The Cheapest Vacation Ever: Lodz, Poland
The Cost of Being Homeless: Priceless
The town of Lodz is the third most populated city in Poland and is also the poorest, having the highest unemployment rate in the entire region. What was once the world’s leading textile manufacturing capital now has not one surviving textile plant. Tourism is of course not the main source of revenue for the arctic oasis, but sharing the experience of being homeless in Lodz is a serious enticement for those looking to vacation on a budget.
Currently the average tourists visiting Lodz will get opportunities to tour not only abandoned factories but the second largest ‘ghetto’ during World War II (the largest ghetto was Warsaw) used for the execution of Jews. Lodz is also the home of a world renowned National Film School which happened to be a personal “pet project” of the notorious Joseph Stalin. To balance out the uplifting tour Lodz also features Europe’s longest pedestrian street (Piotrkowska Street at 4.9km) and as fittingly has the most pubs on one street in the world.
Adding to the list of memorable attractions and proud historical monuments is a rare opportunity to take the Urban Survival Challenge course, from The St. Brother Albert Homeless Shelter, who is in need of 60,000 zloty, or $20,000 USD for its homeless program. Chairman of the shelter, Bohdan Aniszczyk, noted that Lodz has a unique bus program for the homeless, which are buses filled with warm food and clothing that drive around the city all night and search for the homeless and “god forsaken” (as described by Aniszczyk).
Photo: Unknown Artist via Wikimedia Commons
According to Jerzy Czapala, the director at the shelter, the cost for the Urban Survival Program is “pay what you want” for a 24-hour stint as a homeless person. Reporter for Worldcrunch, Michal Frak, shared his own personal adventure with the Urban Survival Challenge to his wife’s disappointment who subsequently encouraged him to “get used to it (being homeless).” His escapade in self denial was filled with lice laden lavatories and the technology savvy destitute, most of which had their own laptops. Food and entertainment were easily available during the challenge including milk, cereal, 5 slices of bread, fresh hot sausages and soup, and a VIP entrance to a rock concert.
