EXCHANGE REPORT KOZMINSKI UNIVERSITY KWOK HO HIN
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EXCHANGE REPORT KOZMINSKI UNIVERSITY KWOK HO HIN
Transcript of EXCHANGE REPORT KOZMINSKI UNIVERSITY KWOK HO HIN
EXCHANGE REPORT KOZMINSKI UNIVERSITY KWOK HO HIN
PART I. MONTHLY ACTIVITY LOG September
IarrivedWarsawinlateSeptember.SinceIhadbeenworkingtillmidSeptember,I
couldnotarrivebeforetheorientationweekstarted.Iwasonlyabletojointhelast
twodaysoftheorientationweekforthepubs.Thesemesterisstartingofficiallyin
October,soaftertheorientationweekyoustillhavearoundaweektoadapttothe
environmentinWarsawbeforeschoolstarts.
October
OktoberfestisnotexactlyinOctober,butitlasts18daysintotalfromlateSeptember
toearlyOctober.ItisoneofmymostenjoyedeventsthatIwouldsurelyrecommend.
PeoplefromnotonlyGermanybutaroundtheworld,wouldflocktoMunichforthis
annualevent,spendingadayortwoinbeertentswithfriendstocelebratethe
largesttraditionalBavarianVolksfest.SchoolstillhasnotbeenanissueasIamonly
havingtwolessonsperweekonthesamedayoftheweek.
November
SinceIhaveaweekwithoutanylesson,Iplanneda5-daysolotriptoIceland.
Reykjavikismymaindestinationforthattrip,andIhavejoinedafewdaytoursto
fullyexplorethenaturalsideofIceland.Donotmissthenighttoursfortheaurora
too,Icelandisalsoagoodplaceforspottingthedancingcolors.InNovemberthe
academicworkloadisstartingtopileup,sinceIhavetwogroupprojectsintotalfor
mytwocourses,andIhavetoattendgroupmeetingstokeepupwiththeprogressof
theprojects.ThewayofworkingongroupprojectsforEuropeansisnotquitethe
sameasthewaywedoit.Theyalwaysprefertocomeoutandmeetevenfor
weekends,andprefertoworkinademocraticway-acquiringeveryone’sopinions
beforecomingtoaconclusionevenforthemostminorissues.Iamstillnotquite
usedtoitafterworkingonthetwoprojects.
December
Decemberwouldbethemonthyoutakeyourexams.Formoststudentsandcourses,
thefinalsgenerallytakeplaceinJanuary;butforexchangestudents,professors
wouldgiveyouanotherpapertotestyourabilitybyDecember,knowingthat
studentsfromHongKongwouldhavetocomebackbymidtolateJanuaryfortheir
homecomingsemester.Ionlyhaveoneexamformyexchangesemester,whichisa
paperwhichconsistsofonly4open-endedquestions.Itdidnottakemealongtime
toprepareforthat,andIamgratefulIgotadecentgradefromthatexam.Afterall,I
foundstudyinginPolandnotchallengingatall.Howtocommunicatewiththepeople
thereeffectivelywouldbeinsteadagreaterissuethatyoushouldhavetakecareof.
January
SincemidDecembertherehasbeensomeissueswithmyphone,anditfinallybroke
downafewdaysbeforemyexaminDecember.Ittookmearoundtwoweekstohave
myiPhonerepairedinWarsaw,whichisthereasonwhyIcannottravelaroundright
aftertheexam.ForJanuaryIonlyplannedforatriptoEngland,whichisalsomyfinal
destinationoftheexchangesemester.AsaChelseafanmyself,Ihavebeen
committedtograbticketsforahomematchattheStamfordBridge.Iamquitelucky
tobeabletowatchtheCarabaoCupSemi-finalathome,andthewinmarkstheend
formy5-monthjourneyinEuropeinaremarkableway.
PART II. GENERAL EXCHANGE INFORMATION 1. VISAProcedures
TheEmbassyofPolandislocatedatHopewellCentre,WanChai.Whatyouhave
todoistodownloadthenecessaryformsandregisterforatimeslotonline.I
appliedforSchengenVisaatthebeginningbutendedupgettingNationalVisa
aftertellingthestaffthatIwillbegoingonanexchangeforasemester.Evenif
youfilledintheincorrectform,thestaffwouldhelpyououtatthecounterwhen
youpay.IttakesaboutaweekortwofortheVisa.
