Poland
visit proves life-changing
A Kent County 4-H'er tells about her Poland experience
From
a tour of Malbork Castle to an overnight at the Benedictine monastery
of Swiêty Krzyz to the ruins of the castle where the widows of the
Polish kings lived, Kent County 4-H member Tiffany Wieland experienced
what she says has been a life-changing experience.
She joined nine other Michigan 4-H members and two adult advisers for the Michigan 4-H Polish Exchange this summer.
“There is nothing like experiencing another culture, complete with language, foods and a different way of life. I have learned that the people of other nations have many differences, yet also many similarities,” Tiffany said.
Teens aged 15 to 19 flew to Warsaw in June to spend a month with Polish 4-H families throughout the country. Some of the Polish hosts were families of teens who visited Michigan for a reciprocal exchange in the summer of 2001.
“My host families were both very warm and caring,” Tiffany said. “I truly bonded with them during the short month that I was in Poland. My greatest challenge was adapting to the differences in food and language. The daily menu of Polish cooking was superb, while the language barrier improved my communication skills more than I could have ever imagined.
“Poland has a very rich history, which I learned about firsthand when my host families took me touring to the many castles, shrines and monuments throughout the country. The land is also very lovely, from the vast fields of the north to the majestic mountains of the south, and the many lakes and forests between.”
The Michigan 4-H Polish Connections program is part of a continuing relationship that the Michigan 4-H Foundation and Michigan 4-H Youth Development have had with the Polish 4-H Foundation and Polish 4-H Youth Programs since 1991. Donors who support 4-H global education have sponsored Michigan 4-H members, volunteers and professionals who have provided technical assistance and participated in exchanges with Poland.
U.S. Extension workers suggested 4-H in Poland as a way of providing out-of-school programs for Polish youth. This year, Polish 4-H annual enrollment has reached 7,000 youth involved in 4-H clubs and residential summer camping.
“I was pleased to learn about the Polish 4-H program,” Tiffany said. “It has many similarities to our own American 4-H program, such as educational activities and caring volunteers. However, the Polish 4-H Program does not offer local fairs as we know them, though individual regions may host exhibitions in which members display the knowledge they have gained throughout the 4-H year. There is also an annual competition at the national level.”