Last year around this time Tucker and I were finishing up our year spent in Łódź, Poland. It was an absolutely amazing experience that I did my best to share with all my friends and family via social media. Perhaps one of the most expressive ways I found to share what we were experiencing was through the “Notes” I wrote each month on Facebook. Unfortunately, due of the nature of Facebook, they weren’t terribly easy to find, especially after some time had passed, so as I prepare for our next adventure abroad (and the sharing that will surely follow), I wanted to make my previous posts more accessible. So here are the links to the ten posts I made last year during our time in Poland. Enjoy!
*Update: It has now been 7 years since I originally wrote these “Notes” and 5 years since I compiled the links here. As to be expected, things have changed since then, and Facebook might not be the best option for accessibility anymore. Therefore, I have created individual pages for each of these posts, which can be found freely on my site as well as in the original, public FB Notes via the links above.
There is no question that Tucker and I have been extremely fortunate this year. It honestly feels like a dream. I’ve talked a lot about Fulbright, the University of Łódź, and all the amazing experiences I’ve had with such wonderful people and organizations supporting me, but I’ve not really discussed the places we’ve been able to go. I have always loved exploring new places, comparing them to what I’ve read or heard from others, and my time in Europe has allowed me to do that and then some. Traveling is an incredible luxury, and unfortunately, it’s not something everyone can do. I hope in the future international travel becomes more accessible because I have learned and developed a great deal through it and want more people to be able to do the same (if they want to). Anyway, since several friends and family members have expressed interest in our travels, I’ve decided to share some of our experiences this past year: the destinations, of course, but also some lessons and laughs we had along the way.
Łódź, Poland:
One of our first mishaps in Poland (of which there have been many) occurred on our second day in Łódź. We were on our way to meet my supervisor at the university for the first time, but had a slight issue on one of the trams. We really thought we were ready, armed with złoty (the Polish currency) and a brand new chip card; however, Poland is both too outdated and too modern for either of those means of payment! On the tram we could only use coins or a tap-and-pay card to buy tickets, neither of which we had. Oops! Normally this wouldn’t be a much of a problem. We would just get off, buy some tickets at a kiosk, and get back on, but, of course with our luck, the secret transportation police (who seem to follow me) were on the tram watching us as we failed. Once they were sure we had run out of ideas, they yanked us off and gave us a 140 złoty fine ($35). Needless to say, we were late to the meeting…
Warszawa, Poland
Łęczyca, Poland
Kraków, Poland
Gdańsk and Sopot, Poland
Poznań, Poland:
In December, we had some time off thanks to the holidays, so one weekend, we impulsively decided to visit Poznań, a city about 3 hours from Łódź. We didn’t know much about Poznań, so on the way there we googled the main attractions and read several suggestions to see the goats. Waking up the next morning in Poznań, it was snowing (yay!), but I was sick (boo!). Runny nose, streaming eyes, chills – it was awful, but I was not going to let that stop me. We bundled up, braved the cold, and walked and ate our way around Poznań. Eventually, it was time to see the goats. We were super excited as we crowded around the Town Hall in the main square with about 50 other goat-seekers. As the clock struck noon, the tiny, mechanical goats slowly came out of their little doors at the top of the tower. They turned towards each other, butted heads a few times (among oohs and ahhs, of course), and then retreated to their home. What did we just witness? Why goats? Is that all they do? So many questions left unanswered.
Łask, Poland
Bergen, Voss, Gudvangen, Flåm, and Myrdal, Norway
Wrocław, Poland
Lisbon and Porto, Portugal – Madrid, Spain – Rome, Italy – Vatican City:
Traveling to new countries can be a tad confusing at times. There can be different ways of doing things or different laws that must be upheld – many of which are unknown to tourists. We experienced a bit of this when we got to Rome. We arrived fairly late, so there was no one to let us into our room. Luckily they left a post-it note on the door with a number to call (odd). We called, and eventually a guy showed up and took us down the street to a different apartment building (also odd). He showed us the room, gave us the key, and then asked for money because Italy imposes a “special tax” on renting rooms. What?! We had already paid for the room, and I wasn’t even sure we were in the right place with the right person anymore – should we really be giving him more money? Well, we did (with no receipt or proof of any kind). But luckily he wasn’t a scammer; Italy really does impose a tourist tax for each night you stay in the country, and it’s generally paid after you arrive. Weird.
