1. “Students and Teachers - Perfect Strangers?” Desislava Zareva, New Bulgarian University, Sofia Ellie Boyadzhieva, South-Western University, Blagoevgrad

2. “Tell me your name” activity Introduce yourself to your partner by telling an interesting story related to your name. It shouldn’t be very long – up to 5-6 sentences. Now please look under your chair. Those of you who find a post-it stuck to it please tell your story to everyone.

3. OUR AIMS TODAY To show you ways of crossing the borders between students and teachers through interpersonal communication and learning about each otherTo show you ways of crossing the borders between students and teachers through interpersonal communication and learning about each other To discover the intercultural teacher/learner in yourselves through the activities we are going to share with youTo discover the intercultural teacher/learner in yourselves through the activities we are going to share with you DON’T FEEL GUILTY IF YOU ALSO HAVE FUN IN THE PROCESSDON’T FEEL GUILTY IF YOU ALSO HAVE FUN IN THE PROCESS

4. The intercultural teacher/learner is: comfortable with their complex and developing identities;comfortable with their complex and developing identities; tolerant towards different values, attitudes, and belief systems;tolerant towards different values, attitudes, and belief systems; seeking to understand new and different cultural patterns;seeking to understand new and different cultural patterns; understanding the strength found in diversity;understanding the strength found in diversity; capable of interpreting, relating and relativizing;capable of interpreting, relating and relativizing; capable of evaluating critically and on the basis of explicit criteria, perspectives, practices and products in one’s own and other cultures and countriescapable of evaluating critically and on the basis of explicit criteria, perspectives, practices and products in one’s own and other cultures and countries

5. Going back to the name activity Some hints – why did we start in this way?Some hints – why did we start in this way? We wanted to know something about the people we’re working with at the moment. Names are a part of our personality. They tell a lot about who we are and why are we like that. good ice-breaking activity in a new group e.g. you learn how to address someone, what’s acceptable, what not. Helps enhance interpersonal communication you practice speaking/writing Potential follow-ups: talk about cyber nicknames (e.g. how you choose your nickname)Potential follow-ups: talk about cyber nicknames (e.g. how you choose your nickname) Potential dangers: too personal for students – they might refuse to participate, which also carries information about the borders that shouldn’t be crossed forcefullyPotential dangers: too personal for students – they might refuse to participate, which also carries information about the borders that shouldn’t be crossed forcefully

6. “What’s in your bag?” activity We are going to show you a few objects. Make a rough guess who they belong to. How did you make your guessing?We are going to show you a few objects. Make a rough guess who they belong to. How did you make your guessing? Now please take a minute to check your bag/pockets. What is / are the things you wouldn’t like to lose? Tell the rest of your group why?Now please take a minute to check your bag/pockets. What is / are the things you wouldn’t like to lose? Tell the rest of your group why?

7. ‘Song Mates’ activity You are going to hear 4 popular songs. You have 30 seconds to write down 5 words/ phrases that best describe the person who would like this song.You are going to hear 4 popular songs. You have 30 seconds to write down 5 words/ phrases that best describe the person who would like this song. Two of these songs are Desi’s favourite and two are Ellie’s. Guess which are Desi’s choice? Which two are the ones preferred by Ellie? WHY?Two of these songs are Desi’s favourite and two are Ellie’s. Guess which are Desi’s choice? Which two are the ones preferred by Ellie? WHY? What do you think was the purpose of the last task? What do you think was the purpose of the last task?

8. Thank you!! … and see you on 18 -20 May in Blagoevgrad in Blagoevgrad Desi & Ellie