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After surviving the journey from Taiwan and all the excitement and problems, it was finally time to actually start our holiday.
And what better way to begin summer in Poland than... Preparing the swimming pool!
A lot of my family lives in the countryside, so no matter where we went, there were always gardens, fruit trees and vegetables growing around us.
For someone coming from Taiwan, where you can easily buy pretty much every fruit and vegetable imaginable, it was still nice to see where so much of the food actually comes from.
Summer is also the time when the gardens are full of life. There were fruits, vegetables, flowers, bees and all kinds of other insects flying around. We also helped out in the garden and picked some vegetables ourselves.
It was one of those simple summer activities that doesn't really feel like an activity at all - you just go outside, pick some vegetables, walk around the garden and enjoy the weather.
Of course... All those flowers and insects were about to become a little too interesting for us. 🐝
The Wasp
This is where our Polish adventure got complicated very quickly...
On literally the second day in Poland, my husband got bitten by a wasp.
At first, it didn't seem too serious. The swollen area was only about the size of a coin. But then things started getting worse. He developed a fever that lasted for two days, and the swollen area kept getting bigger.
Eventually, we decided that we needed to see a doctor.
The problem? We weren't staying near a large city.
We were in a smaller town, where there was basically one hospita. On top of that, going to a regular family doctor wasn't exactly straightforward because my husband doesn't live in Poland.
So, hospital it was, but we had to wait until Friday night.
And this is where we got to experience another part of Polish life that I definitely did not miss.
First, we had trouble registering him as a foreign patient. The nurse was not particularly friendly, and the whole process was unnecessarily difficult.
I won't even get started on some of the things I overheard while they were answering phone calls...
Eventually, we managed to get through registration and see the doctor.
The actual doctor visit was very quick and straightforward. Maybe too straightforward.
We basically heard: "Cannot. Cannot. Cannot."...many, many times.
There was also a problem getting the prescription because my husband didn't have a Polish ID number.
At one point, we were even told to go outside. And honestly, I reached the point where I had to ask:
"So what happens to foreigners in Poland when they are sick? Do they just die because they don't have a Polish ID number?"
That finally seemed to motivate them to look for a solution. And, long story short, we eventually got what we needed.
My husband got a shot and a prescription.
Then came the next challenge: finding the one pharmacy that was still open.
Because apparently, getting the prescription is only one part of the adventure. 😂
Luckily, we found an open pharmacy, bought the medicine and, thankfully, a few days later everything was back to normal.
So that was our relaxing first week in Poland.
Welcome home! 😂
Time for a Polish BBQ 🔥
Once the wasp drama was finally over, it was time for something people love doing during the summer... A BBQ!
Now, I know for many people this might sound completely normal and maybe even a little boring. Because in Poland, a typical BBQ can be very simple: Put some sausages on the grill. Eat sausages. Done.😂
In Taiwan, BBQ is a completely different story. Especially around the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is basically Taiwan's unofficial BBQ season.
There are a million things you can put on the grill - meat, seafood, vegetables, mushrooms, all kinds of marinades... You can make the whole thing into a giant feast.
In Poland, it's often much simpler. Sausages. Sometimes some meats. But we decided to make some side dishes to go with them, so our BBQ became a little more interesting.
And honestly, there is something really nice about sitting outside in the Polish countryside, eating grilled food and spending time with family.
Of course, the kids had their own plans. Because apparently, having a swimming pool nearby wasn't enough. It quickly turned into a... WATER FIGHT! 💦😂
What started as innocent swimming escalated very quickly. At one point, it honestly felt like a war was happening. Everyone was attacking everyone. There was absolutely no mercy. Meanwhile, I was standing there thinking... "The water is way too cold for this." 😂
So while everyone else was having fun in the pool, I decided that watching the water fight from a safe distance was a much better idea.
Visiting Family
Going back to Poland also means one very important thing: Visiting family.
Luckily, most of our relatives live only around half an hour away from each other, so visiting different family members wasn't too difficult.
