time for summary

‘The phenomenon of the World is its riches. When you live in one culture or one environment, you don’t realize how huge and extreme is the variety of the World.’

[Kapuściński]

.................................................................................................................................

TAK !

practice - continuation

After short break, we started our practice again.
In the second week I observed work of physiotherapists in deparment B in Fjordskolen in Aabenraa.

This part of school is for children with multiple handicaps. Most of them is sitting in wheel chairs and need a lot of care with personal hygiene or eating. Some of them have to be fed trough a stomach tube.

The main diagnosis in department B are:

• spasticity
• muscle contractions
• lopsided back

The main tasks of physitherapists are:
training of stability, mobility, balance, strenght, body awareness;
gain the children ability of sitting, standing, walking or getting from one position to another.


The third week I spent with physiotherapeutist Gitte ang Ulla in Department A. This part of school has students with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), with Autism, Aspergers Syndrom.

PDD:
children with this desease have problems with social communication, social imagination in playing and in flexible thinking.

Asperger's Disorder:

• lucid speech before the age of 4 years of age
• communication is sometimes repetative
• voice tends to be flat, emotionless
• can be obsessed with coplex topics - pattern, weather, music, numbers, cars
• IQ's: many are above normal range in verbal ability and below average in performance range
• lack of common sense
• movement tend to be clumsy
• sensory probles appear not to be as dramatic as in other forms of autism
• socially aware but display inappropriate reciprocal interactions
• often seen as depression, anxiety
• in adulthood many lead productive lives; living indepently, working effectivly in a job and raising a family
  

Autism:
For this children the most important thing is to use an individual programme. Therapists should use visual, concrete materials and practice skills in real situations. They should learn how to solve conflicts. The day at school have to be predictable and understandable by using scheduls for the day, lessons, rules should be written.
Every student has his own seat, table to work, place to relax, his own materials and individual schedule: what to do, how long, with whom, where, what's next. They have to know what to do during the break and the day at school can't be stresful.

Missing Easter in Poland

It’s my first time, when I spend Easter far away from my home and from my family. In Poland Christmas or Easter are very domestic time. It’s very important for us. We spend time together and visit each other… and it’s why I supposed this time would be very difficult for me.

Still yesterday I thought it would be really a big defeat. Because I assumed that only in Poland, with my family it’s possible. And in addition somebody stole our 30 EGGS ! I haven’t presumed that it’s possible here- in Denmark We put with Gosia our eggs downstairs to the fridge the day before. And yesterday we wanted to boil some and…surprise! Our all pallet with 30 eggs just disappeared. Now it’s funny! :) But yesterday I thought that we would cry with Gosia. Because we don’t have here our typical, traditional polish Easter food, and to make things worse we didn’t have then even eggs.

But fortunately girls from our house were so nice and they share with us… :D

Easter Sunday is very important in Poland. We spend all day with our family. The most important is common, festive breakfast.

We decided to prepare it together in our place. But before this, Lilla prepared for us big surprise and we went to look for painted eggs in grass. It was very very nice! :) And later we came back and settled down together to the Easter table. It went beyons all my expectations !!! Even Cana joined us! :) It wasn’t completely like at home, but almost ! :) Big thanks girls !!! ...for beautiful decoration, delicious food and just for very nice atmosphere ! :)

…but in spite of all this nice things I still think that only at home you can celebrate Easter in the best way, which you used to do. After breakfast I went for a long walk and then I really started to miss my relatives. I wasn’t nice experience, because I knew that at that moment they were together …

Wednesday, April 1st - equipment

Today, I'm impressed by all equipment, which Fjordskolen have and can use to make moving and excercising of children easier and more comfortable.

First, I participated with Nasir in short bike trip. He has paresis in his leg, so he wouldn't be able to ride. But he as a special bike in which he can use his arms.
In the school in the hall there is a lot of bikes. Each of them are doffernet and adapted to each pupils.













Then I was with one of physiotherapist in the swimming-pool. It was nice to see:

• adjustable bottom of the swimming-pool
• special sling to carry children from dressing room to the swimming-pool
• good equipment to use in swimming-pool
  

And on the end Louise showed all equipment which they have in basement. There was a lot of them. I'm impressed by this. But it's perfect, I think. Because therapists can match and choose the best one for each student.

