Now that the sun has come back, One to World, formerly Metro International, decided to organize a reunion of all the Global Guides for a picnic in Central Park. The weather was wonderful and everybody brought food from all over the world. Diversity was the word of the day! Aneta, our guide from Poland, had baked a Polish dessert, Vikas brought a spicy appetizer from India and French wine was part of the feast as well.
As Global Guides, we had the chance to meet other presenters and to learn about their experiences and how they perceive their mission as unofficial ambassadors of their countries. There really was an atmosphere of fraternity during this day as all of us left our homes to discover and learn about new cultures. Our shared experience as international students and Global Guides created a sense of understanding between us. Just by hearing the impressive number of accents within the conversation, one could realize the paramount role Global Classroom plays in promoting cross-cultural interactions. At one point, Deborah Clifford praised the inspiring students and their work with Global Classroom. Going around the circle, everyone shared a toast in their native languages.
Lauren and Kelly distributed diplomas as a recognition of the Global Guides' work and voiced the sense of pride they felt to be part of this adventure.
This afternoon was very fun - some played ball, others basked in the sun, Wenjie, a presenter from China, spent one hour carving a watermelon into a basket that he then filled with various fruits. Everyone relaxed and released the stress of finals. Some made new friends and started to make up plans to visit them in their home countries; suddenly the world seemed very small as almost all continents were represented all together. We exchanged phone numbers, addresses, tips to improve our presentations, traveling experiences and shared anecdotes of our lives as foreigners in New York City. Idrissa, from Niger, was amused by the reaction of the people in the street when he was wearing traditional clothes. Aigul, a doctor from Kazakhstan, was giving tips to improve her oral English and reduce her accent.
At the end of the day, the picnic was a big success. It allowed everyone to know who are their partners and reminded us why it is so important that Global Classroom keeps on growing and touching more young students in the United States and all over the world.
Sarah Khalanski
Global Classroom Intern
