Comenius Viribus Unitis Summary by Poland

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School address: School address: School address: School address: VIII Prywatne Akademickie Liecum Ogólnokształcące, Karmelicka 45, 31 VIII Prywatne Akademickie Liecum Ogólnokształcące, Karmelicka 45, 31 VIII Prywatne Akademickie Liecum Ogólnokształcące, Karmelicka 45, 31 VIII Prywatne Akademickie Liecum Ogólnokształcące, Karmelicka 45, 31-128 Kraków, Poland 128 Kraków, Poland 128 Kraków, Poland 128 Kraków, Poland Comenius Project Coordinator: Comenius Project Coordinator: Comenius Project Coordinator: Comenius Project Coordinator: Anna Krzemińska Anna Krzemińska Anna Krzemińska Anna Krzemińska-Kaczyńska Kaczyńska Kaczyńska Kaczyńska 1 Abstract World seems to be within arms` reach for all students of Academic High School, World International Baccalaureate School No 6265 (VIII Prywatne Akademickie Liceum Ogólnoksztalcące) in Kraków. Fortunately, the global education has been playing a crucial role for our educators and teachers since the school was founded in 1993. Teaching at the highest level as well as great involvement of experienced staff of Krakow universities, openness to new challenges together with the implementation of the international projects, developed the quality of teaching in our school. The school`s experience in individual approach, global education, as well as in promoting voluntarism and conducting educational projects make it set great educational base for all wishing to achieve success. Indeed, from the very beginning our students have been achieving successes in various subject Olympiads (e.g. in German, English French, Russian, Polish Language and Literature or the European Union Olympiad), and as graduates continue their education in a wide range of academic specialisations. For several years the school has taken the leading places in the All-Polish Secondary Schools League Tables compiled and published by „Perspektywy", „Rzeczpospolita" or „Gazeta Wyborcza" (the second place in Malopolska region in 2006, the fourth in 2007, the fifth place in 2005 and the fifth and the second place in two different specifications in 2010) 2 Moreover, the subject good knowledge is very often integrated into cross-curriculum activities and projects while conducting educational projects at local, national and international levels. The recent school activities have been addresses to secondary Diploma Programme students who are interested in ecology (Comenius Multilateral Project), or in American and Indian cultures (The Power of Culture Project). The goals of both projects are to make students familiar with the unknown aspects of each field by interdisciplinary approach and make them professional in English communication and writing. The first project was financed by the European Commission, and the second one supported by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S Departament of State, through IREX - International Research and Exchange Board. The projects also made possible to bring great international educators to our school environment, like Allyson Daly from the USA, Mamta Kanti Kumar from India and Juliette Perlowski from the USA. They are international teachers, who conducted the workshops and lessons for our students and teachers, sharing their teaching knowledge in the field of English, Drama, Creative writing and Geography. The first part of the article (Part 1) describes the activities within Multilateral Comenius Project and its role in content and language integrated teaching, and in the second one includes students` letters and reports upon Comenius. Key words: Multilateral Comenius Project, global education 1 Holds a degree in English teaching as a second language and in Geography. At the moment teaches English and Geography in IB classes at Academic High School no.8, IB World School in Kraków; works in summertime as a teacher on cruise ships at Princess Cruise Line Ships. More information can be found on the websites: www.book.annakrzeminska.pl 2 www.viiipalo.krakow.pl

Transcript of Comenius Viribus Unitis Summary by Poland

Page 1: Comenius Viribus Unitis Summary by Poland

School address:School address:School address:School address: VIII Prywatne Akademickie Liecum Ogólnokształcące, Karmelicka 45, 31VIII Prywatne Akademickie Liecum Ogólnokształcące, Karmelicka 45, 31VIII Prywatne Akademickie Liecum Ogólnokształcące, Karmelicka 45, 31VIII Prywatne Akademickie Liecum Ogólnokształcące, Karmelicka 45, 31----128 Kraków, Poland128 Kraków, Poland128 Kraków, Poland128 Kraków, Poland Comenius Project Coordinator:Comenius Project Coordinator:Comenius Project Coordinator:Comenius Project Coordinator: Anna KrzemińskaAnna KrzemińskaAnna KrzemińskaAnna Krzemińska----KaczyńskaKaczyńskaKaczyńskaKaczyńska1111

Abstract

World seems to be within arms` reach for all students of Academic High School, World International Baccalaureate School No 6265 (VIII Prywatne Akademickie Liceum Ogólnokształcące) in Kraków. Fortunately, the global education has been playing a crucial role for our educators and teachers since the school was founded in 1993. Teaching at the highest level as well as great involvement of experienced staff of Krakow universities, openness to new challenges together with the implementation of the international projects, developed the quality of teaching in our school. The school`s experience in individual approach, global education, as well as in promoting voluntarism and conducting educational projects make it set great educational base for all wishing to achieve success. Indeed, from the very beginning our students have been achieving successes in various subject Olympiads (e.g. in German, English French, Russian, Polish Language and Literature or the European Union Olympiad), and as graduates continue their education in a wide range of academic specialisations. For several years the school has taken the leading places in the All-Polish Secondary Schools League Tables compiled and published by „Perspektywy", „Rzeczpospolita" or „Gazeta Wyborcza" (the second place in Małopolska region in 2006, the fourth in 2007, the fifth place in 2005 and the fifth and the second place in two different specifications in 2010)2 Moreover, the subject good knowledge is very often integrated into cross-curriculum activities and projects while conducting educational projects at local, national and international levels. The recent school activities have been addresses to secondary Diploma Programme students who are interested in ecology (Comenius Multilateral Project), or in American and Indian cultures (The Power of Culture Project). The goals of both projects are to make students familiar with the unknown aspects of each field by interdisciplinary approach and make them professional in English communication and writing. The first project was financed by the European Commission, and the second one supported by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S Departament of State, through IREX - International Research and Exchange Board. The projects also made possible to bring great international educators to our school environment, like Allyson Daly from the USA, Mamta Kanti Kumar from India and Juliette Perlowski from the USA. They are international teachers, who conducted the workshops and lessons for our students and teachers, sharing their teaching knowledge in the field of English, Drama, Creative writing and Geography.

