July 24, 2009

Thought for the day: Make the world a better place than it was when you came into it.

On Friday morning, we left our harbour of peace at the usual time but knowing that when we would return, things would have changed. Indeed, not only were some of us going to explore the Polish country over the weekend but this was Michael s last day with us. We had our usual hearty meal with the addition of breakfast sausage! We then went on to our classes, for some of us, in a different location, given the uncertainty of the weather... My class was moved into the tent instead of being in the wild... strangely, the kids were much calmer... location, location, location! The third and fourth classes were dedicated to a presentation by the teachers of their corner of the world. The presentations were dynamic and appreciated but the highlight of the morning was certainly the question period... We will all leave Remontowka not only knowing what kind of car we all drive but also knowing that Michael was once stuck in the elevator of his 67 floor apartment building in which birds have crashed into, that Bruce never went searching for gold in SF where there are earthquakes but sadly, no tornadoes, that Jim was never pinched by a crab and that Canadians sometimes eat things without maple syrup and that I am not afraid of avalanches!!! I can't wait to find out what scary things happen in Philadelphia and St. Paul!! We then were witness to a very touching moment when Ula announced that Michael was leaving: kids immediately and spontaneously ran over to him to hug him and shake his hands!! Michael was then officially thanked for his participation in a well-deserved round of applauses. We finally had lunch before Cindy, Chris, Bruce and I left for the train station. When we return on Sunday evening, things will have changed: we will have new experiences to share and we will have lost our disco dancing doctor... Michael, you will be missed by us and, without a doubt by the children of Remontowka.

By Nathalie