For my first week in Poland, I spent my time in the northern seaside city of Gdynia, where my aunt, uncle, and cousin currently live. It was definitely difficult trying to communicate with my uncle, who speaks only Polish. However, I was very happy with my ability to hold conversations with him after taking Polish courses at Pitt. It was finally an opportunity for all of my hard work to pay off.

During my time there, I was able to explore the seaside and take in some incredible views. I also visited the World War II Museum in Gdańsk. This was the first time during my trip that I was able to learn about World War II and its impact on Poland in such a meaningful way. Although I have studied World War II before, seeing the artifacts in person made a huge difference. It was especially powerful to visit Gdańsk, where the first shots of the war were fired.

As my time with family comes to a close, I am excited to begin taking Polish classes in the beautiful city of Kraków. I look forward to exploring more of Poland and gaining real-life experience speaking the language while continuing to improve my Polish.