The first part of the article (Part 1) describes the activities within Multilateral Comenius Project and its role in content and language integrated teaching, and in the second one includes students` letters and reports upon Comenius.

Key words:

Multilateral Comenius Project, global education

1 Holds a degree in English teaching as a second language and in Geography. At the moment teaches English and Geography in IB

classes at Academic High School no.8, IB World School in Kraków; works in summertime as a teacher on cruise ships at Princess

Cruise Line Ships. More information can be found on the websites: www.book.annakrzeminska.pl 2 www.viiipalo.krakow.pl

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PART 1

Viribus Unitis – Help the World with the Joint Effort.

Since 2012 the lifelong learning opportunity through Multilateral Comenius Project, entitled Viribus Unitis - help the world with the joint effort! has been possible in our school. Viribus Unitis is a result of efforts on the part of Academic High School No.8, IB World School 6265 in Kraków, aimed at strengthening its position as an educational provider in the field of ecology. With the following partner schools: Yalova Merkez Teknik ve Endüstri Meslek Lisesi – Turkey, 2ND Gymnasio Cholargou – Greece, Sakiu Ziburio gimnazija – Lithuania, Srednja medijska in grafična šola Ljublana – Slovenia, Baktay Ervin Gimnázium – Hungary, Pohjois - Karjalan ammattiopisto Outokumpu – Finland and EDUCAnet - gymnázium a střední odborná škola Praha s.r.o. - the Czech Republic; our students have been involved in taking up green initiatives in the local community. As a part of Comenius Project meetings preparations for project implementations, bilingual geography, biology and chemistry classes for project participants have been held. Besides, a blog and facebook platform for all school students and European partners have been launched at the school website. One can find there all held investigations, fieldworks, presentations on Water, Recycling, Alternative Sources of Energy and Natural resources, Comenius Project Meetings reports, created movies and youtube channel.

What is more, during the project meetings in partner countries, students have a great opportunity to take part in cross-curricular fieldworks. One of them took place in Ljubljana where our Slovenian partners organized a GREEN Summit Meeting to be modelled on the United Nations or the EU parliament debates. During the meeting participants discussed cross-subject issues trying to answer the following questions:

1) What gases cause the greenhouse effect? Try to suggest ways to reduce the release of these gases into the atmosphere.

2) What do you suggest in prevention against these civilization diseases –bronchial asthma, heart attack (Myocardial Infarction), lung cancer?

3) Define the reasons that lead to overcrowding (overpopulation) in some parts of the world. 4) What are the consequences of overpopulation of our planet? 5) What are the benefits and drawbacks of nuclear energy? 6) What are the attitudes of your country to dispose of nuclear waste? 7) How mankind contributes to damage of the ozone layer. 8) What are the consequences of damage of the ozone layer? 9) Who would you brand as the biggest polluter of the atmosphere in your country? 10) Suggest ways to reduce air pollution. 11) What can replace coal, oil and natural gas? 12) What is the impact on the environment of coal mining, extraction of oil and natural gas? 13) Suggest how to keep the preservation of the environment together with social progress. 14) How to maintain the diversity of nature for future generations while satisfying needs of society. 15) What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable sources of energy?

Answering and working out the questions help students to be well prepared for the summit. Thanks to model questions, students could acquire knowledge of different topics in advance, so it was easier for them to meet the requirements and join the discussions more spontaneously in Ljubljana. While conducting the summit, student were able to express themselves easily and felt more confident during the public speeches. Such initiatives help Academic High School students to prepare on daily basis for future studies abroad. Through project activities their school knowledge correlates with life experiences and they become more open-minded and creative young people. Without doubt, combining the content and language integrated learning helps them in more fluent English communication and expression.

As Leonard Orban, European Commissioner for Multilingualism, said “a shared sense of belonging, welcoming the diversity, cross-curricular teaching, is a powerful base to become a global citizen. The many run [projects] and languages spoken in Europe can serve as a bridge to other people and open access to other countries and cultures, promoting mutual understanding”. To prove his words to be true in our school

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environment, I would like to present the report of the Diploma Programme Student, Year 1, Agnieszka Kunstman, who has been involved actively in conducting the Comenius Project and took part in the Project Meeting in Slovenia.

“From the very beginning I had high expectations from this project. First of all I really love travelling so I was very happy to be able to visit green Ljubljana. Secondly – I was looking forward to meet new people, get to know their culture, outlook and all the differences between our countries. The last from the most important aspects was the language – I had a wonderful occasion to practise my language skills. And so I did! Furthermore, I learned some new words in Slovenian – “hvala!”.

Just as we arrived to Ljubljana, we met our native guide – Jaka. Our group immediately found him very friendly. He also had the same sense of humor, so every time we went out with him we had a lot of fun. He also introduced us to his friend Daniel. And so we already had two new native friends.

On the second day the students of the hosting school prepared for us a quick tour around the building, showed us the classrooms where we could see how things worked and we could talk with the teachers. Srednja medijska in grafična šola Ljublana – Slovenia, specializes in multimedia and graphic technology. The professional equipment and school labs made a great impressions on us. Students have integrated subjects and become professional graphic designers while graduating from this school. Impressive!

During next few days we had a chance to get familiar with students from partner schools Students that I personally remember the most were from the Czech Republic and Turkey with whom I had a pleasure to work with during the eco summit and while creating posters on recycling. My group consisted of great leaders and thinkers, who had broad knowledge on biology, physics, geography and English. The arguments our group prepared were astonishing and made good impressions on other groups. It is always good to work with interesting peers!

In the evenings we had enough time to look around in Ljubljana, do some shopping and drink hot chocolate while admiring the view of the city. The teachers also had planned a small tour to the castle of Ljubljana, Predjama castle (which was simply breathtaking), and Postojna cave where I took many photos. The great national Slovenian heritage was presented to all ECO-PARTENRS☺

The second most important and awaited parts of the whole project meeting were our presentations. I was very nervous before our “Mineral resources” presentation, but the audience was very sympathetic and full of enthusiasm. Despite the technical problems, even our short play about Cracow’s culture worked out nicely. I also had a chance to present some green photos from Kraków taken by me to the participants of Comenius which was a big pleasure and pride for me.

