My dear non-polish speaking friends!

From now on, I am going to write here posts in English about Poland. It?s quite a challenge for me, but I think it’s also a good way to improve my English and to tell others a little bit more about my country. There are three main reasons for that.

First of all, this is my way to say ?thank you.? To all the people I?ve met on my road trip and especially to those who hosted me and helped me during my journey around the States. You opened your homes and your lives for me and since I’ve got back I have been thinking about how grateful I am to have met you on my way. You helped me not only to see these amazing places, but also you opened me up to meet others later in my journey. Since I got back I was thinking what I can do in exchange for your kindness. I?ve met many different people we’ve talked about many different things, but there was always something in common ? they asked me about Poland and that was actually the only ?thing? I could give to them at that moment. I’ve wrote down the questions I?ve been asked and decided to answer them here. If you have any question (even the stupid ones), ask me.

Second, I want to show you how beautiful my country is,simple as that. I realized that I write about all the other places I?ve visited except for Poland. Why? Sometimes we don?t appreciate what we have and we think that the grass is always greener somewhere else. I had to leave my country to realize that we have so many things that we could be proud of. Sometimes we just don?t know about it. I have this handmade scarf from my great grandmother and I?ve been asked in every state, where did I buy it? People even stopped me on the street to ask about it. Those who visited Poland told me how beautiful my country was and sometimes they told me about places I didn?t even know existed. I?ve read almost all of the Icelandic Sagas, but I don?t know that many stories from Slavic mythology. So not only do I want tell you more about Poland, but also to learn more myself. From time to time I hear weird stuff about Poland. When my friend was going to visit, some of his friends advised him not to. I don?t like these images of Poland as a poor, dangerous, or an intolerant country where human rights are not respected. We have some issues to solve and there are many things that I don?t personally like either, but Poland has changed so much and we are not this communistic country anymore. I did an experiment by telling people I was from Russia (with my strong accent I can only be from eastern European countries) and they were excited and interested, but usually when I said that I am from Poland people responded with just ?ahhhh?. I want people to be excited about Poland cause it?s totally worth it! If I can make one person change their mind about Poland, I will feel satisfied.

The third reason was just a spark that made it happen. I had an argument with my American friend about the word ?borstch?. Sometimes when I don?t know how to say something in English, I just make a word up, so he thought I just made this one up too and was making fun of me. As It turned out I was right. It reminded me of Todd from North Carolina who asked me how to make this soup and I never told him. I went back home and I was thinking ?Maybe I should post the recipe on my blog so he can make this soup finally; and I can just make the whole paragraph about how right I was with the word ?bortsch?. Then I sat down and wrote this first post ever in English (yes, about borstch) and then wrote this intro for the whole series.

I always want to be professional with everything I publish, but this time I can?t, simply cause my english is not that good. But I?ve also learned that I don?t have time to worry about that and that I have to let some ideas go. I hope to learn on the way, so please tell me when something is incorrect or unclear. I want you to be my personal grammar nazis and I really mean that. Also if you have friends who want to visit Poland or are interested in a topic, please share this with them. And if you have some questions or observations, don?t hesitate to contact me in a comments or by e-mail (submit@karaboska.com). My polish friends, please comment in English, if you have anything to add, so we all can understand. Thank you!

I can’t wait for your questions about Poland. Ask me!

Gorce, South of Poland