What Is Poland?

If you live within the Commonwealth of Nations, it would be safe to assume that Poland isn't at the top of your list of holiday destinations. I'm not going to blame you; and, it’s not my intention to try to sway you to visit Poland during a standard two-week American holiday (if you are among the lucky few that are graciously endowed with this much time off per year); especially not during a pandemic, for at present, Covid-19 continues to rage on. We all know that Poland is not just beaches and sunshine anyway; so, what is Poland?

Even though I was born and raised in the Commonwealth, I will answer this question -- because I’m also Polish. What I’m trying to say, is, that I may have a wee bit more insight into the heart of Europe than most, including your college professor; and especially anyone claiming to be of Polish descent -- yet they have never actually visited the country. The fact is, over the course of several years, I went through the arduous task of reclaiming my blood-given right to Polish citizenship, with the immense and tireless help of my distant Polish family, of course. And, let’s be frank, I’m not reaching for any recognition; but it certainly carries a level of merit, doesn’t it? As we all know, Poland isn't super tolerant, which I’ll be sure to touch on a little later.

So, not only was I born across the pond (that’s what we’re calling the great expanse of the Atlantic these days), in a land that has all the potential and opportunity that Europe does not, but I was also fully raised within it for the first couple decades of my life -- until I began travelling back and forth in my early twenties (mostly on my own), and I saw all the evidence of the Old World, for what it really is.

So, what is Poland already?

Given the opportunity, you might embrace travel and do the same as I did for a first-hand account; or, perhaps you'll read on -- for, I figure you're on here because you might be feeling a bit melancholy about the current travel restrictions.

That being said, let’s get straight to the point: If Poland is not beaches and sunshine (even though it does have both; but, if you’re flying out of the Commonwealth, you’re likely to navigate somewhere closer to home, for your holiday), then, Poland has got to be culture, history, food and entertainment, right?

Well of course these are all important! In fact, if you were to taste Polish food for the first time I wager that your tongue would do summersaults and roundhouse kicks, in delight. For, the food is not just the pirogies and sauerkraut that are sometimes the butt end of a bad joke, but Poles make an extensive assortment of dishes that have emerged from hundreds of years of creativity and tradition. Yet, delightful as the food may be if your taste buds aren’t particularly fond, there are plenty of castles (zamki), museums (ex: Wieliczka, salt mines), and monuments (ex: Copernicus, astronomer), that will keep you busy exploring the land for days on end.

Well, you may say that’s all fine and dandy, but what about living in Poland -- What’s the quality of life like? How exactly do the Poles fare in comparison to their neighbouring countries? Is there a civil war?

Let’s just put it plain and simple: as is the case with most nations within Europe, hostilities can and do arise due to social unrest. What do those stem from? Well, it could be from anything; but historically we know that competition for the availability of land was a big one. The quality of the water, the air we breathe, and the amount of space, are additional factors that are largely taken for granted in North America; not to mention, the rivalry that emerges due to the distribution of resources and trade. But, currently, there is no civil war, and Poland is likely to be the safest in all of Europe, for the time being.

So, what uniquely separates Poland from its neighbours?

Now, I shall return to my earlier statement about tolerance, as promised. The people of Poland are especially sensitive and protective of their values, institutions, and religion. Thus, when in Poland (much like when in Rome, where Catholicism predominates), an effort not to slight the religion would be infinitely good wisdom. And, should you carry yourself with a level of grace and decorum that is not blasphemous, you may find that you walk around like a Jedi Knight in disguise -- where you go positively unnoticed during your visit. A bonus, of course, is if you have a grasp of the Polish language; which is, unfortunately, a far cry from the easiest language to learn.

Although extremely rare -- especially if you’re the type that is respectful of people and cultures -- there is a chance Westerners that are visiting Poland may encounter some hostility they don’t quite understand. Stay calm and collected, for I’d wager that it may stem back to the fact that Poland was left in the shadows whilst recovering from the years of communist occupation. Just a guess...

But now, and over the past several decades, Poland has catapulted into the limelight as the EU rival. To understand the how and why, is to know a little more about the history and, the political ideologies that have shaped the country over the centuries. That’s not to say that Westerners are doing it wrong, but that the methods that the Poles have used are fairly tried and true, using a rich history as a guiding light. They have lost their country and gained it back, several times. There is much that we can learn from Poland; perhaps this article will give a level of credence to this nation, which has otherwise been ignored or suppressed.

Go enjoy Poland, and have safe travels. And if you think I forgot to write about entertainment, you're wrong. There is so much entertainment the list is endless, and for you to discover on your own!