Integration Games

The Integration week wasn't only about speech, speech and speech but also lots and lots of interesting social activities which were included in the programme that was made for us by the ESN (Erasmus Student Network) at the University of Economics in Katowice. One of the event was the City Rally game which is quite similar to the popular reality tv game show "Amazing Race":D.  

Exchange students ready to storm the city of Katowice :)

The City Rally game was very interesting and it helped me to get familiar with my new environment by knowing very basic but important points in the city such as; the market square, the information point, church, theatre, book store, kiosk (place to buy bus and tram tickets) and many more...

We marched on!!! :D

The joy about this day was that it was a SUNNY DAY :D  

Waiting for a tram to convey us to the city centre ;)

Making of teams :)

A team trying to figure what the task says.

Happy people, Happy team!!!

Task point!

Ooo, she just figured out the answer!!! :D

A good Samaritan giving them description....Lucky guys!!! :)

What next?

The day was very interesting:) but also very exhausting:(. Nevertheless, we were not far from having lunch at one of the city's cherished attraction site, Rondo Katowice.

Katowice Rondo

We were all tired when we arrived at the Rondo, where we had our lunch.

Fatigue sets in :(

We were all exhausted :(

The Integration week - Part 2

The week started as usual with all protocols duly observed. We were welcomed by the Vice-Rector for educational affairs Prof. UE dr hab. Wojciech Dyduch. 

The Vice rector giving his welcome speech.

And many other important personnels representing their various departments informed us about all issues concerning our stay and study in Katowice.

My guardian angel :D (Szymon)
Ps. He's the current President of the Erasmus Student Network

Students listening attentively

New faces :)

Meeting new people ;)

After the long day of listening to speech, speech and speech the University compensated us with a scrumptious meal at the Longman pub where we had our first integration dinner ;). 

Dinner time! :)

Enjoy your meal people ;)

Oops! The Paparazzis caught me again ^_^

Happy people :D

Then the night ended on a very good note with dancing, drinking and dancing! ;)

 

The Integration Week - Part 1

They call it mingling, I call it getting rich. Truly, we all want to be rich with money in our pockets or rather in our safe houses...But I have chosen more which is to be rich with people. For me, the integration week is just the time to start investing on true wealth called friendship.

Friendship found in the Poles, French people, Spaniards, Germans, Portuguese, Colombians, Taiwanese, and many more is just another reason to enjoy the beauty of life.

    

Making good contacts for the future is guaranteed in the midst of 81 other exchange students. I am very happy to be part of such a wonderful life time experience in Katowice. Thanks to ERASMUS :D. 

Me in my ERASMUS T.Shirt courtesy of the University of Economics in Katowice.

 

In the hands of an Angel

Tiredness sets in after my long-haul train to Katowice. But getting to my rented flat was very easy with the help of my "guardian angel" who in this case is in a human form named Szymon Starzynski. I have had many previous contacts with Szymon before my arrival and I know what his voice sounds like on phone but I was also curious to see what he looks like. I added him as a friend on Facebook to have a sneak peak of his pictures and to learn a little about him. 

me and Szymon (Simon)

Therefore recognising each other at the Railway Station wasn't a challenging task. Szymon was patiently waiting at the lobby with a big smile :D and we exchange pleasantries like we have known each other for so long. The first impression was very good and we connected right way. Truly he seemed like a guardian angel but this time sent by the University of Economics in Katowice.

Szymon helped me get to my flat as quickly as possible and thereafter told me a little about the upcoming integration week because all I wanted then was to have a warm bath and a cosy bed to lay my head to rest |-).

You can only get in it to know how cosy it is :D

Cheap flight but expensive time.

My flight to Poland.

I am just like you, I will always try to get my cost as low as possible and comfort manageable. Anxiety played a big role on my choice of arrival date in Poland. I arrived to Poland on 01.09.2010 via the international airport in Gdansk on one of the "student low cost friendly flight" Wizzair aircraft. Although it only took me a journey of 1hour 30mins to fly from Finland to Poland, I still had a long way to go.

While the plane was about to land at the Gdansk airport, luckily I was sitting next to the window and the first thing I saw was a high rise building with my favourite number (7) boldly written on it. From that moment I knew that my choice of Poland as the next culture to explore is next to perfectness if not perfect. Eventually, we landed safely and I proceeded to the baggage pick up to get my luggage, in no time I picked up my luggage and walked in the direction of the bus stop to get a bus going to the central railway station.

The polish generosity started from the point of entering the bus, I know you will ask why? Don't worry I will explain, the situation was that I was on a long queue to get on the bus going to the city centre when it got to a point that the bus was full , no free seat, lots of people standing and the funniest thing for me was that the bus driver ran out of ticket sales. 

The driver noticed that we were only five persons left on the queue, and then he asked the people standing on the bus to try create some space for five more people and which they happily did. The driver took us on the bus free of charge to the city centre and the good thing for me was that I didn’t have to miss the train going to Katowice.

Waiting for my train at Gdańsk Railway Station.

Then the polish reality began to unveil itself little by little with my 10 hours train to Katowice having a delay for some minutes. But nevertheless, I have been able to stop by at the nearest KFC outlet to get some snacks for the long trip to Katowice. Not only did I base my choice of journey to Poland on cheap flights but I also wanted to experience the beauty of Poland from its northern region to the southern part.

My thoughts have been made real.

On this faithful day at my University (Savonia University of Applied Sciences Varkaus, Finland) the gradual process of applying for an Exchange programme began with a step from me, by writing an open application letter for an Erasmus study exchange programme, but where (in which country)? The choice is not so far from my knowledge. At my University, I have always being a host of many new faces from different parts of the world. It's so easy to say "Welcome" and not so long to say "Goodbye".... But still the memories last forever.

But there was this set of Erasmus exchange student with their individual spontaneity, from eight different countries arrived at my university. Little did we know that this set of exchange group was going to leave behind a large mark at our University and in our lives. But out of many nationalities, one stood out with its warm hospitality, extremely friendly attitude, care for others, leadership, jovial nature, and many more qualities in this individuals who are great ambassadors of their beautiful country POLAND.

The little experience I had with just two separate individuals prompted me to go all out for a lifetime adventure in this Central European country that shares its borders with 7 other magnificent countries. The story continues after I have been selected as one of the students to study at the then known as; Karol Adamiecki University of Economics in Katowice for the winter semester 2010. I became really anxious of knowing more about the University by searching every crane and corner of YouTube, Picasa, Facebook and so on, just to see what my selected choice of University has to offer me.

If you think I was disappointed after seeing this video, please think again! And see for yourselves. I saw joyous faces, fulfilled smiles, interesting trips, amazing tram party, comments about the famous Kwadraty student club, a video of united people chanting "Kato kato KA-TO-WICE", I saw the creation of a big happy family brought together by the now known as; University of Economics in Katowice.

After seeing all this, my morale and expectations got boosted immensely. I just couldn't wait till the beginning of a new academic year for my thoughts to be made real.