A New City

The city vast and unfamiliar, we navigated our way between behemoth structures, many tall enough to blot out the retreating sun. The boulevards were congested with after-work commuters and a small group of tourists flitted across the road, trying to catch a light. Though there were plenty of parks sprinkled throughout the city, the air smelled faintly of smog, cigarettes, and human activity. I thought, “different, but not too bad.” I had never lived in a city before. Since I had grown up in various small American towns, Warsaw, Poland never really crossed my mind. I had always thought of Poland as a relatively undeveloped, freezing subsect of Russia. I was living in Southwest Germany before Poland, however my historical and geographical knowledge of Germany’s eastern neighbor were not up to par. Everything I knew about Poland could be summed up to three things: it was invaded by the Nazis during the Second World War, it was formerly communist, and it was cold. Poland has been the battleground between Germany and Russia for centuries, however the Second World War utterly devastated the country and levelled Warsaw. I was taken aback by how developed and unique the architectural style of the city was, considering its past. Bars of all kinds crowded most streets, the city center gleamed with shiny skyscrapers, and modern businesses lined the streets alongside tiny shops manned by fierce grandmothers whom the Polish call babcias. The old, rebuilt section of the city was charmed with statues and cafes, all the while communist apartment blocks loomed ominously in their peculiar formations. Having made Warsaw my home in the nearly five years since I first moved there, I feel astonished by my initial thoughts. I am amazed that both my mindset and my life have changed so immensely in such a short time. And as my family prepares to move away this coming summer, I will be longing for the city that uses its past to fuel its vision for a brighter future. This is the city I am proud to call home, made its own by the unparalleled Polish realistic attitude, drive, and resilience.