Laski stories

THE UWC+ LASKI

EXPERIENCE: STORIES

THE UWC+ LASKI EXPERIENCE: TESTIMONIALS June 2014 Texts: Paulina Szymczak, Nadia Romero Nardelli and Marta Hanyżkiewicz Pictures: Oliver Andersson Hugemark, Rudy Alejandro Herrera Mármol and Guy Elisha Layout and design: Ana Flecha Marco Made in Flekke

THE UWC+ LASKI

EXPERIENCE: TESTIMONIALS

laski friendship PAULINA SZYMCZAK

I am not sure how it all started; for sure in one of the first years of RCN. I wasn’t living in Norway then. I know that there was a time gap breaking the continuity of the actual visits, but when I joined the RCN community in 2007 we were re-starting the annual cooperation with the help of EU funding as “Youth in Action” initiative. The actual cooperation does not require lot money, but annual visits of groups of student do cost significantly. Neither RCN nor Laski would be able to cover the travel costs of a larger group of students and staff.

I joined to help out as a polish speaker. Wow…it turned out to be so much more than some language involvement. Laski is a magic place.

It charges you with a special energy – hard to describe in words, you have to experience this. The place, its spirit, its history, but most of all, its people make it very special. We not only cooperate with our “obvious partners” –the upper secondary school from Laski, but also with adults, both the people and nuns, with vocational and with music school and with sister Agata and her girls who are in primary school. We used to meet a senior of Laski community– Ms Morawska. She passed away during our visit 2 years ago at the age of 106. She used to tell us “Laski Stories” in 8 different languages. We had at least two (I know 2) Laski students who graduated from RCN: Pawel (2001) and Marta (2013).

Our friendship with Laski had various official names: “Laski PBL”, “Laski Project”, “ Laski Exchange”, “Laski Partnership”…whatever the official name was it has been a friendship, first of all. I will never forget our common trip to a glacier here in Norway in April with 1.5 m of snow frozen on the surface.

RCN Students were (thinking that they were) guiding Laski students. We were all sinking deeply into the snow, breaking the thin hard surface and falling into the snow up to our bottoms. It was very difficult to say who was guiding whom, as often Laski students were rescuing our students from the deep snow.

There are thing that I will never forget. I will never forget the usual tandem bike rides in the Laski forests, particularly when Marta was guiding Bernarda, who never biked before. I will never forget Ala who touched a “blind photo” done by Andres and recognized her own image and then using only the tips of her fingers recognized 9 of her companions for the group who visited us last spring. I will never forget the hike over the pass to Heggnes, seeing David running down the rocky slope, just holding Julia’s shoulder. I will never forget Michael crossing over the stream, placing his feet carefully on rocks just following the verbal instructions on positions of the stones.

I will never forget the sculptures done by Laski Students, in particular the eyes of their self-portraits. I will never forget our Skype conversations, when we used all the smart board gear and we could not see a thing (not that it mattered too much as we could hear each other) until Karolina asked the guys in Laski to turn the lights on. I will never forget how funny it is to see the RCN Students thinking that they are going to help their Laski Partners (remember I was also thinking I was helping with the language). Talk to those who took part in the Project and see who has helped whom. I will never forget Tangut (Ethiopia, 2011) who became part of Laski community spending her Winter Break in Laski. I only saw her smiling face on a picture showing Tangut as a polish mountain shepherd surrounded by Laski Kids – also with big smiles on their faces. I could go on…

There were two difficult years when we didn’t get external funding. One of these years Laski Students did not visit Flekke, but with the RCN group who visited Poland that year we did everything we could to get our friends here a year later. This required some extended fundraising. We were

amazed how much money our little community could raise. Students and staff supported us by baking cakes and making pizza for the College events. RCN staff funded two plane tickets. We got some support from the Local Lions Club and we were able to host 10 Students from Laski.

Today the funding comes from the EU. We are now Comenius Bilateral Partnership. Having our Goal Ball experience, again learning from Laski we are trying to develop a new game where blind and sighted play together.

