Postcard #7: Pierogi, Pride, and Polish Roots
This trip was really special. It came right after all my friends left at the end of session A, and I had a short break before session B began. I was in a weird in-between space processing goodbyes, but not quite ready to meet new people yet. I hadn’t updated the site in a while because, honestly, I just didn’t have it in me. But Poland? It gave me space to breathe again.
We landed in Warsaw late Thursday night and checked into our Airbnb, which was actually really nice. The next morning, I crossed something off my bucket list: making pierogis in Poland. The cooking class was incredible. We learned about the different pierogi shapes and what they mean, got to roll out the dough, fill and shape each one, and then ate them all family-style. It was easily one of my favorite moments. I even met a girl from Budapest who I might visit soon.
After that, my friend and I wandered around Old Town, getting lost in the prettiest streets. I somehow convinced her to go to the Chopin Museum with me, and I’m so glad we did. It was really interactive and beautifully done. If you know me, you know I love the piano, and seeing how Chopin composed his work was such a cool experience. We ended the night with burgers and beers at a cozy spot called Hopito, which had such a friendly, communal vibe.
Saturday started with the Warsaw Rising Museum, which we explored for over two hours. It was so informative and moving. My friend is a huge WWII history buff, and I’m glad we could share that together. For lunch, we headed back to Old Town, where I had the best golumpki ever, aside from my mom's and grandma’s, of course. Walking through those streets, eating the food I grew up with, and hearing the language made me feel so close to my Polish roots.
That afternoon, we crossed the river and went to the Vodka Museum, which, to my surprise, was fascinating. I learned so much and, yes, tried a few samples at the end. Let’s just say I appreciated the history more than the tasting. We had dinner in a neighborhood that really reminded me of home — string lights, people walking through the streets, restaurants on every corner. It was like a Polish version of Park Ave.
The next morning, we caught a train to Kraków. After a quick shopping stop in the train station mall, we explored Old Town, which felt more open and spread out than Warsaw’s, but just as beautiful. I stocked up on gifts for my Polish relatives and, of course, we ended the day with more pierogis.
The following day was incredibly heavy. We woke up at 4 a.m. to visit Auschwitz and Birkenau. It’s hard to put into words what that experience was like, but it’s something I truly believe everyone should do. I called my parents halfway through because I was overwhelmed, but our guides were amazing and gave me space to take it all in. It was one of the most emotional days of my life, and I’m grateful I was able to be present and reflect.
That evening, we took it slow, walked around, did some more shopping, and found a great place for some schnitzel before calling it a night. On our last morning, I packed all my gifts and souvenirs and went into town. Before heading to the airport, I followed my friend Ana Clara’s advice and got a hot dog from Zabka (basically Poland’s 7-Eleven), which felt random but ended up being weirdly delicious. I also had one last pierogi meal because how could I not?
Poland is hands-down my favorite place I’ve ever been. I felt deeply connected to it in ways that surprised me. I already can’t wait to go back.
With love,
Kelsey 💌
