1,000+ Days in Poland

From September 1996 to July 1999 I lived in Lipnica Wielka, a small, cozy village in the mountains of southern Poland. Stretched along one road leading to Babia Gora (Lady's Mountain), Lipnica is the epitome of "rural" in many ways. Chickens scurrying at one's feet on the way to the post office; kids tugging on a line connected to a 1,000 pound cow, "leading" the cow home; an elderly couple using a tractor to drive to the village health clinic--all common sites. Yet "rural" doesn't mean "backward" of course--in this small village I met some of the most amazing, thoughtful people I've ever been privileged to know.

For three years I taught English at the new high school in Lipnica. Without a doubt, this was the formative experience of my life. As most PC Volunteers say, I must admit that I probably took more from this experience than I gave. What did I give? That's difficult to say. I'd like to think that I inspired a few kids and made them realize that their future is in their hands alone--all that teacherly stuff. In brief, I hope I made (get your tissue out) a difference.

Now, what did I get? That's a much easier question.

• learned that if you treat people with respect, they respond--especially if they're your students and they're not used to teachers treating them as anything other than an inferior. (A small commentary on the prevailing attitude of Polish teachers.)
• saw the Black Madonna of Czestachowa
• discovered once again that, more often than not, the students in a school are much more interesting and fun than one's fellow teachers. (Another small commentary on the prevailing attitude of Polish teachers.)
• learned a little Polish. Tak trudno . . .
• made some fantastic friends, including a young man who was born in the wrong place. Spain, with a guitar in hand, is where he belongs . . .
• got to see the Pope
• learned how to drink like an Orawian. Na zdrowie.
• discovered that "home" is in the head.

For now, that's all I'm going to put on this page. I might add to it in the future, but nothing more for now. It's strange--a thousand and some days in Poland, and I squeeze out less than a thousand words about the experience. I hope that says more about the ineffability of the adventure I had in Poland than about my writing ability.