Italian experiences

From Italy to Poland

16- 21 October 2011



It was an autumn day when I left Italy to go to Poland with my five pupils, my three fellow teachers, my headmaster and the head of the secretary’s office. The first contact with the Polish land was at Cracow, an ancient, romantic city full of charm and history. We quickly catched the typical atmosphere of the town at the twilight.
The day after, early in the morning, our dear George came to our hotel to meet us. It was a touching moment.
He brought us to Mzana Dolna where he had booked a delicious and warm mountain chalet for us. We spent the first morning visiting a typical wooden church in that area and a railway museum.
St. Maria Magdalena's church in Kasina, in baroque style, contained such beautiful frescoes and a magnificent wooden organ. In the hall of the church there was a little museum of traditional handcraft products.
In the afternoon we went to the welcome party in the school gym of Mzana Dolna. There were reharsals, songs, dancing, welcome speeches and...good food! We felt at home.
In the evening, at the hotel, we met our Comenius friends from Spain and Ungary. We were very happy: our dream to harmonize the different cultures was becoming a reality!
The second day began early in the morning, we would visit Cracow! The tour of Cracow started from the Jewish district, one of the most ancient in Cracow, with its little houses and sloping roofs. Then we visited the Wawel Castle, an ancient fortress inhabited by the kings of Poland. Its history was accurately described by a touristic guide speaking English who showed us the Wawel cathedral, the Dragon cave and the Vistula river too. Then the guide led us to the church where the Pope St. John Paul prayed during his stay in the archibishop palace in Cracow and we could pray in the same seat of the Pope.
Walking throught Cracow we reached the main Market Square, we visited the church of St. Mary and had a look to the Town Hall Tower, then we got the Florian's Gate and the ancient wall. In the afternoon we had lunch in a typical Polish restaurant decorated with colourful flowers according to the Polish folk tradition.
On wednesday morning we went to the Snieznica Mountain for a Mass in the wood. It was very touching and there was a moving atmosphere. In the afternoon we went to Wadowice, the birthplace of St. John Paul II where we visited the Basilica of St. Mary's Revelation and the home of Karol Wojtyla containing his documents, manuscripts and works. Coming back to Mzana Dolna we stopped to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska where there are the Stations of the Cross and a Sanctuary where Karol Wojtyla prayed when he was a child.
In the evening there was a barbecue party outdoor the hotel, we danced and enjoyed very much.
On last day we visited the most important cultural centres in Mzana Dolna: the primary and secondary school, a special kindergarten school, a sport centre and a secondary technical school.
In the afternoon, after Comenius meeting, there was the visit of a magnificent cistercian monastery nearby, surrounded by the mountains.
In the evening we had dinner in an elegant restaurant in Mzana Dolna, we danced up to midnight and at the end we greeted our fantastic friends. What incredible experience!
That has been our journey but beside that one we travelled on the thread of our feelings and emotions: we proved the Polish hospitality, the Polish warmth, the Polish friendship; we discovered the Polish culture and history, we understood the Polish pride, we felt the Polish spirituality and simplicity. We felt very well. Thank you Polish friends.
The teacher
Rosa Villani