• Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Mail
  • e-Catalog
  • Volunteer Portal
  • Register Now
  • Contact Us
Call Us: 800-487-1074
Global Volunteers
  • Support
    • Donation Opportunities
      • Donate Now
      • Changemakers Club – Monthly
      • Gift Catalog
      • More Ways to Give
    • Foundation Opportunities
      • Funding Opportunities for Philanthropic Partners
  • Volunteer
      • Individuals
      • Families
    • Groups
      • Employer/Employee
      • University
      • High School
      • Faith Based
  • Countries
    • International Partnerships
      • China
      • Cook Islands
      • Cuba
      • Ecuador
      • Greece
      • Italy (Sicily)
      • Nepal
      • Peru
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • St Lucia
      • Tanzania
      • Vietnam
    • USA Programs
      • Aguadilla – Puerto Rico
      • Blackfeet Reservation – Montana
      • Española – New Mexico
      • Rio Grande Valley – Texas
  • Projects
    • Community Work Projects
      • Delivering Essential Services
      • Teaching Conversational English
      • Supporting Community Development
      • Supplementing School-Based Curricula
      • View All Community Work Projects
  • Dates & Fees
    • Seasonal
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
      • Winter
    • Monthly
      • January
      • February
      • March
      • April
      • May
      • June
      • July
      • August
      • September
      • October
      • November
      • December
      • All Service Program Dates
  • Impact
  • News
  • Request Information
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
Volunteer Voices Greece

A week of Teaching and Learning For All of us!

 

Today was the end of a full week—a week of teaching and learning for all of us. The word “bittersweet” came up a few times this morning at breakfast for Meghan and me on our last day of teaching. Last walk by the blue morning glories, the black dog, and the fig trees on the way to school. Fortunately, Jennifer is more than capable of carrying the torch through the next week until the next group of volunteers take over. I don’t know that I can digest this week in just an hour or two when it will likely take weeks or months to fully appreciate, but here it goes:

Today was both similar and different from the other days. At school there was some game playing, some fighting, some laughing, some kickball, some stealing stickers, some enthusiastic hand-raising, some learning breakthroughs, some attitudes, and some new connections made.

We played some American pop songs for the older kids to listen to and write down all of the English words they could hear, which they seemed to enjoy. The younger kids got their chance at the fly swatter game to learn different professions, with much success and enjoyment.

Brett and Meghan.

Brett and Meghan.

Figuring out just how much the kids learned this week seems an impossible task right now, but maybe that’s missing the point. What we do know is that we certainly learned a lot—about the kind people of this community: so welcoming and quick with a smile; about our Greek students: that, just like kids everywhere, they are incredibly curious, funny, sweet, antsy on Fridays, and full of life; and about ourselves: that great things can happen when we get out of our comfort zones and reach out to others, especially with great teammates and a team leader to laugh and learn with along the way.

Brett teaching.

Brett teaching.

Somehow, in this place, where the coffee guy doesn’t drink coffee, the pool guy doesn’t swim (both our sweet Paul), and the teachers don’t speak the kids’ language, we were part of something that works. Part of a week full of little successes. For us, and for our students.

 

Thought for the day: “A smile is the same in any language.” ~George Carlin

Brett.

 

 

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket
July 22, 2016/by Sam Pinakoulaki
https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Brett-4.jpg 1125 1500 Sam Pinakoulaki https://globalvolunteers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2014-GlobalVolunteersLogo-Web.png Sam Pinakoulaki2016-07-22 17:28:042016-10-17 11:35:59A week of Teaching and Learning For All of us!
0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Partner Communities

  • China (62)
  • Cook Islands (44)
  • Cuba (115)
  • Ecuador (90)
  • Greece (70)
  • Italy (53)
  • Montana (52)
  • Nepal (20)
  • New Mexico (2)
  • Peru (113)
  • Poland (97)
  • Portugal (44)
  • Puerto Rico (3)
  • South Dakota (8)
  • St Lucia (57)
  • Tanzania (236)
  • Texas (7)
  • Vietnam (33)

Categories

  • Classroom Assistance (8)
  • Conversational English (96)
  • Cultures and Traditions (136)
  • Development Impact (127)
  • Family Volunteering (61)
  • Free Time Options (79)
  • Group Volunteering (19)
  • News and Updates (150)
  • Partners' Stories (16)
  • Projects for Professionals (23)
  • Reaching Children's Potential (244)
  • Ripple Effect (6)
  • Service-Learning (51)
  • Staff Worldwide (26)
  • Volunteer Voices (685)
  • Why I Give (18)

Tags

American Indian culture Care for children Caribbean island College groups Conversational English Cuba people-to-people development impact Earthbox gardens Essential Services food insecurity Funding your fee gender equality Health and nutrition High school groups Labor projects retiree volunteers Spring break student volunteer summer volunteer program support children Support women teaching children teaching english team leader things to do peru top places to visit peru tourism cook islands tours peru travel peru volunteer benefits Volunteer impact volunteer time off work on reservations Work with youth youth volunteering

Get Global Volunteers News Here!

Enter your email address to receive fresh new posts in your inbox.

  • About Us
  • Boards of Directors and Advisors
  • US and International Staff
  • Our Beginnings
  • Our Vision
  • Community Partners
  • Collaborators
  • Compare Us
  • Volunteer Vacations FAQs
  • Accountability and Agreements
  • Travel Risks
  • Impact and Outcomes of Service
  • Donate to Global Volunteers
  • Donate to a Volunteer
  • Money Matters – Explaining Your Service Program Contribution
  • Discounts & Fundraising
  • Alumni Center
  • Covid-19 Policy
  • News/Media
  • Privacy Policy
  • Agreements
  • Site Map
  • Contact
  • Podcast
  • Volunteer Portal
  • Employment
Global Volunteers
375 East Little Canada Road
St. Paul, MN 55117-1628 USA
(800) 487-1074 | toll-free
(651) 482-0915 | fax
globalvolunteers.org
email@globalvolunteers.org
Federal EIN: 36-3352680

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST!

Subscribe to receive updates, new blog posts, and inspiring stories from our work around the world.

Global Volunteers - Partners in Development ® | © Copyright 2002 - Present Global Volunteers
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Mail
  • Global Volunteers is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization. Our tax ID is 36-3352680. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent provided by the law.
  • Send feedback about this web site and its administration.
First Days in Cuba Set Expectations for Student Volunteerfirst days as volunteersThe Start of my New Adventure
Scroll to top