Lodz_The_Boat 32 | 1522
5 Dec 2010 #1
I've found so many posts here, calling the Polish women either a tool for the spread of someones racist theories, or the loose girl, or the foolish girl, or the gold-digger, or the object of temptation. Or the Ms. pûrnoliciously beautiful by some strangely unhealthy mind.
So many posts, but I found less which truly described her. I know Polish women too, as friends, mother, grandmother, sister, cousins and nieces. I know Polish women very closely as well.
These are my holiday seasons. I might not be frequent in PF again after December ends. Thus I felt, it would be nice if I wrote some stories describing the bright and beautiful aspects of them. Not the physical beauty or making her a commodity or an object. But her various legacies as I have seen them grow. In my book (which will be open for you to read and comment) I will use real life stories (dont worry, they'r gonna be short), and add my perception to them.
In the beginning I have two stories to share. So shall we begin? (ofcourse =) ).
P.S. You all can contribute your reviews. All the stories are true.
Pure Love
Andrzej, a Polish man from an ordinary working family who had a simple yet beautiful dream. He was in love with Ania, a girl from the same city he lived in. She meant the world for him. She meant the horizons of hope for him. Since he saw her, he knew that his soul got attached to her. For him, everything he did, slowly he did for her. To be able to hold those hands once, kiss them, and tell her those magic two words, and more such beautiful words that the humble language could provide to honor such an exalted feeling - The Feeling Of Being Deeply In Love.
He knew Ania's love for flowers, every weekend he would gather the most fresh flower for her, and give them to her in those mornings when she wanted to purchase.
Ania knew it secretly. She wanted every moment that Andrzej would confess his love for her. Those words would change their life forever, and open those unknown yet favored gates of a future together, where they would face it all - yet walk ahead smiling.
One spring evening, as fate would have it, Andrzej had an accident. Such a severe crash this was - it kept him unconscious for days. Eventually when he woke up, he came to know that he lost one of his legs!
With pain and grief he wondered. For so many days he had been laying on that wretched bed - the world outside must've changed so much. Ania was saying about going England for a course. She must've left, his story with her is surely over.
Suddenly he saw a bunch of fresh flowers placed on his side table. He asked the nurse who kept it there, and the nurse said with a smile "someone who always visited you twice everyday, for long hours, and prayed beside you to her Lord. When your health was at its worse, she prayed all day with her hands together, and her eyes closed ... until the doctors gave a good indication. She cared for you and often would help us to nurse you. I don't know who she is to you, but whoever she is, she surely is the reason for your luck". Andrzej wondered! Can it be his cousins? Can this be his ailing mother? Who can it really be? He knows no one! Its so impossible! Is this some angel? Who is it!?"
The next morning Andrzej woke up early ... so that he could take one glimpse of her. A shadow appeared on the frosted glass, and his heart beat got faster. The shadow got intercepted by one nurse! The girl stopped. Andrzej was nervous if she would leave. But she came forward, opened the door.... it was Ania.
She came in and smiled (a typical Polish smile). He rose up, hold her hand ... and in gesture told her of his helplessness and his leg. Ania sat beside him ... calmed him without words ... rose and took the old flowers away to place the new.
Cutting short all the other simple and emotional words (as words are so lame infront of love). They got married eventually. With claps and hugs ... a confident couple was formed.
Andrzej struggled with intelligence, and was successful enough to give Ania the simple yet happy life, she always wanted.
(And it's not a fiction. It's a true story ... =) ... about real people ... very real).
The journey of a promise!
A boy and a girl meet on net, they chat and one day someone gets offline, only never to return again - leaving behind a trail of painful memories. This is how bad things can get on long distance online relationships! But this was not the case for Wasique and Kasia.
Wasique was a boy Kasia met on an online language teaching community named "polyglot" (sp). Wasique knew good English, and was curious to learn Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, or any other Eastern European Language. These were the years fresh into the new millennium, and he was into his mid-teens.
Kasia, a lonely but intelligent girl with an adventurous heart logged on to her ID in Polyglot and saw this strange name "Wasique" from Bangladesh! Neither had she ever heard such a name, nor did she ever hear of such a country. She wanted to learn the languages he know, she wanted to be friends too. She "Clicked".
Wasique got Kasia's friendship offer in sub-standard English. But this English made him smile for some reason. For him, somehow, he could heard that pronunciation clearly as her read those word in his mind. They sounded very innocent for some strange reason. But in any condition, here was a teacher of Polish for him. A strange language from a strange land! So here starts a new dawn of a new friendship ... only to begin with none-else but a "Click!".
Since that day they chatted and they exchanged each other's language skills. His English to her was excellent, but what always impressed her were his manners. He was decent, simple and plane. Nothing of the kind she would officially had declared of men. He sent his picture and she smiled to it, but on her sending her picture - he was stunned. She was beautiful. Not for a moment did he hesitate to describe how he saw her, and that description almost took Kasia in a trans. For each word had a meaning, and each meaning were decorated with affection. Had Kasia not been sure of his reality, she thought, she might've just said "it is a fairy tale".
