Summer school graduate: we are a big international family

Every summer, for more than half a century, the Catholic University of Lublin organizes a summer course in Polish language and culture, attracting students from all over the world who share the same goal: to learn Polish. Samantha Rodríguez Del Rio, a native of Mexico, talked about her experience with the course and whether learning our language is really difficult.

Samantha participated for the second time this year in the summer course offered by the School of Polish Language and Culture of the Catholic University of Lublin. As she says, the experience of the two editions not only made her speak Polish, having previously known it only at a rudimentary level, but also changed her life and the way she sees the world. - I had the opportunity to meet people from over 20 countries, share our cultures, and form long-lasting friendships that I still cherish today - she says.

Most of the students participating in the course receive various scholarships, most notably the NAWA scholarship. This is a scholarship awarded by the Polish government to foreigners or people with dual citizenship. - This year, our group consisted of around 90 people from different parts of the world. Those of us who received the scholarship had one month of intensive classes, conferences, trips, workshops, and many cultural activities. I particularly enjoyed the Polish dance workshop because it allowed us to delve deeper into the culture and further appreciate this country and its folklore - Samantha reports.

Students from more than 30 countries around the world want to learn the Polish language and explore Polish culture for a variety of reasons. Some are studying Slavic languages or European history, while others are descendants of Polish families. Such is the case with Samantha Rodríguez, whose great-grandfather was Polish and moved to Mexico in the 1920s. - He passed away many years ago, and with him, much of his past and history was lost. However, for years, we researched our lost family and eventually came to Poland to continue that research. That’s how I became interested in Poland and the Polish language - says a participant in the School of Polish Language and Culture at KUL. - By learning Polish, I feel closer to the family I never met and a special connection with my great-grandfather. I feel like this language and this country are home - she adds.

- We gathered in Lublin for a month and created a big family, with whom we laughed, cried, had fun, studied, and discovered the fascinating and beautiful Poland - the Mexican woman states with satisfaction. Participants of the course are learning Polish not only in Lublin. In their spare moments they also visited Sandomierz, Zamosc, and Warsaw.

According to Samantha, the quality of teaching, the teachers and the dynamics of the course allowed the participants to achieve their Polish language goals. The summer months spent at the School of Polish Language and Culture at the Catholic University of Lublin were a unique experience that will always remain in her heart and mind. - I will always be thankful to the Catholic University of Lublin, the NAWA program, and all the wonderful teachers, staff, students, and friends that this experience allowed me to meet - she says.

- I highly recommend applying for next year’s NAWA scholarship if you are a foreign student or teacher, or simply signing up for this course on your own - it is truly worth it - it's really worth it - encourages the participant of two editions of the Polish language and culture course.