I am FINALLY caught up on my sleep!
Sorry about the lack of blogging, but for some reason my account would not let me log on overseas!
Tomorrow I plan on updating my blog day by day, but let me just tell you now this was by far the best two weeks of my life.
Words cannot describe the beautiful cities I visited and the people I met....
more tomorrow! :)
Monday, May 28, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Upon Arrival
I'll spare you the details of a first timer's luggage pickup and jet lag and just skip to the next week when I actually started to feel normal.
This trip was truly the trip of a lifetime. I wish I could fully explain everything that happened and everyone we met, but I would be here typing for a year. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. From the first flight seating to the wonderful hospitality we received; everything was perfect. Sure the trip had some ups and downs and it was a roller coaster for all of us, but I think we all learned a little something about how other places in the world are. Not to mention, we all learned more about ourselves.
All of the juniors on the trip have already made plans to go on Poland 2013 :)
This trip was truly the trip of a lifetime. I wish I could fully explain everything that happened and everyone we met, but I would be here typing for a year. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. From the first flight seating to the wonderful hospitality we received; everything was perfect. Sure the trip had some ups and downs and it was a roller coaster for all of us, but I think we all learned a little something about how other places in the world are. Not to mention, we all learned more about ourselves.
All of the juniors on the trip have already made plans to go on Poland 2013 :)
Saturday, May 26, 2012
The Last Goodbye
Saturday morning was hectic!! We had to pack everything for one last time and be waiting on the curb for our taxis!
We knew it would be quick to getting in our taxis so we tried to say goodbye before they arrived. Saying goodbye to the students that had been with us since the beginning was a hard thing to do. Without them, we would have been so lost in the city. They really had become our best friends.
While reminiscing and trying to stay happy, we were also trying to figure out how to pay the cab drivers. You see, we had all spent the rest of our money on food and souvenirs, and we were splitting cabs between two people. Luckily, we all figured it out and we all arrived without debt at the airport!
There, we waited for several hours until we could board our flight. We ate some food, played some card games, and anxiously awaited our plane.
Unlike the first time, we had no flight delays and everything worked out. We were on our first plane for about an hour and then we had to run to our second plane in Germany. Our layover was about 25 minutes long, but we had to run from one end to the other.
Needless to say, we all made it on the plane and buckled up for our nearly 10 hour flight home.
We knew it would be quick to getting in our taxis so we tried to say goodbye before they arrived. Saying goodbye to the students that had been with us since the beginning was a hard thing to do. Without them, we would have been so lost in the city. They really had become our best friends.
While reminiscing and trying to stay happy, we were also trying to figure out how to pay the cab drivers. You see, we had all spent the rest of our money on food and souvenirs, and we were splitting cabs between two people. Luckily, we all figured it out and we all arrived without debt at the airport!
There, we waited for several hours until we could board our flight. We ate some food, played some card games, and anxiously awaited our plane.
Unlike the first time, we had no flight delays and everything worked out. We were on our first plane for about an hour and then we had to run to our second plane in Germany. Our layover was about 25 minutes long, but we had to run from one end to the other.
Needless to say, we all made it on the plane and buckled up for our nearly 10 hour flight home.
Friday, May 25, 2012
A Morning of Tears
Friday was the dreaded day of departure...
We all knew it would happen, but it seemed to go by so quickly.
We woke up, finished packing, and before we knew it we had to be on the bus. There wasn't much time for long goodbyes so we hugged the few we wouldn't see anymore.
We took a bus to Wroclaw, where we would stay for the night and the next day. When we arrived, we had a wonderful Hostel waiting for us. It was cozy, comfy, and 6 of us girls shared a room. After settling in, we went around the city and looked for food. What we found along the way was much different then what we were expecting. There was all kinds of frames and stadiums being built in the town square. We later found out that that was all a part of the Euro 2012 games that would be happening soon. It was so neat to see all of the building happening right in the middle of everything.
We went to eat, and then we went off to explore. Wroclaw is known for gnomes. Apparently there are over 100 gnomes hiding across the city. I find that hard to believe due to the struggle I had just to find 10!
Here are some of the gnomes I was able to find:
Some gnomes were harder to see than others due to some of the streets being blocked off. In some pictures you can see the frames being built.
For the rest of the night, we enjoyed the free wifi, free TV, Foosball, tea, and snack and just relaxed. It was all a little bittersweet because we knew it was our last night in Poland.
We all knew it would happen, but it seemed to go by so quickly.
We woke up, finished packing, and before we knew it we had to be on the bus. There wasn't much time for long goodbyes so we hugged the few we wouldn't see anymore.
We took a bus to Wroclaw, where we would stay for the night and the next day. When we arrived, we had a wonderful Hostel waiting for us. It was cozy, comfy, and 6 of us girls shared a room. After settling in, we went around the city and looked for food. What we found along the way was much different then what we were expecting. There was all kinds of frames and stadiums being built in the town square. We later found out that that was all a part of the Euro 2012 games that would be happening soon. It was so neat to see all of the building happening right in the middle of everything.
