Day 1 of May Teaching Program in Poland

Oh, it was wonderful to sleep until the alarm went off at 7 AM this morning-- the best sleep I've had in several nights. I spent some time trying to get my TV to work in the room for there was something coming on Sunday evening that I really wanted to see. No success, so I went to breakfast.

Great breakfast with nalenskis, a favorite of mine. We found Reymontowka today busy with First Communion parties. We got upstairs and spent the morning in the work room doing the team building activities that are the first part of any Global Volunteers party. That and learning about the Polish school system. That took us to about 11:00 when all the others went with our team leader to nearby village for Mass. This church is also chosen for the Americans to visit because first it is a charming wooden church, unusual architecture for this part of Poland. And secondly, the cornerstone says 1776, a rather iconic date for anyone from the United States. I stayed back so that Dorota, the team leader, had to make only trip to the church, and secondly, because I've been there many times.

I enjoyed sitting on the patio and having a cup of coffee. After the dreadful winter and then delayed spring we've had in Minnesota, it is wonderful to be anywhere where the trees have leaves, the grass is green, and the flowers are blooming.

We ate our mid-day meal in the bar area since all the other spaces were quite busy with activities. It again included some very favorite things of mine from the Reymontowka menu.

At 4 PM we met with representatives of the schools and places we will be teaching. It was delightful to get such a warm welcome from the Cisie school folks -- a school in which I'll be teaching for the fourth time. And I also met the coordinator of the program in which I'll teach in the afternoon -- at a community center with about 18 kids, ranging in age from 6-10. That will be a challenge.

In the evening I was delighted to find the Must be Music program on Polish TV as this musical competition program included a young man I first met when he was 9 years old! He is performing with a young woman in an act called PeterBeth.

Above is a picture I snapped from the TV monitor in my room of Peter alone. I last saw him 2 years ago when he came with a couple of others to do a special program for we volunteers here at Reymontowka.

And the picture below shows the happiness when the announcement came that PeterBeth had made the finals in this competition.

Very glad that a Reymontowka staff graciously solved the TV problem in my room so that I could see this program. It is a great delight to see these young people change from elementary students to competent and talented young adults!