Daytrip to Warsaw

Taking the Train

It will come as no surprise to hear that the train system in Poland is excellent and comparable to the trains I've enjoyed in many other parts of Europe.  I'm proud to report that my Polish is improving, and I was able the day before my trip to visit the Poznań train station and purchase my ticket to Warsaw, with return, reserved seat, second class (which is quite pleasant) and at the times I needed, using Polish only.  There are regularly scheduled express trains that connect Warsaw and Berlin, and Poznań bisects that route, so the city benefits from its strategic location in that respect.  Consequently, the trip to Warsaw took just three hours, and the return on an even faster train took just 2 1/2 hours. 



Trains here are comfortable, clean and reliable.

The trip took me through miles of flat farmland and past or through a number of small towns.  It was a gray, snowy day, but even so, the scenery was interesting.  I have no doubt spring and summer will soon replace the bleakness of this day.


Farm fields are bleak and barren now, but will certainly
change considerably in the coming weeks and months.




My train passed quite a few farm villages.


















The Meeting in Warsaw

The purpose of my trip was to attend an orientation meeting for Fulbrighters in Poland, mainly those arriving for the spring semester.  A much more elaborate orientation, including visits to Polish cities such as Kraków and Wrocłow, was held in September when most Fulbrighters begin their fellowships.  Still, even this short meeting last week was useful and enjoyable, allowing me to meet some of my Fulbright colleagues here.  About a dozen attended, including faculty and students. 

Polish-U.S. Fulbright Commission members Andrzej Dakowski and
Dorota Rogowska (at head table) explain aspects of the Fulbright
program to student and faculty Fulbright grantees.

Grantees in Poland represent a wide range of focuses.  The group meeting this time included an anthropologist studying Holocaust related issues; a pianist studying Chopin, the great Polish composer; a journalism scholar; a theatrical director studying Polish directing techniques; an artist teaching painting; a geologist researching geophysics and environmental issues; and others with equally interesting backgrounds, interests and research pursuits. 

Official gatherings of this nature are never complete without a fine meal, and this gathering was no exception.  A short walk to a restaurant next to the Warsaw offices of the Fulbright Commission provided the perfect setting for an enjoyable lunch.



Faculty and student Fulbright grantees continue their
discussions over lunch.


















My return train to Poznań was scheduled to depart Warsaw around 3 p.m., and this was on a Friday.  Thank goodness I had made a reservation!  The train was packed with business people and weekenders headed out of Warsaw, many to Berlin, for the weekend.  Again, though, the train departed on time and maintained its precise schedule, arriving in Poznań around 5:30 p.m.  Despite the near-blizzard conditions in Warsaw that day, it was clearly a city worth returning to frequently.  I look forward to those opportunties.

Do widzenia!

A Little Night Music

University Days

Last week, the Poznań University of Economics marked its "University Days," a celebration of its history and achievements.  I was privileged to receive invitations to a number of related events including panel discussions (in Polish, of course) and the screening of the film Zelazna Dama (or Iron Lady).  The weather continued to be somewhat disagreeable for most events, but I still very much enjoyed them.  Zelazna Dama was presented in its original English with Polish subtitles.  The event was held in a movie house just a few blocks from the university and was heavily attended -- all seats were filled.  The film was not what I expected but was certainly a great experience.  Although the significant political events of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's career were presented, they were not, in my view, the central theme of the picture.  Rather, the film was a moving love story about the relationship between Thatcher and her husband, Dennis.  I lived in Germany during the Falklands War and in England during several years of her leadership.  I was later serving at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., when PM Thatcher visited that city.  Further, I was assigned to NATO in Belgium during the end of the Cold War and the last months of her time as prime minister.  Because of our unintended linkages with the "Zelazna Dama," my wife and I chose to recognize that connection by naming our dachshund "Maggie" when we acquired her as a puppy in Belgium in 1990.  "Maggie" proved to be a zelazna dama as well, living to be 17 1/2 years old after living in Belgium, Hawaii, Ohio and North Carolina.  Interesting that PM Thatcher continues to make appearances in our lives.

The Concert

For me, the highlight of University Days was the Thursday evening concert in the beautiful performance hall of the university's Academy of Music.  The first hour of the 2-hour event was actually a recognition ceremony for faculty members of the university.  This was a formal and impressive segment during which faculty members who had achieved significant accomplishments were called to the stage (in several categories) to be acknolwedged.  Their names were prominently displayed on the large backdrop screen and announced by the master of ceremonies.  Then, each recipient had a medal pinned in military style, and each proudly wore the medal during the remainder of the evening. 



Faculty members receiving their medals.

