As an immigrant, how do you embrace your current identity while staying connected to the culture of your birthplace? I spent years, decades even, trying to be American: understanding (American) football, learning how to count in feet, and developing a taste for macaroni and cheese. It wasn’t easy. Then one day, I realized I had […]
Immigrant life: Connecting to the past, embracing the present Read More »
My parents won the green card lottery. Did they, a middle-aged couple with a six-year-old, plan on uprooting their lives and coming to the U.S.? No. Did they do it? Absolutely. It was a dark September morning when I, a spindly six year old with pigtails, walked out the door for the last time as
From Poland to New York City: Becoming an immigrant kid Read More »
A few months before I was born, the Berlin Wall had fallen: the beginning of the end of Soviet oppression in Poland and many other European countries. Although I did not witness it first hand, evidence of Communist rule was apparent for years after its end.
Polish People’s Republic: The long queue to democracy Read More »
These stories may be morbid, but they are crucial to painting a complete picture of the country and for remembering all those who fought, and those who died, for their nation.
War in the Polish forests Read More »
On a crisp September morning in 1996, my family and I embarked on a 5-hour drive from our little town of Kolbuszowa to Warsaw, Poland’s capital. My parents and I, along with my eldest sister Ania, rode in our big Fiat, while the rest of our siblings followed in their little Fiat. We were heading
The Big Fiat and the Little Fiat: Poland’s invincible duo Read More »
Is there anything more Polish than pierogi? As a kid, most of my friends had no idea where Poland was. “It’s cold, isn’t it?” they’d ask, perhaps thinking it was a province of the North Pole. Maybe they confused it with Greenland or Iceland. Either way, despite the poor geography skills, I could always count
Pierogi (not pierogies!): The famous Polish dumpling Read More »
I have never seen fields so blanketed with poppies as I have in Poland. The national flower of Poland, the field (or corn) poppy symbolizes not only remembrance but resilience. This is not only true for Poland, but for the US (the poppy is also a symbol of the American Legion) and much of Europe
Red poppies: A powerful symbol of resilience Read More »
One of my favorite aspects of visiting home–particularly in the warmer months–was spending time in the open fields. Unlike our living space in the U.S., our house in Poland was surrounded by not only a large beautiful garden but also fields and farmland. Walking through meadows brimming with bright red poppies, vibrant blue cornflowers, and
Fields of green: The natural beauty of Poland Read More »