Week 17: Personal (04/06/2012 - 10/06/2012)

Another leaving party

Ok, so here it is; the final blog. I must admit, it’s very emotional writing this, especially once you look back at all the things I have experienced in Poznan since I posted my first blog.

Although we still have some assignments to hand in, we finished all our classes this week and had to say goodbye to our lecturers. There have also been several of our friends who have left Erasmus to return home. If I wasn’t such a macho man, I’m sure that there would have been a tear in my eye!

However, looking on the bright side, we have all been trying to spend as much time as possible together and having several ‘goodbye parties.’ We have been treated to farewell meals cooked by our Hungarian, Turkish, Romanian and Croatian friends, and this was washed down well with plenty of Polish beers and guitar sessions. Although I will take special memories with me from the past 4 months, I think that this final week will go down as one of my favourites. This is because we have all reached the end together, and in doing so, we have formed a fantastic relationship with each other and everything felt so natural this week compared to the awkwardness of the first two weeks of meeting people.

Irish invasion

There has also been an added buzz to the city this week with the beginning of Euro 2012. The whole country is really proud to be hosting such a huge sporting event and you can see this with the effort put into organising it. Poznan has now become the adopted home of around 50,000 Irish football supporters as the team are playing in the city. To call it an Irish invasion would be a severe understatement. The Polish people have taken brilliantly to the thousands of Irishmen (probably down to the fact they are giving the economy one hell of a boost!!).

The first game where Poland played was crazy. The supporters are so passionate and it’s been a fantastic experience to be part of this. However, on the downside, I had to stand in the pouring rain and watch Ireland get beat by Croatia. My mood was not helped from the constant abuse I received from my Croatian friends!! One positive is that I have managed to get tickets for the Ireland vs Italy game, so it will be fantastic to see that!

Carzy Polish support at the fanzone

My Erasmus friends have also taken on the role of adopted Irish fans, and it has been lots of fun teaching them all the Irish football chants.

Getting into the party mood

The football tournament will also give me a great memory to take home with me, but it is the memories I have of the wonderful people I have spent time with that will stay with me. I plan to travel for a bit after my time in Poznan, and I am confident that I will return to this fantastic city one day. I have learned so much about different cultures and traditions, different educational systems and above all, I have learned so much more about myself.

So for one last time, thank you to the people from France, Spain, Catalonia, Romania, Turkey, Luxembourg, Poland, Germany, Croatia, Holland, Austria and Italy. And above all, thank you Poznan.

Cześć, Do widzenia, dziękuję bardzo!!!!!!

Amazing Erasmus friends