Leaving Banka Palanka plus Y2Y conference
I'm sitting in the office of the manager of the Stari Hrast Motel in Nis, far south of Belgrade. Kate and I left Olja Jovicki's house in Banka Palanka at 6am today and travelled by bus picking up groups of students along the way. It was a real treat chating with them and laughing and having them laugh at my mispronounciations!
Nikola's greatest pleasure was that I officially announced my favourite football (soccer) team and Serbi and Montenegro. He was showing me off to everyone.
We met up with the entire group of maybe 100 students and various teachers and had MORE food (did I mention how they have been feeding us?) and some workshops and presentations and some very frank and open discussions.
Tonight there's a dance. An hour or so ago all Canadians were presented with hand made gifts. For example, a gift I received was a hand carved wooden plaque with Serbai's coar of arms, made by the father of a grade five student on the day she was born. She wanted to give something significant to me, simply knowing me as Hetty's brother. This is just one story... it's very moving.
Sorry not to write more but good friends await. This might be my last entry before we leave. If so thatnks for the comments, thanks for letting your children go on this trip, and I hope you are as enriched by their growth as we have been by their company and amazing insights.
Cheers!
John
Nikola's greatest pleasure was that I officially announced my favourite football (soccer) team and Serbi and Montenegro. He was showing me off to everyone.
We met up with the entire group of maybe 100 students and various teachers and had MORE food (did I mention how they have been feeding us?) and some workshops and presentations and some very frank and open discussions.
Tonight there's a dance. An hour or so ago all Canadians were presented with hand made gifts. For example, a gift I received was a hand carved wooden plaque with Serbai's coar of arms, made by the father of a grade five student on the day she was born. She wanted to give something significant to me, simply knowing me as Hetty's brother. This is just one story... it's very moving.
Sorry not to write more but good friends await. This might be my last entry before we leave. If so thatnks for the comments, thanks for letting your children go on this trip, and I hope you are as enriched by their growth as we have been by their company and amazing insights.
Cheers!
John
posted by John van Gurp at 12:41 PM
1 Comments:
john i can't thank you enough for keeping in touch through your really interesting and well written journals.i'm sitting here at a local hotel for a march break treat for Kathleen's 12 year old brother and our foreign student from South Korea.And i can still feel very connected to Kathleen in Serbia through your efforts .Thankyou muchly,
Post a Comment
<< Home