2011
This summer on August 2 - 28 children from the boarding school #4 went to Italy for the 4th time and stayed with foster families in province of Lecco. 18 children and 18 foster families took part in the project. Children stayed with their foster families, gaining the experience and skills of family life. In order to support children in the strange environment and within the frameworks of the project,mutual events were organized with the participation ofchildren and their foster families, workers and volunteers of the Centre who accompanied children on their trip to Italy and local people who were interested in the events.
The goal of the project is social and psychological adaptation of pupils of Moscow correctional boarding-school #4 via their stay with Italian families as well as their acquaintance with Italian culture and modern life.
Six more families have taken part in the project this year. Senior children who took part in the project for the 4th time were responsible for the younger newcomers and helped them with translation and other issues.
On August the 3rd the first mutual picnic meeting took place in the village of Primaluna where foster children were making traditional Italian dishes. That day children spent together playing out-off-doors.
On August the 6th our great friend Italian clown Ginevra Sanguigno came to visit us from Milan. Together we spent a day in the town of Barzio, where were playing dramatized games at the chapel.
On the 7th of August there was Russian party organized in the library of the town of Maggio and children were talking about Russia, Moscow, the studio and their boarding-school, also they treated the visitors with pancakes with condensed milk, honey and jam, which Marat has cooked on his own. It was his first experience and a very successful one.
Twice we were climbing mountains and a treasure hunt was organized for children once, when they were supposed to demonstrate their skills at ground navigation, reading geographical names and taking photographs.
On the 16th we went on a tour to the mines and before that children tried mountain climbing with a safety rope. They enjoyed it greatly and were not afraid at all.
On the 20th with a small group we went to the town of Bergamo for a walk and sightseeing, where we met Efrem Colonetti, who used to come to our summer camp as a volunteer when he was younger.
On the 22nd of August in the library a lecture of our studio’s friend Nazareno Fatuttitook place about his cycling journey from Lecco to Mumbai. Children were helping to illustrate the story, drawing the route on the map. After the lecture, Q and A session was organized and the audience was very much interested.
On the 24th the children got together again to celebrate Dima Ivanov’s birthday. It was a great parry at the pizzeria, afterwards everyone went to the nearby bar for coffee and ice-cream. There was a present for Dima made in advance – a collage with photos and birthday wishes from everyone.
On the 28th children said good-bye to their foster parents and went to Malpensa Airport to fly back home.
For help and cooperation we are very thankful to:
All the wonderful Italian families, who hosted our children and treated them as their own; Russia Airlines represented by S.G.Belov and Olga Tamakhova, Department of Education, Moscow, Municipal District Taganskiy, Administration of the boarding-school #4, Italian Embassy in Moscow, Michela Bolognani and Polina Proskurina-Yanovich.