Szczecin, Gryfino, Płoty, and Resko, Poland
Wieliczka and Zakopane, Poland:
You know what Atlanta doesn’t have much of? Snow. Obviously, Tucker and I had a few things to learn about Polish winters, but on our trip to Zakopane, a mountain town in the Polish Tatras, we proved to be slow learners. Our goal while in Zakopane was to hike to Lake Morskie Oko. We had a few difficulties getting to the starting point of the hike due to the time of year, and once we were there, I realized I had made a huge mistake. I thought someone had told me it was a two kilometer hike, but it seems they might have said it was a two hour hike. Oops. We also failed to take into account the fact that elevation changes the weather a great deal, so we left to hike 18 kilometers (11 miles) uphill, in the snow…in gym shoes. I’m pretty sure we almost lost toes. After about 20 minutes our shoes were soaked and soon we couldn’t feel our feet at all. That made walking up the steep mountain extremely difficult, not to mention all the slippery snow and ice. But at least now we will forever understand the importance of boots!
Český ráj – (near) Turnov, Czech Republic
Brussels and Ghent, Belgium
Prague and Turnov, Czech Republic
Sieradz and Burzenin, Poland
Kalisz, Poland
Częstochowa, Miedźno, Katowice, and Oświęcim, Poland
Minsk and Mir, Belarus:
One of the coolest experiences we had during our travels was riding an overnight train from Warsaw to Minsk. It was such a great trip for so many reasons, including, but not limited to: our amazing travel companions and the breakfasts we shared, the traditional Belarusian dinner with many, many toasts, and the experience of being lifted into the air as they changed the train wheels at the border. However, by far, my favorite part occurred on the way home. We took another overnight train (this one was a bit older), and upon entering our compartment, it seemed we were missing a bed. We searched around the tiny room looking for the elusive bed until we spotted what looked like a door. Thinking this must be the last fold-out bed, we yanked it open and unexpectedly found ourselves looking at the gentleman in the next compartment, who rather promptly and enthusiastically said “Hello!”. No one could stop laughing!
Mir Castle, Mir, Belarus
Prusinowice, Poland
Reykjavik, Selfoss, Hella, and Vik, Iceland – Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK) – Galway, Cork, Blarney, and Dublin, Ireland
Gdynia, Hel, Lębork, Łeba, and Malbork, Poland
Tallin, Estonia – Riga, Latvia – Vilnius, Lithuania:
I like to be early: early for class, early for appointments, early for buses/trains/planes, etc. However, sometimes it’s just not possible. Particularly when you accidentally add an 8-hour “snooze” to your alarm for the morning (why is that even an option?!). Before our trip to the Baltic States, we were graciously invited to an Independence Day party at the US ambassador to Poland’s house. We didn’t get home from the party until fairly late, and had to catch a bus the next morning at 4:50am. Before going to sleep, I responsibly set my alarm to make sure we woke up with enough time to shower, pack our things, and get to the bus station. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. At 4:34am Tucker woke up to get a drink of water, and realized (much more calmly than I would have) that we were late. Beyond late. He woke me up, and we legitimately threw our stuff in our bags and ran out of the hotel and all the way to the station. Only 16 minutes from waking up to the bus pulling away! We were sweaty, unshowered, and shaking (okay that was just me), but somehow we made it. Now we set alarms on both phones.
Stockholm, Sweden – Skopje, Macedonia – Bratislava, Slovakia – Budapest, Hungary – Vienna, Austria
Berlin and Potsdam, Germany
Rzeszów, Poland – Lviv and Kiev, Ukraine
So, this is where we’ve been this year: 21 countries, 66 cities, collecting endless memories!
I have truly tried to take advantage of every opportunity I’ve been given this year, and traveling in and around Poland was a big part of that. Throughout this process, I know my posts and pictures have been endless, but I hope they have never seemed discouraging or boastful. I wanted to document everything we did this year, so one day Tucker and I can look back and remember all the details of these stories and places, which will surely escape us as time passes. The places we’ve been and the people we’ve met during our travels this year have definitely changed how we view the world, and that is exactly why I love to travel. Here’s hoping this is only the beginning! :)
I’ve been living in Poland for two months now, and I still can’t believe how lucky I am! I will be forever grateful to Fulbright, to the University of Łódź, and to each and every person who helped make this dream a reality (which come to think of it, is quite a lot of people). To most of you reading this, it isn’t surprising that I’m loving every second of living abroad. Many of you have heard me ramble on about the places I’ve been and the places I’d like to go, or maybe we’ve traveled together and you’ve seen my excitement firsthand. Or maybe you’ve had classes with me, where I incessantly and passionately discuss every topic within the realm of language and culture. It’s fairly obvious that I’m in my element just being in a foreign country, but what exactly am I doing with my time spent over here? And why did I choose Poland as my second country of residence? These are just a few questions that I’m asked on a regular basis, so I thought I’d take some time to explain what led me here and what exactly I’ll be doing for the next year.
