Singing Adventures

Yesterday, Thursday, many of the students and 6 of the volunteers took on a difficult mountain hike. This hike is so difficult that a guide goes with a group the entire way, starting in the hotel lobby, where he told them, "This is difficult and not for idiots." By the way all were successful in their efforts although by evening there were some complaints of sore muscles. The rest of us did a game class, playing Apples to Apples, Taboo, and Uno with the remaining students.

In the afternoon, I set off for another manicure. When I arrived, I found the earliest appointment would be 4:00, so I wandered down to the restaurant garden of the hotel we always went to six years ago. I ordered nalepki(think crepe with fruit, whipped cream and dizzles of chocolate) and kawa latte, sat in the sun and listened to young women play violin on the street. Then back to the salon to get fixed up.

In the evening our host school had asked us to do a session singing American songs. Most volunteers are new to Poland and had no idea how well Polish people sing. It is the tradition here to sing after bonfires and picnics. I don't think in my whole life I've ever been to a picnic in the U.S. at which people sit around the table and sing! The kids continued to be very polite about our poor efforts. Finally when we did a miserable job of teaching them Brother John, they said they knew it in Polish and sang it flawlessly in a round. Word of warning -- Polish people beat Americans hands down when it comes to singing in casual situations.