1 Giving and Receiving M.B. and Matthew talk about donating their time and money to Habitat for Humanity. Matthew: Hi this is Matthew White. MB: And this is MB. Matthew: And we are talking about our experience with Habitat For Humanity and our trip to Papua New Guinea with a group of Japanese students. MB: Right. Matthew: MB, a lot of people ask, you know, you raise money and you give to these people and you help out by building these houses but wouldn't it be more efficient just to send the money. Why do you need to spend the money on airfare and go? MB: Right. A lot of people ask me that when I tell them about my experiences and I think that going to a different country and experiencing the culture firsthand is one of the most important parts about learning about Habitat and about being a part of Habitat. I think if you just donate money to any organization you don't have the firsthand experience and you don't have the chance to make new friends and to learn about a culture and to have such a wonderful time and if I just were writing a check or just sending some money I wouldn't feel like I had really made a difference but by going on these trips and taking students, especially with me, I feel like I'm a part of something and I can see firsthand that I've tried to help make a change and I can see firsthand how much the students have learned from it. Matthew: How do you feel about that? MB: I agree. I think that the, maybe more than the money gets donated, is the time or each individual and we all only have so much time on this earth and your presence is what is appreciated by other people. That's something that you can't experience, you can't feel the appreciation for what people feel when they actually get to meet you, and I think that maybe when we left at the end of the trip, and all the villagers showed up at the airport to say goodbye to us it really showed that presence, being there is such an important part of what we do. Matthew: Right. Yeah, I really agree. One thing that I always do when we go on Habitat trips is take off my watch. I don't think on these trips that you really need to worry about every minute and you don't need to worry about time because it's really important to be in the moment and to be a part of the experience and maybe we go for two weeks or ten days but you can't measure how much you change or how much you learn or how much you are moved by the experience. It's really priceless and a lot of times when I tell people about my experience I say I couldn't put an amount of money on how much I learned or how much I've been changed.
Comprehension Page 2 A) Main Points: Answer the following questions about the interview. 1) What is MB looking for? 3) What does Matthew think is important? a) Firsthand experience b) A sense of adventure c) A unique vacation a) One's attitude b) One's presence c) One's commitment 2) What does she like about the trips? 4) On trips, what does MB not think about? a) Being a student b) Checking on her money c) Making friends a) The local prices b) The time of day c) Her responsibilities B) Phrase Match: Match the phrases on the left with the example on the right. 1) first hand experience to physically be in a place 2) be in the moment to valuable to put a cost on 3) presence to be attentive and aware 4) appreciated learn by doing 5) priceless valued by others C) Unscramble: Put the mixed up sentences in the correct order. 1) you What country a is interested are in? 2) is What passionate something you about feel? 3) help are can What some we way other people? 4) you is more What important or receiving giving for? How would MB respond to the questions? And you?
3 Bits and Pieces Put the PHRASES in the spaces Matthew: Hi this is Matthew White. MB: And this is MB. Matthew: And we are talking about our experience with Habitat For Humanity and our trip to Papua New Guinea with a Japanese students. MB: Right. just sending out by each individual culture firsthand moved by group of villagers showed been changed Matthew: MB, a lot of people ask, you know, you raise money and you give to these people and you help building these houses but wouldn't it be more efficient just to send the money. Why do you need to spend the money on airfare and go? MB: Right. A lot of people ask me that when I tell them about my experiences and I think that going to a different country and experiencing the is one of the most important parts about learning about Habitat and about being a part of Habitat. I think if you just donate money to any organization you don't have the firsthand experience and you don't have the chance to make new friends and to learn about a culture and to have such a wonderful time and if I just were writing a check or some money I wouldn't feel like I had really made a difference but by going on these trips and taking students, especially with me, I feel like I'm a part of something and I can see firsthand that I've tried to help make a change and I can see firsthand how much the students have learned from it. Matthew: How do you feel about that? MB: I agree. I think that the, maybe more than the money gets donated, is the time or and we all only have so much time on this earth and your presence is what is appreciated by other people. That's something that you can't experience, you can't feel the appreciation for what people feel when they actually get to meet you, and I think that maybe when we left at the end of the trip, and all the up at the airport to say goodbye to us it really showed that presence, being there is such an important part of what we do. Matthew: Right. Yeah, I really agree. One thing that I always do when we go on Habitat trips is take off my watch. I don't think on these trips that you really need to worry about every minute and you don't need to worry about time because it's really important to be in the moment and to be a part of the experience and maybe we go for two weeks or ten days but you can't measure how much you change or how much you learn or how much you are the experience. It's really priceless and a lot of times when I tell people about my experience I say I couldn't put an amount of money on how much I learned or how much I've.