And the most important sentence which Louise said today:
IN DENMARK, THERE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ALL HANDICCAPED CHILDREN HAD AND WERE TREATED LIKE THE OTHER, HEALTHY.
And today, I really saw it. All this equipment, all this therapy and efforts aim to make and ensure their life as easy as possible.

March 31, 2009

Today was very nice because we met in Fjordskolen polish physiotherapist- Magdalenę, who works in this institution. Now she has break, because on the maternity leave. The surprise was that she lives in Haderslev! :) She has been living in Denmark since 16 years. Magdalena had started to study physiotherapy in Poland and finished here in Denmark. After this year's summer holiday she will continue work in Fjordskolen.
It was very interesting meeteing - we could tell how looks like physiotherapy and study in Poland and the same she explained to us. She said us more how therapists work in Fjordskolen, which methods they use. So now we know much more and lots of things are more understanding :)

My next 'patient' today was:
Jeanette- 9 years old girls with Cerebral Palsy; she is a premature baby; additionally she has epilepsy, spastic legs and very weak postural muscles.

• the aim is strenghten postural muscles to make possible sitting without any help and belts in wheelchair
  

She use this wheelchair, which is very adapted to her.

ready, steady, go!!! practice time started… Monday, March 30, 2009

Today, with Marlena and Gosia, we started our practice in Fjordskolen in Aabenraa. The school is divided for three departments (A, B and C). Each of them has children with different diseases.
I started in deparment C. My tutoress is Louise, a physiotherapist, who has been working in Fjordskolen since 2001. In this part of school there is about 125 students with many different diagnosis, some of them are:
• General developmental disorders
• Cerebral palsy
• Muscles dystrophy
• Spinal bifida
• Speak and language disabilities
• Epilepsy
• Deaf and blind
• Syndromes (Down-, Griscelli-, William’s syndrome)

The treatment is done individually, in groups in the gym, in the hot water pool, in the outdoor surroundings of the school.

Some general information:
o most of children come to school by special bus (from Aabenraa and surrounding towns)
o classes star at 8.20 and finish at 12, but most of children go later to after- classes lessons, where they usually spend their time playing
o lesson lasts 45 minutes
o in class usually is about 8 students
o its happens that pupils are in different age, its depend on diseases and development
o in class there are minimum 2 teachers
o lots of children have very good intellect and have only some attention problems (for example ADHD disease)

Today I could see how Louise works with three students.

Josephine – 9 years old girl with Cerebral Palsy; additionally she has scoliosis and epilepsy; she can’t speak and walk only with help.At Fjordskolen she is the third year and now she attends to the 2nd class.
In her class is 8 children . They have also a Cerebral Palsy and additionally a Down Syndrome.

Exercises:

• going up and down the stairs;
• walking in a special equipment which helps her to keep balance (this exercise is more difficult, but therapist wants to motivate her to start walking alone);

The problem with Josephine is that she doesn’t start any move without help. The therapist has to initiate and direct and not till then J. can continue.
Louise sometimes sings during the walking, what makes J. more eager to exercise.



Benjamin – 7 years boy with General Learning Disabilities; psychomotoric problems; attention disability; problems with balance, muscletonus, coordination.
He finished a ‘normal ‘ kindergarten and now attends to the 1st class.

Exercises:

• riding on some kind of skateboard and carry a pieces of puzzle from on to the second part of gym;
• kneeling down on the same desk; he kept one end of line and Louise the second one; she pulled him and B. had to try keep a balance;
• play in fishing;

The aim of the exercising was to strengthen his back and practice keeping balance.


Mikkel – 7 years old boy with William’s Syndrome; General developmental disorders; heart disease; attention, balance problems.

Exercises:

• on the trampoline;
• walking on the balance beam;
• ‘flying on the balloon’;
• circuit track;
• exercises with big ball (pushing, throwing, keeping balance by sitting on it)

For M. the main aim is fight with his very big acrophobia !

Danish for the last time

On Thursday, March 26th we had the last danish lesson. I don't know why, but I really started to feel that the end is nearer and nearer. Maybe because it was our last week with classes in college.

