“So What Exactly Happened in Poland?”
“Everything…”

Ten months.

What can happen in ten months?  Sure, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring fly by, and most kids my age can tell you about the school year, the friendships they’ve made or lost or even talk about all of the wonderful formals and proms they attended.  We exchange students can tell you the same things, but the one major difference is that we’ve experienced everything in a whole new culture; different from everyone else back home.

My New Life.

When my parents came to visit me here in Poland in April I truly didn’t feel comfortable with them here.  I was really excited to see them for the first time in seven months and I really couldn’t put a finger on why I didn’t feel at ease with them here, but everything just seemed really awkward.  I just couldn’t seem to act like myself around them. Once I told my Dad what I was thinking he knew exactly what I meant.  He had gone on an exchange through Rotary to Brazil when he was 15, so he knows some of what I’ve been going through this year. He told me my uneasiness with them there might be because they were entering MY “new” world.  BINGO!  That is exactly what an exchange is. It’s a whole new world. I learned to live without my parents here. I had families, friends, routines and experiences, which didn’t include them. When it all comes down to it, I’m leaving behind my new world.

Same Experiences. Different Situations.

I remember having a nerve racking first day of school. Back home I would have been nervous because of the new school year but this year it was just because I didn’t understand any of the language being spoken.  I’ve done and been through so much this year.  My life here has been tweaked to become the life of an exchange student. I have true friends to last a lifetime, not from my childhood and not because I’ve grown up with them. They are from Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Taiwan, the United States, and especially Poland.  They are friends to last forever because we have been through this emotional journey with each other. I learned how to dance, but not at school or at a studio but in a hostel while traveling with exchange students. I learned a whole new language not online nor taking classes at school but by living within the language, being immersed right into the culture, lifestyle and language of Poland.

The Little Things to You Aren’t So Little to Me.

Since arriving here, I  now carry tissues in my pocket everywhere I go.  I wear slippers in my house all of the time.  I use more coins here than I ever have back home.  I learned to not hate anything I eat but to just not enjoy it.  I also learned to have very simple conversations. You might not think anything of all these examples, but behind each is a story.

I carry tissue everywhere now because my first day in Poland I entered three toilets that didn’t contain toilet paper. Some bathrooms don’t supply toilet paper.

I wear slippers in the house now because that’s customary here. Most houses have hardwood floors so slippers keep your feet (and the floors) cleaner.

I use a lot more coins here because most places don’t like to take bills. You can really purchase most of what you need with the coins here in Poland. There have been many times when people would not break my bills.

I ate a lot while I was here in Poland!  I mean a lot!  Before I came to Poland I had a fear of certain vegetables and fruits as well as fish and I would never try anything that didn’t look pleasant to me back home. Because I didn’t know most of the food here and the fact that I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings I tried everything and I can honestly say that there were a few dishes that didn’t please my taste buds, but the more I tried things the easier it was to tolerate certain foods I didn’t like. I have also grown to enjoy certain foods and really love others that I would never touch back home like tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, cottage cheese, as well as many types of fish.

I’ve learned to make small talk with the elderly on the buses. There are many elderly in my city and sometimes they just start a random conversation. It made me a little uncomfortable at first having these total strangers talk to me but over time I became really interested to see what they would say to me. I found out that a lot of the elderly here speak Russian because while in high school it was mandatory to take Russian. Nowadays Russian has been replaced with German lessons.

What I Will Miss.

Everything. Simple and cheesy, but so true. When I left the US there were some things I wouldn’t miss so much because I was so used to them or I wanted a break from certain things for a year. Just a year! However, Poland I haven’t had enough of anything! It has only been a year, and it will be too long before I return. Yes, I will miss the food. Oscypek (Mountain cheese), Zupa Ogórek (Pickle Soup), and Żurek (Polish Traditional Soup).

I will truly miss my families. My mothers, my sisters and my big brothers. I feel like my mother’s have known me my whole life. It was so comfortable to enter their homes and take on the role as their daughter. They were their for all of my needs and they also took care of me like one of their own children. My sisters have always been there for me during my rough times and have been there to also make my stay here in Koszalin more enjoyable. And my brothers? Well, they have defiantly never let me forget that I’m the baby sister that’s for sure! They we’re always very concerned about me and took care of me like bigger brothers do. They also did make this year more humorous for me. And the one thing that I will miss dearly is my home. Poland.  This will always be my second home. I’ve only lived here for 10 months but those 10 months were the most life changing months in my life and all of my experiences and changes took place here, in Poland.

