Far from home

Studying abroad is, on the one hand, a great opportunity and adventure, but on the other hand, it is quite a challenge - especially if the university is located far from home. The turn of December and January is a time for us to joyfully celebrate with family and friends, rest from work and study. We talked to people who are thousands of kilometres away from home about how our traditions are perceived by foreign students and PhD students studying at the Silesian University of Technology and how they feel in our country, especially during the Christmas and New Year period.

Loneliness is not easy

The vast majority of students, doctoral students, and foreign researchers who are associated with the Silesian University of Technology will spend Christmas and New Year away from their family home and loved ones. In most cases, this is due to lengthy official formalities related to their stay in Poland, but the main problem is the long and expensive trip.

– Airline ticket prices are up to three times more expensive during this period, we cannot afford them – says Muhammad Fawad, a PhD student at the Silesian University of Technology, who comes from Sargodha in Pakistan, a city that is over 7,000 kilometres away from Gliwice. Muhammad will spend his fourth winter in Poland. – I have many Polish friends, but during the Christmas and New Year period they are rather unavailable, they go away or celebrate with their families. It's a hard time for us foreigners, we feel isolated, everything is closed. Plus this weather... Even if we wanted to visit Poland or neighbouring countries, it is terribly cold. In the region I come from, the summer temperature reaches up to 50 degrees Celsius, he adds.

– I miss my family very much, especially during this period when the University is closed for 2 weeks – says Zhengqi Li from Chengdu, China, who has started her second year of studies at the Silesian University of Technology as part of the European Institute of Yanshan University. – Even though I already have friends and acquaintances in Poland, sometimes I feel like I'm completely alone here. It was especially hard for me in February when my family sent me videos of them celebrating Chinese New Year - it's a big holiday for us. It is completely different in Poland - last year I was surprised by fireworks and New Year's Eve parties, I read about it on the Internet that this is the custom. I spent last year's New Year's Eve in a small group in the dormitory, adds Zhengqi.

– That's why we foreigners stick together – explains Muhammad. – I am in a better situation than most, because my wife also studies in Poland, but I do not forget about my friends from Pakistan, whom I met during my doctoral studies at the Silesian University of Technology. We have created a family here, we spend time together, we often cook together.

Through the stomach to the heart

Hamza Mumtaz and Shakir Ul-Azam meet with Muhammad in the evenings in the kitchen at the Assistant's House and prepare their favourite dishes together. – Polish culture is completely different for us – says Hamza. – For us, the difference is just going to neighbouring India, let alone moving from Asia to Europe. Pakistan is huge, it has over 230 million inhabitants, the three of us come from different parts of the country, we speak completely different languages, but what we have in common is that we like spending

time with people. – The biggest difference for us is that in Poland people participate less in the lives of others – adds Muhammad. – Everyone works, returns to their families and stays at home. Back at home everything is open, even in the middle of the night, people often visit and meet each other, that's what we miss.

– We feel isolated, also due to the language barrier. It affects everything - establishing relationships, everyday communication, for example in stores - says Shakir Ul-Azam. – We are often frustrated by this. Although we are already used to it, and I really like living here - he adds with a smile. – The language barrier also affects academic life – emphasizes Muhammad. – There are more and more students and PhD students from abroad at the Silesian University of Technology, but we do not have a representative in the Student Government. It's a pity, because we want to be more involved in the life of the University.

– We would also like to make friends with Poles, because they are nice, but there is no opportunity to do so, we do not have classes with them – says Zhaohui Chen from China, who has been studying in Poland only since October this year. – We only see them during physical education classes. Our large group of students from Yanshan know each other because we studied together for the first year in China, but I would be happy if there were more opportunities to integrate with students from other countries. – I live in the Ziemowit Student House – says Bochen Chu, who has also been living in Gliwice for a short time. – I love cooking, and many people look at what I do and are impressed. – He is a really great cook – praises his colleague Boy Guo. – I can't cook at all, so I miss Chinese food terribly, especially my mother's. – In the House, we connected with other students through the kitchen and thanks to this our friendship is developing – laughs Bochen Chu. – Poles look over my shoulder and ask what I'm preparing. We could cook together - they gave us Polish dishes and I gave them Chinese. It would definitely deepen our relationship.