Pobierz plik - Grundtvig

the images from the monitor on a big screen. We
also had interpreters at our disposal. The topic
of the meeting was usually known beforehand,
e.g.: ‘My first contact with a PC’, ‘Christmas and
Easter traditions and customs’, ‘Our most beautiful
cities’, etc. Senior participants prepared materials
related to the main topic in advance and
during the meeting they were to jointly agree on
what they were going to say (strangely enough
it went quite smoothly and unanimously). However,
the most exciting thing was the first minutes
when on the screen, at an agreed time, appeared
greetings from different countries (Oh, look, look,
Finns are already here!). At first the sheer fact of
face-to-face, live contact with a group of people
from other countries was fascinating to senior
participants, who, after all, did not encounter
this kind of technological possibilities - everybody
wanted to see it with their own eyes. With time,
they grew accustomed to it so towards the end of
the project those meetings were held in smaller
groups of those interested in a specific topic. People
started to make friends with one another, they
exchanged cooking recipes and their grandchildren’s
photos, they came to be more open and interested
in other people’s lives. It quickly became
apparent that abilities to use Internet tools and
the knowledge of languages were incredibly useful,
that one simply needed to learn them, without
wondering whether he or she is too old for
that or not. Participation in the project has shown
to senior participants the sense of further learning
and spurred strong and genuine motivation. Each
year, we had to run more English and IT courses.
Senior members realised that they could benefit
from the use of modern communication tools and
that these came in handy for them.
However, official actions and results are not
everything. After all, the project consisted in a very
colourful mosaic of cultures, experiences, situations,
opinions and attitudes, which showed us all
that even the strictest and most certain judgments
or views in a different cultural or civilisational context
can be changed and lose their strictness. We
have realised that one should be open at all times
and sensitive towards others, their feelings and
opinions. Despite certain differences, we share
common features as humans; tolerance towards
others, empathy and readiness to provide support.
I remember how outraged a Danish learners
became during a discussion on the methods of
teaching senior students when we talked about
having to apply a slower pace, establish personal
relations with students and use a comprehensible
language. I will not have anybody
treating me like a disabled person!
- she said with a raised voice –
I inscribe for a course to learn
a specific skill and not to make
friends with the instructor.
It was only statements of senior
members from Lithuania, Poland
and Hungary that brought home
to her how much the situation, and
in consequence, the needs of seniors
from different countries differ
from one another. As a result, the
observation that gives offence to
her is a most welcome proof of
understanding and sympathy for
others. One of the main results
of projects like this is a practical
training course in tolerance, openness
and understanding of others’
points of view, which usually is not
included in the work plan.
It often happens so that getting
to know in a tangible way the
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