Travelling around the world has never showed for us as ticking another locations on the map, neither it was about crossing out monuments from the "must see before I die" list, nor about isolating in the convenient "all inclusive" places. While we understand (and fully respect) other visions of traveling, the most important in journey for us is always learning about places we visit, exploring other cultures, traditions and very inspiring encounters with people.We do not travel in order to see, but rather to feel: all the flavors, smells and sounds. It seems that every time, while we travel, we long to "touch" the depth and the thing which help in this is always a good chat and a lot of smile.
This time, even in such limited time of only 15-weeks of traveling, we want to expand our expiriences in the world through the elements of intercultural exchange. In each of visited countries we want to prepare Polish Culture Workshops, and we will model them on the Moroccan Culture Workshop which we prepared already for the last few months as a part of activity of the Polish - Moroccan Association "Africae Deserta Project". Such workshops are basicly based on getting to know the other culture through the idea of interactive work with useing of multiple senses. It consists of two parts: the first one is the introductory lecture with pictures about Poland, while the second one will give kids some tastes of Polish sweets and all this will accompany with soundtracks of Chopin's music. In conclusion, children will also get coloring cards connected with the subject of the workshops. All will be conducted in English language and will last approximately about 30-45 minutes and will perfectly refer to groups of children aged 7-10 years.
As so far we have heard several skeptical comments, people say: "why bother yourself with preparing workshops while you are so short in time during the trip," others say even "well, it makes no sense to chase all those 15 countries during 15 weeks, when you could get limited to 3 best ones and get to know them more closely".... well, there is probably a bit of true in such words, but .... maybe it's because we are a little crazy as we've decided that it is important for us to make "15 in 15 on 15" -15 countries in 15 weeks on 15th anniversary ...
But equally important is also conquering the IMPOSSIBLE and not pickinkg easier "shortcuts".
The idea is always the same - if our workshops awake even one child's curiosity, if it change even one look at the different culture and traditions and open even one heart on too often demonized "otherness" - then our mission will be in 1000 % compleated.
Those workshops are to show children that we may differ in so many ways: with skin color, ethnic origin, place of residence or culture and traditions, but still everywhere in the world, people generally remain the same and have so similar dreams and desires ..
Because the unity of humanity lies in our diversity
Maroccan Culture Workshops
we've organized in one of Primary Schools in Poland
