The Start of a New Week

On Monday we started our second week of teaching. One goal is to determine what we want to do for the program finale on Thursday evening. Two of our volunteers are leaving on Friday morning so we are doing the program instead on Thursday night. We came up with idea that I'll not spoil with an early announcement. I also had the students read from a Krakow guidebook. For example, I asked them to turn to the pages that explain Polish food and then pick out one to read about and discuss what might be new and different words in the description.

The highlight of the day, however, was Polish night. This is a camp tradition in which the students do a program about Polish history and culture for the volunteers. This year the students decided to describe each of the provinces of Poland -- the large cities in that province, the geography, etc.

Not only is everything up to date in Kansas City, so it is in Zakopane. For the first time, many of the students had their notes for their presentation on an Ipad.

The program was followed by pierogies.

Then there were sausages to roast.

Following this, the Polish staff treated us to a "teachers' meeting" which included one serving some excellent homemade citron vodka. Oh my, was that smooth!

Yesterday, July 9, will always be one of my favorite days. The weather was absolutely perfect. We left with the bus and a rented van. We volunteers traveled in the rented van each paired with a student for conversations.

We traveled first to Niedzica Castle. I never get tired of seeing this place. The river here is so very beautiful.

From here we went to a place in a Polish national park where a river raft ride starts.

Here is just one view of the beautiful river gorge.

The students left the river before us at a place where they started a mountain climb. We continued on to small town. Once there we all seemed to gravitate to the restaurants even though we were carrying a bag lunch. We stayed about two hours in this town. Then we traveled perhaps 30 minutes further to the place where the students ended their mountain hike. Then we returned to Zakopane, all tired but amazed at what a joyous and beautiful summer day had been to delivered to us in southern Poland.