I would certainly wish to take part in such event again. I also can’t wait to greet student from different countries here, in Poland, and to listen to teachers from India and the USA as they are going to visit our school soon. I would like to thank for this chance, and I hope to come to Ljubljana once again in the future”.

The Viribus Unitis Project will be rounded off with the final project meeting in Finland and with Eco-Month initiative in 2014. Accompanying measures will include a launch of a green Project Anthem, where all European partners and schools can listen to investigated eco-best practices and make them popular in

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their community. Finally, for our project-students, running the Viribus Unitis Project means that they are more proud to be Poles and they start to perceive Krakow as their treasure They understand that through their eyes; Poland, Kraków, Poles … will be seen by other nations. Thanks to project participation, they want to share the geographical, historical, cultural and school knowledge about their homeland in front of their European friends. Thus, the European Union should continue work and gibe a helping hand to support for lifelong learning process, initiatives and mobilities through Comenius Projects, to create more open minded, self-motivated and global citizens who have no fear of travel and constant move and progress of their life, knowledge and skills.

PART 2

Reflections upon 1st

Comenius Project Meeting – Yalova, Turkey

Viribus Unitis

http://viribusunitis.org/

6th

-9th

November 2012

Written by the students of VIII PALO Kraków, Poland

Polish Representatives:

Agata Twardowska – Biology teacher

VIII PALO International Baccalaureate Students: Maciej Bielski, Gabriela Michalec,Weronika Kiebzak, Karolina Sioda

*Pictures taken by Turkish partner in Yalova

IB2 class student: Maciek Bielski :

Preparations for our meeting in Yalova within the Comenius project started in mid-October, just after we made our

team consisting of me and my three classmates: Gabriela, Karolina and Weronika. We have started from gathering

useful data that would help us with preparing the presentation on the project’s main theme – water. Each of us was

allotted the questions that we were supposed to answer the presentation. We were also asked to prepare a

questionnaire that we published on the Internet in order to get as many answers as we could. In the mean time we

managed to make a plan of our preceding visit in Istanbul and organize things such as hostel etc. Then, after

collecting all needed data, we made the presentation that we were about to show in Turkey.

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Istanbul welcomed us with warm weather and great atmosphere. Three days we spent there were great part of our

whole trip, as we could not only see but also experience life there. We were sightseeing the oldest part of the city

with all the monuments and mosques, which will certainly be remembered for a long time.

Then we went to Yalova for the project itself. Our host-families greeted us with great hospitality, it is perceived as

really enlightening experience. We managed to make new friends and we are looking out for other meetings.

IB2 class student - Weronika Kiebzak:

Our trip to Turkey was undoubtedly an interesting experience. We started our preparations long before the actual

depart by gathering information on conditions of water in Cracow and preparing a presentation. We carried out a

penetrating research that deepened our knowledge on this subject. In Turkey, we were able to watch the

presentations of other countries. During our stay in Yalova we found various ways to communicate with our host

families and other participants of the Comenius. Luckily, we were able to make new friendships. We were also

astonished by the great hospitability of Turkish people. We were treated as members of our host families and our

correspondents saw us off with tears.

During our stay we spent 3 days in Istanbul and a few days in Yalova. We were able to observe cultural differences

between Polish and Turkish people and even between citizens of those two cities. Moreover, we were very pleased

with the atmosphere of Istanbul, which was rather surprising, as we had heard that this is a dangerous city. Still, it

must be admitted that Istanbul has a specific atmosphere that can’t be compared to any other European city. Is it

surprising how many differences there are between Istanbul and Yalova although they are so close.

All in all, our trip to Turkey was very inspiring. We have many new experiences, we managed to work collaboratively

with others on WATER, we developed our organizational skills and increased our awareness of the cultural diversity

across the world.

IB2 class student - Karolina Sioda:

On 10th November me and three other students from my class had a chance to go to Turkey for a six day trip. Three

days of our journey we spent in Istanbul living just by the Blue Mosque. We saw a lot of amazing places and

monuments and mosques including Hagia Sophia and Marmara Sea coast. After three days of fruitful sightseeing

mostly around Sultanahmet district, we went with students from Partner countries to a small city called Yalova. It is

on the opposite side of Marmara sea and it is a small village. We went there for the Comenius project, which aim is

to unite people from all Europe, exchange each participant country's culture and to discuss a important ecological

issue. In our project, during the first meeting we were talking about water and it's resources. Each group talked

about their water reservoirs, drinking water and sewage systems. We also had a chance to see water treatment plant

and Yalova's water source.

The whole trip was a great experience and opportunity to try Turkish cuisine (kebab is much better in Poland, but

Turkish tea is just amazing!), know their religion and customs better. Also knowing people from Slovenia, Latvia or

Finland and other partner schools was really nice and we had a great time there. We are all looking forward for next

meeting hopefully in Slovenia! ☺

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Reflections upon 5th Comenius Project Meeting – Dunaharaszti, Hungary

Viribus Unitis http://viribusunitis.org/

7th -11th October 2013 Written by the students of VIII PALO Kraków, Poland

Polish Representatives: Tadeusz Borucki – deputy head, Anna Krzemińska-Kaczyńska – geography teacher

VIII PALO International Baccalaureate Students: Daria Omilianowska, Magdalena

Zawieracz, Jędrzej Miklaszewski, Julia Fiutowska, Justyna Kacińska, Agnieszka Dzido

