One year passed, when Friesian delegation was at our
schools in Poland and the time of our return-visit was coming very quickly.
First, we were invited on the 20.-25. of April 2001. One week before our
departure, we got a message about the national tragedy - the mouth disease.
It was a very big problem and special measures of precaution were taken and
the population did not have any permission to move anywhere. The visit at
that time was held. The year, which passed wasn't lost for sure. We made, thanks
to Jacek Wojcik - the website ( www.gokazimierz.republika.pl ) about the
visit of our guests from Friesland. We wrote a few e - mails but we did not
enter the most important relations between the children from Warns and Lipnica.
The second invitation of Polish delegation
to Friesland was announced on 14. - 19. of September 2001. We had
to pack only and take care of insurance. Everything was prepared earlier in
the spring. The last meeting of our group was in Sierakowice, where the author
of our project - Renata Mistarz - resides. She was about two hours late because
she had to take part in a very important meeting in the parish house
in Chmielno. The parents of this parish are still fighting for a formation
of the Kashubian grammar school in Brzestowo. Renata came with bad news: there
wasn't any compromise. We discussed a lot of things about our trip
to Holland. Later, it turned out, that Renata cannot go with us. She had
a lot of problems at work as the headmaster in Sierakowice. It's
a pity. Only 12 people went to Holland (like 12 apostles). Everybody
knew, that it's a very important mission. On the 13. of September we went
to Friesland. First, our bus went to Kartuzy, Borzestowo. The date
"13" was unlucky. All the world was shocked because of the terrorist - attacks
in the USA on the 11. of September. A lot of people were dead. The new
century began very dramaticly . So, this is our contemporary world: the world of
big differences, intolerance, violence, terrorism… We were afraid that our visit
would be cancelled but there was no reason: our trip took effect. We went
to Holland to strengthen Kashubian - Friesian contacts. We had
to become acquainted with their culture and religion. We had to learn
to live with globalism and not submit it.
We started our trip in Lipnica, where we were waiting - together with
Rafal Maliszewski - my traveling companion, English and German translator - for
a mini bus, which took us to Holland. In Lipnica we were waiting with
a delegation from Kramarzyny also: with Jacek Wojcik and Grzegorz
Starzynski. In the bus the fallowing people expected us: Halina Bobrowska and
Halina Kaczykowska from Glodnica, Zofia Jaskot and Katarzyna Socha from Szemuda,
Elzbieta Scibor and Agnieszka Deling from Jastrzebia Gora, Krystyna Szlachetka
and Joanna Lewandowska from Borzestowo. We had a very long journey, over
1200 kilometres. It passed luckily and without problems. On the way we were
admiring a beautiful landscape. We were integrating with the whole group
and an excellent atmosphere reigned all the time.
We crossed the German - Dutch frontier, without
customs office, at noon. We could admire a very typical Dutch landscape:
plain and a lot of canals all the time. There were not any fallows. On the
field there was cattle and horses first of all. We could see, that Dutch farms
were very big. There were first sings that we were achieving our aim. We could
see the Friesian flags. A few minutes after 3 o'clock p.m. we arrived at
our agriculture camp "Weidumerhout" in Weidum. Thanks to a very
detailed map we got there without problems. In a while Jelle Bangman came
to welcome us. After a very short rest, Jelle took us to the
village, where he lives, for a meal. The dinner was very delicious. Our
sleeping house was remade. Earlier it was a farm - house. There we found
good conditions for discussions and for a rest. In spite of tiredness we
experienced hospitality in Jacek's and Grzegorz's room, where we were preparing
our musical repertoire.
On Saturday - the 15. of September after breakfast, our Friesian
friends came. The greeting was very heartily. We could see, that everybody was
on good terms with each other. Among the hosts there was our sympathetic
Marleen. At noon we talked about a very important thing: we established
a plan of cooperation for the whole year in our schools in Warns and
Lipnica. Together with Marleen and Rafal we determined, that our children would
be in a contact per e - mails and right now it's enough. We hope, that in
the future we will exchange our pupils. After our official meeting
we went
to Leeuwarden to visit the Friesian Radio and Television. There we
watched a very interesting educational film. Our host - Rein Tolsma -
answered questions and after that invited us for a lunch in the canteen.
A reflection after a visit in the Friesian Radio and TV came
immediately: we haven't any Kashubian radio and television. Our short programs
cannot compete with their radio and TV ones. I wonder in Poland there would
be people, who are so courageous and could lead Kashubian radio and television.