What I’ve Missed Out on This Year.

It is a bit painful that did not have the chance to experience a junior year with my friends and family back home in the United States, but I still feel blessed that I had an entirely different experience in Poland with my new friends and family.

My now three year old brother has been growing up.  For me, I’ve only been able to experience it through photos, phone calls and recently video chats. I’ve missed his vocabulary tripling in size as well as himself sprouting into a little toddler. I’ve missed his excitement of trick or treating, him during Christmas, opening birthday presents, and Easter egg hunting. I could say that I’m fine with missing my first year of Prom or missing one year with friends but my brother growing up without me is one of the hardest things for me to  miss. I can’t wait to see a boy in front of me (instead of the baby I left), a mature middle school boy (my about to be 11 year old brother Dodge) and I can’t wait to celebrate my Senior year with my sister Aubrey.

Goodbye Poland.

As I am anxiously preparing to see my family, my friends and my home again, I am also going through the worst pain ever, in saying my goodbyes to the one place that has changed my life forever. Poland.

Right now, I don’t know if I should leave with my head held high with a smile on my face because this exchange was the best year of my life, or cry because it has finally reached an end. I’ve come to live with the fact that there are just some times in life that you just have to hold your head up high, wipe away your tears and say goodbye to everything you know. That’s exactly what I had to do when I left home just ten months ago. Now, I once again, have to do the same for my life here. I currently have two weeks left and the heartbreak has already begun. I recently had to say my last goodbyes to all of the exchange students that went through this roller coaster journey with me. They are some of the people that I’ve grown to care about and love this year. All of my families have truly become apart of my life and leaving they will honestly be like leaving my family back home just ten months ago. I find it hard to sleep at night because my mind wanders in thought about my year here. Not one memory I have in Poland could ever slip my mind.

When I finally leave Poland, the most important things I’ll take with me are my memories. The time my Dad left me at the airport and 14 hours I spent bonding with my new sister Karolina on the bus my first full day in Poland. I’ll never forget my first train ride through Poland or the very first time I met all of the exchange students in Tórun. I will always remember camping with my Polish friends and learning the words to the “Happy Birthday” song in Polish. I’ll miss learning to snowboard in Zakopane with all of my friends and the beautiful city of Kraków will forever have a place in my heart. The tastes of the Polish foods will stay on my tongue for years to come. My new found sister, Karolina, is the one person I have to thank for almost everything. Whenever there was a slow week here in Koszalin she would be here to spend time with me. We’ve had this year to bond, which was so easy because we shared our love for the same music, movies, and leisure activities. I will always remember all of the trips we would take with each other because that is the one love we both had in common, traveling. I’ll also never forget all of my memories with my two best friends Katelyn and Esteban. The first moments that brought us together, all of our good times with each other and when we pulled through the bad moments will always be treasured by me. I just wish I had more time with all of the people I love here in Poland.

Before I began this journey, Poland was just a word and I was told it was part of my familyheritage, but now I understand it is more than people or a place on the world map, it is part of my life. Forever.

Rotary was a group that helped me with this exchange program. I now see that it has allowed me connections with friends and places I never would have known. They are a group of people who selflessly give of their time to make us all better citizens.  Rotary has helped us all understand other cultures and hopefully we will mature to assist in growing a better world.

When I return, I do hope I can thank all of you that have read my articles and have written me offering suggestions on where to go, or what to see or experience while here.  You may know me from my photos, but I will not know you, so please come up to me and tell me who you are.  Yes, I am still a bit shy, but I look forward to meeting you all in person.  Thank you all.

Kirsten Rafinski,
Rotary Youth Exchange

The North Coast of Poland

During my time here, I have been fortunate to travel and visit many places throughout Poland with family and friends. Each has its experiences, stories, and memories. One of my favorite places lies close to “home” on the North Coast of Poland.

Mielno

I have a lot more experience when it comes to the North Coast due to the fact that Koszalin, my host city, is located near the Baltic Sea. The closest beach to Koszalin is Mielno and it’s located about 20 minutes from the city. The village of Mielno, which is populated with about 2,000 residents, is situated between Jamno Lake and the Baltic Sea.

