O Brother, Where Art Thou?

“Wednesday Movie Club”.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?  was presented to all who wish to improve their language skills at the Window on America center in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) Homer's epic poem "The Odyssey", set in the deep south during the 1930's. In it, three escaped convicts search for hidden treasure while a relentless lawman pursues them.

Director: Joel Coen,

Writers: Homer (epic poem "The Odyssey"), Ethan Coen

Stars: George Clooney, John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson

The movie was a enjoyed by all!

Jewish American Heritage Month

On April 20, 2006, President George W. Bush proclaimed that May would be Jewish American Heritage Month. The announcement was the crowning achievement in an effort by the Jewish community to proclaim a month that would recognize the more than 350-year history of Jewish contributions to American culture. The resolutions passed unanimously, first in the House of Representatives in December 2005 and later in the Senate in February 2006.
Today’s English Speaking Club session at Window on America center Dnipropetrovsk was dedicated to this topic.

 A slide show “The prominent Jewish Americans” was offered to the group. Our PCV friend Sam Sachs was a co-host of the session and commented on the information about Jewish celebrities. We specifically focused the attention of our PCV friends Sam and Kathryn on the Ukrainian roots of numerous Jewish American celebrities – Gershwin, Philip Kotler, V. Horowitz, L.Bernstein , Serge Brin, etc. A World and Olympic Champion in the lady’s single figure skating Oksana Baiul (now a US citizen) was born in Dnipropetrovsk. 
The second part of the session was dedicated to less serious topics. To refresh in the minds of the Club members the material from the lectures about Australia they were divided into 4 teams and offered word and crossword puzzles about Australia. The winner was the team of Jana Litvinova, the English Speaking Club President. They needed less time to give correct answers in all 3 tasks.
To conclude the session we discussed the plan of events for summer season and several world news sensations that involved a Ukrainian presenter and American celebrities Madonna and Will Smith.
The session attracted quite many new members and was rather educational to all participants.
The number of participants – 21 persons.
Have a look at more pictures, please 

a group of the English language teachers

WOA center was visited by a group of the English language teachers who take an upgrading course at the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast' Teachers’ postgraduate Training Center. The visitors represented both the city and the provincial schools.

The group watched a slide show about the electronic services and free on-line resources for the teaching of the English language. (American Online English, Voice of America Special English, Game Goo, ESL Kidsworld etc.)

We hope that the visit was very educational for the teachers and will lead to further partnership and joint events for the students of English.

The Conversation

The film “TheConversation”  was presented to all who wish to improve their language skills.

The Conversation is a 1974 American psychological thriller film written, produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Gene Hackman.
The Conversation won the Palme d'Or at the 1974 Cannes Film Festival, and in 1995, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

It’s a film about a paranoid and personally-secretive surveillance expert has a crisis of conscience when he suspects that a couple he is spying on will be murdered.

Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Writer: Francis Ford Coppola
Stars: Gene Hackman, John Cazale and Allen Garfield 

Poll

May 22 is a special day for the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Universal Scientific Library (DOUNB in Ukrainian). It is considered to be the Library’s birthday.

In commemoration of this date several groups of DOUNB librarians went out to down town to poll the city residents about the Library.

Dnipropetrovsk is one of the biggest cities in Ukraine with the population of approx. 1 million people.

We inquired if the pedestrians  knew about the DOUNB Library and the services rendered there (electronic catalogue, on-line ordering of the literature from home, job search help, business management consultations, social networks access, etc.).

The DOUNB librarians individually consulted all those people who were not aware of the useful services the library.

The results of the poll will be analyzed to improve the work of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Universal Scientific Library (DOUNB) and to increase the number of its readers and visitors.

Opinion poll, 23th May

-        How can I get to the Dnipropetrovs’k Universal Scientific Library named after Apostles of the Slavs Cyril and Methodius?

-        How can I find a Window to America?

Have a look at more pictures, please 

Our PCV friends

Today’s session at Window on America center Dnipropetrovsk started with a nice talk with our PCV friends Patrick, Sam and Kathryn.

The Club members told about the topics of the last two sessions and a visit of the Australian guests.

They explained to our foreign partners the events that have been in progress around the library building – The Museum festival and Europe Days.

