Small Talk

Today’s session of the Gabfest speaking club (at Window on America center Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine) was a free-topic session. Consequently, club visitors had a chance to enhance their speaking skills.
The meeting started from an introduction speeches of the newcomers and regular club members. New visitor Lada S. shared her experience living in the US and was mentioned that it could help her become more fluent while having a chance to be in the environment of native speakers.
The conversation drifted into discussion of how important to learn new languages and weather new language might reduce or effect on knowledge of the old one. Though, learning promotes brain health, helps stay mentally sharp and improves its function as well as focus, concentration and creativity, it might also change the size of the brain that was a fact mentioned by a club member from personal experience.
The next «small talk» was about celebrity`s life and in the end of the session was a summarized discussion about happiness.
Being popular is a hard work and not for ordinary human beings who hardly might handle the chasing of paparazzi. There are many talented people who compose high-class music which remains for decades but show business dictates its own rules and there are many projects which were mass-market and money oriented. That`s why they lasted a moment and forever have been failed to remember.
Happiness is a state of mind which reflects positive attitude. The quote by an American journalist and a former government official John Homer Miller brings to light the simple rule which should be followed so that keep happiness inside “Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens”.
To recapitulate, the session was attended by club members in spite of the hot spring weather. All the participants interchanged their viewpoints in a meeting and find the discussion practical.
Number of participants – 8  persons.
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before Mother’s Day

Today’s session of the Gabfest Club (Window on America center Dnipropetrovsk,Ukraine) was dedicated to the introduction of important dates: Mother’s Day (9 May) and the International Day of Families (15 May).
Mother's Day in the United States is annually held on the second Sunday of May. It celebrates motherhood and appreciation of mothers and mother figures. Many people give gifts, cards, flowers, candy, a meal in a restaurant or other treats to their mother and mother figures, including grandmothers, great-grandmothers, stepmothers, and foster mothers.
We have watched several videos about the US mothers raising Olympians.  The story of gymnast Debby Douglas impressed the club members most of all. We have listened to the songs about mothers in English.
The video about American Ukrainian singer Kvitka Cysik   opened to the club members a new page in the American-Ukrainian relations.  The Ukrainian song “My Mother” performed by Casey Cysik was very touching. All the mothers present enjoyed the songs and beautiful slides with poems about mothers.The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed that 15 May of every year shall be observed as the International Day of Families. The day reflects the importance that the international community attaches to families as basic units of society as well as its concern regarding their situation around the world.
We have explored the UN's International Day of Families web pages. This year’s theme of the day is “Advancing Social Integration and Intergenerational Solidarity”. We have clarified the meaning of the term “intergenerational solidarity” and told private stories of the generation ties in Ukrainian families. The club members explained to our foreign club member Toby why we do not know much about our family trees.
The session was quiet but very educational.
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Star Wars Day

May 4 is considered a holiday by Star Wars fans to celebrate Star Wars culture and honor the films. It is called Star Wars Day because of the popularity of a common pun spoken on this day. Because the phrase "May the Force be with you" is a famous quote often spoken in the Star Wars films, fans commonly say "May the fourth be with you" on this day.

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Pocahontas

WOA Dnipropetrovsk continues its project “Discover USA”.
On April, 29 the centre was visited by two group of students from the secondary school # 23. This school is a long-time partner of the Window on America.
Children watched movie Pocahontas with English subtitles and practiced their auditing skills, enriched their vocabulary with new words, and learned new things about American history and culture.
The meeting was thoroughly enjoyed by the children.
Number of participants – 54 (teacher of English – 2, pupils – 52).

Farewell and Easter Session

Today’s session of the Gabfest Speaking Club (at Window on America center Dnipropetrovsk) started with the Peace Corp. Farewell Tea Ceremony of our friends Kathryn, Patrick and Samantha. Their term of service in Ukraine has come to an end. They have come to say good-bye to the Gabfest Club which was an important part of their life in Dnipropetrovsk.
Kathryn was kind enough to bake a huge assortment of vegetarian cookies for the club members. The cookies were delicious and the conversation was very enjoyable. The Americans shared their plans for the future – about staying with friends and families in the US, about further employment and study aspirations. The club members enquired about the news from other American volunteers who had been visiting the club on a regular basis. It was fun to learn that some volunteers found their soul mates in Ukraine – some people are getting married, some people are moving in together… The group photo with our American friends at the library entrance steps was the highlight of the farewell ceremony.
 
