Marifu Kosuge (Japan) and Anna Pokorska (Ukraine) came to Poland as part of the “Friends” project, run by the student organization AIESEC. They stayed in Bolesławiec for six days. They told ZSOiZ students about the culture and customs of their countries and led workshops and discussions.
“The students were very eager to take part in the activities,” says Magdalena Zeszutek, a teacher at ZSOiZ. “Thanks to this project, our students had the opportunity to talk to people who speak English with different, sometimes difficult, accents.”
“This is my first time in Poland,” Marifu told the IstotneInformacje.pl portal. “Your architecture is completely different from ours, but I like it very much nonetheless. I was particularly delighted by Bolesławiec’s market square. It is beautiful, especially at night.”
The Japanese student stayed with Klaudia Szymska, a first-year student at the Hotel Management Technical School. This was no coincidence. “I have been interested in Japanese culture for years,” says Klaudia. “When I was in the sixth grade of primary school, my friends introduced me to manga. In middle school, I decided to start learning Japanese. One of my biggest dreams is to go to Japan,” she adds.
Klaudia and Marifu communicated in English, Japanese and... Polish (the Japanese student handles the tongue twister “stół z powyłamywanymi nogami” very well). “Poles are very warm and friendly,” Marifu emphasizes. “During these few days, I felt like a member of the family.”
Anna feels similarly. “Poles are extremely hospitable, and I did not expect that,” she notes. “I like the fact that you cultivate your traditions and try to learn at least two foreign languages.”
ZSOiZ has been cooperating with AIESEC for three years. “So far, students from India, Brazil and Mexico have visited our school,” lists Laura Słocka-Przydróżna, headteacher of ZSOiZ. This year, besides Marifu and Anna, a Vietnamese student was also supposed to visit Bolesławiec. Unfortunately, she fell ill.
The school’s students greatly value cooperation with AIESEC. “They look forward to classes with students from abroad. They even ask when the next guests will arrive,” Laura Słocka-Przydróżna says with a smile. “Thanks to the ‘Friends’ project, our students can see with their own eyes that the world is open to young people. And the way our students participate in classes conducted in English is proof to me that our teaching methods are effective.”
(information ii)