By Sam Benedict
The semester of anticipation has come to an end as we began our immersion trip to Poland by meeting at the Chapel at 11 AM on Saturday, May 4. Spirits were high on the bus ride to O’Hare International Airport as we eagerly began to discuss what our plans for that night would be. Once we arrived in Chicago, we made it through security without an issue and prepared for an 8 1/2-hour plane ride. After downloading an entire series of Royal Pains the night before, my flight went by quicker than I anticipated.
Once the flight ended, we exited the Krakow airport and began our first adventure. Krakow didn’t disappoint. Being able to walk in the country that I have studied for years was incredible. This year, our class read books like “This Way to the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen,” listened to various poems about war, and watched movies like “Night and Fog” which all centered around war and the Holocaust. Being in a place where I’ve had countless lessons over was rewarding and gave me a more complete understanding of what I have been studying.
I experienced my first-time ordering food in a country other than my own and with someone who didn’t speak the same language. Being a foreigner for the first time was an experience I’ve never had. Luckily, I was welcomed with hospitality, and, after a few finger points, I had my order. For the final leg of our day, we traveled from Krakow to Warsaw. The 30-minute flight was much needed for our group as almost everyone took a Power Nap!
Following over 21 hours of travel, we settled into our hotel. The highlight of the day was walking into a crowd of hundreds of people waiting in line to enter a Church to celebrate Ukrainian Easter. Each person had baskets of goodies and spirits were high. We didn’t know that we would be able to witness this celebration, but it was a great start to our trip!
