Poland: In the Footsteps
of Famous Poles

July 11–28, 2009

 

Itinerary Register


Download and and print program description.

Program leaders: Kent McWilliams, associate professor of music, and Renata Debska-McWilliams, director of the World Languages Center

Pianist Kent McWilliams moved to Poland for a year while researching his doctoral thesis, “Polish Folk Influences in the Mazurkas of Chopin.” Kent’s wife, Renata Debska-McWilliams was much luckier — she was born in that colorful country that bridges East and West, modern and historic. During regular trips to Poland, Renata and Kent have had the opportunity to observe the dynamic political, economic and cultural changes that have shaped Polish daily life over the last decades. Their close family and friends have given them an inside view of contemporary Poland.

It is this insider’s view of Poland that Kent and Renata wish to share with you in this Study Travel program. Explore the rich cultural and historical heritage of Poland. Examine the significant contributions of famous Poles such as Chopin, Copernicus, Madame Curie, Lech Wałęsa, Pope John Paul II and Nobel Prize winners Milosz, Szymborska and Reymont. Listen to great music, read great literature, experience the places where events of world significance occurred and view contemporary life in a vibrant European country.

Prepare to experience:

  • Krakow, Renaissance gem, Unesco World Heritage site, heart of Polish culture, and the only major city in Poland to survive World War II essentially intact
  • Zakopane, a quaint old town hidden in the Tatry Mountains of southern Poland
  • Warsaw, capital of Poland and center of the Polish economic boom
  • Auschwitz concentration camp
  • Wadowice, hometown of John Paul II
  • Malbork, medieval castle built by the crusaders — another Unesco Heritage site
  • Gdansk, birthplace of the Solidarity movement that eventually led to the end of the communist era in Eastern Europe
  • Hel – yes, we will indeed visit Hel! — A popular summer beach resort on the Baltic coast.

Musical events to enjoy:

  • Piano recital of Fryderyk Chopin’s music in Warsaw’s Lazienki Park as well as a visit to this great pianist’s birthplace
  • Recital at the Oliwa International Organ Festival, location of the oldest organ in Poland

Program Leaders
Kent is associate professor of music at St. Olaf and Renata is the director of St. Olaf’s World Languages Center. Kent’s studies were at the University of Toronto (B.M., M.M.), the University of Montreal (Doc.Mus.) and the Music Academy of Stuttgart, Germany (Artist Diploma). Renata started her studies at the University of Poznan in Poland, moved on to the University of Stuttgart (M.A. with a double major in German and Philosophy) and completed a further degree at the University of Toronto (B.Ed.).

Kent has been a prize winner at international piano competitions in Portugal and Canada, has played recitals in over a dozen countries and has performed live on Australian radio. Renata has taught German and Polish at colleges and high schools in four countries. She recently led a group of students on a study trip through Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The McWilliams family has traveled extensively between the American and European continents. Their passion for travel is driven by their interest in discovering the richness of other cultures. While visiting foreign lands, their travel motto is, “Nothing is better or worse than at home – only different.”

Renata and Kent have 2 children, Patrick (16) and Anna (12). At home, the McWilliams family cultivates Polish language, culture and traditions. Their children are comfortable using Polish, since that was their only language until their first days at school.

What to Expect
Over the last 20 years Poland’s tourism infrastructure has steadily improved. Poland has been a member of the European Union since 2004. The country has not yet converted to the euro.

Some of our transfers will be by private coach; others will be by high-speed train. Movement within cities will be on foot. You should be capable of walking a minimum of one mile at a time over possibly uneven terrain, climbing stairs that may not have handrails, climbing in and out of a variety of transportation vehicles, keeping pace with an active group of travelers on long days of traveling, handling your own luggage, dealing with the emotional highs and lows that can occur when experiencing a different culture, and of being capable of traveling with a group for several hours each day.

Summer weather in Poland is quite pleasant. Temperatures will range from lows in the mid-50s Fahrenheit to highs in the mid-70s. Three to four inches of rain could fall in July, so plan on bringing a collapsible umbrella and/or a lightweight raincoat.

Program Fee
The program fee is $5,765 per person through March 1, 2009. Based on double occupancy, it includes:

  • Seminars by Kent McWilliams and Renata Debska-McWilliams
  • Assistance by local guides
  • Roundtrip airfare from Minneapolis/St. Paul
  • Accommodations
  • Breakfast daily and several other group meals
  • Group tours
  • Admissions for group activities
  • Ground transportation
  • Gratuities

For single occupancy, add $560. To travel “land only” (making your own arrangements to and from Poland), subtract $1,800.

After March 1, 2009, the program fee is $5,915 per person and could be subject to additional airfare. Payment schedule

Continuing Education Units
Approximately 48 hours of continuing education are available.

Register
Register online, call toll-free 866-255-6523 or fax 507-786-8232. A deposit of $500 per person guarantees your space.