January English Club: It's a Small World

With library director Iryna Andreevna in center, to right, and new PCV Stacie, center, below right

This blog is dedicated to the artistic creativity of Michael Jackson and his pathbreaking album, "We are the World."

The Starobilsk Library English Club got off to a good start in 2010, it's 2nd year. We chose monthly themes, welcomed new people, and discussed the January theme of "travel," including my trip to Istanbul and members' visits to Egypt, Paris, Prague and other places.

Anton's new book of poetry, "Almost Twins," was just published, and after much applause and warm congratulations, Anton read from his new collection at our 10 January meeting. Anton is also working with the Library on its Starobilsk Heritage Calender 2011, part of the larger Internet Center project. He will be contributing a poem a month to add to the 12 photos of Starobilsk's historic buildings that a special committee will select for the calendar.

I also introduced Iryna, the director of the Library, who attended for the first time, and the new PCV in town, Stacie. Stacie is a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) volunteer at School #3, one of my favorite schools. It has a great vice-principal, Galina, and great English teachers. Many of its students attend the English club.

Stacie is a graduate of Ohio State University with a BA degree in Anthropology and Russian language. She is from Columbus, Ohio, not far from my children and grandchildren, who live in Toledo, Ohio.

It's a small world, as I say to the English Club often. We look at maps and see great distances, but really, the global village we share is not that big. While many differences exist among countries, we are all connected, I tell them, and as people we have more that unites us than divides us.

As Michael Jackson and other fantastic artists sang in 1985, 25 years ago on 28 January, "We are the World!" That message still resonates. It's a joy to celebrate the 25th anniversary of that event, and to remember the great talent of Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, and the dozens of artists who made it happen.

Now it's onto February with the Starobilsk English Club. Our new theme is "LOVE." It's a small world, and that's probably the greatest connector of all!