FREEMAN KRZYSZTOF SZKODA TAKEN PART IN A THREE-MONTH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME “POLAND BUSINESS ADVENTURE” PROGRAMME HOSTED BY THE POLISH GOVERNMENT AGENCY PAIH

After the dumpling experience, I hurried back to my uncle’s house to prepare for an important evening event: the Gala Ceremony held at the Royal Castle in Warsaw’s historic Old Town. There, I met other scholars, including those who had joined during the early Summer and Winter terms. The Gala featured speeches by government ministers and PAIH organizers, followed by a light Fryderyk Chopin piano concert performed by a previous winner of the International Chopin Competition.

Before the concert, all scholars had the honour of shaking hands with the Polish Deputy Prime Minister, Radosław Sikorski, who presented us with certificates for participating in the programme. He also expressed his support for the initiative in his role as Minister of Foreign Affairs. An interesting fact about him: he was once a British citizen and worked as a journalist in the UK for several prominent publications, including The Observer, The Spectator, and The Daily Telegraph.

Working at EMCA S.A. Energy Logserver has been a very interesting experience. My background is in game development, specifically Level Design, so adapting to a cybersecurity company as an intern required me to focus on how I could apply my skillset to designing UI/UX for cybersecurity products and marketing. I received great support from the company, which helped me enjoy my internship. Of course, there’s a language barrier due to my limited Polish, but the team is always happy to help and teach me Polish, so I don’t feel left out.

If any Stationers are interested in trading with EMCA S.A. Energy Logserver, you are very welcome to do so they collaborate with international partners across the globe.

As part of the programme, the scholars and I had the opportunity to explore Poland and experience its events, regional traditions, culture, history, and cuisine. The very first tour group I joined was a visit to Gdańsk. Before the meetup, I decided to climb the tallest Gothic tower of St. Mary’s Church to take in the panoramic view of the city. After descending, I explored the Old Town with the tour group and visited iconic museums such as the Solidarity Museum, which was once a shipyard where the Solidarity Movement began in the 1980s. Led by a union of workers including Lech Wałęsa, the movement played a key role in ending communist rule in Poland in 1989.

Later, we visited the extraordinary World War II Museum, which is even larger than the Imperial War Museum in London. It offers a powerful insight into the dark history of Hitler’s occupation of Poland during the war. We also explored the Amber Museum, as Gdańsk is renowned for its amber mining and craftsmanship. Even before Poland existed, barbarian tribes in the area traded amber with the Roman Empire nearly 2,000 years ago.

At the end of the Gdańsk tour, I decided to visit the Baltic Sea for the first time, including a stop at Westerplatte, the site of the first battle of World War II in Europe. On September 1st, 1939, at around 4:45 a.m., the German warship Schleswig-Holstein docked in Danzig (now Gdańsk) and opened fire on the Polish army base, marking the beginning of the war.

Among the personal tours I’ve taken was a visit to Kraków to attend the Film Spring Open Workshop, where I had the chance to meet professionals from Poland’s creative industries including music, games, VR, film, and TV. It was fantastic to connect with such lovely and inspiring people.

I also visited Poznań for the games industry events GIC and PGA, where I engaged with the vibrant Polish game development community.

Another memorable trip was a family visit to Lublin to celebrate All Saints’ Day, when cemeteries are beautifully illuminated with lanterns in remembrance of loved ones who have passed away.

Warsaw is where I’m temporarily staying in Poland to complete my internship. This has given me the opportunity to explore the city and take part in study visits, including a trip to the Warsaw Stock Exchange to learn about the Polish economy and how businesses operate. I also visited the Polish Parliament (Sejm) to understand the country’s political structure and the facilities where laws are debated and enacted.

As we know, British politics differs significantly from Polish politics. For example, the UK uses the “First Past the Post” system to elect members of parliament, while Poland employs a more democratic approach through “Proportional Representation,” where every vote counts.

For the final month of the programme, this November I will be attending the PAIH Business Forum, where I’ll participate in talks and meet many business representatives. It will be a valuable networking experience to explore how Polish businesses contribute to both the national economy and the international community.

I will also be attending an important event in Poland, Polish Independence Day celebrated on November 11th. This marks the day Poland regained independence in 1918 after being partitioned and occupied by Russia, Prussia, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire since the dissolution of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795.

Later in the month, I’ll be joining a group tour to Wrocław, where I hope to experience the city’s rich history and vibrant culture.

Overall, the programme has been an incredible experience, and it’s been amazing to meet so many people especially during the fun social events with other scholars. I hope to stay in touch with them.

To be honest, I have no clear idea what will happen next, whether I’ll have the chance to stay and continue working for EMCA S.A. Energy Logserver or transition into the Polish games industry, given my background. However, I’m open to all possibilities, as I truly have a passion for staying and living in Poland.

There’s also the potential to become a Liveryman for the Stationers while living in Poland, possibly helping to build a bridge between the British and Polish communication and media industries.

If any Stationers are interested in trading with PAIH, the Polish Investment & Trade Agency within the Polish Government, they are very welcome to start a conversation about opportunities to conduct business and establish partnerships.