While mastering our Goal Ball skills with Andrew, “Coach” Edwin, and Chantal, during our last visit to Laski, we were getting ideas and inspiration about other games: we tried “blind” table tennis. During Laski visit in May we are going to test field hockey together. Laski Students suggested we could try to adapt basketball during our next visit to Poland. Who knows which game will become our final product?

I would love to see more Laski students becoming members of RCN community and more UWC students and staff spending time in Laski volunteering or learning. I hope that our cooperation would open more possibilities for Laski graduates to interact with our wider community. There is so much we can share and learn from each other.

my new friend NADIA ROMERO NARDELLI

I have a blind friend. At first, the word “blind” had such negative connotation to me, but this friend of mine redefined the word “blind” for me. So this friend showed me Warsaw. You cannot imagine how much fun we had in that morning. If people had seen us, they would have thought that I was his guide, but that was just wrong… yes! He was the one carrying a stick, but at the same time, he was the one telling me the name of the streets and which stores I could find there- even before I was able to read the signs! This is how our friendship started. That day, we went to the old town, the Royal Castle, the Uprising Museum, and the Łazienki Park.

We also went to an art exhibition called “Invisible”, in which we experienced for 15 minutes how the world of darkness is, blindfolded. There I was, so confused about where I was… feeling a table and thinking “oh good! I am in a living room”. However, things did not finish there. After that, we went to “The Street” section: I was in panic! I was so scared that in any second a car would roll over me and I couldn’t hold my tears. At this moment, I realized how strong and courageous my friend was, so I decided to talk to him about it.

So, I started with the question “Were you born blind?” I must admit I was kind of scared to ask because I did not know how his reaction would be like. However, he just smiled gently, and replied: “Yes, but I know when the sun is there, or when it is behind the clouds”. After a long and pleasant conversation about sunny days, we arrived at Laski and it was time for

dinner. After this, days passed by and it was soon time to go back to Norway.

Although settled back in Norway, I was still in touch with him. Once he told me “I miss you. I can imagine you being here with me now”. And again me and my questions… I asked him: “How do you imagine me?”, and he replied “Well, first of all, I can imagine your voice, and then your caressing, your long long hair, your smell, your touch and how my heart beat was stronger every time I was with you”. I felt so touched at that, because my friends are all day talking about girls and how they look like. But I have this friend, whom with his powerful imagination sees the real beauty: the one that is filtered through your voice, your touch, your smell. Even though he never saw me, his real eyes had seen me already.

In the end, I think that perhaps he might never see a sunrise or a sunset; however, he can feel the warmth of the sun on his skin. And when he hears a bird chirping he can imagine it more beautiful than it probably is.

Before, the only thing I could watch was the sunlight, but my friend taught me how to see, with every single detail involving it, such as the smell, the texture and how my heart beats when I am looking at something. And what I will always be sure about is that, thanks to his physical blindness, his soul does not need glasses.

If you read this, promise me something: whenever you see a sunset, or a bird, or your beloved ones, see them with your heart and feel it beating.

For a moment, forget what is in front of your eyes, and SEE because as Juan Ramón Jiménez said once: “Each sense contains the other five”.

the small things MARTA HANYŻKIEWICZ

I am a partially sighted student. I was lucky that I could study in the Special Institute for the partially sighted and blind, in Laski and also in United World College Red Cross Nordic. Everything in my life has started in these two places. Both schools are very special for me. They are not only a part of my story, but these places made my life meaningful because of the people I met and the memorable moments.

I still remember my first time when I took part in the school exchange at United World College Red Cross Nordic with my partially sighted and blind friends from Poland. I came to Norway as a new student from Laski-Special Institute and as a person who previously experienced a lot of challenging situations because of my vision impairment. However, my experiences at the college in Norway helped me to believe that education can make the impossible, possible. The students I met there changed my perspectives because they were very enthusiastic, talented and diverse. Before my paths crossed with UWCRCN, I always wanted to see like other people.

However, I realized that what truly matters in my life were my values which I had carried from Laski, such as goodness, creativity, compassion, and understanding of others. The school exchange between Laski and UWCRCN completely transformed my life. I started to believe that there are people who are able to understand students with vision impairments.

