LTT in TYCHY (POLAND) 10th - 15th May 2022

From the 10th May till 15th May 2022 we had the pleasure of enjoying our third LTT in Tychy (Poland).

In accordance with Polish custom, we were welcomed with bread and salt by the host pupils dressed in their national costumes. Then, the Erasmus+ delegations were welcomed by the head teacher and the school dance group, dressed in their national costumes, presented a traditional Polish dance - the Polonaise. Afterwards, we visited the beautiful school garden, and then the on-site 1939 September Museum. The guests admired the exhibits, including weapons and uniforms, and the school’s vice headteacher told them many interesting facts about the partitioning of Poland and the German-Russian occupation.

After lunch, the guests visited a traditional Polish farm, where they learned  about the old peasant way of life. There was a lot of work, including learning how to churn butter, make cottage cheese and bake traditional Polish bread. 

On the second day the participants of the project meeting went to Zabrze, one of the most famous mining towns in Silesia, where in the “Guido” Coal Mine they went down a shaft 320 metres below the surface and learned about the history of coal mining in Silesia.

After that, we headed for the Botanical Garden, where students, divided into international teams, had to complete project worksheets. 

On the third day of our meeting, we went to Ojców National Park, where they marvelled at the beauty of unspoilt nature. A guide told them many interesting facts about the flora and fauna living in the park. The participants also visited the Dark Cave and had a photo session at Hercules’s Club.  On the way to Tychy, they stopped at the Błędowska Desert, undoubtedly one of the most interesting natural formations in Poland which features the largest accumulation of loose sand in an inland area in Europe.

On the fourth day the group visited the Polish Bison Enclosure and the Open Air Museum of the Silesian Village in Pszczyna, where the guide introduced the participants to many interesting facts about life in the Silesian village. After lunch, the participants went to the picturesque town of Pszczyna, where after visiting the Palace and park, there was time to relax and have an ice cream in the town square.

In the afternoon we saw the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp from the outside. It really was a shocking sight and we all listened to the Polish coordinator, Michał Nowak, in silence and absolute respect.

On the last evening of the project meeting there was a special dinner and the presentation of diplomas, followed by a farewell dance evening.

The pupils who took part in the project learnt a lot, not only English, but also history and culture, and above all they formed life-long friendships. The Erasmus+ project has opened up the world to them, allowed them to meet students from other countries and cultures, and become more open to other people and cultures.