Hikers from Poland

Last weekend I was hiking down the South Kaibab trail in the Grand Canyon down to Cedar Ridge with my daughter. I have to go slowly for her, but also because the sand on the rock can be pretty slippery. So, if faster hikers are coming down, you must yeild the right-of-way. You also do this for up hill hikers out of respect.

So we were passed by these very tall young men and they were chatting casually, and seemed to me to have a Slavic accent. A bit later, 4 more passed us. Then another string of 6 hikers, and I could only catch a few words, but it sounded like Polish to me. Later, when we got to Cedar Ridge, I saw that this was a very large group, maybe 20 people or more getting ready to descend the trail into the inner gorge. I overheard some Americans talking nearby, saying that they were from Poland, and they had booked the two large group sites at Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon. I was very proud of myself to be able to tell where they were from, because one year ago I would not have had a clue!

If I can learn enough Polish and get the pronunciation down, maybe someday I will be brave enough to try it out on someone!

At the end of May, the company I work for expects some Polish students to arrive to work ( 3 month J1 VISAs) so I am hoping to find someone to help me pronounce things properly.

Thankyou for that story i was touched:)


You will be fine give it a go. once you start you will notice that its not that hard

I find that I am learning lots of words. Just can't put them together, or say them. Sometimes, in Polish just as in English, a word sounds nothing like it looks!

Just curious, is you name pronounced "Pavo"?

yes, Pavvow not bad...

i speak polish well but when it comes to writing have know clue..ITS SO HARD
i see u are studing polish.. why out ov all the diffrent nationalitys u picked polish why?

Because where I work, we get lots of international students who come to work over the summer, and we usually get a fair amount of students from Eastern Europe (Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Russia). Sometimes you become really good friends with some of them, and they try to teach all of us their language. However, it looks as if more and more will stay to work and travel in other parts of Europe because it is cheaper than coming here.

Another reason: when I was in college, it was manadatory to take some foreign language elective. I had tried French and Spanish in high school and it was horrible-I could not pronounce it, spell it or REMEMBER it. So when I went to the university I tried German, mostly because I was afraid the Russain alphabet. The only other languages available were Japanese and Portuguese. German was much easier for me, I didn't have to struggle. Then when I started investigating Polish, I find that I can remember words! Sometimes even how to spell them! lol

So my theory is that perhaps I have ancestry from that part of the world, and maybe that it why it feels like "home", like it clicks with me.

And out of all the folks I have said goodbye to over the years (Marius, Anna M, Beata, Tomasz B, Anna W.) maybe someday I will have the chance to surprize them in their native language!

Another reason: I LOVE the way it sounds when spoken! Or sung!

The first time my GF came to the US she worked at the grand canyon gift shop. She was horrified staying there. I'm sure it wasn't too bad, but it was quite a culture shock for her. Bad food and nothing to do at night.

I think it's a good experience though and a great opportunity your company provides. I'm sure you'll find a lot of helpful people here. Welcome.

FISZ, you are right about nothing to do at night! lol Because it is a National Park we aren't even allowed to have many street lights, and if there is no moon, you can't see your hand in front of your face, or find your way back to the dormitory. lol

As for the food, it is cafeterias mostly, and does not compare to food from home. I made a casserole for my friends (just potatoes, kielbasa, onion) and I think it made them homesick more. Then I also stuffed them with homemade cheesecake! :)

I think Polish is easier to understand than it is to speak.. well in my case anyway.. its easy enough to spot Polish people in London.. you just listen for coorvah, coorvah, coorvah match..which is pretty much every other word for certain types of builder blokes on the bus or tube.