The Volunteer’s Blog

Winter camp is beginning…

Once again I am in the Republic of Mari El, somewhere far, far in the woods, where a few log houses are picturesquely  strewn around a lake called „Shap“… But wait, soon the idyllic picture will be disturbed by 74 excited children, shouting and running around between the houses through layers and layers of snow. Some of them will be wearing shirts saying „Sodrujestvo“, others with „Language for Success“ on the front, as they will be joining one of two camps sharing their place in the hostel next to the lake – one by Sodrujestvo and one by the language school „Language for Success“.

For seven days, together with about 24 other councellors, we will organize a varied programme for the children, with separate lessons of English and a second foreign language. I will teach a group of advanced English and a beginner’s German class. Of course, like most of us, I  am not a teacher, which means complicated grammar and syntax will not be part of the lessons. But as they are not designed as educational lessons, but more like speaking practise with a certain topic, also non-teachers are useful for the job.

For evening activities, both camps will come together, as for the obligatory Christmas celebration on the 7th of January. That orthodox Christmas is not such a big deal here was most obvious to me, when I counted the huge number of children aged 7-12. In Germany, it would be practically impossible for parents to send their kids away on camp during Christmas – already because there are almost no camps at this time.