We went to eat, and then we went off to explore. Wroclaw is known for gnomes. Apparently there are over 100 gnomes hiding across the city. I find that hard to believe due to the struggle I had just to find 10!
Here are some of the gnomes I was able to find:
For the rest of the night, we enjoyed the free wifi, free TV, Foosball, tea, and snack and just relaxed. It was all a little bittersweet because we knew it was our last night in Poland.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Student Take Over
Thursday morning our lecture was cancelled, so we didn't have to be up and ready until 1 pm for the student parade.
Somehow communication was lost, and our American group did not make it to the parade. We went to eat and then spent the rest of the day exploring the city. Of course we went to the mall for a bit, but then a few of us went by the river front and walked around. It was such a nice day out!
After we walked around for a bit, we decided to go start packing since this was our last night in Opole.
To celebrate the last night, we went out to dinner with the guides and the students to thank them for all that they had done for us.
Everyone was crying before 9 o'clock!
Somehow communication was lost, and our American group did not make it to the parade. We went to eat and then spent the rest of the day exploring the city. Of course we went to the mall for a bit, but then a few of us went by the river front and walked around. It was such a nice day out!
To celebrate the last night, we went out to dinner with the guides and the students to thank them for all that they had done for us.
Everyone was crying before 9 o'clock!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Visiting the Medical College
We found out Tuesday night that we would have a lecture on Wenesday morning to make up for one that was cancelled earlier on in the week. I was pretty excited because this lecture was prepared especially for us. The only downside? It was at 8:30 AM!!
Oh well. We were all up and ready and on time for the lecture. It was actually the most relevant lecture to my major as it talked a lot about public health and the P.E. Health Educator debate. Poland is going through the same ordeal that the U.S. is in regards to having certified school health educators teaching P.E. Even though I am a community health educator, I still see the importance of this issue. The lecture also touched on a few other key health issues like nutrition and fitness. It was a lecture good enough to keep us all up at 9 AM! :)
After the lecture, we ventured off the the medical college. It was a very pretty campus. Unlike the technical university, this campus had more greenery and bright red brick buildings. All of the buildings had a lot of windows which was really nice. After a tour and a brief presentation, we went off to an active rehabilitation class. Again, the name of the class was unfamiliar to us, so we didn't know what we would actually be doing.
We ended up walking into a class full of wheelchairs and we were introduced to a woman who was wheelchair bound herself. I am still not quite sure if she was a teacher or just a student/faculty member, but she taught us some of the most amazing skills. Not only did we learn how to do exercises, tricks and help others in wheelchairs, but we also learned of the everyday difficulties first hand. Some of us practiced falling over in wheelchairs, doing wheelies, and going up and down stairs. It is truly amazing to see what strength it takes to live in a wheelchair.
After the exercises we were able to play wheelchair basketball. I know I keep saying this about everything, but I honestly think this was my favorite activity. It was so much fun! I felt like I was really good at it, but looking back, I don't even think I made a shot! The experience of playing a sport we all know but taking away your mobility is an interesting sensation. The picture below is me trying to do a wheelie with a helper. I am literally wearing the face of true terror! The loss of balance was so scary!
This was the woman that taught us all of the tricks. There are also a few younger students that helped us. In this picture, Sebastian is practicing falling over and getting back up in the wheelchair.
This is one shot of wheelchair basketball. The most challenging part was wheeling yourself and keeping hold of the ball at the same time!
Oh well. We were all up and ready and on time for the lecture. It was actually the most relevant lecture to my major as it talked a lot about public health and the P.E. Health Educator debate. Poland is going through the same ordeal that the U.S. is in regards to having certified school health educators teaching P.E. Even though I am a community health educator, I still see the importance of this issue. The lecture also touched on a few other key health issues like nutrition and fitness. It was a lecture good enough to keep us all up at 9 AM! :)
After the lecture, we ventured off the the medical college. It was a very pretty campus. Unlike the technical university, this campus had more greenery and bright red brick buildings. All of the buildings had a lot of windows which was really nice. After a tour and a brief presentation, we went off to an active rehabilitation class. Again, the name of the class was unfamiliar to us, so we didn't know what we would actually be doing.
We ended up walking into a class full of wheelchairs and we were introduced to a woman who was wheelchair bound herself. I am still not quite sure if she was a teacher or just a student/faculty member, but she taught us some of the most amazing skills. Not only did we learn how to do exercises, tricks and help others in wheelchairs, but we also learned of the everyday difficulties first hand. Some of us practiced falling over in wheelchairs, doing wheelies, and going up and down stairs. It is truly amazing to see what strength it takes to live in a wheelchair.
After the exercises we were able to play wheelchair basketball. I know I keep saying this about everything, but I honestly think this was my favorite activity. It was so much fun! I felt like I was really good at it, but looking back, I don't even think I made a shot! The experience of playing a sport we all know but taking away your mobility is an interesting sensation. The picture below is me trying to do a wheelie with a helper. I am literally wearing the face of true terror! The loss of balance was so scary!
