At the end of September, my semester abroad at the Kozminski University in Warsaw started. Fortunately, in the first weeks of October, Poland had a very low number of Corona cases, and I enjoyed activities like going to the restaurant, the museum, visit a lot of public places in Warsaw, and getting a feeling for the city. During that time, I met many people, and we were still in touch after everything closed down again. Talking to people from all over the world was the most inspiring experience of the whole Erasmus-Semester. I’ve collected many new insights, meanings, and fascinating stories from nearly 20 different nations. The circumstances are very difficult in many countries, and to hear personal stories about that, reminds you to be even more thankful for all the little things in life. The international network is the major benefit of my time abroad.
Warsaw itself is a beautiful city with a dramatic history. Around 80-90% of the town were destroyed after world war II. The stories about the Jewish ghetto or the Warsaw uprising in 1944 are terrible. The city is a mixture of a restored old town, buildings from the Soviet Union, and new modern skyscrapers. I was surprised about the current payment possibilities. Even in the church, you can donate via card.
I had good professors and interesting lectures; unfortunately, I only went a few times to the campus of Akademia Leona Koźmińskiego.
Why Poland? That was a very often asked question. I haven’t been to this country before. I traveled through a few cities, and I’m really excited about this country and all the beautiful places I have seen. My favorite one is Gdansk. It’s on the Baltic sea and has a great town square. I recommend Poland; or Warsaw for city trips to spend a few days there.
Of course, the Covid-19 Pandemic brought a lot of uncertainty, and not everything went according to plan, but I had an amazing time there, and the coronavirus hadn’t really negatively influenced my time in Warsaw. Maybe it was the result of the restrictive times due to COVID that I created a strong relationship with a few of other ERASMUS-students, which will hopefully be part of my life for a long time. Success in your studies and seeing beautiful spots are nice, but it’s always the people around you who create memorable moments.
Dziękuje Warszawa!
Florian Dünstl
Personal impressions from Warshaw by Florian Dünstl
Photo: Florian Dünstl
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