Welcome Week – Winter Term 2016/2017

19th – 25th of September 2016

 

Welcome Week. The first week of Erasmus experience. The week all Erasmus Students and ESN Košice members are waiting for. During whole summer everybody of the  Erasmus students was full of expectation what their Erasmus + Programme will look alike. They were asking questions like: „Do I find great friends?“,  „Will my stay be the most exciting thing in my student life?“, „Will this experience help me to get new skills  in my personal and professional life?“ or „Slovakia? Will this be my new the most favourite and unforgettable country?“

Erasmus students were asking, ESN members were preparing the ,,YES-answers,, to these questions. ESN KE members traditionally prepared great event for every single day of Welcome Week. The aim was to introduce Slovakia (or Košice) to Erasmus Students from different parts of Europe, to integrate people of different cultures, to show what this term will look alike, to show that SLOVAKIA is great country full of possibilites and last but not least...aim was to ENJOY and HAVE FUN!

Actually, we started already in Friday 16th of September at University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik, where new UPJŠ Erasmus students were warmly welcomed by UPJŠ coordinator. It was for the first time when Erasmus students could meet each other in school. The coordinator Mrs. Mária Vasiľová gave them basic information about their studying stay in Slovakia, explained rules of studying and they were given some materials about their University. Also, ESN KE members presented themselves with short presentation about ESN KE organisation which was presented by ESN KE president Lukáš Varholík. At the end, Erasmus Students could buy Welcome Pack full of amazing vouchers, materials about Košice and Slovakia and very important ESN card which will open doors for new adventures with great discounts.

Same process was done with TUKE and Veterinary Students on Monday 19th. These were all officials things, which are need to be done as first. But real fun began on Tuesday evening.

Speed Dating was our first activity during the Welcome Week, organized by ESN Košice. It was first gathering which took place in T-club in TUKE Campus. The club was crowded and full of enthusiastic young people, ready to begin the experience of their life – their Erasmus journey. After a bit of socializing we began the speed dating cycle. Guys facing girls, each pair had only a couple of seconds to get to know each other. It was veeeery loud. And when I say loud I truly mean LOUDER THAN HUMANLY POSSIBLE. At the same time it was fun, the students seemed to enjoy it. Girls were giggling all the time, boys were joking and everybody was enjoying the first moments of their common Erasmus experience. The activity served as an amazing icebreaker, and afterwards most of the students found it a lot easier to iniciate dialogue or to dance together because after the activity, DJ played such an amazing songs, that everybody met each other on the dancefloor. The relationship built then had the chance to continue as the week progressed.

On Wednesday 21st we met again to taste Slovak cuisine during Welcome Dinner. We met in school canteen (again in TUKE Campus, canteen on Boženky Nemcovej street) and we were full of determination, however with empty stomach. We wanted to reveal some Slovak secrets and traditions to almost 150 Erasmus Students who participated. So the 1st Slovak secret which we decided to uncover, was secret of Slovak cuisine. Erasmus students could try traditional Slovak food – dumplings/gnocchi with sheep cheese, called bryndzové halušky. Lots of empty plates said that it was delicious! There were no words needed. After great SLOVAK dinner, there was also prepared desert – apple strudel. And when there was no one hungry, we were ready for exploring next secrets of Slovakia. We have prepared very interesting quiz about Slovakia, so our Erasmus students could examine their knowledge about our country. Even ESN KE members who are living whole life in Slovakia had problems with some questions. However, there was one group of Erasmus students that had the best knowledge about Slovakia and they won the quiz with score 19p/20p. Name of the winning group was Halušky, so maybe there is some connection between our dinner and right answers J  This secret will be probably forever uncovered but never mind. The most important thing is that we all had great time at Slovak dinner (and in magical Colloseum club afterwards) !