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
FENCINGGG!
OH MY GOSH TODAY WAS THE DAY WE GOT TO TRY FENCING!
I'm pretty sure this was the girls' favorite activity because we all wanted to be Lindsey Lohan from The Parent Trap. Sadly, only Natalie ended up being that good!
We all arrived at the fencing class and they were not messing around! We had to run a few laps for warm-ups and then do some more intense leg workouts. I sat out for about 10 minutes due to the pain in my leg. After the warmup, we began learning how to pose and move around in proper fencing ways. It was a lot harder than it looked! I thought most of the moves were free formed, but you really must think about what you are going to do before you do it! After a few practices, we watched two Polish students fence. After that, it was our turn. Natalie and Sebastian volunteered and the showdown started! To everyone's surprise, Natalie kicked Sebastian's butt! Normally Sebastian is good at EVERYTHING, so it was funny to see him lose! He really tried hard and fought well, but Natalie was just very good. I give a lot of props to both of them because I know I would not have done well at all.
The is the Polish teacher showing Sebastian how to hold his sword. The outfit for the sport looks a little uncomfortable, but it is very protective!
When we were done with our fencing class, it was time to try Goalball. This is a Polish sport for people with disabilities. When I saw this, I immediately thought of an injury or someone in a wheelchair. Instead, these sports were for those who were visually impaired!
Our first step in this lesson was an obstacle course. We had to do many normal tasks like walking on a balance beam, hula hooping, and a somersault without vision. Once this course was over, we had to run to people who were clapping without looking. This was scary because the people were standing close to walls and poles. The last step was to chase a ball that had bells in it and grab it as soon as possible. Tyler was my partner during the whole thing and he was great! I was so scared because I couldn't see but he was a great leader!
Even when she can't see, Brooke still manages to pose for the camera! :)
After these activities, we went to play the real Goalball sport. it was a big court, like a basketball court but there were lines that you couldn't cross. There was a defense line you couldn't cross which was about five feet away from the goals and there was a offense line you couldn't cross about three feet in front of the other line. It was hard to catch the ball because the other team would throw it so hard. The ball did have the bells in it so it helped us in hearing where it was.
Lastly, we went to the rehabilitation and tourist center in Kamien. This center was a beautiful spa like place with areas for massages, warm baths and other items to help with circulation, injuries and other issues with one's body. I found this center to be very relaxing and inviting.
Pictured above is a very cold pool that goes a little above the knees. It helps with blood circulation in the legs. It was shocking at first, but I really enjoyed being in the pool for a few minutes.
After the tour of the center, we had a BBQ in the forest behind it. It wasn't a traditional American BBQ of course, but it was delicious! I still can't believe the hospitality we witness in Poland. This whole meal was free for us and the experience will last a lifetime!
I'm pretty sure this was the girls' favorite activity because we all wanted to be Lindsey Lohan from The Parent Trap. Sadly, only Natalie ended up being that good!
We all arrived at the fencing class and they were not messing around! We had to run a few laps for warm-ups and then do some more intense leg workouts. I sat out for about 10 minutes due to the pain in my leg. After the warmup, we began learning how to pose and move around in proper fencing ways. It was a lot harder than it looked! I thought most of the moves were free formed, but you really must think about what you are going to do before you do it! After a few practices, we watched two Polish students fence. After that, it was our turn. Natalie and Sebastian volunteered and the showdown started! To everyone's surprise, Natalie kicked Sebastian's butt! Normally Sebastian is good at EVERYTHING, so it was funny to see him lose! He really tried hard and fought well, but Natalie was just very good. I give a lot of props to both of them because I know I would not have done well at all.
When we were done with our fencing class, it was time to try Goalball. This is a Polish sport for people with disabilities. When I saw this, I immediately thought of an injury or someone in a wheelchair. Instead, these sports were for those who were visually impaired!
Our first step in this lesson was an obstacle course. We had to do many normal tasks like walking on a balance beam, hula hooping, and a somersault without vision. Once this course was over, we had to run to people who were clapping without looking. This was scary because the people were standing close to walls and poles. The last step was to chase a ball that had bells in it and grab it as soon as possible. Tyler was my partner during the whole thing and he was great! I was so scared because I couldn't see but he was a great leader!
After these activities, we went to play the real Goalball sport. it was a big court, like a basketball court but there were lines that you couldn't cross. There was a defense line you couldn't cross which was about five feet away from the goals and there was a offense line you couldn't cross about three feet in front of the other line. It was hard to catch the ball because the other team would throw it so hard. The ball did have the bells in it so it helped us in hearing where it was.
Lastly, we went to the rehabilitation and tourist center in Kamien. This center was a beautiful spa like place with areas for massages, warm baths and other items to help with circulation, injuries and other issues with one's body. I found this center to be very relaxing and inviting.
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