My curiosity about other cultures, religions, and customs opened my mind toward this new experience. In Norway I enjoyed it when I could try a

lot of new things with the students from all over the world. I remember my first time when I was kayaking and hiking. I remember the Theory of Knowledge trip to an island in Norway which gave me a lot of motivation to learn from other students. It is even challenging to put this experience into words. This first school exchange was the time when I could feel that my vision problem was not an obstacle to fully participate in different activities with other students.

Another time I felt very lucky was when I participated in the summer course in Flekke. This time was full of sunshine in my heart. I made friends who brought a lot of joy, and well-being to my life. I remember my first time when I jumped into the fjord; it was the time when I overcame all limitations with my vision. I gained a lot of confidence that my vision problem did not matter in my life and what matters is the fact that I want to try new things.

Friendship made this summer course very meaningful.

In my second year as a Laski student, I was also very lucky because I could participate again in school exchange in Norway. Every time when my paths crossed with UWCRCN I could explore something more beautiful about the world. People who I met there made these experiences valuable.

From all these experiences, UWCRCN made my moments very special.

I remember the moment when I got the scholarship as student of United World College Red Cross Nordic. I could not believe that my dream came true. After attending to classes during the exchange program, I was aware that education at RCN was very nurturing and challenging; however my enthusiasm and desire of being one of the students at RCNUWC motivated me to overcome all limitations because of my vision impairment.

I was happy that after two years of studying in Special Institute for the blind in Laski I could share all my values. I remember the moment when I danced with a flag in my first year show at RCNUWC. In one of my classes, called Development Studies, I had to accept my vision limitations that I could not see graphs and maps. However, my teacher, Daniel, taught me that I could still explore the world by doing things in a different way. I remember my theatre course which was challenging to

imitate students; however, I learnt that I could perform on the stage without my vision because I could express emotions and feelings without seeing very well. I remember my first time in life when I was skiing. When I was cross-country skiing, I realized that I could follow the tracks without actually seeing them.

I heard a lot of inspiring stories which helped me understand that there are people who are able to make a change in other people’s lives. In Norway I learnt that small things can make me happy. I remember my kayaking activity with Norwegian kids which gave me a lot of joy. I also met a volunteer, Gianni who made my education more accessible. People whom I met there made those 2 years of exploration journey full of unforgettable moments. I grew up there as a person who started to believe that life is about being who you are and doing things that make you happy.

In my second year I took part in Laski Project Based Learning, this time as a college student. I went to Laski with my friends from college. It was the time when I realized that all values from Laski made my experience at RCNUWC more beautiful. I was so happy that I could be a guide for students from the college in Laski, the place where everything started in my life.

RCNUWC helped me to believe that there are people who are aware that people with vision impairment can do a lot of amazing things despite their vision limitations. The college in Flekke gave me courage that I can inspire people by being who I am. I will always be grateful to Laski and Red Cross Nordic United World College for giving me a chance to explore and to realize that I do not necessarily need my eyes to study, make friends and to see the real beauty of life.

family pictures

RUDY ALEJANDRO HERRERA MÁRMOL+GUY ELISHA

Previous pages: RCN students Lamis Adel from Egypt and Jakob Barnwell from Denmark at Laski’s ceramics and textile workshops.

Laski student Izabela Wydra and RCN student Pietro Poggiali from Italy hugging a tree.

RCN student Lamis Adel from Egypt and Laski student Katarzyna Dojnikowska, in Warsaw.

RCN student Elizabete Romanovska from Latvia and Laski student Mateusz Jabłoński, in Warsaw.

RCN student Agusto B. Ball贸n from Peru and Laski student Kacper Kowalewski, in Warsaw.

RCN student Chantal Smeland from Norway at Laski’s vocational school.

All the texts in this book (and the ones in The UWC+Laski Experience: Testimonials) are included in The UWC+Laski Experience Audiobook that can be listened to online: thepublishingcabin.tumblr.com Huge thanks to everybody involved in this project. And thank YOU for reading.