Both Rector Antoni Różalski and Vice-Rector Elżbieta Żądzińska set an example and once again become hosts for international students from the University of Lodz
This time we hosted Ruslan, from Kazakhstan, a law student. He told us about his family and traditional dishes eaten in his country. He wants to come back to us, to the University of Lodz, for another stay. He is currently preparing for the exams, but he will also use the Christmas break to tour Europe – he intends to visit four capital cities: Berlin, Prague, Amsterdam and Paris. He ate dumplings with cabbage and mushrooms as well as cabbage with peas. We also treated him to traditional stewed fruit drink
– says the UL Rector.
An unknown guest at the Christmas Eve Supper is an unusual experience, which fits in with the Polish Christmas tradition. It brings about a meeting, conversations, stories. It allows you to enjoy this beautiful time to the fullest. This time we hosted Lin from China and Ucha from Georgia. Lin has attended the Christmas Eve Supper for the first time. He was curious about our customs: why we put hay under the tablecloth, why we have to taste the twelve Lenten dishes, why we put an extra plate for an unexpected wanderer (in our tradition it was said to be a plate for a returning insurgent or exile) – there were many explanations. In turn, Lin and Ucha talked about their countries, their families and their beautiful Christmas customs.
– recalls Professor Elżbieta Żądzińska.
This year University of Lodz spokesperson hosted Assel from Kazakhstan and Beyhan from Turkey.
All the dishes were delicious and I felt a real Christmas atmosphere. We also got presents! Thank you very much for the invitation, Poles are extremely hospitable people
– says a history student from Asia.
Both Assel and Beyhan were extremely interested in how we spend Christmas. They were even broadcasting reports on each dish on Instagram, but we didn't mind. As a result, now the whole Astana and Istanbul know some new recipes. Let's spread Polish Christmas around the world!
– says the spokesperson for the University of Lodz, Paweł Śpiechowicz.
Katarzyna and Marcin Kowalczyk hosted Aculpa from Kazakhstan and Katja from Russia. A VIP Alumni of the University of Lodz, the daily chief-editor in Dziennik Łódzki and Express, has taken part in the campaign for the first time. He has already declared that if next year they spend Christmas at home with their families, they will certainly invite guests from far away again.
Our Christmas Eve celebrations are multi-generational and very traditional. We strictly observe the key to Christmas Eve dishes, we share the wafer, we sing carols. There are a lot of children, so there is also a lot of happiness due to the gifts from Santa. The ladies we hosted, who were very curious about our Christmas customs, were therefore at the heart of the rituals of the Polish Christmas Eve. They tasted Polish Christmas dishes, took lots of photos, even of individual dishes and made films. We tried to make Aculpa and Katja feel like members of our big family for those few hours and I think we succeeded
– says Marcin Kowalczyk.
Professor Dominik Mierzejewski, Head of the Centre for Asian Affairs, University of Lodz, could not fail to invite students from the Far East. There were as many as four of them. Some of them brought their native dishes to the Christmas dinner.
On Christmas Eve, two students from Tianjin, i.e. Fan Xiyun and Sun Qian celebrated by singing Christmas carols and playing the board game 'The Peepers'. The students prepared excellent Chinese aubergines (红烧茄子 hongshao qiezi) and steamed dumplings (馒头 mantou). They were delicious. On the other hand, on the first day of Christmas, other students – Zhang Yilun and Sun Le from Tianjin feasted with the family tasting homemade liquors and playing board games, including 'Dixit'
– recalls Professor Mierzejewski.
In turn, Marcin and Ola Mendelbaum hosted guests from the part of Asia that is a little closer to us. Both are graduates of the University of Lodz.
This has been the first such Christmas Eve for us. We usually used to spend it with the immediate family. This time, thanks to the campaign of the University of Lodz, we were able to host two international students. Kurtulus from Turkey and Akmalkhon from Uzbekistan had a chance to see what Polish Christmas Eve looks like. And we were able to talk and learn a lot about life in Turkey or Uzbekistan. The guests were surprised by some of the dishes, such as herrings served with cream and apples or stewed fruit drink
– says Marcin Mendelbaum, a journalist for Radio Łódź.
Dr Jacek Kalinowski's family invited Dilyara, an English philology student from Kazakhstan.