The RTV Fryslan has a very important function: it takes part in teaching at
Friesian schools, because a large majority of programs is educational. At
the end of our visit in RTV Fryslan we got a few gifts. Thank you very
much. In the afternoon
we were visiting the town. The town is beautiful:
interesting houses, cleanness, canals, bridges, old building. Apart from
architectural - spiritual sensation, we have something for a body. We were
tasting different cuisines from all the world. That evening we ate - among
others things - Indonesian dishes. Than we were guests in a school where
Jelle told about the new project of Friesian Three Languages School. We got
acquainted with educational materials. Our friends had a lot of books,
which served for teaching Frisish. We had one primer only and two newly
published Kashubian books. The teachers from this schools prepared very
interesting games for that evening, which are used by the children every day.
Emotions were big and we had a good time. In the end nobody got
a prize for the first place but our hosts deserved it.
The next day - Sunday - the 16. of September began in the
St. Nyk church where we attended a mass. A temple was very
imposing especially with our Kashubian dresses. We also heard a parish
choir. It was a real concert, not a Sunday mass only. The priest
welcomed us very cordially in Dutch and after his greeting we heard
a welcome by a Dutch woman of the Polish descent. After the mass we
met in the parish - house where we drank coffee. Than we had a walk through
the village St. Nyk. Just like in Leeuwarden we loved beautiful houses,
clean streets, blooming gardens. Our housing - in comparison with the Friesian
one - looked more massive. During the walk we were surprised by the Dutch
weather. Once it's raining other time it's shining. Than we had
lunch at "De
Paadwizer" school. The school is very similar to other ones in Holland
but different to Polish conditions. Except the equipment - excess, the
Dutch school has another construction. Accommodations are available both for
students and for teachers. In the hall you can find everything: books,
textbooks, copier etc. They aren't afraid that pupils would devastate anything.
In the classroom there were a lot of work - places. Students were still
moving from one place to the other. In the one - they sing, in another -
they read stories.
We had a lot of attraction. In the afternoon we arrived at
Eksmoarre, where we visited an old Friesian village. We bought typical
Friesian products. In Poland we have also very old Kashubian houses, but it's
always interesting to see where and how the people lived. It's the last
point of our common - program. Everybody went to the hosts' home. Rafal and
me went with Marleen to Warns. The visit at Marleen's home started with
a meal. We were together with Halina Bobrowska, Halina Kaczykowska and Ep.
We all had a very delicious dinner. It was a characteristic dish for
the people who work hard on arable land (after dinner we should work on the
field and not walk through the village). In the evening we started preparing the
next day's visit in the school. Together with Marleen and her husband we watched
a video film about our region in Poland. I was trying to explain
everything and Rafal translated a content of the film and my commentary.
The atmosphere at Marleen's home was very warm.
We were seating by the
fireplace, among burning candles, which were fixed in different places of
the house. The room where we were living during our stay, was made accessible
for us by the oldest Marleen's son, whose name was Axel. Axel has one little
sister and two twin brothers. The Marleen's children appeared very sociable and
lovable. They were very polite and well - behaved. Marleen said , that the
children were so polite in our company only but we did not believe it.
Monday, the 17. of September was the most
difficult day of our visit. We had to present ourselves well at
partner
school " De Skoalfinne" in Warns. I had a Kashubian dress and
I had to sing and to say something about our school and the
region. We visited all pupils - groups. In Friesland there was no age - division
as it is in Poland. In one class there could be students, who were six, seven
and eight years old. First we visited the youngest and we were astonished: the
four years old children went to school. We were singing the Kashubian
anthem and counting buttons on my frock - coat in Frisish and Kashubish. The
longest chat we had with the oldest group, which will keep in touch with our
children. We talked about Kashubian symbols: the flag, the eagle, the Kashubian
dress , the sevencoloured embroidering and the situation of our local community.
Everybody could see an authentic snuff - box and the local headmaster took
a snuff together with us. Next I played the accordion and sang
Marleen's favourite song "Od blotka do blotka" with the chorus "Hej lej, lej.".
The time passed very quickly and the children talked to us willingly. Than
we gave the children the presents we had taken for them in Poland.
