skip to main |
skip to sidebar
The Program
Poland Through a Lens offers students the opportunity to explore one of the most rapidly changing new democracies in Europe. Less than twenty years ago the people of Poland were struggling under the yoke of communism and today the country is a dynamic member of the European Union that will play a role in shaping the future of the continent. The goal of this class is to create a blog with photos to tell the stories of people you meet during the three weeks of travel. As participants in Poland Through a Lens, you will have an opportunity to experience several sides of the contemporary Polish experience; from the world of the affluent businessmen in the big cities to the struggling farmers who are learning to cope with the economic changes that are the result of the country's entry into the European Union.
The Schedule
After an initial orientation session in Ames, the group will fly to Gdansk and be based in the Polish resort town of Sopot on the Baltic Sea. During the summer Sopot is a popular destination for tourists from Germany, Scandinavia and Poland's larger cities. We will be there before the season begins and will be able to take advantage of the amenities without the crush of the crowds that will begin later in the summer. While in Sopot we will cooperate with the Sopot School of Photography and hold evening critique and projection sessions with Polish students and faculty. A documentary project of daily life in Sopot, produced by both groups, will result in an exhibition at the end of the second week. A weekend family-stay is part of the program in Sopot, as well as trips to smaller towns where medieval castles still dominate the skyline. The final portion of the program will take place in southern Poland where students will live in a mountain village and have the opportunity to learn about and photograph rural life. A few days in Krakow, the cultural capital of Poland, is also part of the agenda and will offer students the chance to explore this beautiful historic city at a leisurely pace. In Poland you will also attend lectures and meetings with accomplished Polish photographers, journalists and professors who will lead sessions on topics ranging from the new Polish media; working in foreign countries; as well as discussions on contemporary Polish culture and society.
Accommodations
In Sopot and Krakow double occupancy rooms at small inns, located in historic buildings, will provide the opportunity to live right in the heart of the cities. A short family-stay, two nights, will also allow students a more intimate view of how Poles live. In the southern mountain village, room and board will be provided in an agro-tourism setting with multiple-occupancy (4-5 people) per room. The home we will occupy is often used by groups of Polish students.
Faculty
Assistant Professor Dennis Chamberlin, from the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication, is the group leader of this summer study abroad program. Chamberlin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who worked as a foreign correspondent in Poland for fifteen years. He has traveled extensively throughout the region producing stories for publications such as The New York Times Magazine and National Geographic.
Language
Prior to leaving Ames, all students will participate in the orientation sessions where a basic introduction to Polish will be taught. You will find that a few polite words in Polish will help you during your visit. While in Poland, students from the Sopot School of Photography who speak English will be paired with students from our group to work on topics together. All lectures will be in English. During the week in the mountain villages translators and guides will be available.
Transportation
Public transportation will be used for travel between cities. In most cases this will be via the extensive train network but the public bus services will also be used for shorter trips.
Credits
Students will receive 3 credit hours for the course.