LTT in Tychy

Project Meeting in Tychy, Poland

From the 10th May till 15th May 2022 we had the pleasure of hosting a Learning Teaching Training Activities Meeting in our School. It was amazing how quickly the week had passed…

On the first day of LTT in Tychy (Poland) the project partners visited the host school – Szkoła Podstawowa nr 14 z Oddziałami Dwujęzycznymi im. Armii Krajowej w Tychach. In accordance with Polish custom they were welcomed with bread and salt by the host pupils dressed in their national costumes. Then, the Erasmus+ delegations were welcomed by the head teacher and the school dance group, dressed in their national costumes, presented a traditional Polish dance – the Polonaise. Then it was time for sport – the students played football, basketball and volleyball in international teams alongside their Polish hosts. Afterwards, the guests visited the pride and joy of the school, the beautiful school garden, and then the on-site 1939 September Museum. The guests admired the exahibits, including weapons and uniforms, and the school’s vice headteacher told them many interesting facts about the partitioning of Poland and the German-Russian occupation. After lunch, the guests visited a traditional Polish farm, where they learned from the landlord about the old peasant way of life. There was a lot of work, including learning how to churn butter, make cottage cheese and bake traditional Polish bread. When the work was done, the participants ate homemade bread with lard, honey and homemade churned butter. The eventful evening ended with a bonfire and sausage roasting.

On the second day the participants of the project meeting went to Zabrze, one of the most famous mining towns in Silesia, where in the “Guido” Coal Mine they went down a shaft 320 metres below the surface and learned about the history of coal mining in Silesia.

After a traditional Silesian lunch, there was a project workshop in the Botanical Garden, where students, divided into international teams, had to complete project worksheets. The evening ended with a dinner, during which almost only English could be heard from the students’ tables, as international friendships began to form between the students.

On the third day of our meeting, the guests went to Ojców National Park, where they marvelled at the beauty of unspoilt nature. A guide told them many interesting facts about the flora and fauna living in the park. The participants also visited the Dark Cave and had a photo session at Hercules’s Club. At the end of the long trip they had a traditional Polish lunch in the park’s outdoor restaurant. On the way to Tychy, they stopped at the Błędowska Desert, undoubtedly one of the most interesting natural formations in Poland and the largest desert in Europe.

The fourth day of the meeting in Tychy within the Erasmus+ project had a very rich programme. After breakfast the group visited the Polish Bison Enclosure and the Open Air Museum of the Silesian Village in Pszczyna, where the guide introduced the participants to many interesting facts about life in the Silesian village. After lunch, the participants went to the picturesque town of Pszczyna, where after visiting the Palace and park, there was time to relax and have an ice cream in the town square.

In the afternoon the guests saw the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp from the outside. The shocking sight of the rails passing through the gates of the death camp, disappearing into infinity, reminded everyone that for many people this was their last stop…..

On the last evening of the project meeting there was a special dinner and the presentation of diplomas, followed by a farewell dance evening.

The pupils who took part in the project learnt a lot, not only English, but also history and culture, and above all they formed life-long friendships. The Erasmus+ project has opened up the world to them, allowed them to meet students from other countries and cultures, and become more open to other people and cultures.