The children in Warns started the
lessons at 8.30 a.m. Between 12.00 and 13.15 they had a lunch break. We had
a break too and we prepared a meal at school. The parents came
to school punctually and took their children home. The second part of the
lessons lasted about two hours (the children went home at half past three in the
afternoon). All the time we admired a very good cooperation between parents
and the school. At school there was a lot of children's pictures. One thing
is interesting for us: there are no school - buses. In Lipnica we have
a lot of problems with the transport of children. In Warns there are only
fifty pupils. It's clear there are less problems and work is more pleasant. Our
local - community would go bankrupt immediately, because there is no place in
Polish school-system for such small schools . Unfortunately, our country is
poorer than Holland and we could notice it a lot of times.
After the visit at school we had some free time
to
ride a bicycle. We were visiting a lot of interesting
places. First: a Protestant church. I was in such a church for
the first time and it was a new experience. Ep asked me if I could
play the organs. I didn't refuse and felt like at home. In Warns there are
three Protestant churches and one Catholic chapel. Unfortunately, people go
to church very seldom and it's very different from the Polish mentality.
The Polish people are more pious . Only about 5 % of the Dutch inhabitants
attend divine service systematically. Than we visited a cow-farm. We could
see the most modern arrangements to milk cows. Everything is under control
thanks to computer and a man don't need go to the cow- shed all
day round. The farm is supported by two brothers. They told us a lot of
interesting things, for example how to keep a farm. Polish farmers
didn't believe that two people only can keep such a big farm.
Unfortunately, the Dutch weather didn't allow us to continue our trip. We
went back home, getting wet but a moment later we continued the trip by
car. We went to the North Sea, where we had an opportunity to see
smallest harbour in the world, in Lachsum. In the car Marleen and Ep were
telling interesting historic stories about their region and country. We could
admire a beautiful landscape - so different from Poland. That day the
dinner was prepared by Ep's daughter. She is a very experienced cook, so
dinner was delicious. The evening we spent at Marleen's home singing Kashubian
and Fresian songs and telling funny stories. We were not alone- a few
guests came to us: Halina Bobrowska, Halina Kaczykowska with Ep and
Krystyna Szlachetka, Joanna Lewandowska with Willy. Later in the evening we
visited a port-town Hindeloppen, where the people speak their own language.
The meeting on Tuesday (the 17. of September) was planned for 12.15
p.m. in the Province House, so we had some free time to organize
a small trip. The most interesting was a water dam on the canal which
equalized water level between the sea area and the land. We could see it,
because one ship would like to go the sea and the service staff had
to pump the water. The water - level rose to about nine metres.
Everybody knows, that Dutch people are masters of land melioration. They learnt
for a long time how to subjugate the sea. Our stay at Marleen's home
was over - it's a pity! But everything good ends very quickly . We
convinced ourselves, that Marleen, Ep and their families were very friendly and
pleasant. How many times we were laughing, it's difficult to count. In the
Province House we were dead on time. Elzbieta, Agnieszka and me wanted
to present ourselves in the Kashubian dress. Before the official meeting
started, we were invited to have lunch. A very rich - served table
didn't make possible thinking what would happen in a moment. Our meeting
was planned with the Representative Person of the Dutch Authority in the hall of
the Province House. His name was Siem Jansen. The RTV Fryslan was also present
at our meeting. After Mr. Jansen's short speech, Jelle began his speech. At the
end of the speech, he offered taking a snuff as a sign of peace and
long cooperation. Finally, we signed a cooperation - agreement between our
schools. It's one of the most solemn moment of our visit. Many people felt like
participants of a very important world event. There was one more important
event during the ceremony: Willy Riemers become a member of the Kashubian
Association - " Zrzeszenie Kaszubsko - Pomorskie". After the official part of
our meeting we visited the beautiful Province House and were present at an
interesting lecture, which was given by doctor Alex Riemers - the secretary of
the Friesian Language Council. Than we visited
the Friesian House - the
center of language, art and Friesian culture. Our leave - taking time was
quickly to an end. The last evening we spent in Flinkenboskje together with
our all friends and their spouses. There we ate double - dutch. We danced
a lot, and a rhythmic music - performed by "Cajun Beano" band -
accompanied us all the evening. Everybody got a CD to remember the
"Cajun Beano" music. We song a lot of Friesian and Kashubian songs and went
to bed very late (actually in the morning). It wasn't so easy to say
goodbye after such successful visit. We were so sad, that our visit in Friesland
was over.
On Saturday - the 19. of September -
we came back and visited Amsterdam on the way. It's raining all the time
and the weather was awful. In the bus we were discussing a lot of thinks
connected with our visit in Friesland. We hope our cooperation between the
schools will be satisfactory and will bring a lot of profits for our
pupils. I would like to thank one more time for your cordial
hospitality and I only say: see you soon!
