That's MY village in the valley.
I'm loving riding my board around these cities! Even though I am still learning and all the hills and bumpy pavements give me an occasional adrenaline boost, it is fun to see how God uses this little plastic board with wheels to bring people together. The youth and club kids ask if I can go boarding with them, and I enjoy lending the board to my little friends for them to roll around on. Last week, there was a slight incline on the path as some half-leaders and I were walking to club in Boskovice. I hopped on the board and grabbed onto my friend's backpack for a ride! I'm thinking that I should always travel this way!
Last week, we had our final English Class of the school year. The last day at Kid's Class was packed full of review, memories, and fun games. Four of the translators were able to come, so we played a large review game of Translators Vs. Students. The kids were asked to recall all their vocabulary we had studied throughout the year and what they couldn't remember, the translators got a shot at! It was impressive how much these students remembered from the year as they called out the different vocabulary (based on pictures I showed them)! Of course, the students won the competition! A couple parents told me after this lesson that they know their child is getting a better grade in English and understanding the language better because of this extra class. It was wonderful to hear this praise as I know God has given me this opportunity to teach, and I love touching the community in this way.
Playing Translators Vs. Students Review
We continued with more games on the last day to see how well the students and the translators know each other. It was fun for the students and translators to take turns guessing "who is who?" when I read a statement about one of them. We had many laughs as the students guessed one of the youngest translators was the one who knew how to drive and the translators were shocked that one of the smallest girls in the class likes spiders, but in the end, I hope that they learned our classroom goes beyond the 1.5 hours of class each week as we connect with each other on a deeper level than just teacher/translator and students. I am looking forward to this class again in September (many said they would like to come back again)!
Final Day Picture with Kid's Class
For the final lesson at Little Linguists before the summer, we covered the topic of Hats! The Littles shared many different "Photo Prop Hats" as we sang and marched in the classroom as if we were in a parade. From crowns to construction worker hats, the Littles continued changing their headpiece trying out the different looks. Then, we decorated hats on play-doh mats and enjoyed using different cookie-cuters with the play-doh colors, and even mixing some of the colors together to enjoy a new color!
Play-Doh Hats
It was so much fun spending a couple hours each week with these Littles and their Moms. I enjoy the smiles and little waves when I run into them spontaneously in town. Many of the kids in this group will be starting preschool in the fall, so they won't be able to come to Little Linguists anymore. However, one little boy told me, "Kendra, I have to go to preschool, but I can skip on Tuesdays and come here. Right mom?" His mom then told me how much he looked forward to Littles class each week. It means so much to me that these kids love being here as much as I love teaching and playing with them throughout the year.
Final Day Picture with the Littles
We had a summer heatwave and all the kids were ready for water balloon fights, pool visits, and ice-cream trips. Then, a thunderstorm rolled through last week and cooled us off to wearing jackets and long pants again! Thankfully, it looks like the weather is slowly warming up again for the first week of July and the club kids are ready for all those summer club activities!
These girls bring me so much joy!
Hanging out at club
Since English Classes have ended, I have more time to go to our club in Boskovice! While there are a group of regular attenders who come each week to club, we still have many new kids who come and see what their classmates have been telling them about. I especially enjoy meeting and getting to know the new girls. When I asked one new student her name last week, she hesitated and then said an English name. I repeated the name flawlessly saying it was nice to meet her - the whole time speaking in Czech. She seemed surprised and then said, "Normally, I have to tell people at least twice for them to get my name right." I said, "Oh, I'm an American! For me, your name is pretty normal!" Her face lit up as she told me, "My mom heard the name in the film and liked it! I am the only person in Czech with this name, and I even spell it with the English spelling!" It is wonderful how God can simply use an English name to make us fast friends.
A Few New Little Friends
For weeks, one club kid in Boskovice has been asking me if we can have a Nerf Battle. However, we have the majority of our club Nerf guns in Letovice, and I continued to forget the little pistols each week. Last week, there was a smaller group of kids at club, so I took out the five pistols we did have in Boskovice and our stash of bullets. No sooner than I had taken out the pistols another six kids came into the club and wanted to join in the action. I was starting to think of how we could play in rounds, but then two boys jumped up and said, "We don't live far from here, and we each have three pistols at home! Be back in five minutes!" So the rest of our group set up the barricades and bunkers while we waited for our buddies to return with their loot. These boys dodged around mattresses and climbed over sofas in an epic Nerf battle that started with only five pistols, but turned into hours of fun!
Nerf Battles are a Classic Club Game!
There was lots of dancing this week! The youth kids and club kids were all ready for some fast-paced "Just Dance," and it kept me in an all-week workout as I tapped my feet and waved my arms in an attempt to keep up with them. We danced on Friday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday - and I am starting to remember many of the dances from all the repetition. It is one of those games that is always more fun with more people, and I can't imagine how people play this game at home without a handful of little boys and girls dancing along with them!
Just Dance - Boskovice & Letovice - Club & Youth Group
One of the joys of being a teacher is connecting with entire families and being able to teach little siblings. There are multiple families that I have taught English to older siblings at LetFest years ago and then to younger siblings in English Classes. In 2012, I taught the eldest sister of these three at LetFest. I didn't know it then, but there would be six more younger siblings! The next two oldest sisters have been in my LetFest classes the past couple years as well as in my Kid's English Class. Last week, I met the next three who came to Lego Club at the church with their sisters. When their older sisters told them who I was, it seemed as if we had known each other for years as well! We instantly started playing a game of catch with the beachball and there wasn't a hint of shyness with any of them. I am looking forward to (hopefully) having these next little siblings in English Classes in the future! I love that God has given me the opportunity not only to be apart of the kids' lives, but to get to know whole families.
Each year, Brno (the capital city of Moravia) does a wonderful firework display, and people from all around south Moravia come and watch the bursting colors. What makes this firework display special is that the variety of fireworks are choreographed to music! A good friend of mine and I have gone the past couple of years bringing along a different gang of youth students each time. Our youth group really goes beyond just meeting once a week. What I really love about this group of kids is that they are all real friends with each other and want to spend all their free-time together as well. We are certainly growing in understanding each others' strengths and talents!
Firework Group!
LetFest is again approaching rapidly! There is always lots to do, but with more to do means more to look forward to! Please be praying for these next two weeks as we will be preparing and then in full-speed for LetFest. God has already shown how He is providing for this event, and I am excited to see how we can share His love and name through the many different festival activities!
It is always fun when I get to go to the school to invite kids for LetFest, especially when I know kids in each class!