3. Classes at Warsaw University

To make my blog as transparent as possible, also for non Dutch speakers, it's time to write something in English. Maybe Polish will follow in a year or so, but right now my knowledge of Polish is still very limited, though I hope improving for the next months. Last week was my second week of classes, but I haven't yet talked a lot on how I experience my classes so far. Here a small summary of my last week (yay, lazy readers, who only read this to do me a pleasure; you're done in a minute; great deal, isn't it? :P)

Monday
18:30 - 20:00 Tutorial Methods of Political Research
College to learn how to do a research apparently (I thought you should have learned how to do research in your Bachelors, but apparently, I was wrong! We are here at Warsaw University and we are doing it in a way different manner as you are used to, muhahah!). The most terrified thing of this course: you have to make group assignments! Help! I have to work together with people! Thats not what I'm used to as a history student, where I could hide myself safely behind a bunch of books for my thesis; separating myself from the harsh realtity of 'group cooperation'. I'll keep you up to date in three weeks how my struggle to survive this course will end up. Good thing: for the next two weeks; no classes in this course, so I think I'm able in any case to provide you with a next English blog to see how things are going!

Tuesday
16:45 - 18:15 Tutorial in International Relations
Quite a nice topic, given by our coordinator of the Studies. He is more a researcher then a tutor, so not a kind of expressive guy which can activate your imagination. Advice: drink two cups of coffee before you start this class, and everything should be fine afterwards.

Wednesday
16:45 - 18:15 Lecture Football in Europe
Case study about the way politics are involved in the game of Football. Given by two young, enthousiastic lecturers in a relatively big (but for Leiden standards small) lecture hall. They like to talk very loud. Last class they showed also some short movies in between, and I have to admit that I thought: 'Ah finally some quietness in the hall'. Classes are easy to follow; nice course so far!

Thursday
15:00 - 16:30 Lecture in Political Thought
Begins second half of this semester, apparently..

16:45 - 18:15 Lecture Polish Contemporary History
Good subject; immediately becoming enthousiastic when I think of this course! Lecturer (don't remember his name, he's a funny guy, and his surname ends with -owksy (?) ), likes big maps, which forms the core of his classes. I spend my time here with: 80% looking at the map and see some interesting marks, and 20% listen at what the lecturer actually says. First classes were about the First World War in general; for me quite light material to digest ;)

18:30 - 20:00 Classes in Political Thought
Same subject as this lecture above, but then with active participation and discussion. Like the lecturer; he really can explain quite brightly how the thought about statehood began in ancient Greece, and the different kind of states there were. Find it a waste the lectures of this subject only begin second half of this semester, I think it could provide some nice extra support for the classes, so I'm curious how they are able to combine the lecture and the class as harmonized as possible.

Friday
16:45 - 18:15 Tutorial History of Political Institutions
So; basically: which political systems were there during the course of history? Lecturer goes back to ancient Greece. So far quite a lot of similarities as the classes in Political Thought.


Besides the classes at the University, I began with Polish language courses for beginners. It's much fun and really helpfull! Last Thursday, I had my first classes. It was quite intensive I have to say, since I missed the first three classes. The lecturer in the class only speaks Polish, so you really have to pay attention at what she says. More or less; this drill-sergeant forces you to speak - even though you really don't know how to formulate well in Polish - but I think you learn it really quick in this way. I already learned the phrases: 'How are you?',  'My name is...' , the verbs 'to be' and 'to have', and some words about things you can find in the classroom (like a table, a chair, the door, a man (mezczyzna, if I'm correct; too difficult for such a basic word!) and a woman).

Tomorrow morning I have my second meeting of Polish language classes. I notice it's already way to late, so I'm going to catch some sleep.

Dobranoc! - Goodnight! - Goedenacht!