Thanks to this wonderful University of Lodz campaign, this year my family and I were able to host Dilyara, an English philology student from Kazakhstan. For her, it has been the first Christmas ever experienced so solemnly, as it is not celebrated in her country with Muslim culture. Apart from a moving meeting and discussion about the cultures of our countries and the differences between religions, Dilyarja and I were able to cook together in the kitchen. The result was a complete fusion – Italian tomato sauce complemented Polish pasta and we prepared mushroom risotto accompanied by sous vide duck breast, and for dessert, French crème brûlée in a new version – on a poppy seed base.
– says Dr Jacek Kalinowski from the Faculty of Management.
Nursultan and Merve visited us on Christmas Day to celebrate together with us. I think it was an interesting and enjoyable experience for them. They noted the similarities between our cultures as well as the differences. They told us about their impressions of studying in Poland, and shared a lot of interesting information related to their hometowns.
– Justyna Groblińska, a doctoral student from the Department of Italian Studies at the University of Lodz.
Professor Jarosław Płuciennik from the Faculty of Philology has participated in the Christmas Guest campaign since it started, and invited students from previous years to the Christmas table. The Christmas evenings are getting more and more crowded, but the family doesn't mind.
Yet again we have opened up as a family at Christmas 2019 to a Christmas Guest campaign. This time a computer science student from Kazakhstan visited us. We also invited guests from previous years, from India (International Relations) and Ethiopia (Management). While eating dishes prepared mainly by my wife, we had a very interesting conversation about different parts of the world, many continents, and we learned many new things about the recent Nobel Peace Prize winner from Ethiopia, Abiyu Ahmed Ali, and the recent climate problems in Africa and Asia. The guests got familiar with some traditional Polish dishes, and we also spoke in English about customs in different cultures (including one of the oldest Christian cultures in Ethiopia). We also heard a few words in Polish. Our sons, especially the younger one, thoroughly enjoyed the multicultural company. Mateusz also performed the Catalan Christmas song 'El noi de la mare' on the harp. I think this is the best form of practical education for us and our sons. But it is also a tolerant and empathetic attitude in today's complex world. Intercultural communication becomes peaceful coexistence. A blessed time!
– says Professor Jarosław Płuciennik from the Faculty of Philology, University of Lodz.
Our Christmas Eve with guests from Kazakhstan and Turkey within the university's 'Christmas Guest' campaign turned out to be a great experience. I recommend it to everyone. Open-minded students, curious about us and Poland, were happy to have shared this much family time with us. They tried all the dishes bravely, were moved by the gifts and even, to our surprise, tried to sing Christmas carols in Polish. After the Christmas dinner, they played board games with the kids and language barriers did not matter to anyone. These were unforgettable moments. It is a wonderful initiative, and for our children it is a fantastic lesson in openness, hospitality, tolerance and coexistence despite the differences that divide us.
– says Małgorzata Klatkowska-Cłapińska, a graduate of the University of Lodz.
Once again, I had an extraordinary Christmas, as one more time I had the opportunity to host two international students in my family home. Caner from Turkey and Mukhtar from Afghanistan accompanied me and my family on Christmas Eve. It was an amazing time for us. Both myself and my relatives had an opportunity to show what Christmas is like in our country. Our international guests learnt about our Christmas customs and tasted traditional Polish Christmas Eve dishes. In line with our Polish tradition, there were also presents for our guests under the Christmas tree. I can fully recommend such an adventure to everyone! Furthermore, everyone should remember that no one should be alone during Christmas. Thank you very much for your presence!
– says Konrad Rudnicki from the Faculty of Chemistry.
‘Christmas Guest' campaign is a part of the University Diversity project. Under the project, students who come to study at the University of Lodz become the heroes of photography exhibitions, meet at culinary workshops and take part in meetings during which they learn about Polish culture and customs. They can also study Polish at the Polish Language Centre for Foreigners, University of Lodz. Currently University of Lodz educates about 3,000 international students. That is the highest number in its history. One of the core elements of the university's strategy is to increase the number of international students and, at the same time, provide them with increasingly better conditions of their stay in Lodz. This is not only about the educational offer, but also about the sense of integration and daily support. All within one of the University of Lodz's main slogans – unity in diversity.
Edit: Promotion Centre, University of Lodz