Danish:

• almost impossible to learn ;)
• with difficult pronunciation
• with difficult grammar
• difficult to understanding what other say
• difficult to remember

but! instead of that we had:

• very nice teachers!!! ;) who tried to learn us the most useful words and sentences
• very nice atmosphere at classes
• very friendly attitude and relationship

That weren't only typical danish lessons, but also very nice time spending together. Time spending not only in class but also during lunches in Christina's house...and of course unforgettable party in the end of international week :)

Girls! Big TAK for all! (: :)

practise day

Today was for me and my polish girls very important. We were in danish clinic in Haderslev to observe work of danish physiotherapists. Our tutor was Addi - very nice women. She explain us many things, told how they exercise with patients, which methods they use. Thanks to that we could compare some part of physiotherapy in Poland and Denmark.
Surprised and little different is for me that in Denmark:

1. they don't use so much physiotherapy (only for example ultrasounds, Tens)
2. they are able to make decission which kind of treatment use
3. they spare more time for one patient
4. and what is the most important, I think, is that they put very big emphasis to teach patients how they should exercise at home and teach them how to manage with disabilities to still take part in normal life

In spite of many differences physiotherapy in Denmark and Poland is very similar.
During this practise we could observe how therapist were exercising with patients and by the way explained us meny things.
It was very nice experience!

drama and movement in Aabenraa

Today we were in Aabenraa and took part in ‘drama and movement’ class with Flaming and Linda. It was our second meeting with them. We learnt, how in many different way we can use our body and voice to have fun together and get a new view of art.

The week before we started with some games to get know each other better (exactly Linda and Flaming could ;) ). Then we started to compose some melody by using cups and drums. We tried to use our imagination and with help of our body we made some figures and movements.

And on the end, the best part I think, was attempt to play a samba music. We used lots kind of drums, and a lot of different instruments. It was very nice experience and I had great fun! :D

And today…

Firstly we started with repeat some songs from the last class. And then the new part: we danced some typical traditional dance; Polka ;)

And the best part of all time which we spent in Aabenraa – we started big play with mask. Our first task was to try empathize in role of new-born child who just start to get to know the world. And on the end we were divided on two groups. Each of them had to prepare a performance appropriately to music. We are quite good actors! ;)

It was very strange feeling. When you use mask, you can be totally different person. Nobody see your face – don’t know if you are smiling or if you are sad.

My one thought – we used masks to prepare a performance. But why people ‘use masks’ in real life? Why they want to be somebody else? Good question…

Where is the love ?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Today on "Citizenship and globalisation" class were spoken a lot of very important sentences and questions.

Most of them were enclosed in the song 'Earthsong' of Michael Jackson and 'Where is the love?' of Black Eyed Peas. I mention some of them:

'What have we done to the world?'

'Look what we’ve done'

'What about all the peace?'

'What about all the dreams?'

'Did you ever stop to notice all the children dead from war?'

'Now I don’t know where we are…'

'Hey, what about yesterday?'

'What about nature’s worth?'

'Where did we go wrong?'

'What’s wrong with the world?'

'…the whole world is addicted to

the drama'

'…we try to stop terrorism but we still got terrorist here livin’'

'If love and is so strong why are there pieces of love that don’t belong?'

'Not respectin’ each other'

'Most of us only care about m

oney makin’'

'Selfishness got us followin’ our wrong direction'

'Wrong information always shown by the media'

'Lack of understanding…'

so 'Now ask yourself WHERE IS THE LOVE ?!?'

During that lesson I remind a song of Linkin Park " What I've done". Similar to the previous songs...lots of strong words and especially very good teledisk. I encourage to watch it:

freedom, happiness...

For each of us, there are some things, which make us happy…

For me it’s enough to ride by bike… maybe strange but true!
Only at that moments I feel free, my head is empty, I don’t have any problems, the worlds seems to be better and more beautiful…

…freedom, happiness, beauty, hope for the best, belief in better tomorrow, look on the world from different point of view…

Sanday's bicycle trip ... it was what I had needed to take a deep breath!!!

