Last update from the course
Sitting on the train from Slubice to Poznan, and I figured I’d try to write a final blogpost summarizing the course and what I’ve done since the last post. Haven’t had any internet access since then (except for a short while in Berlin, but, as will be shown, that wasn’t really the time to start writing a long blog bost), thus the lack of updates. Having a bit of a hard time actually remembering which day I wrote the last post, but I believe it was Wednesday so I’ll start with Thursday, which began with breakfast as usual, and then a lecture during which we made a SWOT analysis of the prospect of Frankfurt and Slubice (or Slubfurt as it’s also called) becoming more of a city, than two separate ones, as well as participated in an EU-related project that has to do with creating a more uniform educational system within the Union (related to the Bologna process).
After lunch (which, I can report, has consisted of two scoops of mashed potatoes, some sort of salad, and chicken in various forms every single day) it was excursion time, and we all got into a bus that took us to Kostrzyn – a city that was completely destroyed by the Soviet Union after the second world war. Obviously, it’s been rebuilt, but five kilometers from where the old town lay, so all the remains (which are roughly half a meter high on a general basis) have been left where they lay, and are now completely overgrown. It was all quite cool, especially since the place had been a literal fortress with walls (some of which were somewhat intact) and everything – dating back to the age of the templars. We had a guided tour there, which unfortunately was only in Polish, so one of the teachers (who came like three days late to the course) was told by the main person responsible for the course to translate. This was, perhaps, not the best idea, since the translation quickly became more of a joint venture with the students, making it all very fragmented and really rather hard to understand for the people who couldn’t speak Polish.
Once back, it was time for more Maffia – it sort of became the game of the course – and Berlin the day after. We walked into Frankfurt, took the tram to the station (because, as I have learned, while there have been plans for a tram line into Slubice from Frankfurt for quite a while, the plans have been thwarted continously, if not by reluctant politicians, then by taxi drivers who feel threatened by the introduction of public transport in Slubice, potentially lessening their profit), just managed to catch the train we wanted (it takes some time to buy tickets to 24 people – even though one ticket was valid for five people), and were met by an awesome guide in Berlin. She took us along Friedrichstrasse, to Checkpoint Charlie, then into the museum there. We were supposed to see one of the old watchtowers from the wall as well, but apparently the Germans had been so kind as to erect a big fat building in the way of it, and because everyone by now were so hungry, most of the group couldn’t be bothered to walk a block extra (not including me), and so we all went for lunch inside Sony Center at Potsdam Platz (or right next to it anyway). The road then went past (and into) the Holocaust memorial, which I was apparently not allowed to run on top of (they tell me when I’m in the middle of it and have to make a two-something meter drop) – though truth be told, it really was a lot more fun interesting from the ground. Everyone went nuts with their cameras there though.
Once past the Holocaust Memorial, we also saw the Brandenburg Gate, and ended the tour with a visit to the Reichstag, which, by the way, was really awesome (check out pictures of its dome) and quite ingenious. The que took like an hour, but it was worth if, even in spite of the entry procedures worthy of an airport (which I so badly hate). Once finished, my group of five and one other went with the guide to Alexanderplatz, shopped around for a bit, saw the World Clock, and then headed to a bar (where I could enjoy some internet access for about 15 minutes before my computer battery went out) recommended by the guide and her friend who’d joined us, where we had food, beer, and a general blast. The train back was 30 minutes late (40 when we got to Frankfurt), so we weren’t home until after 2. Speaking of which, I really haven’t gotten eough sleep this last week – I’m so gonna sleep for a whole day when I get back to Malmö.
Today was the last the of the course, with breakfast, continued work on the SWOT analysis, a comparison of our work with the EU project and that of the EU themselves, and finally, a last lunch and goodbyes to everyone. So I went back, packed my stuff, walked to the train station in Slubice, and got on the train on which I am now. Or were, actually, ’cause now that this is posted I’ve actually reached my destination – my relatives in Poznan. I probably won’t have time to write anything until I’m back home, so until then! All in all, the course has been really nice, and considering it’s worth 7,5 ECTS for one week of mostly playing around, not to mention for free, even better!
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