So what is this business about me having a host family in Poland?
Well, it started with me being an exchange student in France for a year my junior year of high school. It just so happened my high school there had a yearly exchange trip to Katowice, Poland, for a week, and I had the chance to participate in it.
I stayed with a host family for my week in Poland. However, due to lack of space, I only met my host sister Natalia and her mom (dad and little brother spent some time in the mountains that week). Nonetheless, I adored my stay with them, and became very close to Natalia. She's pretty much my age, and we have a lot in common. I actually first mention her in this blog entry from almost three years ago, when she and the other Polish students went to my town in France. It was hard to say good-bye to her, but I promised her I would return to Poland, and throughout the past couple of years we've kept in touch through Facebook and letters. And then when I found out I would return, I decided not to tell her so I could give her the surprise of her life.
It was a hot day in Kraków when two of my Polish friends from Katowice came to see me. All I knew of Natalia's whereabouts at the time were that during her two-week long retreat, she was based in a church in Kraków. After the morning mass, we made our way to the church and went to find somebody who might know where Natalia was. We met somebody who we assumed was associated with the church behind the altar. My friend Ala explained the situation, and he led us further into the church through dimly lit steps leading deeper and deeper into the ground and narrow corridors. Eventually, we met up with another guy who took the lead and stopped us in a dark alcove next to a doorway leading to a conference that was happening. A lady who turned out to be the retreat's coordinator met us, and Ala explained the situation to her as my heart pounded at being just outside the room where Natalia was. The lady was totally for our idea, and she told us to come back at 2 pm when the kids on retreat would have free time.
That we did, and we entered a reception area (rather than the actual church). There was a map of the world on the wall, which I spent a lot of time looking at. The same lady, having expected us, went through a door. I assumed we were to follow her and were just waiting to do so, so I was almost as surprised as Natalia was when she walked out of the door and caught a glimpse of me (who happened to be standing in front of the map of the world, lol how symbolic). The look of utter shock on her face was priceless. Her eyes teared up. We rushed toward each other and hugged very tightly, and all the emotion made me tear up as well. Thus, the surprise that I had so carefully planned was a smashing success.
I saw her several more times on my trip to Poland. I spent an afternoon back in Katowice with the entire family, meaning I got to met my host dad Tomek and my adoooorable little host brother, Konrad. They took me on a little bike tour of that city I once stayed in, and I felt a bit strange knowing that when I left it again it wouldn't be to go back to France. Either way, we had a lot of fun, and I got to take a lot of splendid photos.
Well, it started with me being an exchange student in France for a year my junior year of high school. It just so happened my high school there had a yearly exchange trip to Katowice, Poland, for a week, and I had the chance to participate in it.
I stayed with a host family for my week in Poland. However, due to lack of space, I only met my host sister Natalia and her mom (dad and little brother spent some time in the mountains that week). Nonetheless, I adored my stay with them, and became very close to Natalia. She's pretty much my age, and we have a lot in common. I actually first mention her in this blog entry from almost three years ago, when she and the other Polish students went to my town in France. It was hard to say good-bye to her, but I promised her I would return to Poland, and throughout the past couple of years we've kept in touch through Facebook and letters. And then when I found out I would return, I decided not to tell her so I could give her the surprise of her life.
It was a hot day in Kraków when two of my Polish friends from Katowice came to see me. All I knew of Natalia's whereabouts at the time were that during her two-week long retreat, she was based in a church in Kraków. After the morning mass, we made our way to the church and went to find somebody who might know where Natalia was. We met somebody who we assumed was associated with the church behind the altar. My friend Ala explained the situation, and he led us further into the church through dimly lit steps leading deeper and deeper into the ground and narrow corridors. Eventually, we met up with another guy who took the lead and stopped us in a dark alcove next to a doorway leading to a conference that was happening. A lady who turned out to be the retreat's coordinator met us, and Ala explained the situation to her as my heart pounded at being just outside the room where Natalia was. The lady was totally for our idea, and she told us to come back at 2 pm when the kids on retreat would have free time.
That we did, and we entered a reception area (rather than the actual church). There was a map of the world on the wall, which I spent a lot of time looking at. The same lady, having expected us, went through a door. I assumed we were to follow her and were just waiting to do so, so I was almost as surprised as Natalia was when she walked out of the door and caught a glimpse of me (who happened to be standing in front of the map of the world, lol how symbolic). The look of utter shock on her face was priceless. Her eyes teared up. We rushed toward each other and hugged very tightly, and all the emotion made me tear up as well. Thus, the surprise that I had so carefully planned was a smashing success.
I saw her several more times on my trip to Poland. I spent an afternoon back in Katowice with the entire family, meaning I got to met my host dad Tomek and my adoooorable little host brother, Konrad. They took me on a little bike tour of that city I once stayed in, and I felt a bit strange knowing that when I left it again it wouldn't be to go back to France. Either way, we had a lot of fun, and I got to take a lot of splendid photos.
Konrad, a talented musician, even played a little guitar for me!
On two more occasions, my host mom Kasia, Natalia, and Konrad came to Kraków to see me. They took me to a little candy store.
Then we got kebab. Or rather, only Konrad got kebab...
They came back to Kraków on my last day in Poland.
Even though only Natalia speaks English well enough to talk to me, her whole family still really loved spending time with me in Poland. Compared to how it was when I was first with them, I could actually attempt to speak in Polish with them, even if it was to say simple things. Even though Polish words were strange to my ears, it made me feel an incredible sense of accomplishment to speak them to people, knowing that I was communicating in their native language. To them, those words were more than just unfamiliar sounds. It was especially fascinating trying to speak to Konrad, who knew very little English. It all made the language so much more real to me, which is another reason I was especially happy to start learning Polish in the country where it is spoken.
All in all, I'm very happy to have a family in Poland, and it was such an amazing time spent with them, even if it was short. Can't wait to see them again in the future!
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