Visiting the hobbits: how philologists celebrated Student Day in the fairy-tale town of Yaremche
On the occasion of Student Day, which is celebrated on November 17, the Faculty of Philology of UzhNU invited young people on a trip to Yaremche, where students visited “Gedzio – Park of Legends” and the Probiy waterfall.
The trip was organized by the Deputy Dean for Educational Work Marta Demczyk, who was willingly supported by the student body of the faculty. The cognitive voyage was also joined by the lecturer of the Department of Slovak Philology of UzhNU, Professor Jana Kesselova, and the senior lecturer of the Department of Ukrainian Literature, Oleh Khavavchak.
“I have dreamed of a trip to the Park “Gedzio” since the beginning of its creation. It was two years ago, when I first saw the hobbit holes in my tape. I realized that I had to go there – and not alone, but to share my dream, joy, and love for fantasy. Therefore, I decided that for Student’s Day, with the permission of the dean, it would be appropriate and relevant to gather students of our faculty. Their friends and our teachers in good weather and go to Yaremche,” said Marta Demchik.
On the way, students and teachers observed incredible landscapes of Ivano-Frankivsk region. The first stop was “Gedzio – Park of Legends”, where participants had free time to visit hobbit-style locations and take photos.
The next stop was the Probiy waterfall. Against the backdrop of the picturesque landscape, everyone wanted to take a photo or video as a souvenir. It was cool near the water, but this did not affect the general mood.
“Probiy made a good impression. Loud, powerful, lively – it is not conveyed in the photo as in reality. It was nice to just stand by the water and recharge a little after a busy day of studying,” shared the impressions of Janos Sakalos, the head of the student council of the Faculty of Philology.
After visiting the picturesque locations, the travelers from Uzhhorod had the opportunity to walk through the fair. A real Hutsul atmosphere reigned there. They could buy whatever their heart desired, such as wood and wool products, and enjoy the aroma of Carpathian teas. The students happily looked around the stalls and talked to local craftsmen. They also chose souvenirs to remember this day. Some bought magnets or jewelry, while others chose sweets and Carpathian herbs. A walk through the fair added even more warmth and color to the trip.
Although the road was exhausting, as it lasted about six hours one way, there was a friendly atmosphere on the bus. On the way back, the students exchanged impressions and enjoyed the magical sunset. Despite the fatigue, everyone returned home to the friendly singing of songs.
“The trip was a real reboot for me. Yaremche impressed with its atmosphere – from the fabulous locations in the “Gedzio – Park of Legends” to the noise of the Probiy waterfall, near which it is impossible not to stop and take a deep breath. I also remembered the moments on the bus: jokes, conversations, joint songs and the feeling that we are one team. Despite the long journey, I returned home with ease and gratitude. This is definitely one of the warmest trips during my studies,” said Maria Semenchenko, a student of the journalism department.
Emilia Ur, a student of the Ukrainian department, also shared her impressions: “I really liked the morning when we arrived in Yaremche. The landscape was incredible: you could feel the magic and unusualness, as if nature itself was revealing its secrets. The black swans were especially impressive. They followed me, even came out of the water without any aggression – it was so interesting! And the location “Starry Shine” was also fascinating. There were fish swimming there, and everything around looked extremely aesthetic, harmonious and calm. I also want to mention the location with space – it was simply incredible. The feeling is as if you are touching another reality, where the stars and planets become closer, and the space around is filled with mystery.”
The teachers and students had incredible emotions, so they were satisfied with the trip. They have already planned the next one – to Christmas Lviv. And in 2026 they want to conquer Hoverla.
Svitlana Podolianka,
student of the OP “International Journalism”
