Why did I choose higher education and life in Poland?

Hi, you know me as @pazynight on Instagram, Kemi pazyNIGHT on YouTube, but in the real world I am Pazynich Camilla, Ukrainian, professional dancer, blogger, pianist, and also a student of the Vincent Pol University in Lublin (VPU).

Why did I choose higher education, and respectively, life in Poland? I would not dare to go and study in a country which location I could not even imagine on the map of the world. The choice went in 3 stages.

I STAGE

Meeting with parents, mother brought a booklet in which the words “LEARNING IN POLAND” were written in bold. Father noticed this and somehow asked: “Dn’t you want to go to Poland?” I hesitated with the answer, saying that it was necessary to learn the Polish language. Dad added: “Can’t YOU learn Polish?” The question sounded very convincing, with an emphasis on “you”, in the sense that yes I can. It got me thinking.

II STAGE

2014, dance competition festival in Krakow. Life gave me a chance to visit Poland for the first time, and for one, see the country, city, listen to people, their language and see their culture.

Without delaying the story for a long time, I returned to Ukraine with a firm decision that I wanted to become a student at a Polish university.

III STAGE

I found Polish language courses in my city. From grade 10 to the end of 11, I began preparing for life and studying in Poland. I really waited for the moment of my departure to Poland. I was ready. The procedure for admission, paying fees, packing suitcase, then onto the road, and now I am settling in a dormitory in Lublin.

An interesting fact is that studies in Poland begin on October 1. But I arrived 2 weeks earlier, because my university organized a free 60-hour Polish language course for incoming foreign students before the start of studies.

Yes, I completely forgot to say what degree programme I’m studying. Making decision on admission, it was a difficult choice to decide on a field of study, because today the educational offer in Poland and around the world is wide. I chose the degree in Tourism and Hospitality with the specialization of Hotel and Restaurant Business. Why this degree? It was important for me to learn other foreign languages and have the opportunity to travel and discover for myself something new during my studies.

The first and second year at the university gave me the opportunity to leave for 3 months for internship on the Greek Island of Rhodes. Since my degree programme provides an annual internship that can be held in any country, I was able to go to Greece. However, I really wanted to go to Spain for my internship in the first year, but I could not got there before I turned 18. As a result, Spain had to wait for another 2 years.

In Rhodes, I did my internship at the Lindos Hotels ***** hotel chain.

In 2017, I have gained experience as a hostess, bartender, waiter.

In 2018, I was lucky enough to work in the most important place in the hotel, it’s heart – the reception.

In 2019, it was time to defend my Bachelor’s thesis. I decided that I wouldn’t go to internship that summer in order to finish my bachelor’s degree and then apply for a master’s program and finally carry out my plan – travel to Spain. The choice where I will study master’s degree was simple. I decided to continue my studies at Vincent Pol University in Lublin (VPU) in International Tourism with the specialization in Organization and Management in Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy.

At the beginning of 2019, I submitted all the documents for the Erasmus + program. In the spring I received an email from the university office that I am going through the program and receiving a grant. At the end of September, I landed in Barcelona. My first semester of MA was held in Spain, however I am still a student at my university, just studying in another city and country. That’s cool!

What is the difference between studying in Poland & Spain? In one word – enormous!

Climate conditions: until mid-November the temperature in the street is quite high. In Spain the air temperature does not drop below 12 degrees Celsius.
Students. Very, very open, liberated. Their behaviour seems disrespectufl and independent.Sometimes it seemed to me that they did not respect professors, calling them by name and “you”, their behavior was inappropriate, according to my upbringing and mentality.
Professors. In a word, they create a lot of movement, they are engaging, it is interesting to listen and watch them. They are on the first name basis with the students.
All lectures are from 9 am to 2 pm or in the evening.
The highest score is 10, the lowest is 1. From 1 to 4.9 – unsatisfactory, 5-6.9 – satisfactory, 7-8.9 – very good, 9-10 – excellent. It is difficult to get 9-10, and no more than 5% of students cope with this task.
In Poland, a 5-point system (1/2 – unsatisfactory, 3 – satisfactory, 3.5 – satisfactory +, 4 – good, 4.5 – good +, 5 – excellent)
My class schedules is filled only with specialized subjects.
The student has the right to ask any teacher for tutoring, the so-called “tutoría”. If a student misunderstood something, they still have questions, the teacher is obliged to give a separate lecture in order to explain everything and answer questions, both orally and in writing via email. I repeatedly requested a separate lecture from professors before exams. In our country and in Poland, it is called consultation „konsultacja” and it takes place at the university at the time given by the teachers.
Bachelor’s degree (“grado”) in Spain lasts 4 years, and in Poland 3 years. Accordingly, I had similar subjects in the first semester of the master’s program, as I would have during bachelor degree studies at a Spanish university.

Perhaps not everyone knows what the Erasmus + program implies and what it is based on. First of all, this is the possibility of 3-4 monthly trips for internship and six-month trips to study at partner universities. The Erasmus + program also provides funding, so-called scholarships for accommodation and meals. It all depends on the country and the period of departure, but on average it is 400 euros per month.

I share more information on the YouTube channel in the Erasmus + in Spain, BCN playlist. I suggest all of you who are going for the exchange training programme that you look at those.

I wish you make the right choice of university and country!