English Camp and Country Line Dancing

We just finished our first English Camp together as a team, and with our two new volunteers: Ben and Stephanie.  We partnered with a Slovenian team who reaches out to youth through English Camps.  They were invited by a high school to do the English part of their Language Camp.  This team in Slovenia, unfortunately had an earlier commitment, so their team was not able to put on this camp, AND they reached out to us!!!  We were extremely excited to help out.  Providing English as a tangible way of reaching and teaching kids (and adults) has been on our hearts as well.  We’re thinking of ways of developing that part of how we serve in Croatia, AND we were eager to walk along side this team and help out. 

We met twice with this team to discuss teaching styles, curriculum, schedule, and school culture in Slovenia, which is quite different from America.  So it was pertinent to discuss how students normally are treated, motivated, encouraged, etc… in high school, so that we approached our classes and the students with a frame of reference and so we weren’t providing a service that wasn’t connecting with them. 

All in all, it was a beautiful week of getting to know the students!!  I especially enjoyed watching my class blossom throughout the week as I sought to encourage and empower them.  I saw they were not used to feeling “built up” or “stepping out on a limb”.  They were soooo smart and amazing in English.  I remember the day I told them that – they just looked at me with wide eyes of disbelief!  Had anyone ever told them they were amazing at anything?!?!?!

I also thoroughly enjoyed the teaching piece, and it has helped confirm for me that I truly want to pursue a “Teaching English as a Foreign/Second Language” Certification this year.  I’m hoping it will open doors for our team to be involved in various ways, because we’ve seen in the last 8 months how practicing English is a need for many and something we can tangibly provide!! 

Here are some photos from our time together at the English Camp (we put on a “Cowboy” Theme night!):