Bridging Cultures: My Journey of School Visits in Podkarpackie

Hello! My name is Torben, I’m from Germany and am currently living and working in Rzeszów, Poland as a volunteer. One of my main tasks here at INPRO is conducting the school visits we prepare for many schools in and around Rzeszow.

But what are these School Visits? Good, that you ask, because I am here to tell you!

Why are we conducting these school visits?

Our school visits have a primary goal: to foster cultural exchange and broaden young people’s knowledge, helping them understand the diverse world they live in. As our world becomes increasingly interconnected through social media, globalisation, and politics, we are exposed to more cultures and perspectives. Yet, stereotypes and prejudices persist.

We aim to change that. By promoting understanding and empathy, we hope to support each student’s personal growth and contribute, in a small but meaningful way, to a more united European Union.

What are we doing during these school visits?

In the early morning, our team—usually a group of three volunteers—wakes up and leaves our shared apartment. Sometimes the school is within walking distance, while other times we need to take a bus. Either way, our priority is to arrive on time.

Once we’re at the school, we present several sessions, each lasting the length of a standard class period. Most presentations are about our home country, but we also offer workshops on interesting cultural topics and practical skills.

Sometimes we work with the same class for multiple sessions, while other times our groups change with each lesson. Some days, each of us has a full schedule with a class every hour; on other days, we have a single session and wait until it’s our turn to present.

What can be difficult during the school visits?

The biggest challenges often arise outside of school. As you might imagine, navigating Polish public transportation as three foreigners can be tricky! Fortunately, we’ve managed to arrive on time every day so far, and we hope that continues.

Inside the school, other challenges can make presentations more complex. For instance, students are often shy and hesitant to engage with us. To overcome this, we start with quick energizers and present our material with open questions to encourage everyone to participate.

Another challenge is the strain on our voices after delivering up to six presentations in a row without a break. After just a few school visits, I’ve gained a deep respect for teachers who manage this every day!

What are the best things about school visits?

After reading the last paragraph, you might wonder: why do we do this if it comes with so many challenges?

First, none of these difficulties are deal-breakers. Yes, they can make our work harder, but they also make it more interesting. If everything went smoothly, it might actually become boring quite quickly.

The best part of school visits is the chance to work with young students. Engaging with teenagers and children is incredibly rewarding because they bring a unique perspective. After each presentation, I often find that I’ve learned something new as well.

Seeing the curiosity in students’ eyes as they wait for us to begin makes each visit worthwhile. Knowing that our work serves a meaningful purpose is also deeply rewarding.

This was a brief article about our school visits. Thank you for your interest, and if you’re a teacher interested in hosting us at your school, please feel free to reach out!