The Arizona Polish Festival of 2014 offered food, dancing and friends. Do you believe in serendipity? I do. In fact the entire journey of writing Henry has been one serendipitous connection after another.
Last year Rick and I went to the Polish Festival, long before we decided for sure to go to Poland. It’s not easy planning a trip to a place you’re never been, nor anyone else you know either. Drum roll . . . we met Mike Richard of Living Krakow.com.
As a fan and admirer of Pope John Paul II, Richard began travelling to Krakow, Poland (of course the exact city I wanted to go to). His passion for Poland ignited the desire to lead other cultural pilgrims to Krakow, and now Italy as well. Without Mike’s assistance we would not have had near the successful trip we had. Thanks again Mike!
A month before the trip, my daughter Jamie mentioned one of her rock climbing buds, Stan is Polish. “Like, mom he’s really from Poland.”
“And when were you going to mention this to your mother?”
“I didn’t think of it.”
“Well, do you think he would tutor me in Polish?”
“I don’t know but I’ll ask.”
Well Stan was busy, but his beautiful wife Monika, a special education teacher in Mesa, agreed to meet with me. She was a wonderful teacher for a few sessions before I left for Poland.
Today I saw Mike, and found myself standing in line for cabbage rolls behind Monika and her son Igor. All in all it was a wonderful afternoon. And if you weren’t in Phoenix yesterday, you’ll appreciate that it didn’t rain at all today.
Do Widzenia.