(Wrzucam, bo minął już rok od tej, najulubieńszej mej, angielskojęzycznej publikacji.
Bo tradycja nie może być zapomniana.
A co najważniejsze, bo "once Erasmus, always Erasmus.")
When you are on
exchange, the International Students House you live in quickly shapes your
lifestyle. In Groningen, every students house is different and every each one
of them has its own atmosphere and tradition. Those are the places which become
your home for the few months, where you meet people who you will spend the most
of your time with; studying, eating, partying together. A bunch of
International Students in Winschoterdiep Students House found their own, very
unique way to stand out of all the other places. They set up something called
“Winschoterdiep Airlines”, famous now all around the city. But what is it,
exactly? A new party association? Group of crazy students who just drink every
day and night? Well, for the members of Winscho Airlines Crew it seems to be
more serious than just this...
There are thirteen of
them. Two Pilots, the Entertainment Manager, the Security Manager, the Human
Resources Managers, the Press Man, the Healthy Manager, the Headwoman, the
Photographer, the Law Enforcement Managers and the Oracle. Sitting around in
the circle on the floor in the Captain's room, eating peanuts and chatting about
everything, they seem just like a group of good friends. And from that similar
kind of a chilling-out meeting one evening three months ago, they came up to
the idea to set up their own “organization.” “As we all were flying high
already, we figured, why not make it official?”, recalls Karol, the Captain. So
it started with the Facebook group. Every member of the Crew got his
profession, which they take very seriously. “When you have a Winscho Airlines
profession, it's a lifetime job”, they all agree. “It's a huge
responsibility!”, says Timo. “As the Security Manager, I have to take care of
everybody's security. Only thanks to me it is now so safe in this room”, he
smiles.
Still, at the
beginning it was just a joke. Everybody in the house loved it from the very
moment it created. “Also, a lot of girls asked if they can be our
hostesses...”, Karol recalls. It was supposed to be just another excuse for
partying harder, but soon it turned out to be so exciting that they wanted to
expand their activity. Now they even have their own special t-shirts with
Winschoterdiep Airlines' logo on them and the caps of which they are very
proud. The biggest part of their job takes, of course, organizing the parties.
“We already threw one big party in November, which was a big success. We had to
leave the common room before 1 o' clock, because of the house rules. But we all
met in Snow Valley club, which is our sister airport”, they all recall. Why
Snow Valley? “Well, it has very cheap fuel”, Jake, the Human Resources Manager,
replies immediately. But it's not just the legendary parties that makes Winscho
Airlines so special. The Facebook group operates very dynamically. “People like
to add posts like: “Who stole my pizza??” or simply “Who wants to party
tonight”?”, says Richard, the Photographer. Nick, the Press Man, adds “We all
help each other with simple, day-to-day problems, like for example fixing the
internet or repairing the bikes, printing pages or correcting essays”.
Suddenly, as we are
talking, the doors open and two people come in. “Hey Crew, what's up? Just
wanted to say hello”. They chat for a while and after few minutes they go away.
It looks like Winscho Airlines people have their own special status of being
the coolest people here; they are The Elite! The Crew doesn't deny it. “We love
it, everybody knows us”, they agree. But with the fame it comes the
responsibility. Timo tells the story of how he fulfilled his mission of being
the true Security Manager. “One day my girlfriend saw a strange guy, not
leaving here, who was sitting next to her room, sniffing cocaine. She got very
scared, called me and I, with the help of two bodyguards, removed him from the
building.” The Crew also take care of each other. “Every time when we are
having too much turbulence, we help each other to land safely”, says Karol.
When Beom, the Oracle, passed out on the way to his room, he got rescued by
Abidal, the Healthy Manager, who took care of him and gave him the vitamins.
It seems that
Winschoterdiep Airlines created something new out of nothing. They connected
all the small groups together so the
whole house can feel like they belong to one community. They even produced
their own language! Now nobody in Winscho says “I'm drunk”. They are just “flying
high”. Instead of “going to another students house”, they “visit the other
airport”. But what will happen when they all leave Groningen, when their
exchange finishes? “I guess it will die in natural death. The next generation
of Winscho students will have to come up with something new”, says Karol with
melancholic voice. For sure Winschoterdiep Airlines will be something that
they, as the exchange students, will remember forever. “Working for the
Airlines will be the best memory of my Erasmus”, the Pilot adds. Paul, the
Co-pilot, feels the same way. “I had a possibility to meet a lot of great
people. And it also made me drink more than I've expected”, he smiles.
Winschoterdiep
Airlines was supposed to be just another way of having more fun. But as they
all got friends with each other, sharing all the good and bad moments of the
exchange, it became something more than just drinking and partying. They will
have great memories and... probably, eternal fame in the tradition of the
Winschoterdiep International Students House. Last but not least, their motto
stands: “The party can't start without the captain!” And remember about the
next big Winscho Airlines party this Saturday -
it will be the best flight of your life!
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tekst opublikowany w styczniu 2012
