Camp
Camp felt like it would never end. That does not necessarily make it a bad thing, it just makes it tiring.
Taken with about 20 international students, 20 or so student counselors and ambassadors, and 10 PCVs by buses, we drove of away from my fair city down dirt roads until we got to "Rainbow" cam. Tucked away in the middle of nowhere, we female PCVs settled into one cabin with little rusty spring beds that sank in when you sat on them. Our cabin was also covered with sand and we had to duct tape a light to work.
The site though had a volleyball net, a gazebo, a little playground, access to a beach by a river, and was not far away from a football field (Americans: read soccer). We settled in for the day preparing lessons (I taught civic leadership and Sweden) and getting everything ready for the arrival of about 100 other students from the oblast.
The camp curricula was very challenging I thought, as everything was taught in context of a European Youth Parliament, so my students were not so much learning about Sweden as they were about what Sweden thinks about Ukraine joining the European Union, because on the last day, all classes would debate this (and the topic of human trafficking depending upon their class) in attempt to come up with a resolution. Sounds kinda heavy for native speakers, huh?
Our classrooms and dining area were held off site, at the local school, about a 15 minute walk from the camp. With the heat being what it was and never getting enough slee, it was a physically draining week, even though working with the students was fun and the teams too.
We PCVs though felt that it was successful from the point of view of the students and I decided that next week I would do the Ternopol portion of the camp, after they have made their way from Donestk. It should include (to my knowledge) a day trip to Lviv and also a wrap up session in Kyiv, where we throw in our two cents about everything. Because Ternopol is not an overnight camp for the oblast kids there, it should not be nearly as intense--even though it will still be long hours. I will also not be teaching there as much as helping out what needs to be done. So, my "travel" plans continue, but not before a few days of much needed rest!
Taken with about 20 international students, 20 or so student counselors and ambassadors, and 10 PCVs by buses, we drove of away from my fair city down dirt roads until we got to "Rainbow" cam. Tucked away in the middle of nowhere, we female PCVs settled into one cabin with little rusty spring beds that sank in when you sat on them. Our cabin was also covered with sand and we had to duct tape a light to work.
The site though had a volleyball net, a gazebo, a little playground, access to a beach by a river, and was not far away from a football field (Americans: read soccer). We settled in for the day preparing lessons (I taught civic leadership and Sweden) and getting everything ready for the arrival of about 100 other students from the oblast.
The camp curricula was very challenging I thought, as everything was taught in context of a European Youth Parliament, so my students were not so much learning about Sweden as they were about what Sweden thinks about Ukraine joining the European Union, because on the last day, all classes would debate this (and the topic of human trafficking depending upon their class) in attempt to come up with a resolution. Sounds kinda heavy for native speakers, huh?
Our classrooms and dining area were held off site, at the local school, about a 15 minute walk from the camp. With the heat being what it was and never getting enough slee, it was a physically draining week, even though working with the students was fun and the teams too.
We PCVs though felt that it was successful from the point of view of the students and I decided that next week I would do the Ternopol portion of the camp, after they have made their way from Donestk. It should include (to my knowledge) a day trip to Lviv and also a wrap up session in Kyiv, where we throw in our two cents about everything. Because Ternopol is not an overnight camp for the oblast kids there, it should not be nearly as intense--even though it will still be long hours. I will also not be teaching there as much as helping out what needs to be done. So, my "travel" plans continue, but not before a few days of much needed rest!
posted by Molly | 1:34 AM
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