A Dose of Polish Culture

We were staying at the Hotel Gromada, which was situated in a pretty central location in the city. I met Emily one of my house mates from the Washington D.C. area.

We had our first meeting as a group at a local coffee shop and Piotrek gave an introduction to the logistics of the program. Some important information...

1) Polish people converse in public at a noise level of 4 (out of 10).
2) It is not typical to accept a drink from a stranger at a bar.
3) In a typical apartment you will find the washer in the bathroom. A dryer doesn't exist.
Time to wash clothes: 2 hours. Time to dry clothes: days.
4) "NEVER take a taxi that just says 'taxi,' because most likely it's a 'mafia taxi' (and they'll definitely rip you off)."

Afterwards, we went to a traditional Polish restaurant called Chlopskie Jadlo. Roughly translated the name meant "Peasant's Fare," and although the atmosphere was very inviting, the food was not. A platter of assorted traditional culinary delights such as golonka (jellied pig's knuckles) and various other mystery meats, soon appeared after our arrival. Seated directly in front of the platter, I could only force down a few pierogies, before succumbing to a spoiled appetite. I was not the only one who couldn't stomach the meal, because I found out later that Jack was a vegetarian. I had a lot to get use to....

Warsaw: First Impressions of Poland

I arrived off the plane in Warsaw, and the whole world around me had transformed into a whirlwind of Polish culture. My excitement had overcome my jet-lag for the moment and I was in a daze as I came out of the arrivals gate, my mind trying to grasp the reality of the moment. I was finally here!

After a somewhat frustrating search, I finally found Piotrek (Piotr), my residential director, amidst a sea of families showering their loved ones with kisses and odd-numbered bouquets of roses.

Two other API participants Jack and Greg, joined us shortly and we all headed out into the mid-morning mist to take a cab to our hotel. A cab driver with a prominent potbelly took one look at our excessive amount of luggage and pointed to a van behind him. When we finally got into a vehicle that could accommodate us all, we made small talk but eventually grew quiet, as we took in the daily life of Warsaw that was unfolding around us.

Thoughts Beforehand

Choosing to go to Poland seemed like a natural choice for me, when I was figuring out where I wanted to study abroad. I mused over exotic places like Egypt, South Africa, and Brazil, places that lured me in with promises of a life that was completely different than my own. But Poland held something greater, a chance to reconnect with my roots and return to a place where my paternal grandparents had fled the Nazi regime half a century ago. I had already been to China a few times now and I felt it was crucial to identify with my Eastern European roots and explore the culture that I had little exposure to. I was also very curious to gain a greater knowledge of the horrific events of WWII and how they fit into context within the country's psyche. So not knowing much more than "dziekuje" in Polish and a tiny snapshot of Poland's often turbulent history, I set off for the mysterious land of Polska.