School Visit at Primary School in Myczków

One of the most exciting activities in my daily life as an INPRO volunteer is definitely school visits. Visiting schools not only in Rzeszów but throughout Podkarpackie with fellow volunteers adds variety, fun, and adventure to our year-long project. My visit to Primary School in Myczków with Gaia was one of the most memorable experiences.

I had high expectations for visiting a Polish village in the mountains for the first time, but reality surpassed them.

Our journey began on a Sunday. There’s no direct public transport from Rzeszów to Myczków, so we had to change buses in Sanok. The travel time, especially for someone prone to car sickness like me, was tiring. Thankfully, after six hours on the road, we reached our destination.

Teacher Anna welcomed us warmly. After resting a bit in our hotel room, she showed us around. In the evening, Anna invited us with some students from the school for dinner at a local restaurant. The atmosphere was friendly and welcoming, and despite spending just a few hours there, we already felt comfortable with the people and environment.

On Monday morning, we went to school. First, students surprised us with a school tour. Despite its size, Primary School in Myczków is one of the most impressive schools I’ve seen in Poland. It boasts advanced laboratory equipment, modern classrooms, designated play areas for different age groups, green spaces with plants, and student art exhibitions displayed in almost every corner.

The students’ excitement to host us was contagious. After the tour, we met with the school director and other teachers before starting our workshops with the classes. Gaia and I tailored various activities based on the student’s interests and ages.

Younger students loved learning English with Paddington Bear, especially the part where they used their imagination and creativity to paint a friend for Paddington, complete with a unique name and superpower. With older students, we covered topics like interpersonal communication, self-reflection, and understanding. They worked in groups, analysing cases and participating in interactive performances and story creation. Most importantly, they were eager to learn more about us and our countries.

Spain, a popular country worldwide, was Gaia’s area of expertise. She shared some interesting facts about her homeland, starting with the Macarena dance and ending with a good-natured debate about whether Barcelona or Real Madrid is the best football team. This then led to the introduction of Georgia, a country whose only familiarity to the students was its name and location occasionally.

As a Georgian, I’m always excited to share my culture with a wider audience. I showed them the unique letters of the Georgian alphabet and playfully challenged them with pronunciations like “Vbrtskvni.” One of the most rewarding moments was when the group answered all the quiz questions correctly at the end of my presentation and still had more questions to ask.

During our visit to Primary School in Myczków, we had six classes every day, but we wished we had more time to do more activities together. We bonded easily with everyone. The younger children painted lovely pictures for us and even gave us heartwarming hugs after class. Luckily for Gaia, who’s a huge football fan and a skilled player herself, we were invited to join their PE class. The full-sized, well-equipped stadium was a 15-minute walk from the school, and the sunny weather was perfect. While I enjoyed observing the scene, Gaia had a blast playing football with the boys.

The entire school took excellent care of us. The breakfast and lunch at the school cafeteria were delicious, and Teacher Anna accompanied us everywhere we needed to go.

During our free time, Gaia and I explored the villages around Myczkow. As dedicated walkers who aim for 10,000 steps daily, doubling that wasn’t a challenge. We spent time walking on every hill, relaxing by the blue lake, and discovering another side of Poland, all while capturing the experience with our cameras. It’s a memory I’ll cherish for a long time.

Saying goodbye to the students and our wonderful Teacher Anna was difficult, but we returned to Rzeszów with a heart full of positive emotions and the hope of one day revisiting the friends we made there.

Until then,

Best wishes,

Mariami