During this fantastic journey in Europe, one of the most attractive point was the cultural contrast. Not only exist among countries, the contrasts could also be felt even inside one single city as well.
On a country-level, I got totally different feeling among Poland, U.S. and other European countries such as Germany. People living in American cities, taking New York as an example, are always busy and it seems that they are always working; In Germany, taking Berlin as an example, people here could perfectly combine the fast and leisure in there life, which I think is a reflection of the characteristics of Germany people, cautious and considerate; In Poland, however, people here live such a peaceful life but also full of vitality. I could always feel energetic and so well-prepared to do anything while I was in Kraków.
Speaking of this, Kraków is such an amazing city that I could see a perfect combination of contrasts and harmony in this one single city. As we all know, Kraków mainly consists of two parts, old town and modern area. In old town, which is surrounded by a beautiful park, I could feel the long-existed history and the unique and special culture everywhere. On the other hand, however, it does not mean that Kraków is a totally historical and old city. In contrary, the modern area and the industrial area are the contemporary aspect of Kraków. In such a city, you could feel the contrast on so many aspects, such as ancient and contemporary, history and development, culture and technology and so on.
Contrast could be a great reflection, making us notice the most special and unique feature. In Kraków, maybe it's these contrasts and comparisons that make people feel more about the Polish culture and splendid history.
This is the official blog for Fordham Gabelli School of Business' third study tour to Poland. This blog will offer the insights, analyses, and reflections of Fordham students as they excitedly embark on their tour.