When the spring is coming… slowly…

How good is to wake up one morning and see this view …

After almost 2 months the sun gave us a sign that it’s still exist ;)

I couldn’t miss this occasion so I decided to go one day on the lake.

How nice is for me sitting alone on the bench and just enjoy coming spring…

to day- dream, to smile…

But how strange seems to be that one month ago I was walking in this same place, and the scenery was quite different!

The spring is coming and you start to have different attitude to lots of things. The world seems to be better, you have more energy and you feel like doing a lots of things! You start to thing that maybe it’s time for some changes…? You have new points of view for many things, maybe better points?

in memory...

international week

On Monday I didn’t feel like going to college for classes. But I change my mind very fast. When I arrived in class there was a lots of people whom I hadn’t seen before…
We started our ‘International Week’ ! :)
We were very busy. During this week we were having a lot of activities…music (lots of music) ;), ‘get- together- evening’ on Monday, trip to Ribe on Tuesday, ‘Eurovision song contest’ on Thursday, presentations and farewell lunch on Friday.

I still can’t imagine how in one moment in one room I could meet almost all Europe! So different people without any prejudice. So friendly and ready to get know each other better. So curious about world. Ready to laugh at themselves and without any problems talk about stereotypes and have fun.



When ‘international’ student said me goodbye, each of them said that they would like to stay here longer or come back on the next year. And in this way they make me aware how lucky am I that I can stay here longer. :)
But it’s really pity that they have to leave us. In most of them I found very friendly and special people. I’m sure if they staid longer we would make very close friends.
Almost impossible that during few days some people become so close and so important for you. You understand each other very well, insist of it that you hadn’t spent too much time together and you are from quite different part of Europe…

On Friday we prepared a portfolio to sum up all week. Each of them was different… But what I want to say is, that there was probably two presentation (of Czech and Hungarian group) with only slideshow with photos from all week and with nice music. And it was moving experience, because in this way I can realize how good time I have here and how much am I close-knit with all of you. In this moment I can’t imagine how difficult will be parting for me. Because never again we won’t meet in this group and in this place.

So I think that now I/we can only try to do our best to make the rest of our time here- in Haderslev very nice and special. Just TAKE THE ADVENTAGE of it !!! :)

I'd like to be...

...Czech because they are very friendly and they are very musical.
...Belgian because they know three foreign languages.
...Spanish because they are very positive and have very friendliness attitude to world and people.
...Portuguese because they have very tanned.
...Dane because they are the happiest people in the world.
...Turkish because they can dance very well.

But I'm just a normal polish girl! :) I can't change it and I don't want! But I'd like only to learn from you all this good things and positive points of your nationality and your charakters. Because it's also why we are here. It's time to get know each other, get know another country, other nationalities and make use of it!

Visiting Esbjerg

It was Friday… very early. Our bus departed at 6.40. So my day started at 5 o’clock!!! I don’t remember when last time I stood up so early ;) To make things easier, I prepared myself on Thursday (sandwiches, packing and so on). Our original plan was to stay in Esbjerg for one night and on Saturday visit some place, but about it I’ll write for a moment ;)

We leave our house at 6 o’clock to be on time in the bus station. From Haderslev by bus to Kolding, there we had a change for a train direct to Esbjerg. A still can’t believe how silent are Danish train. You can hear there even a fly ;) In Poland is a little bit different :P

To come back to the subject of my post… in Esbjerg we were about 8.30. There, like real Erasmus Students ;), we thumbed a taxi and drove to University College Vest.

Very big and great campus! Amazing impression. We didn’t have time so quickly went to find Susanne Grann- international coordinator. She welcomed us very heartily, suggested coffee and talked about physiotherapy. The Danish educational system of physiotherapy is quite similar to polish, but for example students learn during 3,5 years and then are looking for job. And in Poland after 3 years (Bachelor’s Degree) most of students usually study 2 years more to received a M.A.

Then Susanne invited us for classes. First we joined the lecture. Unfortunately it was in Danish so we didn’t understand too much…;) And then we could take part in practical part of this class. One of student was so nice and explain us everything in English. We learnt how exercise with patient after spastic paresis. One, very useful, thing which I observed was that first teacher gave a task but didn’t explain how to do it exactly. So students had to try do it by their own, and it’s good, I think, because in this way they use all their knowledge and abilities. Not till then the teacher show haw it should looked like.

