June is a hot month in many ways – the end of the school year, the culmination of a year-long effort of acquiring knowledge, resulting in promotion to the next grade, the beginning of summer, and planning well-deserved rest. At Tischner, we turned up the heat even more – from June 13-18, we hosted the partners of the Generations Cycling 4 Inclusion & Climate Action project. Guests from Spain, Portugal, and Ireland visited us to see our country and achieve the project’s goals, this time together, on Polish soil.
What did we show our project partners? The choice was not easy, as we have much to offer. We decided to tour Krakow and the Wieliczka Salt Mine, which consistently amaze foreign tourists. We also visited the Silesian Museum to give our foreign friends insight into the history of Silesia, facilitating a better understanding of us, the Silesians. The Łężczok Nature Reserve was another place that delights with its variety of plant and bird species, and the workshops we prepared for this occasion allowed our guests to appreciate the unique character of this place.
Promoting cycling is one of the goals of our project, so we couldn’t miss the opportunity to use this means of transport during our partners’ visit. To show them the beauty of the Wodzisław region, we visited the Balaton center by bike, where the youth integrated into international teams while participating in a field game. We then cycled to Marklowice, where we relaxed near the Orka pond, walking in the forest, cycling around the area, and tasting Silesian dishes that our guests found very much to their liking. It should be noted that during the tasting, we were also visited by collaborating housewives from Marklowice, who, dressed in beautiful traditional costumes, served Silesian delicacies and sang a few songs, showcasing the richness of our customs.
The last day was by no means slow-paced – we decided to spend it actively kayaking the meanders of the Oder River. What a sight it was to see seventy people kayaking the almost eight-kilometer stretch of the Oder, enjoying the sun, each other’s company, and admiring the natural beauty of the area. We summarized our guests’ stay in Poland with a formal certificate presentation, confirming their participation in the visit, and a less official ceremony of being “knighted” as Poles, during which, after passing several challenging trials, they were given Polish names. The youth had great fun singing and dancing together. It was hard to say goodbye.
And what about the students who hosted their foreign peers? When asked to summarize the visit, they said:
“Having our Erasmus partners here was a great opportunity to reunite with our friends from different parts of Europe. We all had a great time and can’t wait for the next trips!” – Natalia
“I will definitely remember the evenings when my friend from Spain taught me card games she plays with her grandmother. These were: ‘Chimichurri / Tximitxurri’ and ‘La Sota Blanca.’ I will miss the times when we sat in the room with my 11-year-old brother and learned languages: Polish, Spanish, and of course, Silesian.” – Lena
“I will especially remember Balaton – the integration game filled with puzzles and laughter.” – Julia
“Erasmus+ in Poland was exceptional! I am grateful for the opportunity to meet people I had met before from other countries, as well as to make new acquaintances. I heard a lot of positive opinions about our country and the organization of the visit in Poland. This project was extremely important to me, and I will always remember it fondly!” – Hania
