Life in Poland so far has been practically indescribable. I’ve only been here for about two and a half months now, but I’ve changed more than I ever thought I could in such a short amount of time.
My exchange started when my host family picked me up from the Bydgoszcz airport on August 17th, 20 hours after I said goodbye to my family in Wisconsin. Less than a week after I arrived, I went to language camp, where I met all of the people who quickly became some of my best friends. I started school a couple days afterward, and everyone at my school has been so welcoming and helpful. I’ve already made some really good friends.
These last two months have gone by so quickly, but at the same time it feels like they’ve lasted forever. Not all of it has been easy, but it’s all been an adventure. Learning Polish is very hard, but I like to think I’m getting better every day. I’ve been able to travel to some really cool places, like Wrocław and Malbork, both of which were beautiful. I’m very excited to see where I’ll go next, and what other adventures this year has in store for me.
I’ve never been one to think of home as one place, really. My home in the USA is wherever my family is, but everyday I feel myself building a home here in Bydgoszcz with my friends. I’m learning so many new things every single day, and I couldn’t be happier about where I’m learning them or who I’m learning them with.