 The performance hall is a round, glass building of very contemporary design.  The interior is equally impressive and superbly functional.  Audience members enter from a spacious plaza into a large lobby where coats, boots, hats, etc. can be checked (remember -- the weather was somwhat unpleasant).  Then they climb stylized stairs to the entrances to the performance hall itself.


Stairs from the entrance lobby to the performance hall.

















The 1-hour concert following the recognition ceremony was an eclectic mix of fine performances.  I presume all vocal and instrumental performers were associated with the Academy of Music, either as students or instructors.  It began with a 4-piece rock band that reminded me very much of the early "Stones" -- circa 1966.  Three guitars (the standard arrangement -- lead, rhythm and bass) and a drummer played three pieces, and the audience, in coats, ties and gowns, listened and applauded appreciatively.  For U.S. readers, it put me in mind of an Ed Sullivan show from that era.  The band really was quite good.

The rock band was followed by a 20-piece mostly brass ensemble.  There were French horns, trombones, trumpets, euphoniums, a tuba, two clarinets and two percussionists.  This group played what I would describe as traditional Polish polkas, but in a style I have not heard before.  Coming from the heavily Polish south side of Milwaukee, I've heard many polka bands, but the pieces are generally played heavily and meant for foot stomping, hand clapping and imprecise dancing.  The pieces this group played were performed crisply, lightly and cleanly.  They took on the character of fine symphonic music.  Two singers (by my estimation classically trained, a mezzo and a baritone) sang several of six or seven numbers along with the ensemble.  All musicians in this group were formally attired.  I have never heard polkas performed in this manner, and it was pure delight.  Perhaps as a former French hornist and member of numerous bands and orchestras over the years I'm biased toward this style of music.  Nevertheless, I sincerely hope I will have many more opportunities to enjoy this group in the months ahead.



The brass (plus clarinets) ensemble with two vocalists.

The third element of the performance was a wonderful soprano who sang several operatic pieces as well as "I Could Have Danced All Night" from the musical My Fair Lady.  That last piece figures heavily in the film Zelazna Dama, so it tied in other University Days events nicely.  It was certainly a new experience for me to have such a variety of musical styles combined in a single concert, but I and the rest of the audience were delighted with every aspect of the program.  In keeping with the formality and ceremonial flavor of the evening, abundant flowers were presented to performers to conclude the evening.  Another great experience in Poznań!



Flowers are given to the evening's performers.  I never did learn the
significance of the fake bird in the cage near the edge of the stage.


















Next time -- a report on my day trip by train to Warsaw for a meeting at the offices of the Fulbright Commission.

Settling In

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

After two weeks, my experience here in Poznań, Poland, is beginning to approach a settled routine, though there are new discoveries and new wrinkles on old ones every day.  Having lived in three other European countries for nearly 10 years in the past, I was not concerned about life without a car here in Poznań, and I was correct in expecting no difficulties in that regard.  Public transport here, as in most European cities, is outstanding.  The city system is based on a network of trams that glide throughout the metropolitan area on rails.  Numerous bus routes connect with each other and the many tram lines.  With a good map and a little bit of planning, there is really nowhere I cannot access.   If I need to travel beyond the city and its environs, an excellent train system and comprehensive intercity bus service provide easy access.  A weekly pass for all trams and buses in the greater metropolitan area costs around $10.  Reasonably priced taxis meet any other needs.  





One of Poznan's ubiquitous and efficient trams passes the Zamek (castle).







Buses are well used.  This is my stop near my apartment complex
(the large building visible behind the approaching bus). 
This stop serves three separate bus lines offering easy access to
most parts of the city and to other bus and tram lines.



It still means I walk a good deal more than I would if I had a car, but the walking is part of the appeal.  Now that the arctic air has given way to temperatures around 30 Fahrenheit, walks of even a kilometer or more are not at all unpleasant.  For example, yesterday during my lunch hour, I walked a kilometer to a bus line that took me in about 15 minutes to the Tesco (extensive shopping center similar to a Super Walmart) on the outskirts of the city.  It was still a half kilometer walk from where I stepped off the bus to the Tesco entrance, but hardly a barrier.  There is slight problem with not having a vehicle on trips like this though.  After shopping for things I needed for my apartment, I had to walk back to the bus stop, then ride it a few stops, and finally walk a kilometer back to my apartment.  Carrying a backpack full of groceries, a shopping bag full of more groceries in one hand and two mops (wet and dry) in my other hand, while slipping through the slushy, partially melted snow, or balancing on a jostling bus, it’s hard to remember I’m a Ph.D., full professor and Fulbright scholar.  It can be humbling, which is not a bad thing. 



