Poland, Part One

It's time.

I know, I know. We've passed it's time and have moved on to really? she's going to make me read about her trip now? that is so four weeks ago! (When I started this post, four was two.)

Well, in the (paraphrased) words of one of the characters on the newest show I've started, you have now been rerouted to the office of Too Frickin' Bad.

I mean that in the nicest way possible.

Yes, at long last, you have come to the gigantic post about my trip to Poland. As you may have noticed from the title, however, this is indeed only part one. Part two will deal exclusively with Auschwitz.

So, Poland. You should know by now that Europe is one of my favorite places in the world. I love the feel of it, I love the people, I love the history - honestly, it feels like coming home whenever I go to Europe.

Poland, however, has been something of a sore subject with me. I went there the first time in 2006, and to be perfectly frank, it was not the best trip I've taken. There were a lot of factors that fed into that, but it's fair to say that my memories of my time there were somewhat tainted by the events of that trip.

I was really excited about this trip, though, mostly because I felt like it would somehow redeem the country in my mind. I felt at peace about my decision to participate, but within a few days of making that decision, I really felt like I was under attack. I know I posted a little bit of how I was feeling on here, but it really was unlike anything I've experienced before.

Before I left, though, I felt like I was in a good place spiritually and emotionally, which was a good thing, because this was one of the hardest trips I've taken.

I have to be careful here. I don't know who might be reading, and I don't want certain people to get the wrong impression. I loved this trip. I love the people who went on this trip. I love the people I met.

But I was dealing with a lot that I didn't mention at the time.

How much do I say?

We'll see.

The primary reason for the trip was the English camp run by Arek and Donna Delik in Kutno.


It's a wild and crazy week of classes and games and lots of ice cream. I taught a class on journalism to about 60 kids (divided into four groups). We covered a lot of material (too much), including a bit of photojournalism.





Needless to say, all of the groups were very unique.


As was the team. (I look really stupid in that picture. Like most things, there is a story behind that.)

(I have a ton more pictures on Facebook that will give you a more rounded view of the trip.

It WAS a good trip. And it did redeem Poland. I don't want you to get the wrong idea because of what I said before. My issues are my own. These are people I will never forget.




This is a country that will always be in my heart.



Really, what more can you ask?





I realize this post didn't really explain much of anything about my trip, but it's actually a lot more than I was originally going to share. It's amazing what wounds time can heal.

And now I went all cryptic again.

Oops.

Auschwitz is coming next.