POLAND AND I
It was easy to go to Poland although it was in
September, without any hesitation about cold weather. But it was hard to
leave it behind with my affection this summer. My journey started as a
doctorate- Erasmus student from September 2011 to July 2012. I entered
new year there, I missed my family and friends there, I loved someone, I left,
I discovered new customs, traditions, habits and life styles, I visited
so many Polish cities, I visited abroad, several other countries, I
celebrated Polish religious fests with my Polish friends and their
families there, well, I almost lived there. I was happy, I was sad, I
was hopeful, I was lonely, I was thoughtful I was joyful, I felt
everything, but the best thing is, I was there.
I lived almost a whole year in this great country. I was
studying and staying in Poznan, but visited 10 cities of Poland during
my stay. By this time, I realized how great country I was staying in and
how hospitable citizens I lived with. Citizens with a slight voice,
with a big smile and without any ego... With helpful replies, with
endless questions, with so many shares, with an endless friendship. It
was cold generally, it was dark; but people were warm, humanity was
still living. It was religious country mostly, it was patriotic, but the
best thing; freedom for people's own choice about lifestyle should be
an example especially for us, for Muslim countries which are getting
worse and worse about freedom, like Turkey. Between citizens, nobody was
trying to insist on someone to live something in the way they believed,
nobody was forcing someone to do something, nobody directed someone in
their own choices; religion was deep there, but never prohibitive, never
harmful...
I smelled World Wars as I was looking at the Polish
walls, I saw crying people as I was looking at empty windows, I heard
screaming as a woman was trying to keep their home. I saw and felt every
of them with my heart, there was no need to see something really to
feel and share some sorrows. My eyes were always wet when I was
listening to my teacher in the lecture about your history. In the empty
roads, in the enormous fields, near the lake, in train stations, even in
tram stops; I felt that mixture: sorrow but covered with optimism,
anger but with good intention for the future.
It was snowing, it was raining, it was silent, but it
was romantic. In that non- crowded city, I had so many times to think,
to imagine, to miss, to write, to gain experience, to realize my own and
real way more than ever. In that silent city, I saw that a country
could be without noise, without stress, without crowd, without ego...
I started with saying “hello” to Poland, have never said
“goodbye”, cause I always knew that one day I would come there to see
it again, so, “see you” Poland!
