This program began on
Saturday morning in Siedlce when many campers, the Polish staff members, Dorota
and Lori gathered together. It took a great amount of figuring to get most of
the luggage, along with food for the day, and teaching supplies all loaded on
the bus. We departed about 6:15 AM. In the past campers have joined in Minsk
and I was really wondering what we were going to do with them. Yes, we got more
campers in Minsk, but we waited there for a van from Reymontowka to catch up
with us, it being clear that no more baggage would fit on the bus. About 45
minutes down the road we stopped for the final camper to join the group.
A traditional stop is the McDonald’s at Radom. Since last
year this store has been renovated and now one first places an order, gets a
number and then moves to another counter to pick up the order. All the while
one can follow the status of the order on a digital display.
We continued south
and arrived at the Krakow airport around 2 PM. All the other volunteers were
there and we continued south to Zakopane, arriving at the hotel, Cztery Pory
Roku, around 5:15. We gathered for supper at 6:00, enjoying this good meal
after a day of travel. Following the evening meal, we each offered a short
introduction. Most then returned to their rooms, tired after the day’s travel,
be it from the United States or from Siedlce. On Sunday some reported being
kept awake by the wedding celebration taking place at the hotel.
We gathered for breakfast on Sunday morning, most very grateful
for the coffee. Then at 9:00 we went to the area which is the work room during
the language camp. Dorota reviewed the schedule for the day and then went on to
describe Global Volunteer’s history in Poland, explaining, although we are in
Zakopane, that this language camp is sponsored by the host organization, the County
of Siedlce. She named the Polish staff members accompanying the campers and
explained their roles.
Next we together reviewed the Global Volunteer guidelines.
Dorota answered questions about health and safety concerns and distributed
emergency cards to the team members for their use while in Poland. This was followed by a discussion about how
we will do morning meetings, including the reading of the journal and bringing
the message of the day. She noted our
daily class schedule will have four periods, each beginning on the hour, and
ending at 45 minutes past the hour, with a fifteen minute break between class
sessions.
The next task was
setting team goals. We created:
1.
To develop an appreciation of Polish culture;
2.
To help students enhance their English skills;
3.
To promote a positive cultural interaction and
exchange; and
4.
To pay it forward inter-generationally.
We identified the following team characteristics towards
which we will work; positive approach, patience, openness, levity/sense of
humor; acceptance of others’ ideas, enthusiasm, sharing, flexibility, respect,
open-mindedness, punctual, sensitivity, appreciation of others, excitement, and
honesty.
We played the name game to help us remember each other’s
name and then took a break.
Following the break,
Dorota reviewed the usual daily schedule. We will meet in the Karczma at 7:45 am
for morning meeting, have breakfast at 8, teach from 9:00 – 12:45, have obiad
at 1:00, and kolecja at 6:30. The afternoons will be flexible – time to join
students on hikes or other activities or to prepare lessons. We reviewed the
teaching supplies in the work room, thinking about our first lessons.
At 12:00 we gathered in the Karczma with the campers and the
Polish staff. The Polish staff and the Global Volunteers introduced themselves.
Then we went to the work room and met the campers in small groups. Using these
interactions, Dorota gathered data to form the teaching groups.
We finished introductions
with students just in time for obiad. At 2:30 we went into Zakopane. People did
shopping, exchanging of money, or simply people watching. We returned to the
hotel in our trusty yellow van.
After the evening meal we all gathered together with the
campers and Polish staff. Dorota assigned campers to each of the Global
Volunteer teachers. Each of us had a short meeting with our group, and then it
was time to begin preparation for Monday’s lessons.
Journal prepared by Lori
