Independence day at Serock with mentally diverse people!

On the 8th of November our team of volunteers was kindly invited to Serock to collaborate in the activities the center had prepared for its users in commemoration of the 100 years of Polish independence. After a short presentation about the function of the institution and a comforting lunch the activities started. To run the workshops the participants and we were divided into three groups, so that they would have 45 minutes of each activity. Travis showed how to make origami, Ann-Katrin went outside to play some sport games, and Marine and I chose to help with the cooking part.
We were going to make some snacks, sandwiches and brochettes, for the party afterwards. The table was filled with different kinds of vegetables, cheese and cold meat, as well as butter and bread. The participants were all into it. They created really interesting combinations of flavors and the result was very colorful and tasty. Our main task was to help cut the vegetables and to hand them the food that were further on the other side of the table, but we also enjoyed a lot making our own sandwiches and brochettes. Listening to the participants asking us about some particular product was actually a great way to learn the Polish words for this kind of food!
Once the workshops were over it was time for the bonfire. All the group gathered around it to warm us up a bit. We could also bake some sausages and potatoes, and all of the time there were two men singing and playing the guitar, so the atmosphere could not have been more friendly!
But the day was not even close to finish yet. When it was too cold to stay outside we went indoors again to a room in which they had prepared a discotheche, it even had the classic silver shinny ball! The main music played was the already so familiar to us “discopolo,” and everyone was so happy dancing to its rhythm. The night was just getting better because there were also tables with the sandwiches and brochettes we had prepared at the workshop, as well as drinks, fruit, cakes and other sweets.
After a while of free time there, the workers made a quiz about Poland for the participants –in which we could not participate due to language barriers, but later we took part in the games. First we decided to teach them the English song “head, shoulders, knees and toes,” and it was very funny since every time we went faster and faster. Then they wanted to dance the “Macarena” song, for which I was very excited since I did not know it was also popular beyond the Spanish borders, but everyone knew the steps! We also played the chairs game and some other ones about dancing in pairs with balloons. We did have a good time and lots of laughs.
The night had come to an end, so everyone went back to their rooms. However, we still were up for a while talking to our neighbors, two nice workers of the center who spoke English, and they told us more about their experience there, and it was great to get to know them a bit. Finally, we left the next morning after breakfast. We were exhausted but very happy to have participated in the event, and I really hope we get to go there in more occasions!