Both were in love ofcourse, within a year of their meet on the net. They were careful to admit, they even thought about it long and hard. But they truly wished of each other, and this could never be denied.
But does long distance relationships last? To keep up with that was the massive distance, the language, the race, the religion, the culture and the ideological barriers between the two. Trust, is something that we love to think as invincible, but when it breaks - it rips the heart apart. Commitment is easy to say, but difficult to keep even in the most acceptable of circumstances. And here was a relationship that seemed so destined to fail.
Kasia shared it with her best friend and she laughed. She said that Kasia was making a fool of herself, in the same way as she refused to be a part of the many "girl parties" and the other stuff that girls probably in the West (western Europe) must be doing. Had Kasia been interested in that, she would've been a different person since he beginning - thought Kasia in her defense. "Yes," she decided, "I would give his promise a chance. I wish to give US a chance".
The problems with Wasique were many. He had limited money, and worse - there were no Polish Embassy in his country! The one that oversaw his country's business was located in New Delhi, India.
Kasia's heart used to sink. But she found support in one of her childhood friend Krzysztof. He asked her to share the name of the one she loves with her mom - her only parent. And so she did. Her mom hesitated, but she let Kasia find the meaning of life herself - not to mention the possibility of any man crossing all those barriers in such a ripe age for her daughter sitting in a corner of Poland seemed quite unrealistic. Still, she promised, she will meet him and talk to him with an accepting mind, would he come to meet Kasia, his love.
They heard the love song of Berlin "Take my breath away" and sung it together with hope and pain and a strange kind of satisfaction on IM voice services. Looked very unrealistic everything, but hope surely makes the morning seem nearer.
He went India in the summer, only to be sent back. Poor Wasique traveled in Autmn, staying for a month, and receiving no response. The third time he enrolled in a University with a suggestion by Kasia's friend Krzysztof. On the letter of acceptance from University of Lodz, Wasique decided to try again. However, secretly for Kasia - this had to be Wasique's last effort as her mother took her word for it. Kasia could not eat in this time, a helpless angel. One of the few most wonderful people were Kasia, her beauty dazzled from inside and out with innocence being her crown. Had those Polish bearcats in the embassies known how sometimes they cause their own Polish hearts to ache to the point of collapse - perhaps they would think a million times more before they made another Kasia's Wasique wait.
Just like the smothering heat of the summer which burnt the waiting Wasique infront of the iron gates of the Polish embassy for whole days without result. The cruel winter of Delhi did not spare him. He sat near the gate, remembering his Kasia, remembering his promise. All his efforts and that one cherished goal - to hold her hand and say those two words in Polish. To rise us and hold her tight ... and go to her mother and say how he loves her daughter.
For this story, it seemed that the doors of God's mercy had closed. Perhaps Jesus Christ got embroiled into the divisions man had devised all those years against Love. Against his Father's own reflection. Did Jesus turn away from Kasia and Wasique? Did religion and logic and race and cultures became big for Him who we know as Christ?
Wasique left empty handed to Bangladesh. No rejection on his passport though, but the Visa for India had only a day to be expired, and he just had to go back. With teary eyes he sms'd her his failure. He asked her to move on as perhaps their love was not worthy of God's mercy. Maybe they dreamed too much ...
Kasia cried ... with the cross. She did not say anything to her mother, but she cried. She knew nothing what happened and she shivered. In her room she remained for two days. The tears had left round spongy traces around her clear blue eyes ... Had Jesus a drop of mercy for a poor pair, would His treasures exhaust?
On the first day of the second week of Wasique's return to his city. While having lunch like a dead man, a call came. As nobody was around, he picked up the phone. It was the POLISH EMBASSY.
Somehow, for some odd reason, his Visa had been granted. It is unusual that a Visa is granted without the bearer of the passport or the passport present in the embassy. But this rare case had to occur with him.
Wasique couldn't believe it ... he dialed Kasia. Kasia saw the phone, his name, but she would not pick up. She was afraid of herself more than her mother. She knew he would ask more time, and her mother would make a scene. Somewhere inside her she knew that Jesus had forsaken her. No he can never come. She wept that night, and stopped using that number. She stopped using the phone.
Wasique, through dishearted ... took his flight to Poland.
He arrived to Lodz. He knew where she studied ... and he went there taking a seat on the campus.
She arrived, she saw him for the first time. She never expected this. And they stood looking into each other's eyes.
Why did not Wasique write atleast a mail! Could he not? How could he give up contact if she did not pick up the phone. And a lot more complaints in Polish ... which continue to this day, and often end with yet another kiss...
