My family's quest for finding pine forests is quite legendary. Since childhood, I've been taught to look for the sosna (pine-tree) on walks in the countryside. Whether for grzyby (funghi),...
July 31, 2021
"Stańcie do Apelu” - "stand for the roll call" always sends a shiver through my spine. The silence just before a soldier or scout reads this at 17.00 on the...
June 30, 2021
My Polish passport finally arrived last month! I've written previously about my identity as a Pole born abroad and my concerns that a Polish passport wasn't really for me -...
May 28, 2021
The portrait of Jan Matejko’s “Copernicus: Conversations with God” recently arrived at the National Gallery in London. It is the first work of a Polish artist to be on show there and...
April 20, 2021
It was moving to witness such an intimate family funeral of Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Much has been said about his Danish and German ancestry, yet even less about...
March 27, 2021
With Easter approaching, Palm Sunday for Poles, is as colourful as any feast due to the "palms"- bazie or palemki made from fresh branches of willow with catkins or "kotki" (little...
February 27, 2021
Recently I have been contacted by many of you interested in Polish citizenship. Although I’ve written about the process in my guide to citizenship, the paperwork is just the legal...
January 29, 2021
Do you recognise a cultural divide in your early life between the Polish and English languages?
December 19, 2020
One: Moments of stillness In the hustle and bustle of pre-Christmas preparations we don't have a minute to spare. This can sometimes spill over into the season itself. So remember...
December 13, 2020
If you’ve been thinking of confirming your Polish citizenship to to emphasise your heritage or to stay a European citizen, here is a quick guide based on my experiences. Months...