What do you think? 4 Discussion 1) Have you ever donated your time to something? 2) For the holidays, do you prefer to give or receive gifts? 3) Do you think high school students should do charitable service? 4) How much free time do you have to donate each week? 5) Who is the most giving person you know? Write the number of the question being answered in the box Sue - Australia I'd have to say that I like giving more. Ever since I was a little kid I liked giving and I just found it more satisfying as opposed to receiving. I always found receiving more complicated, because if you don't like the present then you have to fake that you like it and it's an awkward situation. Ali - Canada Of course high school students should spend more time organizing charitable events. I myself have contributed in such programs during my time in school. We have so many clubs and societies in our schools under the supervision of teachers and we plan out fund raising projects in order to donate to schools or groups that face difficulties in life. Carlos - Mexico Back to the time in high school, I used to donate my time to an orphan village. I went there once a month together with some other classmates during a year. We played with those children, taught English to them for the most part, and brought them some gifts on holiday. That was really meaningful and fun too. Buddhini - Sri Lanka Oh, its my mom. She has a heart that s made of the most sensitive material on earth, to listen, feel and to solve problems of everyone around her. I would call her the Super Woman on earth and very proud to say that she is my mother, whom I will always salute, love and respect from the bottom of my heart. Write about one of the discussion questions:
Comprehension Page 5 A) Main Points: Answer the following questions about the interview. 1) What is MB looking for? 3) What does Matthew think is important? a) Firsthand experience b) A sense of adventure c) A unique vacation a) One's attitude b) One's presence c) One's commitment 2) What does she like about the trips? 4) On trips, what does MB not think about? a) Being a student b) Checking on her money c) Making friends a) The local prices b) The time of day c) Her responsibilities B) Phrase Match: Match the phrases on the left with the example on the right. 1) first hand experience 3 to physically be in a place 2) be in the moment 5 to valuable to put a cost on 3) presence 2 to be attentive and aware 4) appreciated 1 learn by doing 5) priceless 4) valued by others C) Unscramble: Put the mixed up sentences in the correct order. 1) Why is a country you are interested in? you What country a is interested are in? 2) What is something you feel passionate about? is What passionate something you about feel? 3) What are some way we can help other people? help are can What some we way other people? 4) What is more important for you, giving or getting? you is more What important or receiving giving for? How would MB respond to the questions?
6 Bits and Pieces Put the PHRASES in the spaces Matthew: Hi this is Matthew White. MB: And this is MB. Matthew: And we are talking about our experience with Habitat For Humanity and our trip to Papua New Guinea with a group of Japanese students. MB: Right. just sending out by each individual culture firsthand moved by group of villagers showed been changed Matthew: MB, a lot of people ask, you know, you raise money and you give to these people and you help out by building these houses but wouldn't it be more efficient just to send the money. Why do you need to spend the money on airfare and go? MB: Right. A lot of people ask me that when I tell them about my experiences and I think that going to a different country and experiencing the culture firsthand is one of the most important parts about learning about Habitat and about being a part of Habitat. I think if you just donate money to any organization you don't have the firsthand experience and you don't have the chance to make new friends and to learn about a culture and to have such a wonderful time and if I just were writing a check or just sending some money I wouldn't feel like I had really made a difference but by going on these trips and taking students, especially with me, I feel like I'm a part of something and I can see firsthand that I've tried to help make a change and I can see firsthand how much the students have learned from it. Matthew: How do you feel about that? MB: I agree. I think that the, maybe more than the money gets donated, is the time or each individual and we all only have so much time on this earth and your presence is what is appreciated by other people. That's something that you can't experience, you can't feel the appreciation for what people feel when they actually get to meet you, and I think that maybe when we left at the end of the trip, and all the villagers showed up at the airport to say goodbye to us it really showed that presence, being there is such an important part of what we do. Matthew: Right. Yeah, I really agree. One thing that I always do when we go on Habitat trips is take off my watch. I don't think on these trips that you really need to worry about every minute and you don't need to worry about time because it's really important to be in the moment and to be a part of the experience and maybe we go for two weeks or ten days but you can't measure how much you change or how much you learn or how much you are moved by the experience. It's really priceless and a lot of times when I tell people about my experience I say I couldn't put an amount of money on how much I learned or how much I've been changed.