After classes we had a little bit of time so went to canteen for lunch and looked around the campus. Just admire…

Susanne was so nice and at 13 she took us and gave us a lift to the centre. We went to the tourist office to ask about some hostel. Unfortunately it turned out to expensive :( So we had to change our plan. Fast decision and firstly we drove to sea-shore to see very famous monuments ‘Man meets the Sea’. These are four, white, magnificent, enormous, monumental sculptures. But to tell the true it didn’t make as so big impression on me as I thought it would. In my opinion, the minus of it is, that they are located very close to road and factories. And I’m sure it could be better if the weather was warmer and the sun was shining.

Unfortunately we couldn’t spend to much time on the beach because there was too cold.

So we came back to the centre for a cup of tea and decided it’s time to come back to Haderslev. And again train to Kolding and then by bus to Haderslev ;)

So finally we were at home about 8 p.m. … tired and cold but veeery happy.

It was really nice day!

And after 18 hours without any short nap;) I could lay in my bad and just asleep! :D

special needs

On Monday we had a special needs class. It was very useful for me as a future physiotherapist. I don't know yet but it's very possible that I'll work with children, so it's very important for me to know how should I work with them.
Teachers explained us what actually special needs is, with what is it conected, how to work with children. They showed us many methods which we can use during classes to calm them down and make them more concrencated. We tried many exercices on ourselves to see how it works. Very good point is to work in the circle. Then everybody see each other and nobody feel worse. Very good is to use candles and relaxing music. We also tried tactile massage which children make in pair during the lesson.
It was very nice experience and I got know many things which I can use in the future in my work.

still like children :D

Last friday (20.02.2009) in our college took place the Carneval Dress Party, also with participation of Ersmus Students. Everyone had to dress up. Most of us were looking for some costume here, in Haderslev. Task wasn't easy but everybody managed.

Here is effect of our imagination:


Because each of us has something from child... :)

I've never supposed

Jørn Buch - the man who just fascinated me with his knowledge, his attitude to teaching, to his profession, with attitude to students...

To tell the truth I've never liked history at school. It was always boring for me very :/ Teachers always used books and repeated everything what was written there. And to pass this subject I had to learn everything by heart. booooooring !!!!!!!!!

So it's why I've never supposed that I can become interested in history lessons.
But Jørn shows me that history musn't be dull and unnecessary. He proved that this subject can be very interesting. Amzaing how big knowledge he has and in what way he is able to cennect all facts, dates, places and events. In our Erasmus Team we have people from six differnet countries and he was capable showing us how strong is our history and how much we have in common.
I will always remember his methods which he uses to teaching, his rich gesticulation and changing timbre...

Aarhus

...the second largest city of Denmark.
We visited this place on Tuesday. In spite of bad weather (cold and wind) buteverybody was very satisfied :)
First, we saw The Old Town. It is an open-air village museum consisting of 75 historical buildings collected from 20 townships in all parts of the country. The village is very big atraction, but we could also visit rooms are either decorated in the original historical style or organized into larger exhibits.We spent there about 1,5 hours just walking and admering... nice place. I really like it !!! :)

Then we went toThe Cathedral. Very magnificent and impressive...

And at the end we went to the most interesting place, I think, Museum Aros. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time and two hours had to suffice to feast our eyes on modern art... :)
I hope to come back there one day... wonderful place!

HAVE A LOOK !!! ;)

I'm Polish because...

People often use them to describe some nation.
Stereotypes...

Today we were talking about typical things conected with our country and with what people assosiate us...

• The Hungarian like tasty food, kissing in the street and preparing easter ggs with a lot of decoration;

• The Czech like (even LOVE!) beer nad they are the best in drinking beer and like playing musical instruments;
  

• The Turk drink tee in a special cups, put money to bra and prepare delicious turkish coffee.

• Belgium is famous for

chocolate;

• The Spanish love sleeping, wine and oranges;

• and polish people...hmmm! :) they are still complain, are robbers, like vodka and don't know any foreign languages. It's no true !!! :P