We spent a lot of our time driving around, visiting relatives, sitting together, talking, eating and just enjoying being together. And because it was the end of summer, it was also harvest season. Driving around the countryside, we could see agricultural machines working in the fields.
The harvest was already happening in many places, so some fields were completely empty. But luckily, we still got to see some wheat growing. And honestly, I was happy about that.
Last year, it felt like every time we looked outside, the weather was gloomy and the sun disappeared ridiculously early. This year was much better. We could actually sit outside. We could play in the garden. We could ride bikes. We could spend time outdoors instead of hiding inside a building all day.
And for Adrian and my husband, there was another interesting part about Polish summer... The daylight! They were both surprised that at 9 PM it was still bright outside. And then, if you wake up at around 4 AM... It's already getting bright again!
For me, this is completely normal because I grew up with it. But for someone used to Taiwan, where the days are much more consistent throughout the year, it can feel pretty strange.
Polish Summer Weather
The weather was actually quite nice most of the time. Mornings were usually cool and comfortable, and during the day the temperature was pleasant. There were, however, a few days when I started seriously missing air conditioning. Or at least... A fan.
Because yes, Poland can get HOT. Sometimes temperatures can go over 30°C, and during particularly hot periods they can even approach 40°C. And the funny thing is that air conditioning isn't nearly as common as it is in Taiwan. So when it's 30-something degrees outside and you are sitting inside thinking: "Where is the air conditioner?!" ...you might have a problem. 😂
There were a few days when it was honestly difficult to stay indoors because it was simply too hot. So suddenly I was missing Taiwan's air conditioning. I never thought I'd say that while on holiday in Poland!
An Odpust
We also went to an odpust, which is a traditional Catholic parish festival, usually held around the feast day of a church's patron saint.
When I was younger, I remember these festivals being much more exciting. There would be inflatable slides, merry-go-rounds, little roller coasters, games, food stalls and lots of other things for children.
There were always crowds of people, lots of noise and plenty of excitement. So I was actually really looking forward to taking Adrian to one.
But... I was disappointed. It felt much quieter than I remembered. There were still plenty of stalls selling toys, clothes and other random things, but there weren't the big attractions I remembered from my childhood.
No roller coasters. No inflatable slides. Much fewer children. Much less noise. And honestly... It felt a little boring.
Maybe it's because I was remembering it through the eyes of a child. Maybe these festivals really have changed. Or maybe I've just gotten harder to impress. 😂
Either way, I was a little sad because I had been looking forward to showing Adrian the kind of odpust I remembered from when I was young. One thing that was still there, though, was the food.
And you can usually find an obwarzanek - a traditional ring-shaped Polish baked snack that is especially common at fairs and festivals.
So at least we had something to eat! 😂
Remembering Those Who Are No Longer With Us
Of course, coming back to Poland also means visiting family members who are no longer with us.
Going to the cemetery and lighting candles on their graves is something that has become a normal part of our visits to Poland. It's a quieter part of the trip.
After all the family gatherings, BBQs, swimming and playing, it is also a reminder of the people who were once part of our lives but are no longer here. We went to visit their graves, light candles and spend a little time there.
Simple Summer Days
Looking back, I think most of our days were actually quite similar. And honestly... That's what made them nice. We would play in the garden. Swim. Have water fights. Ride bikes. Pick vegetables. Visit family. Eat together. Then do it all again the next day.
There wasn't always some big attraction or exciting trip planned. But after living so far away from my family, being able to spend these simple days together was actually quite special.
And compared with our previous visit in Poland, this year felt much more like a proper summer holiday.
We could spend time outside. The weather was better. The sun stayed out much longer. And we weren't constantly sitting indoors waiting for the gloomy weather to pass.
And Then... An Eclipse 🌑☀️
There was one more thing that made this trip feel a little more special. An eclipse.
We waited and watched for about an hour as the Moon slowly covered part of the Sun. It wasn't a total eclipse, but it was still really interesting to watch. Everyone was waiting and looking up, watching the Sun slowly disappear.
It was one of those little moments that wasn't necessarily part of our holiday plans... But somehow became one of the memories we'll remember.