TOPIC: ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF ENERGY

1. By Magdalena Zawieracz, pre-IB We arrived to Hungary on Monday, 7th of October, but the official part of the meeting started on Tusday, 8th of October. Our Hungarian friends welcomed us with open arms. At first we went to the community centere were school choir and band performed Abba songs. It was rather pleasant and very enjoyable. Pupils form Hungary made some special hungarian cookies and cakes for us and they were all so delicious. Afterwards every country had an introducing speech about themselves, school they came from, and a little bit about their country . After lunch there came time for presentations about alternative sources of energy. Each country had a presentation about the wind energy, bio gas, solar panels etc. Though the presentations were very similar, we enjoyed them and we could not wait to show our movie to people form other countries. After few hours of presentations there was Hungarian Dance party, and it was my favourite part of that day. It was a very nice change to dance after spending the whole day on sitting and watching the presentations. The next day we went to Budapest to explore the city. We saw some beautiful places like The Parliament or the glorious Budda Castle and we went to a boat trip on the river Danube. We had some free time just for ourselves and it was a great adventure to walk through the city streets with a map and get to know the Budapest better . That day we also had a delectable meal in one of the Hungarian restaurants. On Thursday we went to the South – Pest waste plant that produces bio gas and bio energy. We learned a lot about the process of production and we were able to feel how it is to work in a waste plant. The odor was horrible and we could not breath without the scarf. Although it was a very interesting place we were happy when we finally got to our car and went to the hotel. That afternoon there was a farewell party. We had a lot of fun dancing and eating Hungarian food. We met some new people and we had an amazing time. Unfortunately it was our last day in Hungary, but we will never forget this trip and we will think fondly about it. I enjoyed this Comenius meeting very much! I can not wait for the next meeting that is going to take place in our beautiful city of Cracow. 2. By Julia Fiutowska, pre-IB The first day of our trip was Monday. We arrived in Dunaharashti at 4PM and depending where we were suppose to live some of us stayed at the hostel and the rest went with their host families houses. I lived with Dankó family, they live in a small village called Apaj about 30 km from Dunaharashti. After we got to their house I met the whole family and with Lily we went for a walk around Apaj.

On Tuesday all participants of the Comenius Project arrived to the Community Centre where the opening ceremony begun. First the headmaster of the school gave the opening speech both in English and Hungarian, later the local band and school choir performed ABBA songs. The next part of the meeting were intro speeches. Every participating country (Hungary, Czech Republic, Finland, Slovenia, Greece, Turkey, Lithuania, Poland) gave about 10 minutes long speech about themselves. After that we watched a movie about Hungarian school that hosted the project this time and later the most important part of the meeting started. Every country starting with Hungary made a presentation about alternative energy sources in their country. Some of them were shorted some were longer but each country tried to make their presentation special and unique. The one I remember best in Finnish students presentation. They not only made a presentation in PowerPoint but also they showed us short interviews they

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made with workers of factories connected with creation and extraction various kinds of energy. When our Polish team finished our presentation we also showed all students and teachers a short film about Cracow and our school because it is where the next Comenius Project will be held. The last attraction prepared for Tuesday was Hungarian Folk Dance Party. I have to admit we had a lot of fun during that dance. Later all groups came back to hostels or their hosting families but we went with our teachers to see Budapest at night. It was an amazing experience for me because it was my first time in Budapest and I was really amazed by the view. Around 9PM we came back to Dunaharashti and went to sleep.

On Wednesday we went for Budapest tour. Firstly we all met in Buda castle and we spent there two hours. Later we had a boat trip on Danube river. Thru the windows we could see the parliament, which we visited after the boat trip and lunch break. In my opinion it is a really beautiful building both on the inside and on the outside, it looked very official and the colours that dominated in it: green and gold showed the importance and richness of that place. After that we split from the rest of the group, they went to do more sightseeing and we had a free time for shopping. Later we came back to our houses to rest before the next day.

Thursday was our last whole day spent in Hungary. In the morning we drove to the South -Pest Wastewater Treatment Plant to see the production of Bio energy. For me that was the least enjoyable part of our project meeting. After that we went to buy our family some souvenirs and we ate lunch, Student’s Workshops at school were suppose to start at 2PM. During those lessons we were divided into three groups and each group did something different. In my group we made a brochure of the meeting in Dunaharashti in which we participated. Than we had to prepare for Farewell Party Diner which started at 6PM and ended with dance party at 10PM. We spent really great time at that dance mostly thanks to a band that was playing. I think all participants would agree that they did a splendid job.

Friday was the day of our departure. I was sad to leave this place and all memories behind. As a goodbye gift I gave my hosting family souvenirs from Cracow and by my surprise they also gave me a small present. Later we gathered in Dunaharashti and started our journey back home. We arrived in Cracow around 3:30PM, and that was the end of our short adventure.

It was the first Comenius Meeting I participated in, and I have to say it was a really great experience. I met a lot of new people and the family that hosted me was really amazing, and I think I can say that they did everything they possibly could to make my feel welcome and make my stay there special. Also I was able to see a lot of new places thanks to the trips that were organized by the Hungarian team. I am pleasantly surprised by the appearance on Hungarian people. They were all very friendly and despite small communication problems we got along very well. 3. By Agnieszka Dzido, pre-IB The first, and official part of the meeting started on Tuesday, 8th of October. At first, we were amazed by the hospitality of our friends, Hungarians. They’ve made an effort to create welcoming signs for the participants in their native language. A Simple, but very nice gesture. Then the opening ceremony begun, performed by the school choir and band which we had real pleasure to listen. After the welcoming, and introduction speeches of each country, there came a time for the most educational part of the meeting, presentations about alternative energy sources. Each presentation was really interesting, and even though they were on the same topic, they were all different, and were carrying some thought- provoking messages. The whole day finished with Hungarian Folk Dance Party which was a very pleasant change after spending rather passive then active day, and by the way a lot of fun! Of course, during the day we got lunch and some other goodies served on the spot. On the next day, we were sightseeing wonderful Budapest. The most important places we saw were: The Buda Castle and The Parliament. Both were extremely beautiful and definitely worth seeing. Between them, we had a boat trip on River Danube which let us admire Hungarian architecture. After all we were given some free time to explore the downtown of Budapest by ourselves. The last day of the meeting (except for the day of departure), we started with visiting the South- Pest wastewater treatment plant to see the production of Bioenergy. A very lecturing trip, yet also a little bit hard to resist because of the bad odor. Later on that day, we were taken to some really involving workshop classes at the school. We finished that day with the farewell party, where I made a lot of new friends, and had some absolutely amazing time until the very last second. I wanted to thank all the Hungarian participants, for organizing this meeting, and I hope to see you again next time in Poland! ☺ 4. By Justyna Kacińska, pre-IB Introduction From October the 7th- 11th 2013 there was Comenius meeting in Dunaharaszti, Hungary. Six students from our school took part in this exchange. Three of us were living in hotel and the rest was living in host families. Formal parts of meeting were very interesting. During the first day we went to Dunaharaszti community center. The opening was amazing. There was an orchestra and school’s choir performance. Later, every team (Hungary, Slovenia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Finland and Poland) had presentation about their school and renewable resources. On Thursday we went to biogas plant. The trip lasted about 2 hours and our tour guide told us about the processes wastes need to go through to obtain the energy. In the evening there was official dinner gathering all people from countries taking part in Comenius. Of course, there were informal parts, which were enormous virtues. On Thursday evening and Wednesday we had a chance to explore Budapest. Beautiful buildings and incredibly nice people made this amazing atmosphere, which makes Budapest such a beautiful city. Hungarian team took us for a boat ride through the Danube. Except that we went to the Parliament and, Budai Castle and Citadel. Conclusion To conclude I think the meeting in Hungary was really amazing. People from other countries were nice and hopefully there were almost no problem with hosting families. We had great time in taking part in program that promotes healthier and better for our planet life. Now we are looking forward to organizing the next meeting in Poland in February 2014. 5. By Jędrzej Miklaszewski, pre-IB Firstly we had to get there, the road wasn’t so boring because of our lovely geography teacher, who organized all this project meeting to Hungary. When we finally get there those who were living in the families met them and those who were sleeping in the hostel started to unpacking themselves. On Tuesday we have in plan the official part of meeting in Hungary which was that all the