REMAINING ACTIVITIES THIS WEEK

The rest of this week holds a number of interesting agenda items.  This week, the Poznań University of Economics will mark its “University Days” with a number of significant events, and I have been invited to participate in several of them.  This evening (Wednesday, February 15), I will attend a special screening of Zelazna Dama (Iron Lady), the film about former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and starring Meryl Streep.  PUE has a special connection with PM Thatcher, who was awarded an honorary doctorate here a number of years ago.  On Thursday evening, I’m invited to a special concert in the College of Music.  On Friday, I will travel by train to Warsaw (a 3-hour trip each way) for an orientation meeting for Fulbright scholars in Poland.  So, it’s an action-packed week. 



Across the street and in the median, another tram passes
in front of the main building of the university's
College of Music.  In this modern building, I will enjoy a special
"University Days" concert Thursday evening.





As to our research project, I’m using this week to refine elements of the plan such as the focus group protocol and the survey instrument.  Jacek and Martyna are providing valuable insights that are helping shape the project to application with Polish participants.  I’m also starting to prepare Martyna to serve as focus group moderator.



The impressive main entrance to the central building of the Poznań University of Economics.

I hope next week to begin exploring some of the many attractions Poznań has to offer such as a number of promising museums.  As the weather warms,  I also look forward to enjoying its lakes, parks and riverfront.  Thanks for reading, and do widzenia.



Images of Poznan

Settling In

This post will be short on narrative, but rather is meant to provide a few early photos of my new home from now until the end of July.  Winter arrived with vigor about the same time I did on February 1, and the envelope of Arctic air is relentless.  I've been following the forecasts on television, and it appears the temperature has not exceeded 20 degrees Fahrenheit since my arrival, lingering more in the 5-15 degree range.  Without a car, it means waiting for the bus and walking to shops and other destinations is a bit of an ordeal, but everyone is coping with it.  Yesterday, I awoke to a light coating of snow -- perhaps two inches.  It made for a beautiful setting but challenging navigation of the sidewalks and streets.

Enjoy the photos!


A park area in the median of a main throroughfare near my university.



Another view of the park in the median.

My apartment is just two busstops from the university.  I walk about one block from the apartment to the stop where I wait for the bus (buses come about 10 minutes apart, so the wait is never long).   After getting off the bus, I have a 2-block walk to my university office.


I ride the bus just two stops to the "zamek" or castle, then walk about two blocks to the university.  The nearest university building is visible past the castle; it starts with the tower topped by a pointed roof in the distance.

 Just a few blocks from the university is the Stary Browar (Old Brewery) shopping mall, an excellent spot for a hearty lunch at a good price.  It also includes an excellent grocery store and other shops where I can purchase items I need for my work and for my apartment.

Exterior of Stary Browar, a shopping mall created in a former brewery.

The mall includes a number of striking artworks.

My office is on the top floor (4th) of one of the main university buildings.  Small but comfortable and functional, it's where I spend the majority of my working hours. 

The view from my 4th floor office window.

Now that I'm settling into a routine, I've been able to turn my attention to our research project, the joint effort of a team comprising three faculty members (Dr. Jacek Trebecki here in Poznan, Dr. Jaehee Cho at UNC Charlotte and I) plus two graduate students (Martyna Dziubek in Poznan and Nick Woods in Charlotte).

The Poznan research team component, Martyna, Jacek and I, meet in my office.

Dr. Jacek Trebecki leads an undergraduate public relations class.

This weekend will be marked by routine tasks I must resign myself will be an ongoing aspect of the Fulbright experience: apartment cleaning and laundry!

Do widzenia!


First Days in Poznan

ARRIVAL IN POZNAN

It has been a whirlwind of activity since my arrival in Poznan last week Wednesday.  There is so much to report, but let me summarize quickly.  The 8-hour flight from Charlotte to Frankfurt was smooth and uneventful.  The 5-hour layover in Frankfurt was marred when I was struck by the flu, which lingered for about two days.  That made the 2-hour flight from Frankfurt to Poznan an uncomfortable one.   However, the reception committee at the Poznan airport, Dr. Jacek Trębecki and graduate student Martyna Dziubek, made my arrival pleasant and easy.  They sympathized with my discomfort due to the flu and got me settled quickly in my temporary flat.  The following afternoon (Thursday), I was well enough to view a number of potential permanent apartments with rental agent Błażej Dąbrowski.  It’s Błażej I wish to focus on in this post.

Błażej (pronounced “Bwah’-zhay) is worth a dedicated blog post because, in my view, he represents the entrepreneurial spirit of contemporary Poland.  A college graduate, he notes that his college business education prepared him for functional management positions in corporations, nonprofits or government agencies, but it did not imbue him with skills needed for innovative, idea-based initiatives that create or tap new and emerging markets.  Nevertheless, as a member of a new generation of Poles unrestricted by embedded habits of former times, Błażej was and is determined to immerse himself in the promises – and risks – of a market economy. 

