Culture

Blog posts related to Polish culture: traditions, food, apparel, art, and much more.

  • Strong and selfless: The story of my Mama

    Strong and selfless: The story of my Mama

    On my blog, I have focused primarily on my immigrant experience and Polish culture. Despite my parents’ significant impact on my life, I have not yet written in detail about them. This is partially because, subconsciously, their story impacts much of what I do and write about—especially on this blog. My gratitude for their sacrifices…

  • Polish Easter Traditions: Colorful Palms, Blessed Baskets, and Barszcz

    Polish Easter Traditions: Colorful Palms, Blessed Baskets, and Barszcz

    As a kid, I was not a fan of Easter. Easter meant lots of church going: from Stations of the Cross each Friday during Lent, to rekolekcje (Masses devoted to spiritual reflection), to the Easter Triduum. Over the years, however, the holiday became one of my favorite seasons. A serial contemplator, I appreciated the Lenten…

  • Life in a Soviet labor camp: My grandmother’s story

    Life in a Soviet labor camp: My grandmother’s story

    I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid, I didn’t care too much about family history. I’d never met my grandparents—nearly all of them had passed before I was born—and my parents didn’t often share stories. From time to time, I’d hear murmurings of my late grandmother’s ailments: a year-long stay at…