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countries (Greece, Hungary, Czech Republic, Turkey, Lithuania and last but not least- Poland) have to present the renewable energy in their countries (wind, solar, biogas, geothermal, , water, ). I’ve been twice in Budapest and every time it makes me really excited. It’s such a beautiful place where I could surely live in. On Wednesday we were exploring the Budapest from the best sites , we’ve visited old castle on the top of the hill and the beautiful and exciting parliament, but before that we took a boat trip upon the main Budapest river Danube which was cool too. On Thursday we were taken to waste plant center, which was really really stinky but also very interesting. In this place they produce biogases and bioenergy with waste plants, unfortunately our clothes didn’t smell beautifully after all. In the evening we have official ending of our meeting on Hungary, which was really cool and we have so great time with all of those project participants and the greatest part I think was the party which was on the last evening everyone danced and it was so great. I miss all of these people but they will come to Poland in February so its time for us to show our national and local green city!

Organized by VIII PALO school project coordinator AK-K

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24th-28th February - Kraków, Poland

Anthem by Polish TEAM

1.The sky is dark, I can see no stars above Dust and smog block the view all the way There are people on the earth, that wish to see once more Air pollution level is too high today There was a time, when the gasolin was cheap no one worried 'bout resources, this topic was unexplored Now we need to find a way, to substitude it all The new generation of young people has to get involved CHORUS: We are the world We are the children The planet Mars is not colonized yet So let's start giving Look around, reduce the smog So there's not stinky air This all lies only in the hands Of you and me

2. Well face it up, the problem is real We destroy the only place, where we can live Ride bikes instead of cars, at least you will get fit There's a lot to gain, with not much to give Oooh look around! You can barely catch a breath If you think this will get better, you are a fool Air pollution is real, it's all becouse of us Ice caps are going to melt, and that's not cool CHORUS: World wide floods, spieces dying without homes Slow and senseless, unacceptable execution so let's gather together, don't be afraid to shout in defense of those who can't, it's the only solution

*Aleksandra Powalacz

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Reflections upon Comenius Project Meeting – Kraków, Poland

Viribus Unitis

http://viribusunitis.org/

24th

-28th

February 2014

Written by the students of VIII PALO Kraków, Poland

By Julia Fiutowska

My reflections upon Kraków Project Meeting

Comenius Project 2014 in Kraków started on Monday, 24th of February. During the first day we met people we were going to host for the first time. It was very exciting and I have to say also a very pleasant experience. I was hosting a girl from Finland, her name was Karoliina and despite 4 years of age difference between us we got along really well. On Tuesday we had an official meeting with all participants of the project. We got to see short movie created by Hungarian team and Czech’s Republics project about ecological footprints. Later with the rest of my class we presented short works about another countries and things we learned about them during previous Comenius Meetings. After that we went to our school on Karmelicka street so that students could take part in some of our lessons. For the rest of the day we spent with our new friends. On Wednesday we took a tour around Kraków with English speaking guides with a break for a lunch. We visited Wawel Cathedral, main square and a few more beautiful Polish monuments and places. Later that day we went and ate pizza together with my Polish friends as well as with Finish, Hungarian and Lithuanian ones. On Thursday we visited Wieliczka Salt mine which is one of those places that when you are at Kraków you just have to visit. The trip was very interested for our guests but for most Polish students it was 4th or even 5th trip to this place. Still I personally enjoyed it a lot and to top that at the evening about 6pm during which we ate traditional Polish food, we danced Polish, Hungarian dances and sang folk music. That was a really great evening with a huge cultural show for us all. Unfortunately the meeting was going to end the next day. It was really hard to believe at that time since it felt like we just have started. In conclusion I had a really great time I made a lot of new friendships, even more that I made last year during the Hungarian meeting on September. I also learned quite a lot about different European cultures, which I will never, ever forget. By Aleksander Pikulski

Comenius Report My first Comenius was an interesting experience. I was hosting a Turkish boy, Ali. I picked him up, from the Balice airport at Monday night, at about 9 o’clock pm. We came back to my house at once and I showed him his room.

