Łódź - stranger that became a home

     Łódź. That is the original way of writing this name down. If some of you may know, polish language is full of crazy letters that seem impossible to pronounce, but Łódź is exceptionally challenging for foreigners because as you can see it is all build from those mad polish simbols. Try it yourself and let me know down in the comments how you did! 

     Going back to the topic, when i got accepted to the University of Łódź, firstly it was totally unplanned and unexpected and secondly i had no idea about the city. What's more, i think i was kinda anxious about starting my student life in a place that was believed to be the most ugly in my country. Fortunately I felt a bit better when i first saw my faculty, less then a year earlier put in use, and handed in all the necessary documents. I must admit i felt proud of being accepted to this glass-covered realm. I thought to myself this must be happening for a reason. 

    I began to see things in more bright colors and packing my bags stopped being so stressful. I was excited to be a part of a new community of students, not only those living in the dorms, as a did, but also of those fascinated with their studies and with a million other things! I full of life, wanting to develop myself more than ever and i started to do as i planned! 

     This time i got lucky because my auntie, who lives in a city nearby Łódź, she visted me and my family at my hometown and i could pack my whole room into her car and set off to the city i was destined to spend my next three years of life at (well, not exactly three because you already know on my second year of studies i went abroad as an exchange program student, but yeah...you can read more about it here: https://anettcristyjoane.blogspot.com/2018/10/valladolid-hot-or-not-story.html).

      Of course, my auntie couldn't let me go earlier to accommodate myself at the dorm, so i spent all weekend at her house doing puzzles on the living room floor. That's the little child in me i will always have. The one trying to put all the small crazy pieces of coloured cardboard together as fast as she can with nobody's help. I could literally spend my entire life assembling puzzles. Who would have ever thought i was about to become a student, a grownup!

     The day came, i packed my stuff again to my auntie's car and in less then 30 minutes i was knocking to the doors of Łódź's dirt. As i have mentioned before, Łódź is considered to be the most ugly and dangerous one of all the big cites in my country. They say, it has districts you should not enter, not even on a sunny day, streets you should never walk by, even with a group of friends and trams you should never walk into, even if it's the only way to get home. Is it really true? 

     During my three, well maybe two years of living there, i have never ever experienced anything bad, i haven't seen or heard any story that would sound like taken from the most scary thriller. Is it because i am the lucky one or everything i have heard before was a lie or maybe i was just very careful? I think i will never find the answer to that question. All i know is that bad things happen everywhere, even in places you would feel like nothing could shake you. That's why, i will tell you all the good things that happened in the city people avoid, because those magical moments last till now.

    ICE CREAM ➼ Who doesn't like ice creams? No one! Especially if they are sooo good! I could go back to Łódź anytime just for these ice creams. Everyday different flavors. Flavors you would have never even dreamt about but still delicious as heck! Handmade. Tastefull. Huge portions. Handmade... Am i already repeating myself? That's because i can't get over the thought of them being sooo appetizing! And the location is just perfect. On one of the small alleys of the biggest industrial street in Europe - Piotrkowska! You can get there anytime you want from any place you are at and what's more you will experience the best views passing by the Piotrkowska street! Come on! Move your ass and try them! Łódzarnia is waiting!  

PS. Peanut, chocolate, salty caramel and mango are what i recommend you the most! But of course there is much more than that!

     ERASMUS ➼This opportunity was the best of my life that the University of Łódź gave me! (again ;) you can read more about my erasmus adventure in here: https://anettcristyjoane.blogspot.com/2018/10/valladolid-hot-or-not-story.html). I know that almost every city in Poland offers participation in erasmus students exchange program but the places that Łódź offers are much more tempting and the erasmus coordinators in here are very helpful and they let you fully enjoy your time abroad choosing the best subjects and helping you with the documentation. Well... at least the coordinators that i had pleasure to work with were angels, not humans! Of course no cooperation can be ever perfect but i feel blessed i got to meet those people simply because thanks to them i was able to come back to Poland with all the ECTS credits (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System credits are a standard means for comparing the "volume of learning based on the defined learning outcomes and their associated workload" for higher education across the European Union and other collaborating European countries^. For successfully completed studies, ECTS credits are awarded.) and so i didn't have to write any additional exams. Life seemed so beautiful then!

