On Wednesday we visited Sjælsmark for our bi-weekly education outreach workshop. This was the third time I had visited and it was a lovely sunny day. The weather had everyone in good sprits, however, the juxtaposition of the buildings in Sjælsmark with the scenic, lakeside houses we passed on our train and bus journey there was very stark.
The turnout this week was less than our last visit, however, this allowed me to work one-on-one with a very bright young man from Syrian Kurdistan whom I have built a bit of a relationship with over the last couple of visits. Although initially confused by the semantics of the past simple and continues tenses (as I often find myself) he realised that in practice he knew how to adapt the verbs well. The initial difficulty he faced was just one of confidence, something we can all be guilty of…
In the break we all enjoyed some of Myrtle’s lemon drizzle cake. Her lack of confidence regarding the quality and consistency of the cake did little to quell everyone’s appetite. We finished the session by putting to use the past simple and continuous tenses in a game of charades which proved fairly entertaining. I am still unsure if Ella knows how to ride a bike properly..?
Following this we had a frank discussion regarding the conditions that are suffered by those in Sjælsmark and the relentless isolation which infiltrates every aspect of daily life. Hearing the residents talk about the uncertainty that faces their situation and not knowing how long they will remain in Sjælsmark was very heartbreaking.
We will be back in two weeks, which I am looking forward to very much. We will also be hosting several panel discussions/information evenings throughout Denmark in the coming weeks so please come along if you are interested in changing the conditions at Sjælsmark and other centres throughout Denmark.
James
Find the links to the events here: https://areactiongroup.wixsite.com/weare/copy-of-about