Staycation Ideas to Make This Summer Unforgettable

This week our adult English Speaking Club was filled with summer inspiration, creativity, and lively discussions during our session “Staycation Ideas to Make This Summer Unforgettable”!

Together we explored ways to enjoy summer without expensive travel, shared personal experiences, and created ideas for the perfect local getaway. Participants discussed relaxing activities, hidden gems in their cities, summer traditions, and simple ways to make everyday moments feel special.

We also worked with an article about staycation ideas and used it as a starting point for debates and deeper conversations. Participants exchanged opinions on whether staycations can be more meaningful than traveling abroad, if social media affects our vacations, and what truly makes a summer unforgettable. 

The class included debates, creative speaking tasks, problem-solving activities, and lots of spontaneous conversation in English. Most importantly, the atmosphere was warm, supportive, and full of positive energy and laughter. 

Thank you to everyone who joined and contributed to such engaging discussions! Wishing everyone a summer full of memorable moments, rest, inspiration, and little adventures close to home. 

Balance, Rest and Flexibility. Summer Break Session

Our final English Speaking Practice before summer break was full of laughter, debates, memories, and “main character summer” energy!

During this Zoom meeting, participants reflected on the past year through memes, shared their dream summer bucket lists, debated hot takes like “Is summer overrated?” and talked about personal growth and glow-ups.

We laughed over chaotic summer plans, defended unpopular opinions, and created the “perfect teen summer” together. The class became not only a chance to practice English, but also a space to share memories, confidence, and goals for the future.

One of the warmest moments was reflecting on how much everyone has changed during the year:

“At the beginning of this year, I was…, now I am…”

Thank you to everyone who joined our speaking practices this season! We are proud of your courage to speak, your creativity, and the supportive atmosphere you created together.

Have an unforgettable summer, make amazing memories, and don’t forget to keep practicing English.

The Things We Pretend to Enjoy

Last meeting, we had another engaging English Speaking Practice for adults, and this time we explored the topic: “The Things We Pretend to Enjoy”.

Together, we shared unpopular opinions, discussed social pressure, laughed about awkward adult experiences, and practiced expressing honest thoughts in English. From networking events and group chats to productivity culture and small talk - participants bravely admitted what people often pretend to enjoy just because society expects it.

The meeting was full of lively debates, humor, personal stories, and meaningful conversations that helped everyone practice speaking naturally and confidently.

Since our practice took place on Vyshyvanka Day, we also took time to talk about Ukrainian traditions, cultural identity, and the meaning behind embroidered patterns and symbols. It was a wonderful opportunity to combine English practice with appreciation for our heritage and traditions.

Thanks everyone who joined, shared their ideas, and created such a warm and open atmosphere!

Keeping the Mind Active & Planning During Summer

“Keeping the Mind Active & Planning During Summer” - another inspiring English Speaking Practice for Kherson and Mariupol youth within our friend, a VSPP, Alana Underwood.
This time, together with a native speaker, we talked about how to make summer not only fun, but also meaningful. Through interactive games, debates, speed chats, and creative activities, participants shared their ideas about productivity, personal growth, social media habits, and summer goals.

We discussed questions like:

• Should summer always be productive?
• How can we balance rest and self-improvement?
• What skills do teenagers really want to develop?
• What would our “future selves” thank us for?

Participants created their dream summer plans, invented fun summer challenges, defended hot takes, and practiced expressing opinions naturally in English. The atmosphere was energetic, supportive, and full of laughter and thoughtful conversations.

Another great exercise we did was learning idioms related to summer.
A huge thanks to our native speaker for making the discussion engaging and authentic, and to all the participants for their creativity, openness, and active participation!

 

Kindness changes everything. English Speaking Practice for Kherson and Mariupol Youth

This week, we held another engaging and energetic English Speaking Practice for Kherson and Mariupol Youth together with our wonderful native speaker guest, a VSPP, Alana Underwood.

The meeting focused on communication, teamwork, and building confidence in speaking English through interactive activities and real-life discussions. Participants practiced useful phrasal verbs such as keep in touch, speak up, count on, make up, and look after while completing speaking tasks, guessing games, and discussion challenges.

Our students shared personal opinions, answered thought-provoking questions, and practiced expressing themselves naturally in English. They discussed friendship, communication, relationships, trust, and situations where it is important to speak up or support others. The atmosphere was friendly, supportive, and full of laughter and active participation.

One of the highlights of the meeting was the opportunity to communicate with a native speaker, which helped participants improve their listening skills, pronunciation, and confidence in real conversations. Alana encouraged everyone to participate actively and made the class both educational and enjoyable.

We are incredibly proud of our youth for stepping out of their comfort zones, practicing new vocabulary, and supporting one another throughout the activities. Every meeting is another step toward becoming more confident English speakers!