My relationship with Poland started with a spreadsheet. In 2019, during my second year of History at the University of Cantabria, I sat through an Erasmus information meeting with Italy, Greece, France and Scandinavia all on my list. Poland wasn't the romantic choice. It was the affordable one. Simple as that.
Everything was set for September 2020. Then COVID hit, and the world went sideways. I deliberated endlessly, then decided to go anyway. And just like Will Smith in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, my life got flipped upside down – except my Bel-Air was Wrocław, and the fresh air was very much Polish.
I arrived on September 12th, 2020, at a student dormitory called Ołówek, and spent the next ten months collecting some of the best memories of my life. The people, the history, the culture – Wrocław left a mark I didn't expect and couldn't shake. Back in Spain to finish my degree, I wrote my thesis on Poland's historical memory and democratisation process. It got the highest possible grade. I followed that with a Master's in Contemporary History, still working toward becoming a History teacher. But before finishing the thesis, I paused and started looking for another international experience.
Poland came up again immediately. I knew the country, knew how to live there. The problem was I wanted work, not more studying. That's when Sandra, a friend from my Wrocław Erasmus days, mentioned volunteering. She was working with INPRO, an organisation in Rzeszów, and her descriptions of the work were enough to convince me to apply. I'll be honest – her recommendation to the coordinator didn't hurt. Either way, I got in, and by early August I was packing for Rzeszów.
The journey on August 3rd did not go smoothly. My flight went Madrid to Rome, then onward to Rzeszów. A delay on the first leg made me miss the connection. So there I was in Rome, all my luggage, no flight to Poland. I bought a replacement ticket from Rome to Kraków the same day. Then that flight got cancelled. The airline spent hours trying to reschedule it for the next morning while a group of increasingly exhausted passengers demanded a resolution. Eventually they put us up in a hotel. I got there around 2 a.m. At 6 a.m. we were back at the airport. The flight left at 8. I landed in Kraków, caught a train to Rzeszów, and arrived at the station worn out and roughly a day and a half behind schedule.
Kiko and Mariem were waiting on the platform. I spent the first two days resting and getting to know my new flatmates – I was the last of the group to arrive. My first day at INPRO was Monday, August 7th, and the work started immediately.
The role centres on creating and running workshops for different groups, taking part in events like Open Cafe where people from Rzeszów and the surrounding area come together, and contributing to social media content. It keeps you busy and keeps you learning.
There have been highs and lows since that first Monday. That's true of any year that actually means something. Looking back, I have no regrets about coming back to Poland. I'm curious to see what comes next.
Adrian