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The next day, on Tuesday 25, I woke up first and helped with preparations for our meeting with other students at the theater in Cracow, After that, I went to Ali and woke him up. We ate breakfast, and left house at 7 o’clock. We have arrived at the theater and we were pleased that we’re not late. The Comenius Conference began soon, and me and polish group talked about each country, that visited us, so: Turkey, Hungary, Slovenia, Greece, Finland, Czech Republic, Lithuaniea. Me and two of my mates were talking about Slovenia. After that, we all, watched a movie about ecology, and how the big corporations are polluting the natural ground, and how their excuses look like, a very educating movie indeed. After the conference we went back to our school and were showing our guests, how do we work. Organising groups was quite hard, but we manager everything. The lessons, as lessons, were not as interesting, as the conference, but not bad. Later, we took them to the dining hall, where they spent much of their time. Finally, we had a free time, so me and two of my friends took our guests to a shopping mall, where we ate something, and looked around. At about 4 o’clock pm, I decided with with Ali that its best if we go home. We were really tired, so I called my mum. At my house, again, it was quite hard to decide what can we do. He wasn’t like me, so I had a hard time thinking of stuff we could do… Then he said, he would like to play on my computer. So I turned on my computer and he played Call of Duty Ghosts, while I was receiving new information from my mates. Later I joined Ali and watched as he was playing. The next day, on Wednesday 26th, as usual we woke up in the morning and got down to eat breakfast. I was eating my cereals, when Ali came very tired and confused. While my mum was driving us to Cracow Ali was sleeping harder than me. Then we meet up with the rest of the group and waited for the others to come by, and after that the tour guides arrived. I was helping the guide in organising the group and securing the rear. It was hard but fun, as I always wanted to help in project like that. So we walked all around Cracow, passing the most interesting places, like the Wawel Castle, The Mariacka Church etc. I felt a funny feeling, when I told Ali 7 times that a certain structure/building is called Sukiennice and he still couldn’t remember it and kept asking what is the buildings name. After couple of hours my group meet with the others and we ate lunch in a milky-bar. It was very relaxing and I had a Chance to finally talk with the Turkish group in their language, well I was trying. The lunch was quick and soon we were on our way inside Wawel Castle. I was very tired, organising this group, helping the teacher and tour guide, but I was and I am very happy indeed. Most entertaining experience. Back at my place my guest wanted to watch a movie, and so another evening passed. The next day, was the last day of our trips, I always say that Thursday is a hard day, but visiting Wieliczka Mine is relaxing. This time we divided into four groups, and I was excited when I heard that I’ll be in command of one of the groups on my own, it’s very nice that the teachers trust us with stuff like that. A a scout I as doing my best and helping my teachers with preparations, and then I helped the guide. Dunno why, but the guys from the group were bored. Still the found some interesting things in the mine. The Turkish group wasn’t in my group so I didn’t know how Ali was doing, until we meet at the end of the mine. Still, I don’t know why, but everyone was tired. At a certain hour the groups were gone to Kraków and I took Ali back to my house to prepare for the goodbye-dinner in the evening. As always I arrived earlier to see if I can be any help. I meet with couple of my mates and we had a little chat. Then I left Ali with them and went to see the restaurant where we had the dinner. I checked if it is ready etc. And waited for the headmaster and the others. Everything was ready, so the dinner began. We talked, danced and had loads of fun. I was welcoming teachers and guests from different countries as well as had some time for my friends as well. The party passed fast, and soon we realised that we are tired. Everybody cleared off, and wished to have the last glimpse upon Kraków, but Ali was too tired so we had to go home. At home, we watched a movie, and he went to get some rest before his time to wake up at 5 o’clock. Comenius Project was a fascinating thing in my school life, never had I had such a great time, and I’m looking forward to the next one. I love meeting new people from abroad, but I have to say it was quite demanding, but thanks to a good organisation it passed smoothly. By Marta Topór

My Comenius Experience This year I’ve experienced Comenius Project for the first time. Guests from many countries: Turkey, Greece, Hungary, Slovenia, Finland, Czech Republic and Lithuania have visited Kraków. They started arriving on Sunday 23rd of February and the first Comenius meeting was organized on Tuesday.

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Our guests and representatives of Academic High School nr 8 gathered in the Ars movie theatre. The first meeting was a bit official, some teachers made speeches to welcome Comenius participants. Many ecological presentations took place. We watched a short movie made by Hungarian students which was very creative and thought-provoking. Students from Czech Republic also prepared a presentation. Polish students from class pre-IB presented their models and posters about different visiting countries. Our project was about Greece and I’ve learned some interesting things about its ecological issues while doing the necessary research. The presentation we had to make during the project gave us some experience we’ll certainly need in our academic career. During this meeting we were also divided into mixed groups and that was a great opportunity to learn how to cooperate with other nationalities in English and to get to know some of the guests better, too. One of the activities we did on that meeting was also singing Comenius anthem. Boys from our school prepared the music and lyrics for Poland. However, singing in group of almost 100 people didn’t go as well as we wished to. At least, most of students shared that opinion and that was another thing connecting us. ☺ At the end we started watching a movie about ecological issues in the USA but unfortunately, we didn’t manage to finish it though it was very interesting to many students. The same day short classes were organized at our school. A few groups of visitors mixed with Polish students took part in them. The next day was the time of sightseeing. We spent the whole day divided into groups. The guide showed the visitors the most interesting places in Kraków. Although the majority of Polish students could a bit bored because they’d seen it all before the tour was rather pleasant. Personally, I think that this day made me feel very proud about my city, its sights and history. The last day of Comenius was also the day when we went to the salt mine in Wieliczka. Once more, we were divided into groups. That trip showed Poland from a little different view because visitors saw something more than just architecture sights. Even if not everyone was paying attention to every word the guides said, this few hours underground together was a good time. In the afternoon the same day we had a farewell dinner. Some traditional Polish meals were served and though there were people who didn’t find them tasty, it was definitely a memorable experience. We sat at the tables mostly in mixed groups so that was an another opportunity to integrate. After the meals each country’s representatives danced and took pictures. There was also a folk band to show the guests some of polish rustic traditions. I think it was a bit awkward to everyone but in the end we had a good time and a lot of students danced. On Friday the guests left some souvenirs for Polish school and came back to their countries. I think that the most important souvenir we all have are the memories and friendships that didn’t end with the program. By Jędrzej Milaszewki

Comenius in Poland 24-28.02.2014 school report.

