High School Life in Poland

The high schools in Poland, although structured differently from those in the U.S., still have similarities: the sights of students frantically completing homework or studying, the social interaction and cliques, and teachers monitoring the hallways.

However, in Poland, at the end of middle school you must  take entrance exams which will determine which high school you will go to. Instead of the "A, B, C, D, and F" grading scale, Polish schools use one through five. Everyday, the class schedule varies and students can be dismissed from classes anywhere from 1 p.m. through 3:30 p.m. The classes taught during any given year include English, Polish, history, religion, and chemistry.

Throughout Poland, English is regularly being taught to students. The class is structured to include and enforce the use of conversational English, meaning that Polish is rarely heard during this period.

On this particular day, preceding the English was Polish. This class is an upper level of Polish literature, similar to the U.S. high school English classes. Polish history is another subject taught in the school systems. Several centuries are covered, including the early kings and ending with modern Polish history.

Gdansk Marketplaces

Much like Farmer's Markets held in the U.S., Poland has regular markets held throughout the country where locals can buy and sell goods including, fruits, vegetables, jewelry, clothes, and even furniture. This market, held in the Wrzeszcz district of Gdansk on a Wednesday morning. The markets found in Poland such as this one are known to attract all kinds of people from the young, to the old, families, and some of the poorer members of the community. Polish markets aren't just places to pick up the daily groceries. Many locals purchase clothes, shoes, jewelry, video games, movies, and furniture at these events.

Lingering Effects of World War II

A picture of Gdansk in 1945 that was hanging in the Golden Gate in Gdansk.

Appropriately enough the first shots of World War II were fired in Poland. While not alone in its devastation by the Second World War, Poland, unfortunately, got some of the worst. Its precarious position between Germany and the Soviet Union proved extremely detrimental. Warsaw was destroyed by Germans coming from the west and Gdansk was destroyed by Soviet soldiers from the east.

Probably the most surprising thing, however, is how that legacy of destruction is still evident in Poland today. There are still many buildings that haven’t been rebuilt and on the ones that have, the new brick is evident next to the old.

A grain building that was destroyed in the war and never rebuilt.

A Russian sign letting people know the area was clear of any mines that retreating German forces may have planted.

Destroyed buildings in front of the rebuilt city of Gdansk.

A crucifix from the chapel in Malbork Castle that was damaged during World War II.

Renovation efforts in the chapel of the Malbork Castle, most of the other parts of the castle have been rebuilt since being destroyed in the war but the chapel reconstruction is still ongoing.

Stocznia Gdańska

Stocznia Gdańska, a large Polish shipyard in the northern coastal city of Gdańsk, gained international attention in the summer of 1980 when strikes lead to the formation of Solidarity, Eastern Europe's first independent trade union. The 1980s were marked by strikes, martial law and eventually free democratic elections in 1989. Solidarity played a key role in the changes that took place in Poland and the shipyard remains a symbol of historic importance in Poland and Eastern Europe.
Stocznia Gdańska, formerly the Lenin Shipyard, was founded in 1945. It was a state-owned enterprise that at times built ships for the Polish, USSR, Bulgarian, Yugoslavian, and East German navies, among others.
In August 1980, the shipyard became the center of internationally critical events. The famous strike of 17,000 ship builders, resulting from price increases and employee dismissals, spread to industries throughout the country and forced the government to legalize the the first non-communist trade union in the then Soviet sphere of influence. These events, led by shipyard electrician Lech Wałęsa, turned Stocznia Gdańska into the birthplace of the Solidarity movement that marked the beginning of the end of communism for Poland and much of Eastern Europe.
In 2007, pressure was mounted on the Polish government to reduce the capacity of the still operating but struggling shipyard or repay millions of euros in state aid.
EU rules clarify that aid for ailing shipyards can only be permitted if the state is also making efforts to cut costs aimed at restoring the companies long-term life, combined with the introduction of private investors. Without such moves, the EU claimed, any aid paid to Stocznia Gdańska is illegal and must be repaid. Yet the historical significance of the shipyard left the Polish government reluctant to cut the shipyards capacity too deeply.
However, the Polish government seemed pleased with the EU commission's 2009 decision. The commission approved the 251 million euros in aid that has been granted to the shipyard since Poland joined the EU in 2004. The catch was a restructuring plan that called for the closing of two of the yard's three slipways, ramps used for the building and repairing of ships and boats.
The shipyard is still operating in limited capacities and much of the massive terrain is leased to several smaller companies that renovate ships and yachts. The shipyard still provides plenty of historic entertainment for the many foreign and Polish tourists who can tour the facilities via the "Subjective Bus Line" and visit the workshop of Lech Wałęsa.
Tourists board a bus that will take them through the shipyard.

Tourists look out on and take photographs of the historic shipyard.

A worker stops what he is doing to look up at the passing tourist bus.

An employee climbs scaffolding to continue work on a small vessel.

Tourists look at a photo of Lech Wałęsa before touring his workshop.

Tourists line up to enter the workshop of Lech Wałęsa.

Tourists look around Lech Wałęsa's workshop.

The Shipyard's tour guide joke's with the audience.

Once in Wałęsa's workshop, tourists are invited to watch a video documenting the importance of the electrician in the 1980 strikes.

After the tour, souvenirs can be purchased of the Solidarity movement.

The Adventure Begins

Though storms in the Midwest delayed our initial departure by a couple hours, the rest of our trip went quite smoothly. Waiting in Des Moines allowed us to break out our cameras and start experimenting.  Pantalis went all out, crouching in the middle of the hallways and snapping quite a few photos before we left Iowa.

The Munich airport was abuzz with Duty Free Shops and cafes.  In typical European fashion, though it was only noon in Germany, many patrons were enjoying tall glasses of draft beer.  On the whole, the airport felt very modern.

Upon reaching the Gdansk airport, exhausted from lack of sleep, we were greeted by two of Dennis's old friends from Poland.  I got a ride home with Krzysztof, a lively old neighbor from Dennis's years in Poland. He laughingly pointed out that we could find his car by trying to find the oldest car in the lot.  The ride to the hotel featured a wide host of scenery, including modern shopping walls,  Communist-dated residences, and dense, vast forests.  During the ride Krzys provided familiar complaints of traffic and new construction.

That evening we got a taste of the night life in the Spatif bar.  The photography school that we are working with was hosting an exhibition for graduating students.  Though a little overwhelming at first, the atmosphere provided a fun introduction to young Polish life.  Adorning the walls were large black and white cutouts of Polish actors, musicians, and Spatif frequenters.  Only the next day did Dennis point out that Krzysztof is actually featured in one of these cutouts -- you can see his white pants at the top of the photo above.