This whole Poland trip thing started in, I’d say, March or so when a letter arrived in the mail. I rarely get much of value in the mail, even my bills are generally electronic. So when I do get a “real” letter, that is a special event. This was a very short note from my sister with a brochure enclosed. The note said something like “thought you might be interested in this trip led by my friend Chris,” or words to that effect. I took a look at the brochure–a two week trip to Poland. I read it over and it sounded really interesting, but two weeks? And the cost was not inexpensive. So I set it aside. But later I picked i up again. I thought, “no way.” But a little voice in my head kept saying “why not?” And I had no good answer. So, within a few days, I talked it over with some friends and they all said “why not?” I detected a theme there. My friend from work, Jennifer, had been there some years ago and said “why not,” and i recalled her excitement having been there. I called my sister Mary, and she said that her friend Chris, who has led a number of tours to Poland, told her it was his best yet. She asked “why not?” So, I got out the checkbook and sent in my deposit. And the rest is history.
Well, actually there is more. I mentioned to a few people I know that I was going and sent that info to a few via email. I may even have posted it on Facebook. The son of my Mom’s cousin (my second cousin, Scott, if you can follow me here) asked me about it. I sent him the brochure and he sent it on to his Mother. She said that she was probably going next year with some group. Oh well… but wait….
It was the middle of May when I got an email from Pat, Scott’s mother. Pat is my mother’s cousin. She and another cousin of theirs, Sonja, had been chatting, and Pat mentioned that I was going to Poland. Well, one thing led to another and they called Chris the tour leader and before you know it, they signed up as well. I was amazed and overjoyed when I got that email. How wonderful it will be to go to Poland, and what a joy than I can share it with two of my relatives. I know that this will be a great trip and a lot of fun and I am so looking forward to it.
But there is still more. I dont’ think of this visit as my one trip to Poland. Not in the slightest. I think of this as my foot in the door, my testing of the waters. It’s my first trip outside the US (not counting a few miles into Canada when I was a kid). But I expect it to be the first of many trips to Poland and to Europe in general. I want to see the land that my ancestors came from, all of it. I want to understand what it is they left behind, and what it is that they brought with them and that still lives inside of me to this day. So this is only the beginning of something very exciting….