Mielno is an area that’s mainly quiet all year around except for the summer months. People travel to the North Coast from all over Poland. They soak in the sun and the warm sandy beaches, they enjoy the fresh fish at local restaurants, and adults go to pubs and clubs.

During winter, Mielno is completely different. This year the shore was about 2 feet higher because of all the ice and snow. The sky was painted with many pinks and blues through out the evening. Mielno also serves as a health resort all year round because it is teeming with clean air that’s flooded with mineral elements.

Kołobrzeg

Kołobrzeg Beach is located about 40 minutes west of my town. In my opinion it is more of a touristy town/beach compared to Mielno. People from both Poland and Germany spend a lot of time in Kołobrzeg during every vacation season. During the summer many art fairs, folk festivals, and concerts are held there for people to enjoy as they relax by the seashore.

One the beach there is a dock that stretches out towards the ocean and it’s a beautiful place to watch the sunset. During the day, from the dock, you can throw bread to the Swans that accompany the local seagulls. Yes, I said swans. It was a very interesting sight, seeing a swan on the beach. I had only noticed them in lakes before I came to Poland.

The lighthouse is somewhat of a main attraction when it comes to the seashore tourism in Kołobrzeg. It’s a beautiful lighthouse with an even more spectacular view of the beach from the top.

Kołobrzeg is a seaside and health resort but also has many significant historical monuments and museums. Most are located in Kołobrzeg’s Old Town. I had the chance to visit a Polish military museum in Kołobrzeg during one of my visits. The museum was filled with weapons, armor, uniforms, and vehicles from today’s Polish military all the way back to the Middle Ages.

Łeba

My host family and I recently visited the sand dunes in Łeba, Poland. I never would have guessed that Poland has a desert, but it does. I learned that where the sand dunes are located, there used to be a town now known as Old Łeba. The dunes are between Łebsko Lake, Łeba River and the Baltic Sea. Floods from both the lake and the river threatened the township, so in 1558 the town was relocated to a less dangerous location.

Today, the Słowiński National Park has been established where the sand dunes are located. The forest that my family and I passed through on the way to the sand dunes was very swamp like. It was very interesting seeing this “damp” forest right before we reached the dry desert like sand dunes. Each year the sand dunes threaten to swallow up the forest with the help of the wind and waves from the sea.

I’ve only seen these places during the fall, winter and spring seasons and I can’t wait to experience my summer vacation and last few days on the North Coast of Poland before I return to the U.S.

March of the Living 2010: Auschwitz to Birkenau

During World War II German Nazis established over forty concentration and death camps in or around the town known as Oświęcim, Poland.  Later, Oświęcim was renamed by the German’s and bears the name that puts terror and sorrow in our hearts; Auschwitz.

This year on April 12^th, the Rotary exchange students in Poland joined over 10,000 young Poles and Jews from the USA, Canada, Israel, Hungary, France and many other countries in the annual March of the Living walk from Auschwitz to Birkenau.  The march was held in Oświęcim to commemorate the 1.1 million Jews, Poles, and Roma (Gypsy) victims of the Auschwitz camps.

For us, the March of the Living was an inspirational gathering that honored, commemorated and helped us explore the past, present, and future of the Jewish and Polish people.

The exchange students began the day with a guided tour of Auschwitz I.  The exhibits at Auschwitz explain how the victims lived.  The Nazis took everything from them.  There were warehouses filled with shoes, eyeglasses (used to make barbed wire), hair (woven together to produce fabric), suitcases,  and much more.   It was very difficult to see.

Just a week earlier, with my parents visiting from the U.S., I had visited Auschwitz on a vacant, dreary, misty day.  You could feel the sorrow all around you even though the weather was nothing compared to what the prisoners in the concentration camps went through.  This time around, I had a different experience.  We arrived to drizzle when we entered the camp, but once the March started the sun shined brightly.

People filled the camp mainly wearing blue windbreakers that read “March of the Living”.  Several Israeli flags were seen along with Polish flags that held black ribbons in memory of President Lech Kaczynski and his wife and 94 others who were killed just two days earlier in a plane crash in Smoleńsk, Russia.

Just before the March began, the Ambassador of Israel in Poland spoke about the day.  He also requested a minute of silence for the lives lost in Smoleńsk.

