As a volunteer last summer who partnered with LE in China, Heidi thought that experience was the most romantic, fantastic memory in her life. She made lots of friends: her teaching partner, host family and students. Heidi received many letters from students from Aiming village after going back to Nanjing. She cherished them very much and thought she should take the responsibility to teach students in rural China again.

Heidi is now in her second year as a postgraduate student majoring in population resource and environment economy in Nanjing University’s School of Business. She also likes skating, singing, and playing piano. She hopes LE will be better and better though all the LEer's efforts.

Seth studied at Nanjing University from 2003 to 2007. Now, he is studying at the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica for his master's degree. He started to work for LE China in 2006. In 2007, he was the Chinese leader of LE China. Through LE China, he has made lots of friends from the world. He has also helped lots of kids from rural places in China to know more about the world. LE China is a meaningful program and he would really like to keep working for it.

The Learning Enterprises program in Croatia is in large part due to the efforts of Helena, who helped establish it in 2003. She is now responsible for coordinating all of Learning Enterprises’ operations in the country. Helena has long been involved in teaching English in Croatia: she is the founder of HELLO English Language Club, and she runs the Sunny Village English Summer Camp in Jagnjedovec, near Koprivnica (which receives several LE volunteers each summer). Helena also serves on the Koprivnica city council, is president of the Croatian Fraternal Union of America for her area of Croatia, and acts as president of the Drava League, an association of eight environmental NGOs dedicated to conservation and sustainable development programs in and around the Drava River. Helena's husband, Davor, is the local surgeon as well as a master craftsman who constructed and furnished all of the buildings in the Sunny Village Camp. They are parents to two children, Danko and Lana, who are also active in the family's many pursuits.

 

DIJANA FERKOVIC, Croatia Country Coordinator

Dijana is a 34-year working mum of three kids, that enjoys living in rural (underdeveloped) area that provides plenty of opportunities for improvement. This is a true challenge! She works in the local government administration on different developmental projects. One of her favorite projects is definitely Learning Enterprises in Brodski Drenovac (Croatia). She was very excited in hosting 4 volunteers in her home, for 4 years in a row, that have worked with more that 70 kids in her home village. "I was so proud when I saw small children, six or seven year old, carrying notebooks and pens, going to English class that first summer morning when Robyn came to Drenovac."

 

At the same time, Dijana is studying to get a PhD in Entrepreneurship. Her greatest love (besides her family) are foreign languages, that she enjoys learning. Hoping that LE will create in her own children love for foreign languages and culture, and that they will learn to respect other cultures and values in life. "My mission is to give my best (and all my enthusiasm) in bringing some positive changes into my closest environment." 

 

Kinga Popa was born in Oradea, Romania and is still living there. She studied at the Partium Christian University in Oradea in order to become a social worker. She graduated in 2007. During her high school and university years, Kinga worked as a volunteer for an international association (Zabhegyező Gyermekanimátorok Egyesülete), where she organized after-school activities for children with other passionate volunteers. In 2004, after her first year at the university, Kinga started to work as a volunteer for International Children’s Safety Service in Oradea. The organization provides financial, social and health-related support and subsistence to children in need, regardless of national, political or religious affiliation. Kinga is working with families who have social problems, but her main field of action is related to children. Kinga became the Romania Country Coordinator in 2005. She knew when she took the position that the job would be a real challenge, but she didn’t realize it would be such an awesome and pleasant experience.

Imre has worked closely with Learning Enterprsies ever since the program in Slovakia first began in 1999. Imre lives in the city of Komárno and serves as the principal of Selye János High School, which attracts a large number of Hungarian students from the entire area. He is also active in local and regional politics; in June 2006, he was elected to the Slovak Parliament as a representative of the Hungarian Coalition Party. Imre is very enthusiastic about Learning Enterprises and enjoys the opportunity to meet volunteers during the Hungary/Slovakia program's midpoint break in his city.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ilona Ujj returns to Learning Enterprises this year as Hungary's Country Coordinator. She lives in Alsónemesapáti with her husband and two daughters. By day, she works for the Multipurpose Association of Local Governments of Zalaegerszeg City and its surrounding region. More specifically, she is an equality manager and she works on the realization of various projects. In addition, to being a Learning Enterprises superstar, a mother, and a member of the local government, Ilona is also a graduate student at West Hungary University. In the upcoming year, she will receive a degree in adult organization. In her spare time, Ilona enjoys reading, playing with pets, and spending time with her children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2009 will be Athanaz‘s third year working with LE and his first year in an official position. In the past, Athanaz has helped coordinate host families and schools, and has dealt with anything and everything in-country. He is looking forward to getting more involved in LE and cannot wait to show this year‘s volunteers his country! Athanaz will be finishing his last year of secondary school in Curepipe. He lives in Case Noyale and enjoys rugby, fishing, and jokes.