The US friends told us about their recent trips in Ukraine and abroad. The American volunteers shared the information about their new projects and asked the Club members to participate in them.

It turned out that Kathryn has her birthday tomorrow. The Club member Sergey, an artist, has given Kathryn his artistic work as a birthday present. The poster was in USA national colors and was highly appreciated by the birthday girl.

The second part of the session was meant to sum up the results of two lectures about Australia by Mr. Eric Kneller. We have read articles and watched videos about Australian slang and phonetics, food, etc.

The most educational and funny activity was watching talk show episodes – American show about Australia and Australian about  life in LA (USA).

Number of participants -  14.

Have a look at more pictures, please 

Arsenic and Old Lace

The film “Arsenic and Old Lace” was presented to all who wish to improve their language skills.

It’s a drama critic learns on his wedding day that his beloved maiden aunts are homicidal maniacs, and that insanity runs in his family.

Director: Frank Capra

Writers: Julius J. Epstein (screen play), Philip G. Epstein (screen play)

Stars: Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane and Raymond Massey

The classical American comedy “Arsenic and Old Lace“   was enjoyed by the viewers – bursts of laughter were heard throughout the duration of the film which was a sign of good comprehension.

Jewish American Heritage Month

In celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month, the Window on America center in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine has presented a book display Jewish American Heritage Month. The books are complemented with the pictures of the famous Jewish.
Have a look at more pictures, please 

A lecture

Today the Speaking Club at Window on America center Dnipropetrovsk had guests from Australia again.

Mr. Eric Kneller and his Ukrainian wife Irina from New Castle gave a lecture to the club members s about their home country.

The session was a very educational event.

The number of visitors – 20 persons.

The guests from Australia

Today the Speaking Club at Window on America center Dnipropetrovsk had guests from Australia who will most likely become our good friends in the future.

Mr. Eric Kneller and his Ukrainian wife Irina   plan to deliver to the club members several lectures about their home country.

In the first lecture Mr. Eric reminded the basic information about Australia – its location, population, number of states, etc. The colorful pictures of the nature and animals illustrated the narration and triggered numerous questions from the participants.

Besides, Mr. Kneller demonstrated typical Australian souvenirs – a kangaroo toy, a boomerang and a cricket set (a bat and a ball). After the America Days the club members know more about the American baseball. Today they learned about the common and different things between cricket and baseball.

The guest also demonstrated the national coins of Australia and explained some unknown facts about the animals from the Australia’s coat of arms. The Kangaroo and the Emu were chosen for the coat of arms because these animals cannot move backwards.

The guests told us basic information about their home town – New Castle (NSW) which is one of the biggest cities in Australia. The Club members had an opportunity to listen to the Australian variant of the English language and train their auditing skills.

The session was a very educational event and we look forward to meet Eric and Irina next weekend.

The number of visitors – 16 persons.

Have a look at more pictures, please 

May is Jewish American Heritage Month

About Jewish American Heritage Month

On April 20, 2006, President George W. Bush proclaimed that May would be Jewish American Heritage Month. The announcement was the crowning achievement in an effort by the Jewish Museum of Florida and South Florida Jewish community leaders that resulted in resolutions introduced by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida and Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania urging the president to proclaim a month that would recognize the more than 350-year history of Jewish contributions to American culture. The resolutions passed unanimously, first in the House of Representatives in December 2005 and later in the Senate in February 2006.

The month of May was chosen due to the highly successful celebration of the 350th Anniversary of American Jewish History in May 2004, which was organized by the Commission for Commemorating 350 Years of American Jewish History. This coalition was composed of the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, the American Jewish Historical Society, the Library of Congress and the National Archives and Records Administration.

Leading the way in implementation of the annual celebration is the Jewish American Heritage Month Coalition, formed in March 2007 and convened by United Jewish Communities, the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives and the American Jewish Historical Society.

Young Jewish Boy with Elders at a Passover Ceremony, 04/16/1951

New Arrivals

A display “NEW ARRIVALS” was presented at WOA Dnipropetrovsk. It included 28 new books.
These books are the donation of the found "Сейбр-Світло" in Ukraine.

May schedule