Na godišnjoj skupštini Udruženja, završavajući sa svojim mandatom u Upravnom odboru, Sanja Čonjagić zahvalila je svim kolegama na izuzetnom iskustvu stečenom u protekle dve godine. Njene utiske možete pročitati u ELTA newsletteru:

Warmheartedly recommended – ELTA
Sanja Čonjagić
Outgoing ELTA International Coordinator

 Living in Serbia , for many people equals struggling with (financial) problems, overcoming crises and hoping for better tomorrow. Therefore, the lack of interest for any kind of voluntary work can be understood, when put in the context of cruel rules of the material world.

 On the other hand, does it justify our inability or unwillingness to be compassionate, have social awareness and see there is something more valuable than money?

 By some colleagues, my involvement with ELTA has been regarded as waste of precious time, but for me it has always been an opportunity to meet colleagues, make friends, share ideas (`Once your mind is broaden with new ideas, it will never be the same`).  

The best way to illustrate my case is to make the third conditional chain: if I hadn’t been an ELTA member, I wouldn’t have been the lucky winner of the Teacher Refresher Course in Dublin; if I hadn’t attended that course, I wouldn’t have given workshops in the British Council and ELTA conferences; if I hadn’t been so active, I wouldn’t have been elected an ELTA Board member and International Coordinator; and finally: if I hadn’t been on that position, I wouldn’t have participated at the conferences in Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia,…

It would be impossible to name all the inspiring people I have met or all the benefits I have experienced, but I will try to describe my fulfillment on one example:

 Grenville Yeo, the founder of the charity SOL (Sharing One Language) from North Devon , whom I met at the IATEFL Hungary conference two years ago, is one of the kindest, the most generous and caring people you can imagine.

Despite the fact that we come from completely different backgrounds, very soon we felt a bond; not only that he offered me to visit their centre in Britain (which was my first visit to England), but he immediately recognized my enthusiasm and entitled me to be SOL promoter and coordinator in Serbia. Again, it’s  devotion to the profession and a sense of doing something valuable to help all ELTs that drive me to spread the word about SOL`s high-quality low-cost courses, not the money. I truly believe that as much you are willing to give to the others, even more you will get in return, here is the proof: when Grenville invited me to accompany him at the ELTA Albania Conference, I accepted delightedly and went to Tirana as an ELTA and SOL representative.

 Although, geographically, in our neighbourhood, I didn’t know much about that country and was completely taken by surprise: since the moment Tanja Glušac, ELTA vice president, and I landed, everyone was so hospitable and friendly that we felt more than welcome. The conference itself, with three hundred, mostly young participants, was a huge success and Tanja`s and my workshops were well attended.

 Due to hospitality of our host, Dr Shpresa Delia, ELTA Albania president, her colleagues Ogerta and Fitore, and lots of nice warmhearted people, I already regard as my friends: Nevila and her family, Arjeta, Pedro, Ergys, Ledina, Blerina, to name but a few, we had memorable time: went sightseeing Tirana (which is becoming a modern European city), tasted traditional food (and pizza of a thousand smiles), experienced nightlife (celebrated Inter’s victory in the Champions League with hundreds of fans in the streets), visited Durres and Golem, a breathtaking tourist resort, …I am still overwhelmed by impressions!

As the outgoing International Coordinator, I wish to express my gratitude and thanks to the association for all the benefits I gained by being part of ELTA.

The message for indecisive English teachers, wherever they are: get involved with ELTA, you won’t regret it!

 

 

The hall of the students` hostel I was staying in Tirana

 

 

Cheers! Shpresa, Sanja, Tanja, Grenville, Fitore

 

 

40 teachers from Serbia attended SOL course last summer

 

 

Topolsice spa, the venue of the Slovenian conference

 

 

HUPE conference in Opatija: Valentina Nikolovski (ELTA representative), Sandra Vida (IATEFL Slovenia) and me

*****

 Sanja Čonjagić holds a BA in Serbian linguistics and literature from the Faculty of Philosophy, Novi Sad, Serbia and PCE. She worked as a journalist for ten years and in 2001 she founded the Educational Centre Premier in Šabac where she has been a PR manager and a full-time teacher. For the last two years she has been active as an ELTA regional coordinator and a facilitator in the British Council.and ELTA Conference. As an ELTA Board member and International Coordinator, she was the official ELTA representative at the Hungarian, Slovenian, Croatian and Albanian conferences.