Comenius, an international project which gives us a unique chance to meet many interesting people from several Europe countries (Greece, Lithuania, Hungary, Turkey, Czech Republic and Slovenia) and creates an occasion to feel their culture. The main topic of Comenius is Ecology in our countries. This February we could enjoyed this event in our wonderful Kraków, unfortunately, as its citizens, we can’t boast about how ecological it is, but it was fantastic week for sure. On Monday (24.02.2014) most of our guest arrived, I took my guest home so he could unpack and recover from his travel. My guest was 20 years old Finn and to be honest I didn’t know how lucky I was because after just one hour we talked almost until midnight. On Tuesday an official commencement took part in ARS cinema, on this event our guests could enjoy our presentation about the ecology in their countries. Also a participant from Czech Republic had his presentation about footprints. Then all of Comenius participants sang Comenius anthem. On the next part of that day all of the students were divided into groups and they had some prepared classes. Then they had a lunch in our school’s canteen and after that we went to shopping center, what they really liked. As soon as possible we came home. On Wednesday we joined the Cracow’s tour which included: Barbican, Florianska Gate, Kazimierz (the Jewish district) and the main square. Then Egon (my guest) went with my friend and his guest (also Finn) to Alwernia Studio (probably the best in whole Poland) , because they are interested in film making and etc.. After that we went home. On Thursday the tour to the Salt Mine in Wieliczka took place. It was long but quite interesting, then we were able to eat some lunch there. Egon was working on some films and photos and I had some time to listen to their language,

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which is really original. When there was a five p.m., we went to “Morskie Oko” restaurant, which is located in the Szczepański square. There the last part of our meeting took place - supper with the traditional Polish dishes and traditional dances. Also every country had a photo with Comenius project poster, and we spent the rest of that day with our guests. On Friday I had to say goodbye to Egon and I’m looking forward to meet him in Finland. The only thing I can say about the Comenius project and I see it clearly after our guests left , that this is something great. Thanks to my Geography teacher I could enjoy Comenius project twice and only thing I regret is that this is probably the last Comenius, but who knows. I could talk for ages, how great Comenius is but the last thing I want to say is to thank everybody who I met and my friends from Poland! Without you Comenius wouldn’t have been the same. By Agnieszka Dzido

Comenius Project Meeting in Kraków The opening of our last Comenius meeting in Cracow, took place at the cinema on the main square, February the 25th. After the opening speech of our headmaster, we were happy to present for the rest of the participants, what we have actually learned about each country during those few Comenius meetings. After that, and listening about the presentation on ecological footprint made by the Czech participants, we have watched a very sad movie about the gas extraction in the USA, and its horrifying consequences. Then we went to our school to do some practical activities connected to the topic of the meeting. On the next day, we were sightseeing Cracow. We’ve been to all of the most important historically places in the whole city, that included: The Main Square, Wawel Castle and an old Jew district- Kazimierz. In the last day of the meeting, we went to on a 3h trip to the Wieliczka Salt Mine, and later that day, had a farewell party with A LOT of dancing, great food, and music. I am very sad that this great project (at least for the children) has already finished but I hope for more experience like that in the future! ☺ By Mateusz Fąfara

My very own opinion about our Comenius Project. I personally didn’t host but lot of my class mates did and told me probably everything about what kind of activities they were doing while staying at their houses. It sounded quite fun and to be fair I regret I haven’t been a host. The most important thing that I remembered is that a lot of people who seemed a bit unfriendly turned out to be actually very nice people. I also thought cultural differences would be a lot bigger and would cause trouble but at the end they didn’t. People were very tolerant. The first day which was Monday wasn’t that pleasant because nobody knew anyone and few people looked a bit disorientated. This day wasn’t that interesting because we didn’t do any activities and just sat at our classroom doing normal school day stuff. I even did not get to know anyone. Tuesday was a big day for the hosts, for people who did not host and for those that came. It was a big day because it was the presentation day. I had to come to school at 9 am and help out by carrying important things for the Polish presentation. Few IB 1 students helped us too. I met there my friends guest and talked with him for few minutes. He was Finish and recorded a interview with me. I talked about many things that he should have known for example our culture and the way people tend to behave. He was quite happy with me talking about this and seemed very into it. As we came into the old cinema we started preparing for our presentations and had met some knew friends. We presented what we had too. Mine wasn’t t a big success but still turned out quite well. We stayed there for about 6 hours and listened to all the countries. It was and enjoyable experience. Wednesday was the trip day. It was the most tiring day of all because we had to go through Kraków and visit places we already were in before for example kings castle or Jewish district. The guests were interested in sightseeing and for me this is what matters the most. I think our guide was a passionate and sounded very into the things he said. He was proud to be living in our city and pretty much knew everything about the places we visited. My group was formed of me and my 4 other friends with Hungarian people. It was a good day The last day for me was Thursday we were supposed to go to Salt Mine in Wieliczka but I was unable to go. I came for the evening dinner and ate with all the people present at Comenius. We danced and talked for about three hours. Everyone seemed to be having fun and nobody was alone which is most important. People who hosted went to galleria and I returned home.

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I learned a lot about ecology and other countries culture. I also made a lot of new friends and got to know them better while doing Comenius activities such as our presentations in which we asked questions and other joyful things we did together. I personally really enjoyed their stay and hope we could do the same project next year. It was an interesting experience and I think that all our effort didn’t go for nothing. Also finally I got the chance to speak English with a foreigner. It was incredible. By Kinga Jurkiewicz

Viribus Unitis Project Meeting in Kraków On the period from 24th to 27th February I had a pleasure to participate in Comenius Viribus Unitis project meeting in Kraków, Poland, at 8th Academic High School. Unfortunately, I didn't host anyone, but I have tried my best to help with organization. On Tuesday, 25th we meet at “Ars” cinema on the morning. We presented a quick review about using ecological technologies in countries taking part in project. Then we sang our anthem, what was completely wonderful. And then we watched a movie about extraction petroleum in the USA, and how it affects people's lives. Then we went to our school and we had classes with mixed nationalities. Lunch also was an organization challenge, but we happily deal with it. The afternoon was free, and we managed to go out together. The next day we had a tour around Kraków. We devided into several groups and went to visit the most popular touristic points of the city. We walked around Old Town quite a lot of time, then we went to the Wawel castle, and some groups walked to Kazimierz district as well. Then we had a break to spend some time around Main Square on our own and after that the foreign group went to a underground tour. We spent Thursday morning in Wieliczka Salt Mine. It was kind of fun, but in my opinion Polish students were a bit bored, because all of us have been there before at least once. It took us a lot of time to deal with everything there and when we came back to Kraków we had about two hours before the final dinner. In the evening we took people, who were living in Ibis and Żaczek hotels, from Mariacki church to the Morskie Oko, restaurant where we had our dinner prepared. We took part in kind of goodbye ceremony, with presenting part of culture of every country and dancing the traditional dances for example. Unfortunately, we had to finish it quick, because some people had flights in the morning day after. We said goodbye to each other and it was of course very sad, because most of us will not see anybody from different group anymore. For me, personally, the whole meeting was such a great experience. I had an ability to examinee myself in dealing with organization, presenting things on stage in front of the crowd. Of course meeting people from different countries is always a chance to exchange the point of view on the world and to hear a fresh voice in discussion, what is the most valuable thing. And at the end I must say that the whole project was a great fun for me at all. By Tamara K. Rohe