The second part of the session was dedicated to the forth coming holidays in Ukraine - the Orthodox Palm Sunday and Easter Week. One of the youngest club members Sasha (aged 10) prepared a slide presentation “My pilgrimage to the Holy Land” – Israel. The focus of today’s presentation was on Easter and the city of Jerusalem. 
Sasha commented his photos and answered questions about his impressions of the worship places in the Eternal City. He presented Jerusalem as the city of 3 religions – Christianity, Judaism and Islam. The English equivalents of religious names enriched the vocabulary of club members irrespective of their faith.
The session was both funny and educational.
The number of participants – 26 persons.
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Discover USA - Education

The WOA Dnipropetrovsk continues its project “Discover USA”.
On April, 26 the centre was visited by a group of senior students from the secondary school # 23. This school is a long-time partner of the Window on America.
The theme of the lecture was “Education in the USA”. The WOA head Svitlana Usenko informed the students about the educational system of the United States and formalities for the students who decide to study there. Numerous paper based resources were presented to the group: brochures of the universities, reference books on majors, exchange programs, tests’ preparation manuals, etc.
The WOA staff member Tamara Gavryliuk has demonstrated   several videos by “Education USA” about the benefits of studying in the USA. While watching   these videos with English subtitles the students practiced their auditing skills, enriched their vocabulary with   a dozen of new terms relating to the topic “Post-secondary Education”, and learned new things about American educational culture.
This educational, illustrated with visual aids session was thoroughly enjoyed by the future college applicants.
Number of participants 11 persons.

The Last of the Mohicans

“Wednesday Movie Club” at Window on America center Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine.
To remind the WOA visitors about the Women’s History Month the film The Last of the Mohicans  (1992) was presented to all who wish to improve their language skills.
The Last of the Mohicans is a 1992 historical epic film set in 1757 during the French and Indian War and produced by Morgan Creek Pictures. It was directed by Michael Mann and based on James Fenimore Cooper's novel of the same name and George B. Seitz's 1936 film adaptation, owing more to the latter than the novel. The film stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, and Jodhi May, with Russell Means, Wes Studi, Eric Schweig, and Steven Waddington in supporting roles.

The soundtrack features music by Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman, and the song "I Will Find You" by Clannad. The main theme of the film is taken from the tune "The Gael" by Scottish singer-songwriter Dougie MacLean. Released on September 25, 1992, in the United States, The Last of the Mohicans was met with nearly-universal praise from critics as well as being commercially successful during its box-office run.

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Big Apple and Windy city

WOA Dnipropetrovsk continues its project “Discover USA”.
The visitors from school # 23 came to Dnipropetrovsk information and resource center "Window on America".
The Head of Dnipropetrovsk information and resource center "Window on America" Svitlana Usenko informed the students and their teachers about the funds and free resources of the WOA center.
The YouTube videos were showed to the students on the topics «Windy city - Chicago» and  «Big Apple – New York».
The 7th graders improved their auditing skills by listening to the native-speaking comments to the videos. Several new phases and expressions were presented to the group by the WOA’s staff and the teacher.
Number of participants – 16 (teacher of English – 1, pupils – 15).

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Windy city - Chicago

WOA Dnipropetrovsk continues its project “Discover USA”.
The visitors from school # 23 came to Dnipropetrovsk information and resource center "Window on America".
The Head of Dnipropetrovsk information and resource center "Window on America" Svitlana Usenko informed the students and their teachers about the funds and free resources of the WOA center.
The relevant YouTube videos were showed to the students on the topics «Windy city - Chicago» and  «Big Apple – New York».
Number of participants – 17 (teachers of English – 2, pupils – 15).

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