His first foray into a venture enterprise, together with his brother, involved establishing a small shoe manufacturing and sales operation.  Their products were simple – sandals mostly.  They ran a small shop where they sold the shoes they made.  At first, Błażej reports, he was conflicted about charging customers a price for shoes that was more than the cost of manufacturing them.  He soon came to realize two things, however.  The first was that the customer was paying not only for the cost of the raw materials and the labor to make the final product, but also for the idea behind the product, the design, the management and administration of the operation, overhead costs, and even the marketing of the product.  The second realization came as Błażej observed the genuine pleasure the customers took in each purchase – they were pleased with the product and happy to pay a reasonable price for it.  This, he recognized, represented fair trade – in exchange for the cost of the shoes, customers received not only a quality product but also the comfort and satisfaction that came with the purchase.  This was a good model.  Regrettably, inexpensive imports, largely from Asian nations, soon marred Błażej’s early business success, and he needed to explore other opportunities.

Now, Błażej serves as a rental agent for clients seeking apartments in Poznan.  I found him several months ago through a Google search.  I was initially impressed by the quality of his website, especially the fact that I could view much of its content in English.  The site included extensive photo displays of available apartments along with detailed explanations of rental costs, including administrative fees, utilities and media (TV & Internet).  It also included a contact option, which I employed.  I had found several promising rental agents through my on-line search and sent inquiries to each, explaining my reason for coming to Poznan, the duration of my stay, and my basic requirements.  Though I received several responses during the following days, Błażej’s was the most positive and encouraging.  We soon established an ongoing virtual dialog that gave me a high level of confidence in his ability to quickly find suitable accommodations for my wife and me.  I was not disappointed. 

Błażej picked me up at my temporary flat on Thursday afternoon in his Seat sedan, and we began a well-planned agenda, visiting seven or eight apartments in roughly four hours, sometimes with the owner present, sometimes not.  He explained advantages and shortcomings of each in terms of location, features, etc.  He knows the city extremely well, so he could even describe the availability of nearby tram and bus lines.  All the while, he was making and receiving calls on his mobile phone, coordinating our apartment visits or fielding inquiries from other clients, both apartment owners and potential renters.   Still, Błażej’s focus was always on me, the customer.  As we visited and discussed the first several prospective apartments, he was able to narrow his understanding of my needs and wishes, which enabled him, as an astute businessman, to eliminate a few apartments he had originally considered.  All the while, he was both personable and business-like – qualities that augur well for his future success. 

In the early evening, he wisely suggested we conclude our formal apartment viewing and enjoy dinner.  We drove to the Stary Browar (“Old Brewery”) mall, a magnificent shopping and entertainment  center fashioned, as the name implies, from an old brewery (for my Milwaukee readers, think Pabst Brewery downtown); I will need to dedicate a future post to describing this wonderful feature of Poznan.  We had a modest but delicious (and excellent value) meal as Błażej told me about his professional path to his current occupation.  He quizzed me intently about how I had come to contact him and to choose him above other rental agents.  What words did I use for the Google search?  What was it specifically about his e-mail responses that engendered confidence and trust?  What made the website appealing?  He explained that there are roughly 400 rental agents in Poznan, and it was clear he was determined to be the best.  Moreover, though he is, of course, driven by the desire to earn a living, I would not describe his central motive as that of profit.  Rather, his motivation is the provision of a quality product or service that meets a genuine market need.  His principle is to adjust that product or service to suit the developing market need rather than to manipulate the client or customer into thinking there is a need where there is not one.  From this approach, Błażej recognizes, will come profit.  His business is growing slowly but steadily.  He recently added a second assistant to aid with the increased traffic his effective marketing is generating.  In that vein, he told me he is now recognizing the complexities of hiring the right staff and of training, retaining and motivating them. 

And Błażej is not resting on his current success.  He excitedly told me of his plans to expand his business to include temporary accommodations for tourists in Poznan.  He is especially focusing on the upcoming European Cup football (soccer) matches scheduled in Poznan.  He sees the potential for the thousands of fans who will come here, particularly those from Ireland, to enjoy their experience and generate a lively tourism trade in the months and years ahead.  If there are many more entrepreneurial Poles like Błażej, Poland will continue its successful transition, now well underway after more than 20 years, to a vibrant and solidly structured market economy. 

Błażej works with apartment owners Darek and Ola Krupa on my rental contract.

Oh, yes – Błażej found us a wonderful contemporary apartment, walking distance from the Stary Rynek (Old Market Square), conveniently on a bus line, and it even includes a well-appointed fitness center.  More on that in a subsequent post.  To learn more about Błażej and his rental agency, here’s his website: http://cityrentals.gratka.pl/ofirmie/.