The March started inside the walls of Auschwitz I concentration camp.  We marched through the infamous gate that reads Arbeit Macht Frei, or “Work Makes You Free”.  This sign was in fact replaced late last year because it was stolen, cut into three pieces, and recovered 72 hours later on the other side of Poland.

Many thoughts and emotions went through me.  I saw teenagers crying on their friends’ shoulders, heard the happiness in the foreign songs being sung and felt the warmth of not only the sun but the unity of the countries that came together that day.

As I witnessed everything, it made me question whether you should be happy or somber during this occasion.  I don’t believe I have ever felt so many different emotions as I did during those two hours marching.

When we reached Birkenau you could see wooden paddles piling up bearing names of victims and prayers for them.  These paddles were left on the railroad tracks entering Birkenau where the Nazis held the “selection” of Jews brought from all over Europe.  I noticed the theme behind every one of these paddles that was repeated in every language, “Never Again” and “We Will Never Forget”.

We teens, from all walks of life, exchanged names, stories, and emotions and we were all there for the same reason: to celebrate the memories of those lost years ago and to never forget.

On Saturday April 10th Poland was devastated by the tragic death of President Lech Kaczynski, his wife First Lady Maria Kaczynska and many other influential members of Poland, in Smolensk, Russia. The president and his wife along with 94 other passengers on a plane were headed to Russia for a Katyn commemoration ceremony when the plane crashed not far from Smolensk Airport.  No one survived.

This plane crash was so tragic because not only did President Kaczynski and his wife die, but many other political and military leaders of Poland lost their lives as well.

.  Poland’s last president in exile Ryszard Kaczorowski (the government of Poland after the country had been occupied by Germany and the Soviet Union),

.  Former defense minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski,

.  Head of the Presidential Chancellery Wladyslaw Stasiak,

.  Presidential spokesman Pawel Wypych,

.  Secretary of State Mariusz Handzlik,

.  Head of the Law and Justice Party in parliament Przemyslaw Gosiewski, MP Zbigniew Wassermann and Bishop Tadeusz Płoski.

.  Head of the Institute of National Remembrance Janusz Kurtyka,

.  Head of the Polish National Bank Slawomir Skrzypek,

.  Security officers of the President also perished.

When I woke up that morning my host mom asked me to come downstairs and watch the news with her.  They were scanning through literally 40 or 50 channels all covering the plane crash.  Today, a week after the event all the news channels are still talking about the victims’ lives, their funerals, and investigations.  TV channels display black ribbons with the televisions logo.

That evening, I took a 12 hour bus ride to Kraków for a Rotary conference.  In almost every city center we passed, you could see small piles of flowers and groups of lanterns beside pictures of President Lech Kaczynski and his wife First Lady Maria Kaczynska.

Over the course of the past few days these piles grew into mounds all around Poland. Countless minutes of silence have been held for all the lives lost on the plane, many stores closed or shortened their hours, and numerous Polish citizens showed their national pride and respect by hanging Polish Flags on the homes with a black ribbon attached.

President Kaczynski’s body was returned to Warsaw, Poland on Sunday April 11^th to the presidential palace to lie in state.  His wife’s body joined his in the palace on Tuesday the 13^th.

The funeral for President Kaczynski and First Lady Maria Kaczynski will be held today.  Poland has come together at this time of sadness to mourn the leaders of this country.  Throughout Poland are signs of respect for all who have been lost. However with the decision to bury the couple tomorrow at the Wawel Castle in Kraków, Poland has split its national unity.

Many people don’t agree with this decision saying that President Kaczynski doesn’t deserve to be buried with Poland’s most honored kings and generals.

Certain Poles think Mr. Kaczynski was not an extraordinary man. Just before his death, he was considered by many to be the worst Polish president since 1989. His odds of re-election later this year were minimal. But now he is thought of as a national hero.

Most people seem to agree that he is considered a hero not because of all that he has done but because he died in Katyn forest.  In April 1940, Soviet troops shot and killed about 22,000 Polish officers in that same location.

A big reason for their trip to Smolensk, Russia was to solve this chapter of Polish history. They intended to obtain information of which Poland has waited many years.  This misfortune just opened a whole new door to Poland’s tragedies.

As of now most people want answers.  Many find it suspicious that many of Poland’s important officials died in the same spot as the Katyn victims.  Others see this as a tragic coincidence.  All in all, Poland is still in a state of shock and in mourning for the lost lives.

