June - August 2007, August 20106 Jonathan Simon after his French class.jpg

jonathan_impressions.jpg 

 

7 Ronny Welch (on the right) singing karaoke.JPGJuly-August 2006, August 2008, September 2010
What you provide for the students is very special and is something they'll never forget! The foreigners are also fortunate enough to be immersed in the Russia culture and have myths displaced that the West is found of spreading at times. My expectations were exceeded on several levels and I would like to thank you for the opportunity to come out there to work with your program.

11 Dan and Aleda Bourassa with Cosmopolitan Directors.jpgAugust 1998
We wish to express our great appreciation of the 1998 ESL Summer Camp and for extending your support to provide for our participation as staff. As native English speakers, we understood that our presence with the children at the camp would serve the purpose to let them hear our speech patterns, accents, idioms and so forth. To say that we ourselves greatly benefited from and enjoyed the experience is a great understatement!
Thank you so very much, from these two Americans, who remember our experience and your people with great affection and admiration. We shall meet again.

12 Bonnie Sumner (in the center), James Bertolini, Michael Lenartz (on the right) at the Mayor's Office in Zelenogorsk.jpgAugust 1999, January 2003

Siberia was more beautiful and intriguing than I had ever imagined, and it was great to see a part of Russia that is not so frequently visited by tourists and not as influenced by the West. I would recommend this program to anyone: you will have a truly wonderful and invigorating experience that you will remember for a lifetime.

12 Bonnie Sumner (in the center), James Bertolini, Michael Lenartz (on the right) at the Mayor's Office in Zelenogorsk.jpgAugust 1999
SLS--Summer Language School, but also Students Loving School--provides a balance of academic, career exploration, sport, and culture into two wonderful weeks in Siberia. It is an opportunity to work with highly motivated students who are taking vacation time to learn in a camp-like atmosphere. Learning and teaching in the SLS departs from the "teach to prepare for the test" syndrome.
Students explore learning in co-operative learning groups and hone real life skills through creative and innovative teaching strategies and curriculum. It's not all work and no play, because part of the learning process is learning how to use recreational/leisure time. There is something for everyone: soccer, volleyball, badminton, swimming, singing, dancing, and lounging with friends. Excursions into the city for a museum visit, attending a concert or city fair, and of course shopping help solidify newly formed relationships.
For teachers outside of Russia, traveling to Siberia is a rare gift. The geography is overwhelmingly beautiful and is only surpassed by the people one meets and the friendships that are made.

12 Bonnie Sumner (in the center), James Bertolini, Michael Lenartz (on the right) at the Mayor's Office in Zelenogorsk.jpgAugust 1999
I think that the Summer Language School is a wonderful project. I enjoyed it very much and am looking forward to doing it again and seeing everyone next year.
May the Summer Language School continue to offer outstanding programs to its students. May it continue to invite teachers from other countries to participate in this wonderful program.

Rita Marialaki with Bob Topitzer in front of the Opera House.jpgJune 2000, August 2001, June 2002
It was a memorable experience and I want to thank you for the extraordinarily great time we all had. Your staff have a degree of professionalism that ensured all would go well. Without you, Natasha, it wouldn't have happened nor would it have been such a fine experience. As always, your hard work produced a warm and memorable time in the lives of all those who participated, and our appreciation is boundless.
For me, as great and interesting as it was to be in Siberia, the people I met, young and older, were what "made" it for me.

15_michael_dentremount.jpgJune-July 2001

I had the best time of my life at the summer language school. Teaching was fun because the students were so eager to learn, and the afternoon projects were interesting because we could choose our own activity and be creative. When I meet Russian people now, I am able to use the Russian I learned at the school. Our groups of teachers really bonded. We got to know each other well and we all supported one another. Everybody at the school was warm and friendly. The director, Natasha, helped us out in every way. After 6 weeks, it was very hard to say goodbye. I will definitely go back.

33 Keith Moon with his son Peter.jpgJune 2006

Keith: "It was a new and exciting experience in this lovely location."
Peter: "It’s been great! The people and surroundings have been lovely and swimming was good too! I’ll miss you all! I’ll be back!"

8_spencer_thompson_and_his_elephant.jpgJanuary 2008
Thank you for everything. Cosmopolitan school was an experience that I will not soon forget. It was a unique and fun thing to be able to do, and I consider myself fortunate to have been a part of it.