Reminiscing – Page 2 – Dani Francuz Rose

It’s Christmastime once again, and I find myself pining (see what I did there?) for Poland. This time last year, Tucker and I were decorating our apartment in Łódź and brushing up on Polish Christmas traditions (of which there are plenty). This year, while I’m very excited to be celebrating Christmas with my family, American-style, there are definitely many things I’m missing about life in Poland. For example:

Drinking Tea with Friends

I miss Polish tea culture! In the United States, coffee is generally the warm drink of choice, and, unfortunately, I really hate coffee. In Poland, I was gradually forced into drinking some form of hot liquid (especially on cold mornings), and eventually, I learned to love hot tea. Although at first I fought it, now I find myself missing the constant drink (and snack) offers at every Polish gathering (from dinner at a friend’s house to a meeting at work) as well as always getting the choice of coffee or tea. In the past few months I have done my best to bring this tradition to my life in the US, but sadly all I’ve done is become known as the weird, coffee-hating, hot tea-drinker.

The Language

I’m very sad that I will not get to use my well-practiced “Wesołych Swiąt” this year (or the even more challenging “Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku”). Instead, I have to waver with the very difficult “Merry Christmas” vs. “Happy Holidays” debacle. Not only am I missing Polish greetings, but I’m also missing the intensive grammar practice. I know that sounds crazy to most people, but I loved it – and it’s just not the same outside of Poland. I’m really doing my best to continue studying the complex Polish language, but it’s not nearly as gratifying without the unsuspecting strangers to practice with.

Public Transportation

I miss not having to worry about driving. Weather, distance, gas prices: there are so many things we consider when deciding if it’s worth it to leave the house in the United States. However, in Poland, I never worried about that. I had trains, trams, buses, sidewalks…plenty of methods at my disposal; thus, we found ourselves out and about much more often. I used to think having a car meant having freedom (and to an extent in the US it sort of does), but it’s definitely a limited freedom. Access to a good public transportation system is real freedom.

Proximity of Destinations

Somewhat related to public transportation, I also miss the nearness of points of interest. Poland (and Europe in general) has so much to see (mountains, castles, seas, etc.), and it’s not nearly as spread out as the United States. It was easy for us to go to a different region of Poland or even a different country just for the weekend. I miss being surrounded by the diverse histories and cultures of Central Europe. It’s only a 2.5-hour flight from Warsaw to Rome, Athens, Paris, or London. Location, location, location!

The Food

Where do I even begin when talking about the food? I miss everything about Polish food. I miss the buffets at the university cafeteria; I miss the cheap ham sandwiches sold at train stations; I miss the home-cooked feel of everything we ate in Poland. The żurek, rosół, pierogi, kotlet schabowy, kopytka, even the surówka, I miss it all! This is another aspect I tried to bring back to the States, but alas, it’s just not the same. Atlanta doesn’t even have a Polish restaurant where I can get my fix! At least when I was in Chicago I was able to get some fresh kabanosy and wash it down with a cold Żywiec.

The Hospitality

Perhaps most of all, I miss the people. I miss my Polish friends, and I miss the friendliness of Polish strangers. Poles are very genuine, and in my experience they make great friends and mentors. I miss the conversations we had – always very intelligent and rarely superficial, and I miss the interest they took in learning anything they could about US culture and the English language. After spending some time back in the US, I’ve witnessed so many differences that I didn’t realize existed, and I love sharing them with the people I left across the Atlantic. I have a feeling I will be making realizations about Polish and American culture forever!

Of course, there are many other aspects of Polish life that I find myself missing – seriously, I could go on. Fortunately, I have been able to incorporate a few Polish customs into my American life. Things like drinking beer with a straw (and on occasion fruit juice), not taking off my jacket as I shop for groceries, wearing slippers around the house, and you better believe we’ll be watching “Home Alone” on Christmas Eve! :) In short, my time in Poland changed my life. I’m still so grateful for that opportunity and am ready for my next overseas adventure (soon to come)!

This week my Fulbright grant came to an end, and all the “lasts” are starting to hit me. I taught my last class at the University of Łódź, we had our last conversation club meeting at the American Corner, and this past Friday was the last Fulbright event. With these milestones behind me, I’m find myself treating every experience as the last – the last time we eat at this restaurant, the last time we buy znaczki, the last time we see so-and-so, etc. It’s always difficult to say goodbye, but for so many reasons this experience has been much harder to let go of. Tucker and I have had an incredible time this year. We’ve seen and done more than I could ever have imagined, and the experiences we’ve had and the people we’ve met have truly changed our lives forever. Let’s reminisce!

We arrived in Poland last September jet-lagged and sleep-deprived, but it didn’t keep our jaws from hitting the floor when we were taken to Sarnia 2, m.23, which has truly become our home. The city and the apartment we live in are absolutely beautiful. This has been our view for the past year, and I will sorely miss it!

Next we met the other Fulbrighters in Warsaw, and perhaps finally realized that this was real. We got acquainted rather quickly, getting lost in the underground passages of Centrum and having shots of hazelnut vodka while learning people’s names. Now I feel confident that there’s no amount of vodka that would allow me to forget their names! Hopefully. :)

Eventually, we returned to Łódź and got down to business: meeting my new colleagues, beginning classes at the university, studying Polish fervently, etc. Throughout the year we attended many conversation clubs and other events at the American Corner, we visited primary and secondary schools across the country, and even gave conference presentations in Minsk.

Through each of these experiences I’ve been able to develop as a teacher, a presenter, a researcher, and as a person. There is always so much to discuss and even more to learn! Tucker and I participated in everything possible, and we have never been disappointed. We looked into our futures on Andrzejki Day, we marched in support of women’s rights on Piotrkówska, we shouted “POLSKA! BIAŁO-CZERWONI” at a hockey match, and we even attended a party at the US ambassador to Poland’s house.

In addition to all of these amazing events, we were also lucky enough to spend our free time traveling around Poland. We hiked the Tatras near Zakopane, visited castles in Kraków, Malbork, and Łęczyca, walked along the Baltic sea in Łeba, saw the legendary goats of Pozńan, took a ferry to Hel and back, and so much more! Poland has incredibly beautiful and diverse geography – there is so much to see, and we’ve only just scratched the surface.

And while we were busy completely immersing ourselves in all things Polish, we also had the privilege of making some of the most incredible friends! We really cannot thank everyone enough for welcoming us into your homes, your lives, and your cultures. We have learned so much from you all! I have no doubt we’ll be friends for life, and Tucker and I can’t wait to host you in whatever country we end up in next!

So, what is next? Fulbright is over, but we still have a month left in Poland. And that can mean only one thing – travel! We have three more trips planned, plus as many events as we could squeeze into our last few weeks in Łódź. After that, who knows? Many people have been asking about our plans for the future, but for now, we’re happy to be mulling over our options. We do know that we’ll be back in Atlanta for at least August and September, but after that, it could be anywhere!

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