Greetings from Tarnow! It is hard to imagine that just three days earlier, I was riding the train to Tarnow along with my fellow volunteers. We were the only Americans on the train, and we got some laughs and dirty looks from the Polish because we were talking a lot while they were trying to sleep!
Arriving at the train station was very nerve-racking. As we stepped onto the platform, we saw many excited faces and families, waiting to meet their new American friend. After a few moments of searching, I spotted Mikolaj, my 19 year-old host brother. Then I met his father, and together we drove back to their house.
Soon I met Bartek, his 18 year-old brother; Kuba, his 13 year-old brother; his mother; his dog, Fufi; his cat, Garfield; his chinchilla, Fred; and his parrot, whose name I cannot remember. They are all very welcoming, and after a few days of translating and discussions, I feel like I'm part of the family.
My first day of teaching was Monday, and I was a bit nervous when I first stepped into the classroom. I didn't know any names, very little Polish, and many of my students were shy. I have four classes from 9am to 1:30pm. On the second day, the children opened up and became more comfortable with my foreign presence.
Eventually, me and David, a fellow volunteer from New Jersey, decided to combine classes and teach together. I think this strategy is working well; it is easier to control the class and come up with new, exciting ideas for lessons. For example, today we went outside and played Simon Says to review body parts, directions, numbers, and commands. We all had a great time! Teaching is still difficult, but it is slowly become easier and more natural.
Tonight the volunteers are meeting in Tarnow square, where we can hopefully discuss our experiences so far. See you later!!
