakopane camp early in the 1990s, drove here to visit with her. Both are now very successful professional women in Poland.

After dinner on Friday, seven volunteers went to Krakow to explore. Over the weekend they visited Auschwitz, Wielczka, the Cloth Hall, the Galicia Jewish Museum, and the square (rynek). Oh yes! And some did some shopping too. 

Sunday evening a tired, but rejuvenated group returned from Krakow and the second week begins.

Journal prepared by Lynn