Trivia Madness

Last Friday, teachers and students got together at Speed for a night of challenging trivia questions--challenging being the key word! In teams of three, participants competed to see who could answer the most questions correctly. Some were fairly easy ("What character did both Pierce Brosnan and Timothy Dalton play?") and others were very difficult ("At the end of the 1990s, which country had the most camels?")

Everyone gave their best and did very well! Tom's team were the winners, although Georgina and Magda's team came in a very close second.

Good job, guys!

Scrabble Fun

Everyone's favorite board game, Scrabble, was the focus of an evening of fun here at Speed School this month. Many students attended, trying to see who could beat the teachers at making the most English words. The competition was tough, but everyone had a great time. We all learned some new English words that night. In the end, our students played with great heart and an eagerness to win. Well done!

We hope to have many more games of Scrabble in the future!

Shannon comes from Des Moines. Somebody had to.

As the title of this post suggests, our teacher, Shannon, comes from Des Moines, Iowa. She has been working at Speed since September and is loving her time in Poland.


So, tell us a bit about where you're from, please!

Well, I'm from the very center of the United States. My state is called Iowa, and my city is Des Moines. We're fairly near to Chicago, but the idea of distance in America is a little different. I can drive to Chicago in 6 hours, but that is still very near compared to California, which would take 2 days of driving. Des Moines is the capital of Iowa, so it's quite big...about 300,000 people. The rest of Iowa has a few big cities, but is mostly farmland and small towns. My state is famous for sweet corn and pigs, although insurance is actually our biggest industry! If you want to eat the best corn of your entire life, then you must come to Iowa at the end of summer. In fact, all produce is excellent in late summer in Iowa because we have some of the richest farmland in all of America. If you love corn, tomatoes, and watermelon, come for a visit in August...you won't be disappointed!

Wow! Sounds like a food-lover's paradise. Is there anything to do there besides eat?

Of course! Des Moines has changed a lot since I was a child. The title of this post is taken from the first line of a book ("The Lost Continent") written by a famous author from Des Moines, named Bill Bryson. He left Des Moines when it was still very boring and kind of backwards. Nowadays, we have many excellent cultural activities (symphony, museums, opera, jazz/blues clubs), sporting events (we have our own baseball and hockey teams), and--of course--excellent modern restaurants. I love Des Moines, and I do miss living there.

If you love Des Moines so much, why did you decide to come to Poland?

To be honest, I love America, but I prefer a European lifestyle. I taught at a university in France last year, and I wanted to stay somewhere in Europe after I finished. I had heard nice things about Poland, and Polish schools are happy to hire Americans (not the case in every country!), so I decided to come here. I'm really glad I did!

What's your favorite part about living in Poland?

I would have to say that the friendliness of our students and the camraderie among the Speed staff are my two favorite things about living here. Kraków is also so lovely. Oh, and I can't forget Żubrówka and apple juice! That stuff is fantastic. I also love żurek...and barszcz, with the little mushroom dumplings. Yum.

So, you obviously love food, do you also love to cook?

Oh, definitely! I've been cooking for years, and baking as well. I can't decide which I like more, though. There is something just magical about cooking for people you love and watching them enjoy your food. All of the hard work is really worth it! I especially love making cakes and French desserts. My favorite foods to cook are: Italian, American, and Mexican. Some Thai and Vietnamese soups, as well. My family is Italian, so most of my recipes are Mediterranean in nature. This past Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday), I hosted a big dinner party for all of the Speed teachers. It was so much fun!

What else do you do in your free time?

I really enjoy reading, as well as writing. I have a travel blog that I write so my friends and family can keep up with my adventures. I also enjoy doing crafty things like knitting and crochet, even though they're mostly associated with grandmas here in Poland. In America, knitting is very cool, I promise! I love going out to the pub with my friends and having great conversations. Movies and music are high on my entertainment list, as well!

Thank you, Shannon!

Poker Night!

Last week, Speed hosted its first Texas Hold 'Em Poker night. Thanks to one of our teachers, Kama, we even had professional chips to use! We didn't play for money, but everyone was very serious about playing their best. It was a lot of fun, and quite educational for those who were new to the game!


Matt-Raking in the winnings


Serious faces...


Marta--The big winner!

Gin Without the Tonic

Today we're starting a new feature. Every week, you'll get to read an interview with each of our teachers.

First up is Georgina!



So, I've noticed that you speak English awfully well. Where are you from exactly?

I was born in Chesterfield, which is in the north of England, and lived there until I was 18. Then I moved to St. Andrews (in Scotland) to go to university. But although I'm from England, I'm half foreign there. My mother's father was from the Czech Republic and my father's father was from Russia.

Sounds interesting! So, what is your favorite thing about your hometown?

To be honest, my favourite thing about Chesterfield is that I don't live there anymore; it's fairly boring. The church is quite interesting though--the spire is twisted because the devil was sitting on top with his tail around the spire. He turned around suddenly to watch a beautiful woman walk past, and his tail twisted the spire. (Actually, the wooden frame changed shape when building work stopped during the Plague and the half-built spire was left in the rain and sun for several months.) Also, the countryside around Chesterfield is very beautiful.

Well, with all that boring-ness and devil spires, I can't imagine why you would ever want to leave! How did you end up coming to Poland?

My friend met a Polish guy at a club and really fancied him. She decided she wanted to go to Poland on holiday, and I went too. I had such a good holiday that when I was looking for a teaching job a few weeks later, Poland was high on my list of possible countries. So, I was very happy when the first job I was offered was in Poland.

Well, we're really happy you took it! Now that you're here, what is your favorite thing about Gliwice?

The people, the Polish food, the Polish beer and vodka...many things! I also like the fact that Silesia has working coal mines because the north of England used to have lots of mines, but they are almost all closed now, which caused a lot of unemployment.

I've heard that you're an excellent cook. What's your favorite thing to make?

Cake. Any kind of cake, especially for parties. I love decorating them, as well. Since I've been in Poland, I'm fond of cooking very British food, too. Chicken pie, beef pie, toad in the hole, and sticky toffee pudding.

I know books are a passion of yours, so what is your favorite book and who is your favorite author?

I can't possibly choose one favourite! One of the hardest things about moving to Poland was choosing which of my books to bring. My favourite authors include Kate Atkinson, Evelyn Waugh, Aldous Huxley, Amelie Nothomb, Nevil Shute, John Steinbeck, and Dodie Smith. I also love "Captain Corelli's Mandolin", "The Hotel New Hampshire", and "The Master and Marguerita". And any kind of dictionary. If any student wants to borrow English books to practice, we have a selection in the staffroom which you can choose from!

Thank you, Georgina!

Pub Club--Games Edition

Students and teachers came out to NOT for Pub Club yet again, this time for some fun and games. Pool was popular, as usual. Drinking games were also on tap, and there were even rumors of Twister.





Join us next month for Pub Club! It's always a great time!

Cook and Share Club

This month, teachers Magda and Shannon will host the "Cook and Share Club"!

For those who don't like to meet at the pub for drinks and English conversation, come to the "Cook and Share Club" and chat over lunch!

Everyone who wants to come should bring some food to share. You can bring any type of food you like: Polish, Italian, Mexican, etc. Drinks will be provided. Conversation can be on any topic you like!

"Cook and Share Club" will meet on Sunday, January 17th at 14:00.

*Please sign up in the secretaries' office if you want to attend.*

Location details will be given upon signing up.

Hope to see you there!