2010 THA HOW Meeting & CELEBRATING GLOBAL FAMILIES ตอนที่ ๘: Culture and Program Specific Rotating Session, Cultural Evening &Tackling Your Hosting Challenges

Let me continue talking about my great experiences at the  Celebrating Global Families Conference.             

In the morning, I attended 2 sessions: Good Morning Alexandria and My Iceberg is Melting: Insights about Penguins, Differences and Cultural Values. Nice sessions ! …. I got some ideas about the systems of organizing here and  enjoyed  their presentations so much.

 

               

In the afternoon session , 15 teams of  14 countries (Germany , Malaysia  Turkey, , Indonesia , Egypt, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Mozambique, Philippines,  Kenya, Ghana, India ,USA and  Thailand), did their presentation on Culture and Program Specific Rotating Sessions. 

               

     I was one of the 11 members of the Thai team that presented for 45 minutes. We demonstrated an attractive Northeastern Dance, played a Thai instrument called “ Khui”, Demonstrated the different ways of using “ Pa khao Ma ”, showed a Powerpoint  Presentation of Thailand, and  the concept of Consideration ( Kreng Jai) always showed in indirect communication. We also encouraged the participants to share their ideas and earn a reward if they could tell us the correct answers to the general questions about Thailand, Thai Culture. and our loved  King.  I think we did a Great Job!

 

After our presentation, I had  visited Egypt’s  session & Ghana’s session!  Their presentations looked much  the same, but the active emcee of  the  Ghanaian team made me feel more relaxed. He was an energetic  GUY!

             

 During the dinner, the returnees from many countries did their Cultural performance !
                               
               
                                   
                              Congratulations !  Host Family Recognition Event


               

Before the first session of the final day’s activities, The Thai Group gave the participants souvenirs  by selecting their names from those who had registerd for International Bazaar Activities.

            

then it was the Hosting Family Orientation Workgroup Presentation: Building bridges with the HOWs . THAI HOW Team, Turkey HOW Team and Egypt HOW Team presented our projects for 15-20 minutes each about the purposes, concepts, and ways to create our handbooks for Hosting students. Each team showed them 3 questions concerning cultures, living styles, opinions and beliefs.
 

               

After Break, we  separated  to attend in The End of the Arc: Fun with Returnee  Engagement (sending track: for AFS sending volunteers, staff and returnees).

               

The last but not least session was Tackling Your Hosting Challenges ( hosting track) … They let us join in rotation group for 30 minutes each where we did brain storming, shared ideas and wrote the group’s main ideas on the flip chart hung on the room’s wall.


                     

One activity in the Conference Evaluation and Closing that I really loved was to let all  participants  find  one participant whom they haven’t talked to before and converse with them before we left. 

                        

     It was a really worthwhile experience, and  I ‘d love to share them with YOU!
   Special Thanks to.... 
   AFS Thailand 
   Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), Department of State
   AFS USA
   The Office of The Basic Education Commission
   Kamphaengphetpittaakom School