Comenius – a new experience I was really excited, when I heard, that a COMENIUS project is going to take place in my school, because I’m a big fan of meeting new people from different countries and exchanging thoughts and ideas. On Sunday I came back from a theater project, and after a whole day travel I was exhausted and the idea of waking up at 5a.m to pick up a girl from the train station wasn’t great. But some how I got up and I’m glad because it turned up to be a really awesome experience. Alja - the girl I hosted in my house was from Slovenia. She was one year older, and although we didn’t have much in common we got along very well. Unfortunately, I got a bit sick, and I couldn’t participate in all trips and workshops, that took place specially for the COMENIUS project, but I had the chance to get to know a bit people visiting Krakow, what was a big fun. I hope there are going be more of these kind of programs, and I really look forward to participating in them too, but hopefully more actively. By Nikoleta Boroń

Comenius meeting 24th – 28th, Cracow, Poland

This February the last Comenius meeting with students took place. We were incredibly lucky to have spring weather, which made city sight-seeing more pleasant. But let me start from the first day. I was hosting a girl from Greece - Elena, with whom I stayed during the program meeting in Athens last year. Because she and her Greek friends came a day earlier, she was with me in school on Monday and fortunately she enjoyed it, especially German lessons, as we both are learning this language. The next day we had presentations about best ecological practice of each country

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participating in the project, showing what we have learned during the program. What I think was important, was a place – ARS cinema, as it created a great ambience and also gave an opportunity to screen a short movie made by the team from Hungary. What is more, we had there some ‘warm-up’ creative activities , which made a possibility to get to know all students. On 27th February our guests had a small surprise – it was ‘the fat Thursday’. Elena was astonished when she saw the queue on Krupnicza Street to ‘Michałek’ bakery. When I explained her that all those people just want to buy donuts, her only comment was: ‘How come, we don’t something like this in Greece!’. I think it is was amazing that we could show this feast to other students, as it is one of the nicest Polish traditions. Summing up, on this meeting I made a lot of new friendships and strengthen those made in Athens. Moreover, I had an occasion for a peaceful walk through the city, which I don’t fully appreciate in everyday rush and I made a good use of my recipes for dumplings. What a pity that Comenius drew to an end.

By Magdalena Zawieracz

TO SUM UP I participated in several Comenius meetings in: Greece, Hungary and Poland. In Greece I experienced a cultural shock. Never have I seen such a beautiful weather in February. I was amazed by the beauty of the seaside near Athens and the kindness of people I met. I also loved the delicious food Greeks prepared for us. It was one of the most memorable trip I have ever had in my life. When I got back to Poland I really missed the sun and the scent of summer in the air. Another meeting took place in Hungary, in a little town near Budapest. I was hosted by a lovely girl called Anna. Her family gave me a warm welcome and provided me with a pleasant stay. I adored the city of Budapest with its beautiful monuments and streets, it was truly magic. The only problem was that Hungarian students spoke very little English and we had problems with communication. The third meeting took place in Poland, in my beloved city- Cracow. I had a real pleasure to host a girl from Hungary. She spoke English very well and we had fun spending time together. I met two nice girls from Finland and I hope that our friendship will last a long time. I was able to see Cracow from a totally different point of view. I felt a little bit like a tourist when we were sightseeing and I noticed things that I hadn’t seen before. What did this project give me?? It helped me to overcome my fear of public performances and gave me more self-confidence. It also showed me that there are people, who want to change something and make the world a better place. Their heads are full of ideas and they are not afraid of sharing them with us. It was nice to see that me and my classmates are not the only ones who want to make changes, because together we can do more. I still have vivid memories of places I visited during the project and I hope that they will stay in my head for a long time. To sum up

The cross-curricular teaching implemented through educational projects at Academic High School No.8, IB World school 6265 in Kraków, gives our students an opportunity to use the second language - English, as a means of communications and interaction in all communication situations at the European and international levels. Just like is the case with bilingual families, students acquire language in a natural way and integrate many subjects while working on the projects with the native speakers and international educators. Multicultural and international character of classes, project meetings and activities create a situation where our student not only is exposed to teacher-student vertical stimuli, but also enters into horizontal peer to peer interaction and global learning. Most of our project activities aim at student-centered learning. It is a student who comes to a conclusion that cross-curriculum knowledge gives him a chance to achieve a success and become a global citizen.

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In our projects, the English language is used as a tool for general, cognitive, intellectual, social and emotional development of students who become acquainted with multicultural dimension of the environment, understand cultures of other nations, and are open to ethnic, cultural and language diversity of the Anglophone areas. Besides, the educational methods and materials provided by our international guests-teachers, were used in a creative manner during the project implementation so as the projects served as a source of inspiration for others and provide opportunity for adapting them for the purpose of teaching through integrated subjects to different age groups in various countries and in diversified cultural contexts.

Finally, by providing international and cross-curriculum projects, our students have an opportunity to find own paths to broaden their knowledge and develop life skills, which might help them to achieve success in today`s shrinking and globalised world.

References:

The Power of International Stories: Coming of Age in the Global Village, Anna Krzemińska-Kaczyńska, Mamta Kanti Kumar, Juliette Perlowski. Vadodara. India. 2013.

The Power of Culture Project Website and PDF Book access at: www.stories.annakrzeminska.pl

Comenius School Tab http://www.viiipalo.krakow.pl/index.php?page=comenius

Organizing the Green School Day in Zabierzów. (Watch at 11:03)

http://www.tvp.pl/krakow/kronika/wideo/14-ix-2013-godz-2200/12401959