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Miloslav Kohout

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The University of the Third Age in my life


Miloslav Kohout
South Bohemian University, Budejovice, Ceske
University of the Third Age

The South Bohemian University in Ceske Budejovice, The Health and Social Faculty The University of the Third Age: The working group "Bread and housing" (CZ)


The evaluation of my study


I started to study at the U3A when I was seventy-six years old. I was very interested in the educational program "The Man and his health" at The Health and Social Faculty at the South Bohemian University in Ceske Budejovice. The lectures from areas of medicine, philosophy, psychology and sociology enchanted me very much. I studied hard and took it very seriously. I read more than seventy books from different scientific disciplines, wrote several seminar papers and works on various issues in social sciences. But above all I proved to myself, that I have enough of life potential and the will to finish my studies with honour.

The invitation to participate in the research of senior students from six European countries and universities of the third age "caused" that I celebrated my 80's birthday as a student. I accepted the invitation to participate with enthusiasm and so did 26 other seniors. We were interested in the topic as well as in the new method "learning through research". We dived into the work on the theme "Life styles and life spaces in Europe: In present and in past", we attended many interesting lectures, visited archives, libraries, radios, museums, ethnical groups, but also met the authorities from national and public fields, economists, custodians of properties, and also owners of small historical properties.

We studied the history of bread, traditions and customs related to bread. We followed national history in literary sources and cultural references. We travelled virtually through Europe in order to to understand the cohesion of national and European cultural values. We were trying to find everything that could bring us together or to differentiate us.

To work on the project and to get ready for the research in the field meant to go and sit in the computer room and to learn how to use the PC. It was necessary to make enough effort to be able to use the mouse, e-mail, the net. We managed to do so especially thanks to the style of the course, the tutor's experience with adults and seniors (thanks to her knowledge of problems which come with age). Finally, our groups were prepared to communicate with our partners over the net.

We managed to realize three research aims and to analyse the data from the questionnaire of 427 respondents in the project "Bread in the change of time, space and culture" (SoLiLL 2001).

The following year, we accepted subject proposals from partners in France and the Netherlands and started to work on the project "The revitalization of historical landmarks in town” and “Housing in old age". We accepted the tasks even though the results were to be evaluated and compared with the others. We wanted to do it well and I think we succeed.

And what should I say at the end? The study at the university with the program SoLiLL fulfilled our expectations. It brought us life to our age, enriched our knowledge and experience, offered a lot of new contacts, made possible to meet virtually interesting people over the net. We thank to all chances which we had. We thank for all the beautiful days.