Our volunteers, Emma from Italy and Eve from France, recently spent two days at the Technical and Artistic School Complex in Lesko. The school invited them to run workshops for students and took care of all the logistics: accommodation, meals, and travel reimbursement.
Visits like this are a good reminder of why it's worth taking our activities beyond Rzeszów. In smaller towns, meetings tend to have a different dynamic: more direct, more relaxed, and rooted in genuine curiosity about other people.
From the first day, the welcome was warm. The girls were shown around the school by students, got to meet the teachers, explore the classrooms and workshops, and see what everyday school life in Lesko actually looks like. The surroundings did their part too: a quiet pace, plenty of green, and a completely different atmosphere from the one we know in Rzeszów.
Over two days, Emma and Eve ran sessions in nine classes. They talked about Italy and France, cultural differences, their own experiences as volunteers in Poland, and about Eurodesk and the opportunities available to young people across Europe. Students asked questions, shared their thoughts, and were happy to join in the conversation. That's what made the sessions feel like a real exchange rather than just a presentation.
There was also time for less formal moments: a coffee break with the teachers, cake baked by the students, a traditional Polish lunch, and a walk around Lesko. It's in exactly these situations that you can see most clearly that intercultural education doesn't only happen during workshops — it happens at the table, in the hallway, and in ordinary conversations.
Thank you to the Technical and Artistic School Complex in Lesko for the warm welcome, openness, and enthusiasm. We're glad our volunteers had the chance to visit and show students that European opportunities are closer than they might think.
Two Countries, One School, and a Lot of Cake
