On 17 December 2008, second-graders from Semyonovsky boarding school visited their pen pals in Tsivilsk, the Chuvash Republic. This visit was made possible thanks to the training the kids had received at the IDEA Center. In November and December 2008, Semyonovsky boarding school held a Microsoft Unlimited Potential course in Internet and World Wide Web Fundamentals. Second graders learned to work with e-mail, registered their accounts, and began exchanging messages with their peers from other cities. Their new friends, second graders from Tsivilsk and their teachers, received them with the warmest welcome and much joy, giving them every courtesy and attention.

First the young guests were taken to the school museum where they saw various arts and crafts projects, alumni’s gifts, and the school’s trophies and photo albums, and took the opportunity to give the hosts their gifts – specially made flying Christmas angels. This was followed by the tour around the school, its classrooms and bedrooms, the library and the gym. The guests were especially impressed by the new computer class where every student has a personal interactive work station connected to the teacher’s desk.

Then the young students and their teachers spent some time talking and asking each other questions about their families, interests and hobbies, and playing games which enabled the children to mix together and get to know each other a little better. After that the guests gave a little concert they had specially prepared, and their hosts performed a skit based on a Chuvash fairy tale. The time flew so fast that the new friends didn’t have time for the sports activities they had planned, but decided to have a sports competition next time they get together. In conclusion they exchanged gifts and had an informal tea party, sharing impressions from the day together and making plans for the return visit of Tsivilsk students to Semyonovsky boarding school. In the meantime they will continue exchanging messages through e-mail and the Internet.

Here is what the children wrote in their feedback: “Many thanks to Microsoft and many thanks to the IDEA Project for teaching us computer skills and helping us discover the world and make new friends.”