As many people already know, I am in Poland on a Fulbright grant. What many people might not know is that Fulbright is an amazing program that promotes international exchange by selecting students, teachers, scholars, professionals, researchers, and artists to share their talents and establish mutual understanding between their home and host countries. Fulbright Grantees include some of the most brilliant and ambitious individuals I have ever met, and I am extremely thankful to be a part of this prestigious family.
My role within Fulbright is that of an English teacher, thus most of my time is allocated to the teaching of Philology majors at the University of Łódź. I teach four classes in total: two sessions of Integrated Skills to BA students in their final year of study, and Academic Writing to first year MAs and last year BAs. My students fall into the Philology department, but are divided into different specializations including Linguistics, Methodology, Translation, and Literature. The majority are from Poland, but several are from other European countries and a few from as far away as Colombia. I love getting to know my students, and I am thankful for their positivity and support while I continue to navigate the challenges of teaching in a completely unfamiliar system.
University of Łódź
While my paying job is at the university, I am also here as a representative of Fulbright and of the United States; therefore, I spend a good amount of time volunteering in the community. Most of my volunteering thus far has been within public education – I am a teacher after all! So far I have been able to visit two inner city primary schools in Łódź to talk about US holidays and customs, play games, sing songs, and just be a part of the kids’/teachers’ day. I have also been helping out in the American Corner in Łódź, which is a resource center created by a partnership between the university and the Public Affairs section of the US embassy. In the American Corner I help lead a conversation club each week, where we discuss a variety of topics and subsequently keep our English language skills sharp. I also give presentations on topics related to the United States and the English language, which have allowed me to share my culture and experiences while gleaning information about Poland’s perception of such subjects.
During this time in Poland, Fulbright also gives us time and resources to conduct research. At first, my mind was spinning with all the possibilities, but after many long, thoughtful hours on public transportation, I have decided to research grammatical gender in language and its effect on gender roles and societal perception. I would like to take both a quantitative and qualitative approach with this project: quantitatively measuring grammatical gender in a language and qualitatively assessing the effects through interviews and observations. Obviously I will begin with Polish, which is highly gendered and eventually move on to a moderately gendered language and finally a gender neutral language. I’m hoping to see a correlation between the amount of gender in a language and the fluidity of gender roles and perceptions.
Another goal of mine (partially research-driven) is to learn as much Polish as is possible. I absolutely love the language and am lucky to not only have Polish classes every week, but to also be fully immersed in the culture. It can’t get any better than this! I do have to admit, however, that while the Polish language is a linguist’s dream, it seems to be a learner’s nightmare. Seven grammatical cases, three genders, a multitude of consonant clusters, many conjugation exceptions, and the list goes on. To give you a taste of what I’m working with, here is a list of the 17 grammatical versions of the number “2”: dwa, dwie, dwoje, dwóch (or dwu), dwaj, dwiema, dwom (or dwóm), dwoma, dwojga, dwojgu, dwojgiem, dwójka, dwójki, dwójkę, dwójką, dwójce, i dwójko. Who wants to learn Polish with me?!
Last, but not least on my to-do list is travel. I’m living in Europe! How could I not take advantage of this amazing location? While I’m here, I am hoping to see as much of this continent as I can; however, I am starting with Poland. I chose to apply for a Fulbright grant in Poland for several reasons: my heritage, my love of Slavic languages, its location in the heart of Europe, etc. Everyday I’m here my connection to Poland is increasing; I want to get to know this country and these people as well as I can. To me, that means spending time as they spend time and getting to know the places they know. I am lucky enough to have gone through this process in the United States, and I feel like it gave me a great view of my country and the people who live there. Now I’d like to repeat the process in Poland. So far we’ve visited Warszawa, Łódź, Łęczyca, Kraków, Gdańsk, and Sopot, but there are many more cities on our list!
Łęczyca
Well, that was probably more detail than anyone (except my family) would have wanted! If you’re still reading and have any questions, I’d love to answer them. It’s difficult to share absolutely everything I’m doing over here, but I’m happy to try. Fulbright is a program of international exchange. Half of my job is sharing my experiences with the people I meet in Poland, but the other half is sharing them with you!
Last year around this time Tucker and I were finishing up our year spent in Łódź, Poland. It was an absolutely amazing experience that I did my best to share with all my friends and family via social media. Perhaps one of the most expressive ways I found to share what we were experiencing was through the “Notes” I wrote each month on Facebook. Unfortunately, due of the nature of Facebook, they weren’t terribly easy to find, especially after some time had passed, so as I prepare for our next adventure abroad (and the sharing that will surely follow), I wanted to make my previous posts more accessible. So here are the links to the ten posts I made last year during our time in Poland. Enjoy!
Dani Francuz Rose 