Mūsų organizacijos vietinių ir tarptautinių savanorių neformalus susitikimas su alternatyvaus ugdymo mokytoju Romualdu ir jo savanorių komanda Kaune. Savanoriai iš pirmų lūpų išgirdo apie patirtinio mokymosi kelionę po Afriką, neformalų ugdymą ir "ateities mokytojų" rengimą, gavo atsakymus į rūpimus klausimus ir susipažino su būsimos kelionės dalyviais. Laikas neprailgo, o akimirkos nepamirštamos! Ancutos ir Stefano įspūdžiai (anglų kalba):

Yesterday we honored the invitation of our dear volunteer Justinas - who left for Denmark today - to a lithuanian pancake party at his place. We operated the pans in shifts and produced Bulviniai blynai for a whole hour. Now there was a full plate and in two minutes, the plate was empty. They're realy tasty with the sourcream dressing but if we're going to keep eating this much, I think we are going to roll back to Italy and Romania. Nevertheless, it was a good way to get to know better the happy MD volunteer team (part of them were there), so we appreciate the pancake bounding! Let there be mooree. 

It was a lithuanian surprise allright, but the table was full of internationals too.  About twenty students came to Lithuania to buy a bus - because it's cheap - that will be their house for the next four months. They're going to explore Africa through the DNS Programme (Necessary Teacher Training School). Justinas' kitchen table was filled with russian, finish, italian, romanian people because the students' teacher and leader was Romas, Justinas' big brother. We were so excited because we got to speak our languages again and catch up with the news from our countries. 

DNS teaches students about history, geography, culture, art by experience. They understand a place and its problems better when they live in it for some months, work  and get in touch with locals. So they're on the road a lot and they decide together what they will do next; they keep their money together and they explore what they consider important to them. They looked like a real family and they will be one for the next three years. It's not only a travel experience, but a survival one. 

They have to learn how to deal with living with others, to work in a foreign city they choose, to compromise and also to write a lot of reports about what they found out. The most important part is pushing their comfort zone. "We're riding the bus and then get rid of them two at a time", says Romas. "Two people gets off in this village, two in the next one and we meet in a common place after some weeks and share the experiences". We thought it's a freaking awesome programme - if you want to find out more, visit their page - http://www.dns-tvind.dk/ 

We wish them the time of their life and may they never have a flat tire!

Enjoy your weekend everybody and it's great being here :)

Anca&Stefano