In the days of the overwhelming trend of being beautiful, fit and healthy, we tend to overlook each other’s personality, what we have to say to one another. That's why we decided to give up this pattern and give our foreign students a chance for a better and more objective mutual acquaintance.

This event "opened" our eyes, we realised how important it is to listen during a conversation. We often encounter situations where the other person during the meeting keeps looking at their phone screen and has several Facebook conversations at the same time. During that evening we gave our Erasmus students a chance to learn how to listen and how to be listened to.

The factor that motivated us to create this event was the social aspect and the ExchangeAbility project. We decided to show the circumstances under which a blind person is experiencing a conversation, what they must focus on, how they sense changes in particular emotions after changing the voice tone.

The execution of the event included, first and foremost, finding a suitable, quiet and cosy place that would accommodate several dozen students. Our tasks included the preparation of blindfolds and proper promotion of the event.

The project ran smoothly. During live conversations and subsequent partner changes, thematic questions were given. The event was engaging for everyone – the bold and the shy ones.

The project was implemented for the first time by our ESN SWPS University section, but due to a very positive feedback, it will be continued and we will make every effort for it to be held periodically, at the beginning of each semester, when students are not familiar with each other's voices.

Malgorzata Kowalczyk