First Update from Poland

TL;DR or The Quick Summary 

Here is a quick summary since this is a long post!

1. I am alive!
2. Poland is great.
3. I spent my first several days in Warsaw with other Fulbright Grantees. We explored the city, sampled a lot of Polish food, and started to get used to being in Poland. 
4. While in Warsaw, we had orientation. The highlight of orientation was the reception at the American Ambassador's residence. 
5. On Saturday, I moved to Białystok, which is where I will be spending the rest of my time in Poland. 

If you made it through those and still want more, read on!

First Impressions of Poland 

At the Warsaw Botanical Gardens  

After landing at the Warsaw airport and collecting my luggage (I had two checked bags, a rolling carry-on, and a briefcase), I ventured out to the taxi stand to get a ride to my AirBnb. The taxi driver treated the speed limit like a high score to beat (which he did) and the other drivers like they personally insulted his mother. 

On the drive however, I got to see a lot of Warsaw and it was very impressive. It was much cleaner than I was expecting, especially compared to some other European cities. There were modern and cool looking skyscrapers, trams, buses, subways, and even some cyclists. Although the streets and traffic were a little chaotic, I was thoroughly impressed. 

Once I moved all of my stuff into the AirBnb, I went out to explore some of Warsaw with one of the other Fulbrighters staying with me. Fortunately, she speaks Polish and we were able to navigate the buses and the Gate Keeper of the Warsaw Botanical Gardens. Although fewer people spoke English than I was expecting, it was still relatively easy to get around the city and figure things out. I also got my first taste of Polish food! I had perogi, which are Polish dumplings. They are all over the place and there are restaurants that specialize in perogi. It is a food that I will become very well acquainted with during my time here.

Meeting Other Fulbrighters

Warsaw Old Town Square 

I was very fortunate to be able to stay with four other Fulbrighters for a few days before orientation. Not only were they a lot of fun, but it was a really good way to ease into life in another country. Everyone's arrival was staggered, so we ended up introducing each other by the time the last guy arrived. Once everyone settled in, we went out to Warsaw old town looking for some food and were immediately assaulted by waiters trying to get us to eat at their 'authentic' Polish restaurant. We successfully turned them all down, helped a lost American couple contact their elderly Polish hotel owner, got side tracked at a bar, and finally settled down for some nice pizza. It wasn't our first choice, but because it had gotten so late, there weren't many options left. It was probably the best way I could hope to spend my first night in Poland.

Warsaw Old Town

The next day, we took a free walking tour of Warsaw. The tour group was large (about 50 people), but the guide did an excellent job of managing all of us. Most of Warsaw was destroyed in WWII, so that meant that all of Old Town was actually only about 60 years old. However, it was so well reconstructed that it is designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Old Town Warsaw was visually similar to other European cities, but I feel like it's history is very unique.

Very happy and friendly waiter

That night we miraculously organized about 20 people to meet up at the same restaurant at (roughly) the same time. It was a chain place at one of Warsaw's many malls, but it was good enough. We had a waiter would was glad to put up with 20 loud and hungry Americans, most of whom spoke very little Polish. He was probably happy because he convinced the entire group to have not one, but two pre-dinner shots of Poland's Żubrówka vodka. As everyone went around introducing themselves, it became apparent that we were a very varied, but very qualified group; there were several people who spoke Polish, a lot of STEM majors, and some literature/history/writing majors. We were soon going to be spread out all over Poland, so we needed to make the best of the next few days.

Orientation: The Official Stuff

Official Fulbright Polska Background

After two days of adjusting to Warsaw and Poland, the official orientation kicked off. We had just two days to go through all of the orientation materials. During the first day, we had another walking tour of Warsaw (luckily the tour was on a different route, so I got to see plenty of new things), watched the Polish Fulbrighters who were sent to America graduate in a fancy ceremony, and most importantly we attended a reception at the American ambassador's residence.

Fulbrighters with the American Ambassador to Poland

At the reception, the ambassador talked about the importance of cultural and academic exchange between America and Poland and how Fulbrighters help accomplish this. He was very charismatic and definitely made me excited to learn more about what life is like in Poland. Finally, he was super willing to take way too many pictures with way too many people and generously let me pose at his official embassy podium.  

Future Ambassador?

The second day of orientation was an extended briefing over all of the rules and expectations for Fulbrighters in Poland; nothing new or exciting, but just making sure that everyone was all on the same page. We had a briefing on how the Sate Department would contact us if something went wrong (and no, it does not involve a helicopter evacuation). Finally, two Fulbrighters from last year gave a presentation on what it will be like to teach at a Polish University. It was a helpful presentation with some good tips, but since we are all at different universities teaching different classes, it was hard to give any firm tips or suggestions. 

Once orientation was finally over, I ventured out with a group to set up a Polish bank account. I was worried that it would be pretty complicated, but luckily thanks to a very understanding bank employee and translation help from my friends it wasn't an issue. We did however, take over the bank for about an hour and several disappointed Poles left in frustration while we were there. 

Leaving for Białystok

Since the next time we were all going to be together as a group is Thanksgiving, we had a farewell evening at a bar. It was the best and most comfortable bar I had been to in Warsaw. It had indoor and outdoor seating, an underground dance floor, and plenty of people. It was a very bittersweet feeling to become friends with so many people over a quick few days and then go halfway across the country for several weeks. Even though I plan on visiting some people (and hopefully some will visit me), November seems very far away.

The next morning I woke up, had breakfast at the hotel (which included pickles and hot dogs), and gathered my 100 lbs (literally) of baggage and left for my bus. Until this point, my time here had felt like a vacation with friends; I was with people I knew and liked and I didn't have to work or try to integrate into the Polish culture. Moving to Białystok meant that I was more or less on my own (not really, Fulbright did a great job of setting me up with my mentor but it still felt like that). That was the moment I was feeling the most anxious about my grant.

Spoilers: I am writing this from Białystok, so I did make it, but I will make a separate post about moving in since this one is already pretty long.

Bonus Pictures!!!

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The Symbol of Warsaw: the Mermaid

The Three Virtues Hold up the Supreme Court Building 

Warsaw Uprising Monument 

Stalin's Gift to the People of Poland (an Evil Tower)

Not me! But a street performer in Warsaw