Farewell Poland!

Poland is a special country for me because 71.5% of my DNA is from there. The most likely origin of my DNA is the Podkarpackie Voivodeship which is located between Krakow and Lyiv in Southeast Poland and Western Ukraine. I do look Polish and it was fascinating to be a couple of generations removed and to come back. Poland is a lot different from USA. The impact of World War II was so much greater in Poland than in the USA. Germany and then the USSR invaded and basically destroyed the country. The Soviets occupied the country for close to 50 years after the war, installing a totalitarian system that suppressed human rights and freedoms. Most of the Jews killed in the Holocaust were Polish Jews and most of the concentration camps were located in Poland. Millions of soldiers and civilians were killed in the war and huge populations were displaced and forced to leave their homes. All that trauma must have a big impact on the psyche of the people of the nation.

Despite their sad history, the city of Warsaw had a positive, lively vibe to it. People were friendly and talkative to visitors, the locals seemed to enjoy themselves in bars, and restaurants, and young people just hanging out in the plazas around the city. Like other Eastern European nations, Poland is considered by some to be racist, against LGBTQ+ people, and politically conservative. I think that when a country or area is mostly homogeneous, there is always a distrust or fear of outsiders and people who look and act differently. I experienced this in Japan, where I was an outsider. Like many developed countries, they are struggling with low birth rates and the need for immigration. It may be one of the underlying reasons for the schism in US politics that white Americans will become a minority (under 50%) in the coming years.

The weather during my four days in Warsaw was absolutely perfect! I had a delightful time and was pleasantly surprised by the cuisine and laid-back attitude of people. I hope to visit again and explore my genetic heritage more.