Poland

EXPERIENCE FROM THE PARTICIPANTS' PERSPECTIVE

Our days in the kindergarten... 

My Krakow Diary: Life at Big Ben Bonarka!

Aneta and Dáša - pre-school pedagogy students

Our Erasmus+ adventure really kicked off on Monday! Our mentors took us to our new workplaces and introduced us to the staff. Everyone was so incredibly welcoming and kind right from the start.

I was placed at the Big Ben Bonarka Pre-school together with Dáša. It’s a cool private school where everything happens in two languages: English and Polish. It was fascinating to watch the teachers seamlessly switch between them!

How it works inside:

The school is split into three cozy groups:

• The Nursery: For the tiny humans (1–3 years old). They have 15 kids and two amazing teachers—one native English speaker and one bilingual. Fun fact: tuition plus meals costs parents about 4,000 CZK a month here.

• The Green Class: This is for the 3 to 5-year-olds. They have one main teacher and various external pros who drop by for special activities.

• The Yellow Class: The "big kids" (pre-schoolers). They have regular English and Polish lessons with two rotating teachers. For these older groups, the monthly fee is around 12,000 CZK (including food), while extra workshops and trips are paid separately. If families struggle with the costs, the City of Krakow actually offers subsidies to help out!

A few "Wait, what?" moments:

One thing that totally surprised me? There are 7 teachers but zero non-teaching staff. I didn't see a single janitor or cleaner the whole time, yet every morning the place was absolutely spotless! 

Also, they don’t have a kitchen on-site—meals are catered. The teachers serve the portions themselves and keep a detailed "food diary" on the classroom doors. They track exactly how much each child eats so parents stay in the loop. The bond between the school and the parents is honestly next-level; they share everything from art projects to photos of every little success.

The Highlight: Teddy Bear Day! 🧸

We happened to be there for Teddy Bear Day, and it was adorable!

• The older kids made their own teddy bears out of socks and then went to the cinema to see Paddington in Peru. 

• The little ones created one giant "community bear" using legumes and colorful dyed rice.

It’s been such an eye-opening experience seeing how they balance language learning with pure fun. I’m definitely bringing some of these ideas back home!

Dom Pomocy Społecznej w Krakowie

Hearts and Music in Krakow: My Days with Seniors

Aneta and Eliška - social pedagogy students

Our time in Poland wasn't just about seeing the sights; it was about getting hands-on at the local care home. If I had to sum it up? Challenging at first, but incredibly rewarding! Here’s a little peek into what our daily life looked like.

Modern Vibes & Relaxing Moments

Every day, we jumped right into planning and running activities for the residents. One thing that really surprised me compared to back home in Czechia? They use YouTube all the time! Whether it was interactive games or chill relaxation videos, the digital world is a big part of their routine. We also focused heavily on memory games to keep everyone’s minds sharp and active.

Music: The Universal Language

The absolute highlight of our stay was the music program we prepared. Even though we were nervous about the methodological side of things, our singing and instrument playing were a total hit!

Speaking of languages—let’s be honest, the start was a bit "lost in translation." The language barrier felt huge at first, and a few misunderstandings popped up. But thanks to our amazing supervisor and a bit of patience, we adapted quickly. By the end, we realized that a smile and a song work better than a dictionary anyway!

A Taste of Home

One of our biggest "wins" was a quiz about the Czech Republic. We weren't sure how it would go over, but the residents loved it! It was so much fun sharing our culture with them.

What We Learned (The "Pro" Stuff)

Beyond the fun, this was a massive learning experience. We had access to perfectly equipped therapy rooms and used every tool available. We focused on:

• Sensory and Social Learning: Keeping those senses sharp and communication flowing is key for seniors.

• The Power of Adaptability: We mostly used the "principle of appropriateness"—tailoring everything to each person's age and energy level.

• Group Dynamics: Whether it was the whole group or one-on-one time, the smaller group sizes made it easy to give everyone the attention they deserved.

The Verdict

The Pros: The music sessions, the successful Czech quiz, and the amazing creativity of the residents. They were so independent and eager to join in! The Cons: Those initial "language hiccups"—but hey, that’s what Erasmus is all about, right? Stepping out of your comfort zone and finding a way to connect.

Krakow, you have our hearts! ❤️