Day 194 - Friday - 3/23/12

Some of the Language Center Staff and I

After weeks of planing and preparing the Language Fair was finally here. The combined efforts of the professors, students, administration, staff, high school students, and so many others came together today.  Our purpose of celebrating languages and cultures, and promoting South East European University was realized.  As we at SEE-U started setting up the cultural booths and setting out food, High School students in Kumanavo, Skopje and Gostivar were loading buses to come to Tetovo.  I have to say that today was such a celebration... the SEE-U students were so impressive.  The booths they set up were so creative and well planned out.  This project was not typical for these students, the education that students receive here tends to be more of a traditional approach of lectures and memorization.  Many teachers are implementing new teaching techniques in their classrooms, but this project and the requirements of it were not typical for what these student have experienced in the educational journeys.  But I can say they not only rose to the occasion, but surpassed expectations!  Not only was this something new for the students behind the planning, but it was also something new for those who came to see.  One of the SEE-U students that came to browse pulled me aside and said, "I didn't even know this was going on today, I am glad my professor brought us. This is really neat, I can't wait to see what cultures they do next year so I can learn about those too."  For me this summed up my emotions, I was so glad to be there, it was so awesome, and the learning these professors and students provided was something unmatched!  I hope that the Language Center is able to do it again next year, learning from our places for improvement and making next year's even more successful than this year.

Throughout the morning/afternoon, I took pictures of each of the groups, the attendees and the booths.  I was also able to take some video of the presentations that were given.  The presentations included Tango Dancing, a drama performance by the Drama Club, a poem reading, a singing performance and of course the Essay Contest Announcement. 

Opening Tango  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pox7UVaSbo&list=PL0BAC64E4AB10C85B&index=6&feature=plpp_video
Introduction and Welcome  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzwTavq_GdQ&list=PL0BAC64E4AB10C85B&index=7&feature=plpp_video
SEE-U Drama Club  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NK_LyMKicg&list=PL0BAC64E4AB10C85B&index=8&feature=plpp_video
Rezarta Zhaku Sings http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAe_mD-zM_c&list=PL0BAC64E4AB10C85B&index=9&feature=plpp_video
Veton Jonuzi Poetry http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdLPSVvReuk&list=PL0BAC64E4AB10C85B&index=12&feature=plpp_video
Essay Contest Winners http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqYYb56Zf_Y&list=PL0BAC64E4AB10C85B&index=10&feature=plpp_video
Closing Tango http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlrrIHCoSbo&list=PL0BAC64E4AB10C85B&index=11&feature=plpp_video

Turkish Food Booth

The food on the Turkish Food table

Turkish Wedding Tradition Booth

American Culture Booth

Australian Culture Booth

Part of the British Culture group

More of the British Culture

The Macedonian Culture group with me!

Macedonian Culture booth

One of my students, Eglantina

German Culture Booth

WE MADE THE NEWS!!!!

American Culture table with Cassidy and I

The Albanian Culture's Booth

Lesson:  Today was such a celebration. A celebration of learning. A celebration of cultures. A celebration of unity. It was an honor to be a part of!
With permission from Veton Jonuzi, SEE-U student, here is the poem he wrote especially for today's Language Fair:

Summer days and high school ways


Summer days are always great 
Always warm and blessed by fate 
Getting together with friends and all 
Enjoying laughs and the happy calls 

Summer days are even better in high 
when lessons fly and days go by 
What makes school great and all 
is the time to rest from spring to fall 

With benches close and papers out 
crumbled and yelled till fights broke out 
but so close we were so close we are 
even if we live afar

High school friends are always great 
knowing how to laugh and chalenge fate 
To comfort and hold when all dreams fall 
it seems they are the best after all 

I only want you to appreciate 
the things we love and the things we hate 
and high school is a part of this 
Another curse of the old abyss 

In the end I wish you all the best 
Chalenge the world and enjoy the rest 
To seize the dream, to take what's ours 
to the sky and beyond, to the sky full of stars...