Healthy Mind

This week at our English Speaking Club for adults, we explored the topic of “Healthy Mind” — and it turned into a truly meaningful and thought-provoking discussion.

We started by sharing our personal views:

What does healthy living really mean?

How do we take care of our mental and physical well-being?

Which habits would we like to leave behind?

And why has being healthy become so fashionable nowadays?

Everyone brought unique perspectives, and it was inspiring to hear real-life experiences and honest reflections.

Then we switched gears and played our favorite interactive game “Ban it or Keep it”

One of the hottest debates? Our relationship with phones — especially:

• scrolling before going to bed

• grabbing the phone first thing in the morning

Let’s just say… not everyone agreed

It was a great mix of language practice, critical thinking, and self-reflection. Because learning English is not just about grammar — it’s also about talking about what truly matters.

What about you — would you BAN or KEEP your phone habits?

Identity after School

Who are we outside the classroom?

This week, our meeting of English Speaking Club for Kherson and Mariupol Youth, was dedicated to the topic “Identity After School” together with a native speaker. Participants reflected on who they are beyond grades, homework, and expectations — and discovered new ways to express themselves in English. We shared ideas about personal interests, passions, and future dreams; created “double lives” and imagined our hidden identities; asked honest questions and heard real-life experiences from a native speaker; debated whether school really shapes who we are; and most importantly — learned to speak about ourselves with confidence.

It was inspiring to see how open, thoughtful, and creative our participants were. Each voice mattered, and every story added something special to the conversation.

Because learning English is not just about language — it’s about discovering who you are and finding your voice in the world.

Act it Out!

Laughter, creativity, and a lot of spontaneous English filled our latest speaking session for Kherson and Mariupol Youth! This time, we turned our meeting into a real improvisation show, where participants stepped into different roles, acted out real life situations, and reacted on the spot — just like real actors.

From emotional role-plays and funny “bad advice” moments to unexpected twists in scenes — everyone had a chance to speak freely, think quickly, and most importantly… have fun in English! 

A special thanks to our native speaker, a VSPP Alana Underwood, for bringing energy, humor, and authentic expressions that inspired our participants to be bold and expressive.

This session was held as part of the All-Ukrainian Reading Week, and we are proud that our library is actively participating in this important initiative — promoting not only reading, but also communication, creativity, and lifelong learning.

Expectation VS Reality

What is reality… and is it the same for everyone?

This week, during our English Speaking Practice for Kherson and Mariupol Youth, we explored the thought-provoking topic “Expectation vs Reality.”

We began by reflecting on a big question: What is reality? Is it different for everyone?

Presenting the topic by Alana Underwood, our facilitator and VSPP, participants discussed how reality can be seen as “the world as it actually exists” — but also how our point of view, expectations, and experiences can completely change how we see it.

The most fun part was “Expectation vs Reality” meme challenge and Disaster Generator game!

From “perfect plans” turning into chaos to “productive days” ending in scrolling social media — the chat was full of laughter and relatable moments!

We also discussed:

• Why do people create unrealistic expectations?

• Can reality be different for each person?

• Is it better to expect more… or less?

A big thank you to our participants for their openness, creativity, and great sense of humor!

Eco-Friendly Living: Chat discussion

This week our English Speaking Club for Kherson and Mariupol Youth moved into the digital space and held a lively Telegram chat discussion on the topic “Eco-Friendly Living.”

Participants shared their thoughts on what it means to live sustainably in everyday life and reflected on the small choices that can make a big difference for our planet.

Through interactive chat activities such as quick polls, and short discussions, everyone had the chance to express opinions, respond to others, and practice English in a dynamic way.

These conversations not only helped improve English communication skills but also encouraged everyone to think about simple eco habits we can adopt in our daily lives.

Thank you to everyone who joined the discussion and made the chat active and inspiring!