Even the Thursday 22nd is worth to remember. As the ESN KE very strongly cooperates with ESN Prešov (ESN PO), there was a must to prepare some common event. What can be better than meeting other section during the concert of Vladimír Železňák Jr., president of ESN PO. He is famous piano composer and piano player, so he prepared great piano concert for all Erasmus Students. But not just for Erasmus Students from Prešov or Košice, but for all „old“ Erasmus Students from whole Europe as far the whole event was recorded by professionals. The event was then streamed online during the next weekend. The concert was hosted in the popular coffee/bar/bistro/gallery/kulturfabric place Tabačka. Vlado Železňák had great plan. He invited musical guests (very talented violin player and percussion player), acrobatic guest (dancer from Unique AERIAL SILKS DANCE) and all the time he was trying to interact with audience. He devoted his songs to concrete nationalities and all people were waving with their flags during the concert. Concert was an amazing event, people were enjoying the music, VJ-show and when the accrobate appeared and performed her stunning show, all of the guests stayed with their mouths wide open. This cultural event was great example of variety of events which ESN KE (and ESN PO) is going to prepare during the term.
 

What would be Welcome Week without PARTY?? Yes, we had little party after every event organised during Welcome Week, but we had BIG PARTY too. On Friday 23rd all Erasmus students were invited for a Welcome Party in popular and very stylish club called Noise Arena. The party was designed in ,,traffic lights,, style. The meaning was to choose right colour of the bracelet given at the entrance to the club. While red colour was saying to the others, that you are already ,,taken“, orange colour gave the chance to the strangers to start conversation with you and green colour expressed your „single“ status.  Although many people didn´t respect those rules and just randomly choosed the colour , it was great opportunity to meet each other again, show crazy dancing moves, enjoy disco lights of posh club, wear great and sexi outfits and to ENJOY.  All the ESN and Erasmus people were dancing whole night till early morning, so it seemed Welcome Party was succesfull ...as always.

Besides of cultural and party events, first week was full of exploring the architecture, history and nature of Slovakia, too. ESN KE prepared 2 Guided Tours de Košice, so everybody interested could discover interesting places of Košice.

In spite of the fact that our Erasmus students are here for one or two terms, they had opportunity to try role of tourist in city which will be their home for next few months. A unique Central European metropolis offers you lots of worthseeing places. Many of Erasmus students were curious and came to explore Košice during Guided Tour de Košice on Thursday and then on Saturday too. We started our guided tour in front of Košice´s Coat-of-Arms statue, where our guide told us something about history of Košice and we also could see piece of this history at Lower gate which is part of original fortifications form 13th century. Then we continued with city dominant - St. Elisabeth Cathedral which is known as the most eastern gothic cathedral in Europe and largest in Slovakia. We shouldn´t omit next stops of our tour, like for example St. Michal Chapel, Urban´s Tower, Singing Fountain, National Theatre and so on. After the end of our tour de Košice, we just can say that it was only the start and we are sure that Erasmus students will explore our beautiful city during whole term, because Košice is more that main street full of fantastic monuments and attractions. You must try it and you will love it!

Second event about exploring the country was Trip to High Tatras organised on Sunday 25th of September. Erasmus students visited popular Štrbské Pleso and Popradské Pleso. For ESN KE members it wasn´t the one of the most difficult hiking trips , but Erasmus students seemed a little tired during the hiking trip :P . They enjoyed beautiful views, they were breathing clean and fresh air very deep,  taking photos in magnificient Slovak nature of High Tatras and they were trying to learn how to pronounce the name of these 2 amazing natural treasures. They were amazed by nature and great views. All these activities took away their energy, but they loved it a lot so they promised to improve their hiking skills and come again soon. Why? Because they all fell in love with Slovak Nature. All the 80 Erasmus studentsthat participated in hiking trip posted thousands of photos on social media  next day, so it means they didn´t pretend, but they really love it.

First moments together, mixture of cultures and languages, new friendships, great parties, Slovak cuisine and revealed Slovak natural treasures... we started WELCOME WEEK in big style and we are going to continue ..don´t worry... the Winter Term has just begun.

ESN Team

Authors: Juliána Gregová, Timea Krauszová,  Daniela Matejková,  Andrea Tomčufčíková, Natália Uramová
Photos: ESN KE