There will be elections within the next 60 days.  Many of those who had been considered candidates for the regular Presidential election were also on board the aircraft.

The Polish people are united to rebuild the country and are keeping it running through this dreadful disaster.

Easter in Poland

On Good Friday, my parents and I left Koszalin for Gdańsk enroute to Kraków.  We set it up so that we could spend the day in Gdańsk and then catch the overnight train to Kraków.

Gdańsk is located near the Baltic Sea and is known for its Amber jewelry.  They said that talented people are able to find the amber on the beaches, especially after storms.  There are also many beautiful old buildings and statues in Gdańsk.

As we approached the central square, we heard drums.  They were beaten by “soldiers” who were followed by a procession including a man portraying Jesus carrying his cross.  There were hundreds of people in the procession that marched through the streets of the city.

We also went into a storefront that was making ribbon candy.  The entire process was amazing and at the end, they take a cylinder that is about 8 inches in diameter and 2 feet long and start rolling the end and then pull it into long strips that are less than an inch in diameter and 3 feet long.  The strips are then cut into bite-size pieces that when completely cooled forms a very hard candy.  The cylinder was mostly white, but had a red heart, about 3 inches across, inside of it.  The finished candy had the same heart, but it was now less than a half-inch in size.

We headed back to the train station, but on our way, we stopped and got my Dad a SIM card for his American cell phone.  It cost 9 Zloty (about $3.25) but it gave him a Polish phone number and included about 10 minutes of talk time.  Most importantly, it allowed us to communicate with each other if we were separated.   My Dad said that he had to have Sprint “unlock” his phone to allow for this before he left, and it only made economic sense for calling numbers within Poland, but for our purposes it worked very well.

Our train for Krakow left at 9:20PM and arrived early the next morning.  The train ride was comfortable, but the conductors woke us up every few hours throughout the night to check our tickets.  On the way back, we were able to arrange for a cabin in a sleeper car for a 10 hour leg of our trip.  The best part about this was the cabin had 3 beds, a small sink and an outlet to keep your phone charged.  Also, the conductor checked us in when we got on the train and we didn’t see him again until he gave us a 20 minute warning that we were approaching our stop.

Kraków is always beautiful, but it was especially nice because it was Easter weekend.  There was a fair in the main square that was filled with craft and food booths.  From the food standpoint, it was like being at Thunder in the Valley or the Folk Fest.  There was just about every delicious Polish food you could imagine and it was great quality.   As far as the crafts were concerned, there was everything from Polish pottery to wooden crosses to stacking dolls.  There were also the beautifully painted wooded Easter eggs.

Throughout the square were tall poles decorated with dried grasses, multi-colored wheat and flowers.  These were giant versions of what they use in Poland for Palm Sunday.   Each of these giant poles was entered into a contest with great pride at stake.

St. Mary’s Church has the “Trumpeter of Kraków” who plays every hour.  According to the story, a trumpeter was in the tower of St. Mary’s church warning the citizens that enemy was approaching.  Apparently the trumpeter was shot through the throat by an enemy arrow.  As a result, the music stops abruptly to remember this event.

Outside of St. Mary’s church there were makeshift alters set up with baskets.  Each basket had traditional food that would be eaten the next day at the Easter meal.  The items included an egg, bread, ham, Polish sausage and cheese.  The priests blessed the baskets after Holy Saturday Mass in preparation of the Easter feast.

I’ve met many exchange students during my time here in Poland.  On Easter Sunday, my parents let me visit the home of one of them, Esteban, so I could experience a traditional Polish Easter.  His family went to Easter Mass at 6PM.  After Mass, we sat down to dinner with 10 family members and shared Polish, Mexican and U.S. customs.  My parents had brought plastic Easter eggs filled with American candy.  Esteban’s family especially liked the Reese’s peanut butter eggs and the marshmallow Peeps.  One of the Polish traditions involves the hardboiled egg that had been blessed in the Easter basket.  It gets divided into many small pieces and shared by all the family members.  Also part of the meal was wonderfully seasoned baked chicken legs, beets with horseradish, salad, boiled potatoes and rice.  We also ate traditional Polish sour soup called Zurek.  It has chunks of veggies, boiled eggs and Polish sausage.

On our last night in Kraków, we ate at Pad Aniolami as suggested by a friend.  It lived up to its expectations and was fantastic.