Foreign Country Witamy w Polsce

WITAMY W POLSCE! BY MAYA FIDZIUKIEWICZ

The minute I stepped off of the plane in the Warsaw airport I felt relieved. A familiar language greeted my jet-lagged self - witamy w Polsce! (welcome to Poland!) Three layovers and some sleepless flight hours later, I was finally there. These next few weeks of my summer would be spent learning about family roots by exploring the country my parents and grandparents used to call home. My brother and I were picked up from the airport and driven to our family friend’s home, where we arrived well past midnight. Despite the late hour, we were greeted by nothing less than a feast, the likes of which could have fed a family of 10 for at least a week.

We spent that gorgeous summer city hopping through downtowns filled with tourists, then escaping to small villages only locals would dare get lost in. Of all the places we ventured, Toruń’s historical significance merged with its modern beauty most captivated my curiosity. Walking through the cobblestone streets of Toruń, I was enchanted by the vivid colors of the buildings and the smells of pastries and steaming

breads that caught my nose every other door I passed. And there were flowers everywhere. Planted, hung, displayed, picked, bought - everywhere.

Known for the gingerbread cookie and the birthplace of Nicolas Copernicus (you know, the guy who discovered that the Earth revolves around the sun), Toruń’s reputation attracts visitors to experience a city that exists inside its medieval walls. Perhaps the most well-known landmark in Toruń is the Leaning Tower of Toruń, or Krzywa Wierza. The top of this tower is displaced almost 5 ft. from where it would be if it were standing vertically. Legend has it, a monk who used to live in Toruń fell in love with the daughter of a rich merchant, and met with her in secret against the rules of his order. When the town found out, he was sentenced to build a tower that was as tilted as his wrongdoing. To this day, it is said only those who have not sinned are able to keep their balance when leaning against the tower -- I can’t say I kept mine...

While in Toruń and then visiting the rest of Poland, my brother and I were constantly surrounded by the delicious culture of the Polish people. If you ever learn at least one Polish word, it needs to be lody (pronounced LOW-deh), which is the word for ice cream. This word, like the traditional pierogi, is already plural - because you never get just one anyway. When in Poland, we ate lody as often as Americans drink iced coffee - maybe even more. Polish cuisine is often focused on the warm and hearty; pierogi, breads, kiełbasa, potatoes, gingerbread cookies, and crepes, all of which are delicious, and should be taken advantage of when available. However, Polish summers are quite short, and so the locals must make the most of the nice weather by using high quality ingredients in their hand crafted desserts. Imagine: something like a creamy sorbet --made of real fruit,-- slowly melting in the warmth of the summer sun. I know, my mouth is watering too.

Two months later (and seven kilograms heavier), I came back to my Polish-American home I am lucky to say is raised on Polish soul. All aspects of our roots-- food, culture, and language-- remain alive in our household, because my parents recognize the importance of passing down our preserved traditions. Our family life involves my father telling me stories of what it was like to be stationed in Toruń during communist times, and my mother demonstrating Polish hospitality in every dish she makes. Although I was born in America, I feel as though I have dual loyalties and consider Poland my homeland as well. From gingerbread cookies to cold lody to savory dumplings, what better way to make someone feel welcome at their home-away-from-home?