Guest Lecture
It was an honor to be asked to present a lecture for one of Dr. Jacek Trębecki's public relations classes on Wednesday afternoon. After discussion with Dr. Trębecki and one of his top students, Katarzyna Konieckiewicz (Kasia), we settled on the unusual topic of how to prepare a U.S.-style resume as a PR student applying for internships or entry-level positions. I was doubtful that this would be a topic of interest, but my concerns were completely misplaced. Dr. Trębecki promoted the lecture for any students to attend, and the response was overwhelming. Despite a large lecture hall with seating capacity for nearly 100 students, they filled the seats, and more sat on the floor or stood in any open space. More than 150 students attended. There would have been many more, but Dr. Trębecki, immediately recognizing the dilemma, announced that I would deliver the same lecture the following week at the same time. That allowed students in the hall outside the room and some in the room without seats to wait for the next opportunity.
 |
| Standing room only for my lecture on preparing resumes. |
It might be tempting to conclude that students here are starved for information, and that led to the large turnout, but that would be a mistake. What this response reflects is how successful the instructors are here at motivating students to absorb all the information they possibly can. Keep in mind, too, that I lectured in English, and yet these Polish students were able to take in and even discuss this topic thoughtfully. I was and remain deeply impressed!
 |
| Students paid rapt attention throughout the hour and a half lecture. |
Birthday Dinner
Last Friday I celebrated yet another birthday (I have no complaints, mind you!), and it was a special treat to share the occasion with some of our great Polish friends here in Poznań. A 10-minute walk from our apartment is the beautiful Stary Rynek (old market square), with a great many inviting restaurants contributing to the festive atmosphere of the area. We chose the Brovaria Restaurant, which features its own microbrewery. The evening could not have been better.
 |
| The scene upon our arrival at the Stary Rynek. |
 |
| The restaurant makes its own beer. I enjoyed its "honey" brew. |
 |
| Joanna Trębecki (left, front) sits across from her husband, Jacek. Robin and Alan Freitag are next. To Robin's left is Martyna Dziubek. To Alan's right are Dr. Ryszard Ławniczak and his wife Irene. |
 |
| The birthday boy about to enjoy his roast duck, red cabbage and dumplings. |
On Saturday evening, Robin and I took in a basketball game between Poznań and Warsaw in the Tauron League. My impression is this is a semi-professional league. A bus ride followed by a tram ride and a short walk (30 minutes total travel time) took us from our apartment to the university arena where the game was played. We bought general admission tickets at the door for roughly $3 each. Several hundred enthusiastic fans attended, including one with a bass drum he used regularly to generate lively cheers. The players were impressive athletes who played with concentration and intensity.
 |
| Just as in the U.S., the players are introduced right before game time. These were the hometown Poznań team members. |
 |
| The tipoff marked the start of four 10-minute quarters of constant action. |
 |
| A sizable crowd rooted for the hometeam and politely acknowledged good plays by the opponents as well. All players were respected for their efforts. |
 |
| Action was spirited, but never was there the hint of disrespect by any player for an opponent. These were fine athletes doing their best and focusing on their game. |
 |
| Poznań chased Warsaw throughout the game, sometimes trailing by as many as 10 points, but often pulling very close and even tying the score a couple times. In the end, though, Warsaw prevailed, 83-81. [Goście = Guests; Gospodarze = Hosts] |
 |
| A poor photo, but I wanted to show that the game even featured cheerleaders. |
No comments:
Post a Comment