Last September, I embarked on an exchange journey to Poland, thanks to the collaboration between Ningbo University and Szczecin University. This experience not only enriched my academic pursuits but also allowed me to immerse myself in a completely different cultural environment.
Szczecin: A City of Charm
Kindness Beyond First Impressions
While many young people in Poland speak English fluently, communicating with older locals wasn’t always easy. I still remember my first trip to the supermarket with my roommates. We struggled with the self-checkout machine and turned to an elderly cashier for help, but she simply stared at us without saying a word. Feeling awkward, we hesitated—until she suddenly stepped in and silently guided us through the process. As we finished, she gave us a brief but warm smile. That was my first real insight into Polish culture: reserved on the outside, but kind at heart.
Learning Without Boundaries
I took Polish language classes and a clinical psychology course, which broadened my academic perspective. 
With smaller class sizes, professors gave personalized guidance and adjusted their teaching methods to help students. In my personality disorders class, for example, when the professor saw us struggling with technical terms, she quickly changed her approach, using real-life examples to make the concepts easier to understand. Class discussions were strongly encouraged, helping us think independently and explore new ideas across different fields.
Beyond academics, my exchange experience brought unforgettable moments—dressing in traditional qipao for International Day, singing and celebrating with students from around the world, making last-minute runs to the train station with backpacks full of travel essentials, and gathering to make jiaozi and hotpot on New Year’s Eve. These moments are now cherished memories, a source of warmth that I will carry with me forever.
Shen Jiaying, MA(Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics) Candidate, Class of 2022
