"The Polish staff invited us to dance their national dance, the Polonaise, on the last evening of camp. It sent chills up my spine and put a lump in my throat. It felt like I was being welcomed into the family." ~ Peg McKee, MN

"I became quite close to the teenage campers in my language classes and had lively discussions about Polish politics, life in Poland, religion and their plans, hopes and dreams for the future. In the process, I learned a great deal about Polish culture and traditions. I was impressed with the students' knowledge of their country's history and their pride in their historical leaders. We hiked to a meadow high in the Tatra Mountains where a large flock of sheep were grazing. The tinkling of their collar bells, the beauty of the peaks and the magic of the moment left me speechless." ~ Carolyn Cade, MN

"I found that students from Poland and Belarus have more similarities than differences when compared to young people in the United States. All of them like to have fun, dance, laugh and genuinely care about each other. At times during the evening leisure hours, I had difficulty differentiating whether I was in Poland or the United States when I observed students having fun. This experience demonstrated that I, and people like me, can make a positive difference in young people's lives." ~ Jim Podraza, FL

"Even though I did not speak one word of Polish when I arrived, I formed a very close bond with my students. We stumbled trying to understand each other, but the messages got through. They taught me that teenagers all over the world are the same. We laughed a lot! This experience renewed my enthusiasm for teaching. I remembered that I love working with teenagers - their spirit, energy and creativity were amazing." ~ Paula Sadler, MN