     PUBLIC TRANSPORT ➼ Without a good one i would be so lost! I know many people complain on the public stransport in the city of Łódź but i am not the type to do so. Firsty, if you are a student or you have any other type of discount, tickets there will cost you literally nothing in comparision to other polish cities. Secondly, the trams or buses, they are (almost) always on time and they are very frequent and it is very possible that you will find a no n occupied seat to rest your body on. AND i would almost forgot that in every public transport vehicle you find a ticket machine so you won't have to worry about anything if you don't find any stall to buy your ticket at. Everything is so simple there! 

     MUSIC and PLACES ➼ I have been to just one concert there in a well known place called Wytrównia. It was impeccable. Every thing on point! Lights, sounds, seats, special effects, perfect distance between the artist and the audience. I wanted to repeat that but Łódź is so full of exceptional places like Koło Wrotki, Palmiarnia, niche cinemas like Charlie and many many others, that i did not find time to go there again. Fortunately there are millions of those small music cafes like New York on the Piotrkowska street where you can listen to local artists. You need to check it out!

     GRAFFITI ➼ Art is what define this city. Once you enter it, you will notice magic drew on its' walls by people that could not leave this place without making it more beautiful and putting soul into the ruins left by the war. This art sank into the body of Łódź so deeply it became an indispensible part of it and it is why you might not notice some of it if you do not look closely. I must admit only on my last year of studying there i managed to open my eyes widely enough to see what i have been beeing during the last two years living there. Since then, everytime i was walking through the city even by using public transport i was observing every corner of it not to miss a thing. I wanted to drown into its' brick walls as much as it drowned in me. I no longer wanted the magic happen without me experiencing it. Once you get there, remember not to close your eyes because if you do, you will never understand what i am trying to transmit. 
     PASAŻ RÓŻY ➼Magic continues. Piotrkowska 3. At first it seems like a simple mint coloured tenement but once you cross the gates you will fall in love that will never end. Glass covered avenue with million of shattered pieced composed in shape of thousand of roses. Each one special and breathtaking. You can go there day and night trying to capute its' beauty by the best camera but you will honestly never manage to do that. Only with our human eyes we can appreciate that idea and the long hard work of artists who keep on trying to make the city more and more pleasant for the habitants and new coming turists. We cannot even imagine how exhausting it must have been to create something so exceptional and unique. I bet there is no other place like this but i believe there should be more of them since they bring so much happiness and smile on our faces. From this place i also want to say few words of appreciation to those who manage to photograph this Rose Avenue without anything unwanted refecting itself in even once piece of the cut mirror sheet. For me, it was impossible to reach.

     PARKS ➼ I wasted my chance to spend my time relaxing in any of them. I have managed to find some information though that says that except numerous woods sorrounding the city, there are eleven parks which are considered to be very important monuments of not only nature but also culture. The biggest onces are The Park of Poniatowski, of Piłsudzki, of Mickiewicz, 3rd of May and Źródlany. Wish i could share my photos with you but unfortunately as you already know, i did not go to any of them and so i do not have any pictures of mine that i could show you but i hope you are enjoying the others that i put here just like the one on the left that represents the beautiful Pasaż Róży.
     FRIENDS ➼ The last but the most important one. Obviously, wherever you are, wherever you will be, you will meet people that for some reasons will stay in your life forever. For now i do not know if that is my case but i truly hope so. I believe that the distance will not be a problem in here and we will all maintain the connection that we built during the years of studies spent on laughing and having fun. Hope i will meet you all soon! You know who i am talking about! 

PS. I hope i've managed to answer all your questions in this post! If not, ask me down in the comments! :*

Xoxo,
Anett Cristy Joane