2. OrientationActivities
Donotbuythepassfortheorientationweekunlessyouaregoingfor5
consecutivedaysofdrinking.Forsomebarsyoudonotevenneedthepassto
enter,andthepasswouldnotprovideyouwithanydiscountswhenyouorder.
3. InternationalServiceandActivities
Staffininternationalofficearenice.Justfeelfreetoaskthemifyouhaveany
questionsregardingyourexchange(exceptforErasmusstuff,thereisanother
officeforthat).
4. Accommodations
Airbnbwouldbeyourbestchoiceofaccommodation.Itisalwaysbettertolive
nearashoppingcenterforyourconvenience.
5. CourseRegistration
Thecourseregistrationsystemiseasytouse.Theloginaccountandpasswordfor
theVirtualUniversityofKozminskiwillbesenttoyouremail.Youjusthaveto
loginandchangethepasswordonceandforallduringtheexchange,andthe
attachmentsinthesameemailwouldprovideyouwithsufficientinstructionfor
theregistration.Themostimportantthingistoregisterontime.Evenifthe
coursesareoutofvacancies,youcansendemailtotheprofessorstogetintothe
courses.Theywillbehappytohelp.
6. Teaching&AssessmentMethods
LessonsinKozminskiaremoreinteractiveandcouldbesimplyunderstood.For
oneofthecoursesIonlyspentanightforthefinalexamandstillgota5,0.
7. SportsandRecreationFacilities
Thereisasmallgyminschoolthatcosts300zlforasemester.Privategyms
aroundthecitymightbeabetteroptionwithmoreadvancedequipmentand
space.
8. Finance&Banking(IncludingCurrency/Expenses)
IdidnotopenanybankaccountinWarsaw.ATMacceptingUnionPaycardscould
befoundaroundthecity,andHSBCdebitcardswithUnionPayfunctioncouldbe
usedtogetcashoutifyouneed.Forcreditcardsitissuperimportanttoapplyfor
SMSroaming,orelseyouwouldbeintroublepayingforanythingthatgoes
throughtheinternet,notbeingabletoverifyyourselfthroughSMSevenwhen
youhaveyourcreditcardwithyouphysically.
9. SocialClubs&NetworkingOpportunities
ESNwillbeholdingregulareventsduringthesemester.LiketheirFacebookpage
formoreupdates.
10. Health&SafetyThereisaclinicinsideschoolbutIhaveneverusedit.Warsawisasafeplacebut
youshouldstillkeepaneyeonyourvaluables.
11. FoodItischeaperthanHongKongifyoucook.Thesupermarketwiththe“beetle”logo
istheplacewhereyoucanalwaysfindcheapfood.Polishdumplingsisamust-try
inPolandtoo!Donotmissit!
12. TransportationLessthan300HKDfor3monthsoftransportationincludingmetro,tramandbus
withcoverageoverWarsawChopinAirport.ForModlinAirportyoucanchooseto
taketheModlinbus(45minutes)ortrain(90minutes)fromWarszawaCentralna.
Whenyougetthestudentcard,youcangodirectlytoanyticketterminalto
chargeupyourstudentcardwhichalsoactsastheticket.
13. Climate
Itiscoldandthesunsetsat3pmsincelateNovember.
14. Communication
PolishdonotspeakEnglish.Goodluck!
15. CautionaryMeasures
Drinkinginthepublicareaisprohibited,butalcoholisreallycheapinPoland.
16. OtherNotesThinkcarefullybeforeyougotoWarsaw.Warsawisboring,butitischeaptogo
fromWarsawtoanywhereelseinEurope.Ispentalotoftimetravellingaround
Europesofeelfreetocometomeformoretravellingtips!Thetotalamountof
moneyspentduringthisexchangesemesterisaroundHKD110-120k.
PARTIII.ITEMSTOBRING
• PhoneandExtraPhone
• Passport
• CreditcardsandDebitcards
• DownJacket
• Clothes
• Shoes(Waterproof)
• Socks
• Underwear
• PersonalMedicine
• Chinesesourcing(e.g.chickenpowder,spicysoysauce)
• Bigbackpack
• Euros(exchangetoZlotyincitycenter,justtakeUbertoyourplaceuponarrival)
• Laptop
• Camera
• AfewUniversaladaptors
PART IV. USEFUL LINKS & CONTACTS • InternationalofficeinKozminskiUniversity:[email protected]
• ExchangeofficerinHKUST:[email protected]
