Cookies time

This weekend we baked our first christmas cookies :) Especially Nicola and I are used to have cookies during advent-time. So I guess we have to make some more the next weeks, because we will eat them very quickly ;)

 

The Result  - mňam mňam :)

And we even tried to create ourselves :D

If you want to make these cookies as well, you can find the recipe on this homepage (but its german ;)):http://www.chefkoch.de/rezepte/1451801250075318/Kekse-oder-Plaetzchen-zum-Ausstechen.html
http://www.chefkoch.de/rezepte/93671037107962/Vanillekipferl.html

Furthermore we had some visitors this weekend and we made a walk through the forest which looks beautiful right now because of all the snow :)

and of course we didn't miss the lightning of the christmas tree on the market square in rychnov. it looks now moc hezky!!

mej se hezky!

Christmas time...

Okay it is still november but nontheless we are all already in christmas mood. Why?

1) It snowed for the first time :) (although it looks more like rain on this picture : D)

2) we are busy with making posters and decoration for our christmas exhibition next week in Společenské Centrum. 

   

hard thinking adam...

 

       
Hope you will visit our exhibition :)

Bílé Vánoce

With first snow came to Rychnow n.Kn. Lucie Bílá to give here a special Christmas concert called Bílé Vánoce. Together with Adam we went to the Trinity Church to listen her. It was a real musical feast!
Most of songs in her repertoire were in Czech but we recognized a melody in some of them, f.e. Silent Night or Ave Maria. There were moments when I had goose pimples – not only because it was terrible cold in the church. Her voice is amazing! And Lucie Bílá looked like the Snow Queen, dressed in white furs and crystal necklace.
I enjoyed myself at the concert last evening. And I'm sure Adam will subscribe to this.

***

All OKO-volunteer dream about bílé Vánoce. In 3 weeks we are going home for Christmas. ;) But currently we are preparing Christmas exhibition so if you want find out more about Christmas traditions in France, Germany and Poland visit us in Společenské Centrum.

Visit School in Solnice

This monday with girls we went to Solnices's school to animate "English lessons" to pupils between 12-15 years old. This was not a tipical english course We prepared some activities and games for them.

We made 2 groups, I was with Nicola and Joanna was with Christine.

First we started to play Bingo, then we asked them to sit in a circle, someone is always in the middle and this personne has to ask something (for exemple everybody who wears Jean) and people who were a jean stand up and change places very quickly before someone else take it. On my opinion this game was the most funny for pupils.

Then we purposed them to make a quiz about European Union, but only for the older.

It was really interesting even if sometimes youngest didn't really understand orders.

Presentation time

That was the motto of the last week. The aim was to inform young people about European Voluntary Service  and to share our experience with them. On Wednesday we had the first presentation in Rychnov, on Thursday we had two in Trutnov and on Friday one in Oko-Centre.
First Jitka gave them general information about this project - how does it work? what do you have to do? etc.

Than it was our turn. I was a little bit nervous in the beginning but after a while it made fun. We told them our reasons for going abroad, what we have done so far at work and how we spend our freetime here in the Czech Republic. After our presentation our audience had some time to ask us questions. Most popular question: "Do you like Czech beer?" ;)
But they were as well curious about homesickness, what we think about Czech people and why we have chosen Czech Republic.
I hope we could encourage a few people to go abroad :)

Máme novou kancelář :)

Yeaaaah we've got a new office or rather: we have now 2 offices :). 

Adam and Nicola were at their on-arrival-training so therefore Joanna and I were responsible for moving the furniture and decorating the room. 

Now we can use the old room for preparing posters and other handicraft and the new room for working at the computer.

We have as well 2 sofas - so you're very welcome to visit us in our new office :)

It's English time!

Few weeks ago: one of tasks designated to us is the assistance in language courses in OKO. So far I visit English classes for children in age 9-12 and I really enjoy to work together with them. I have to think about some activities for children (worksheets, games etc.) – something easy but not obvious and not boring. It takes time! Basically kids are really open and interested in everything I suggested so I have broken the ice surprisingly quickly. Nice one! And it's lucky, there is always teacher with me, so if there are some misunderstandings, he/she takes language mediation between us over.

Nowadays: Jitka, one of our English teacher, is absent from work because of her holiday and it was necessary to arrange cover, so I've taken up 3 her groups. Uhlala! I'm finding this task an exciting challenge! It's completely different when you are alone with 10 small monsters ;) in the classroom and you are there not any more just for fun (although we have fun!) but to really teach them. And how to do well without good Czech knowledge? Well, it's possible! ;) All my time is taken up preparing these lessons. But it's worth and I hope they like it. Because it's not only up to me how the lessons look like – I have to admit that children are really helpful and understanding when we have a problem with communication. They teach my new Czech vocabulary and I'm developing my speaking skills with every lesson – that's my biggest profit on this cover.

By the way: in this school year OKO formed also English class for 2-3-year-old-children. Lessons begin at 9 o'clock in the morning every Monday and Wednesday. And I took the opportunity to participate in this venture. The truth is, I had no idea am I the right person for this job? Children are so small! Jana, teacher responsible for babies' course, is nice, friendly and creative and she plays a leaning role actually. I just have to support her in action. We are playing, singing, running, jumping – we're having fun! It's really interesting to watch how kids are making progress.