International Easter Meeting
Decorating Easter eggs and preparing an Easter basket is a common tradition for us, but for many people from abroad studying at our University it is exotic. Foreign Languages Centre once again organized a cyclical Easter meeting to familiarize them with our customs, and at the same time to consolidate some phrases in Polish, which they are diligently learning.
More than 100 students and doctoral students from practically all over the world met in the Spirala Student Club. Some of them had contact with Polish Easter traditions and customs for the first time, some pointed out that Easter is celebrated in a completely different way in their home countries.
– I heard something about this tradition before I came to Poland, but only now can I get to know it. In my country, we celebrate Easter, but we don't decorate eggs, we don't prepare Easter baskets - said a student from Ghana. - It's a great meeting, we can talk to other students from abroad and have a great time, it's my first time decorating eggs - added a student from Kazakhstan.
In addition to workshops on painting Easter eggs and preparing Easter eggs, conducted by Polish language teachers from the Foreign Languages Centre, the guests of the International Easter Meeting could also test their knowledge of Polish Easter customs in a specially prepared quiz with prizes. There were also Easter dishes and everyone had the opportunity to try traditional sour rye soup, salads or cheesecake.
- Easter is a very joyful time, we want to share this joy with our foreign students, and for them it is an opportunity to learn some exotic customs or try exotic dishes, because dishes that are something quite common to us may turn out to be something special for them and completely unexpected, said prof. dr hab. Eng. Arkadiusz Mężyk, Rector of the Silesian University of Technology. - We are glad that the representation of students, doctoral students and employees from abroad is growing year by year - added the Rector.
The meeting was not only an opportunity to have fun but also to learn Polish.
- Such an event is an added value to our work - said Maria Nowicka, a Polish language teacher - we bring students closer to our culture, and at the same time we introduce language elements in such an unobvious way and we see that students love our events.
- Learning is not only sitting in the classroom, but also integration, exchange of experiences, we want our foreigners not only to live in their own circles, but also to see that people from all over the world study in such a nice place as ours - added Mariusz Starak, deputy director of the Foreign Languages Centre of the Silesian University of Technology.
The meeting was organized by the Foreign Languages Centre. Study Service Centre, International Relations Office - International Mobility Office.
