KATERINA (GREECE)

Volunteered From AUGUST 2016 TO OCTOBER 2016

2016 All the goals and the dreams of one year, fitted in two months of ‘fast forward’ teach and learn procedure. I remember myself being in a multicultural environment one year ago, then suddenly deciding I want to keep that feeling of interaction with people from different parts of the world, by doing what I am able of, in the same time feeling useful both for myself and for them. I decided to teach the only foreign language I knew and was barely proud I could speak, English. It’s the moment when I note that I’m a student of Russian language and literature department in Greek University. The reason I note that is because not of a need to show my educational background, because at this point would be none of use, but because I want to share that I’m still a student and especially of a foreign language. I realized that this title brought me closer to people I tried to teach, not because of a silly title but through the same need we felt for learning as much. I and the people I taught had one thing in common. The thirst to speak a language, even if it was not 100% our choice to do so. But because we had to, and because we shared that need in a certain level. Every day in Habibi Center was special. Every tired cell of our bodies was resurrected by one single laugh or hug and every difficulty seemed funny in front of the big dream: Learn, Have fun, and LIVE. I could easily describe that school’s overall purpose with those 5 words. English, Computer Basics and Drama and…. So many people…such a big party of willingness and of hunger for life. They say kids are the future, I only had met present and past in my life. They showed me how to picture future by saying only one typical phrase: “See you tomorrow”. My heartbeat is still the same fast as it was when I heard it first time. I feel a nostalgia in my mind and I wish for the best. Only if I could teach them that word! Like they could teach me how to write my name in their language or how to respond when one of them called me ‘TEACHER’.