An Au Pair shares her experience of doing a global awareness presentation:
My name is Ericka from Kristina’s cluster meeting and I did a Global awareness presentaton at Washington International School located in Washington, D.C for my youngest host kid and her classmates. There were 15 kindergarten students and they were 4 or 5 years old.
I talked to them about my country that is Panama and I started talking about fun – interesting facts about Panama, that we have two oceans. And that it is the only country in the whole wide word that you can swim in both oceans the same day; that we have more birds than United States and Canada together, and when you go to the beach dolphins will be you best friends; and that we have a hat called Panama hat but it actually is not made by Panamanians, it is actually from Ecuador.
I show the map and they saw how small my country is, smaller than New York. Also I talk to them about the traditions, culture and costumes, I take my tembleques, that is a traditional accessory for your hair and I pass it so they can see it. They get surprised because is made all by hand and you will
fill your head with it (and is kind of heavy to be honest). I show them the flag of my country and teach them the meaning of it, blue, red and white with two red and blue stars. We play a game called Wanawanachichiguanajuana and they have so much fun that they play it again at recess. At the end I gave them a coloring book, the global awareness world picture and I ask them what is their favorite things or what they learn about Panama.
My experience doing the global awareness was pretty interesting, a lot of fun and a happy experience. I also learn that the mind of a kiddo is bigger than we thought, they can understand more stuff even with their young age. Children are like sponges; they may get every kind of information if you know how to give that to them.