Tydzien Czternaście / Week Fourteen - Cultural (14.05.2012 - 20.05.2012)

Anna in the military museum 

This week marked the beginning of a cultural week, not only here in Poznan but in many European cities.  The Juwenalia Festival marked the start of this week, with the mayor of the city handing over the keys of the city to the students. There were parades through the streets involving many Erasmus students as this week is also the 25^th birthday of Erasmus, so the two celebrations were mixed together.

Another part of this festival was the Noz Muzeow or ‘Long night of the museums’ which involved all the museums in Poznan being opened late into the night, with free entrance for everyone. This tradition began in Berlin in 1997 and there are now some 125 cities taking part in it. Many of the teachers in school had told us it was an important part of the culture here that we shouldn’t miss, so Anna and I looked up the timetable online and set out to begin our night at the Islamic museum. However, some confusion over the directions ended up with us wandering about a slightly dodgy neighbourhood with no idea where to go so we gave up and decided to head to the Stary Rynek (the main square) where we knew there were several museums. After making it there safely we did enjoy looking around the exhibitions but we realised that we hadn’t quite thought our plan through properly as all the talks were in Polish, as were most of the signs and information. While in Stary Rynek we visited the Museum of Fights for Independence, the Ethnography Museum and the National Museum which we actually walk past several times a week, but have never actually bothered to look inside.

Some street entertainment in the main square

Anna and I both enjoyed getting to take part in this interesting part of Polish culture. We were able to talk with many Polish people while in the museums, something which we actually don’t do a lot of, due to mainly being around other Erasmus students.

As many of the museums are in the main town square, there was also a concert there and many street entertainers as well, which made the square really come to life. After being so cultural Anna and I enjoyed a relaxing dessert in one of our favourite spots – the chocolate cafe! This was a lovely end to another fun week in Poznan and I am becoming very conscious that we now only have three weeks left here. As a result of this we plan to cram as many fun things into our final few weeks. 

This week Anna, Michael and I somehow all managed to get full marks in our Polish oral exam, which certainly shocked everyone! Next week we have the written exam, which isn’t likely to go so well, so we should probably get revising... 

Being cultural!

  

In our favourite spot - the chocolate cafe!