Minsk language schools launch "Poles' courses"

I called one of the language school as a client. I didn't have time to tell that I had problems with Polish roots or had no idea what the Polish flag looked like - the secretary overwhelmed me with the details about the courses schedule and costs straightaway. 

"The course lasts for three months, we have classes three times a week, 90 minutes each. The teacher prepares the students for everything - the oral speech, the interview - they work on all the questions of the Pole's card application and think over the answers. The cost of the program is Br 2 million 400 thousand."

There were many applicants, so the girly voice in the phone advised me to hurry up. My question about the high price of the course (I paid approximately the same money for a whole year of the English language course last year) remained unanswered. However, the secretary assured me of the positive result.

"Most of our graduates get the Pole's cards, as far as we know. They have the necessary skills after our course, including the language ones - this is obligatory. We do not demand any documents - this is for the Embassy."

Minsker Sofia did not attend the course - she had proper Polish roots and learned the language by herself. She got the Pole's card with no problem. However, she says, she was rather an exception at the interview in the Polish Embassy - most of Belarusians who applied for the Pole's card didn't even know who John Paul II was.

"I was shocked that only about 10 people of 30 were more or less prepared. All the rest had no idea who John Paul II was."

Sofia says it's not just one language school that makes Poles out of Belarusians. It turns out that such business is becoming popular in Minsk!

"The guy I know had no Polish language knowledge whatsoever. He enlisted to the course: three months, twice a week. They prepared him strictly to get a Pole's card. he could not say a word in Polish out of the framework of this precise interview, and he did get the card."

Meanwhile, according to the information of the beginning of 2013, Poland has already issued 100 thousand Pole's cards. Citizens of Belarus got 42 thousand of them.

Photo - koulikov.com