LE Mexico's Country Coordinator is Flora Quintanar, President of the Consejo Estatal de Participación Social en la Educación (State Council for Social Participation in Education) in Sinaloa. She resides full-time in Culiacán with her husband and three children. Flora has been working with Learning Enterprises since its first summer in Sinaloa (2001). This summer will be the ninth summer program that she has coordinated. Flora works months in advance to find suitable villages and host families. She personally visits each host family before assigning a volunteer to that particular home to make sure that the housing conditions are suitable and the family is caring. She occasionally checks in on volunteers during the six weeks of teaching and is on hand and reachable by phone should any problems arise. The Country Coordinator is the top LE official in country during the six weeks of the program and personally handles any issues that may arise. For the most part, however, as in all LE programs, volunteers are expected to be self-reliant as they will be on their own in their villages with no LE staff to guide their teaching.

 

 

Lorena is currently serving as an attaché on the U.N. Security Council for Panama, as a specialist in Western Africa politics. She recently completed a master's degree on International Education Development and Policy Studies at Columbia University and finished her undergraduate work at Georgetown University. Lorena founded the Panama program when she was a sophomore at Georgetown University in 2004. As country coordinator, she helps set up everything in Panama, from the homes the volunteers stay in to the activities during orientation. Lorena hopes to go back to her country and continue helping in many other ways!

Lucyna received a Master’s degree from the Economic Academy in Krakow, but has worked 25 years as an educator and director of a rural school. She currently works at the Bieszczady Foundation, whose vision is to achieve the economic equality of that beautiful Polish region. She became involved with Learning Enterprises in 2006, and since then she has implemented the program in the Bieszczady region because she sees the program as a great opportunity for children and young adults to advance their English skills, learn about a new culture, meet new people, and have a good time during vacation. Lucyna lives in Ustrzyki Dolne with her husband and three children Iwona, Lukasz and Wojtek. She enjoys reading, hiking, bicycling and skiing.

Ewa graduated from the Pedagogical Academy in Krakow and the Economic Academy in Katowice, with Master’s degrees from both, and has served as an elementary school director for 15 years. She leads courses and training for other school directors, as she works jointly with the Ministry of National Education. She became a Regional Coordinator for LE in 2009. She began working with LE in 2007, when she hosted two students at her school and a few nearby schools. She organized trips to Kazimierz on the Vistula for them, as well as a bonfire with the community youth. The LE program was very popular and helped students not only with their knowledge of English, but also learning about the culture of other countries, which in turn increases tolerance and understanding of other people. Ewa loves new opportunities. She is happy creating new programs for youth. She searches for resources from the European Union, sponsors, and local government. Ewa organizes the distribution of food to the poorest residents of the community at the World Food Bank and provides childcare for children not in pre-school. Ewa spends her free time with her husband, daughter, and son on hikes, bike rides, and ski trips come winter. She loves the Polish mountains and is happy she can help others.

Supa loves to teach… anything! In her salon in the States, she is like a counselor for her clients; they share with her their ideas and thoughts, and she gives them advice from an onlooker's perspective. In her spare time, she reads books that concern topics such as life management, motivation, and the dharma (Buddha's teaching of Nature) and shares her ideas with her friends and family—it's nearly impossible not to become a son or daughter to her, and she is seldom not looked at as a mother or auntie. She has an inquiring mind and is open to new ideas and fresh perspectives—she loves to learn. Supa travels to Thailand every April, and for the past three years she has been teaching English to both children and adults. Supa lives half the year in the United States and the other half in Thailand. She graduated from college in Thailand, has one son, and enjoys sharing and serving her cultures and countries.

Serdar Tunc is an English Language Teacher in Adiyaman, Turkey. He has been involved with English Language programs in the region before, and is excited to be involved with LE's new pilot program! He is a terrific football defender and is working on his new-found frisbee skills. Serdar is thrilled to be working with the LE volunteers at the program sites during the summer, and he is committed to helping children in Turkey to learn English.