Wandering fairy play or language practice in Poland
Krakow coffee, churches, medieval castles and communicating with polish people …
Holidays in Poland is the best opportunity to combine pleasant with useful…
The beginning of winter holidays is not a reason to relax, when you are young. It is the best time to continue the process of self-education and to make sure to use all your university knowledge practically. First of all, it concerns learning foreign languages. Any country in the world opens its borders for the tourists who would like to learn more about its cultural and traditional life, especially in winter period. So we, the students of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, have decided to go to Poland. We decided to visit the country because of language practice and from the other side we wanted to see the country during New Years’ and Christmas celebrations and its life style. The organizer and our group guide was the lecturer of Polish language in Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Mariia Andriivna Kalamazh.
The effect of this language practice was unbelievable. We have forgotten Ukrainian for approximately 10 days and used it only when we spoke with our friends. But I would like to mention, that our students showed themselves very good as to their language level. Despite the different language levels: from beginner till advanced speaker, the students overcome this barrier and felt themselves very comfortably within the language environment. We spoke polish not only in coffee houses, but in cashiers’ offices on railway stations, with the museum personnel and with the people on the streets. Some of them told us, that our polish was pretty good as for the foreign students. Despite the opportunity of Russian or Ukrainian tourist guide, we heard the excursions only in Polish, for example, in Wieliczka Salt Mines, in Wawel and some other places. It was a great language practice!
The impressions of the country were fabulous. First of all, we were pleasantly surprised by the price policy of foodservices. In the second place, it was the culture of Polish people. I mean now the tidiness. Nice, clean streets and impressive architecture of an ancient city of Krakow were just admirable. It is important to mention friendliness of local population and tolerance to foreigners. We felt ourselves in safety and comfort in this unfamiliar country, as we knew, that this people were always ready to help. In such a way we found main building of the Jagiellonian University with the help of passersby on the street (although there were signs on every street, if anybody could get lost). We were pleasantly surprised, that employees of institutions were so kind and made a tour within this building for us.
As to the border crossing our group had no problems. Everything has happened very quickly and without a big line on the customs office.
In general, to describe all my impressions in full, I should write the daily chronicle, because the greatness of Tatra Mountains, the snow covered Krakow and its evening romantic will impress everybody. Poland will stay forever in our hearts.
I would like to say thanks to Rafal Voloskyi, the Head of Polish Consulate in Kyiv for excellent work organization of the institution and his contribution in visa processing for our group. We also want to gratitude Victor Fedorovych Kolesnyk, the Dean of Historical Faculty of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv for his allowance to past examination test period ahead of schedule, which was extremely important for our journey.
***
The shade of night falls on the city,
The wonders will start soon,
Krakow will open them for you,
Whether you want it or not,
Lanterns will fill with its light
All streets, parks and bridges,
The stars will hang above us
To lead to Vistula,
On your way you will come into coffee house
And the coffee will warm you,
And then you will realize,
That all of you crossed the border not useless
Because the city never sleeps
And it will keep you in its memories
And even now, every minute
Authoress – the second year student of Historical faculty,
Berestovska Juliia