Wasique and Kasia married after Wasique's completion of his graduation. He earned and earned excellent. Giving Kasia a life as best as he could. And his best was good. Something a few of the most critical friend's of Kasia did not get. And a love most would just have envy on ...
However, ... they still sing together specially in their anniversaries after years of their marriage and a child ... the song that kept their heart's alive ... "Take my breath away ..."
So many posts, but I found less which truly described her. I know Polish women too, as friends, mother, grandmother, sister, cousins and nieces. I know Polish women very closely as well.
These are my holiday seasons. I might not be frequent in PF again after December ends. Thus I felt, it would be nice if I wrote some stories describing the bright and beautiful aspects of them. Not the physical beauty or making her a commodity or an object. But her various legacies as I have seen them grow. In my book (which will be open for you to read and comment) I will use real life stories (dont worry, they'r gonna be short), and add my perception to them.
In the beginning I have two stories to share. So shall we begin? (ofcourse =) ).
P.S. You all can contribute your reviews. All the stories are true.
Pure Love
Andrzej, a Polish man from an ordinary working family who had a simple yet beautiful dream. He was in love with Ania, a girl from the same city he lived in. She meant the world for him. She meant the horizons of hope for him. Since he saw her, he knew that his soul got attached to her. For him, everything he did, slowly he did for her. To be able to hold those hands once, kiss them, and tell her those magic two words, and more such beautiful words that the humble language could provide to honor such an exalted feeling - The Feeling Of Being Deeply In Love.
He knew Ania's love for flowers, every weekend he would gather the most fresh flower for her, and give them to her in those mornings when she wanted to purchase.
Ania knew it secretly. She wanted every moment that Andrzej would confess his love for her. Those words would change their life forever, and open those unknown yet favored gates of a future together, where they would face it all - yet walk ahead smiling.
One spring evening, as fate would have it, Andrzej had an accident. Such a severe crash this was - it kept him unconscious for days. Eventually when he woke up, he came to know that he lost one of his legs!
With pain and grief he wondered. For so many days he had been laying on that wretched bed - the world outside must've changed so much. Ania was saying about going England for a course. She must've left, his story with her is surely over.
Suddenly he saw a bunch of fresh flowers placed on his side table. He asked the nurse who kept it there, and the nurse said with a smile "someone who always visited you twice everyday, for long hours, and prayed beside you to her Lord. When your health was at its worse, she prayed all day with her hands together, and her eyes closed ... until the doctors gave a good indication. She cared for you and often would help us to nurse you. I don't know who she is to you, but whoever she is, she surely is the reason for your luck". Andrzej wondered! Can it be his cousins? Can this be his ailing mother? Who can it really be? He knows no one! Its so impossible! Is this some angel? Who is it!?"
The next morning Andrzej woke up early ... so that he could take one glimpse of her. A shadow appeared on the frosted glass, and his heart beat got faster. The shadow got intercepted by one nurse! The girl stopped. Andrzej was nervous if she would leave. But she came forward, opened the door.... it was Ania.
She came in and smiled (a typical Polish smile). He rose up, hold her hand ... and in gesture told her of his helplessness and his leg. Ania sat beside him ... calmed him without words ... rose and took the old flowers away to place the new.
Cutting short all the other simple and emotional words (as words are so lame infront of love). They got married eventually. With claps and hugs ... a confident couple was formed.
Andrzej struggled with intelligence, and was successful enough to give Ania the simple yet happy life, she always wanted.
(And it's not a fiction. It's a true story ... =) ... about real people ... very real).
The journey of a promise!
A boy and a girl meet on net, they chat and one day someone gets offline, only never to return again - leaving behind a trail of painful memories. This is how bad things can get on long distance online relationships! But this was not the case for Wasique and Kasia.
Wasique was a boy Kasia met on an online language teaching community named "polyglot" (sp). Wasique knew good English, and was curious to learn Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, or any other Eastern European Language. These were the years fresh into the new millennium, and he was into his mid-teens.
Kasia, a lonely but intelligent girl with an adventurous heart logged on to her ID in Polyglot and saw this strange name "Wasique" from Bangladesh! Neither had she ever heard such a name, nor did she ever hear of such a country. She wanted to learn the languages he know, she wanted to be friends too. She "Clicked".
Wasique got Kasia's friendship offer in sub-standard English. But this English made him smile for some reason. For him, somehow, he could heard that pronunciation clearly as her read those word in his mind. They sounded very innocent for some strange reason. But in any condition, here was a teacher of Polish for him. A strange language from a strange land! So here starts a new dawn of a new friendship ... only to begin with none-else but a "Click!".
Since that day they chatted and they exchanged each other's language skills. His English to her was excellent, but what always impressed her were his manners. He was decent, simple and plane. Nothing of the kind she would officially had declared of men. He sent his picture and she smiled to it, but on her sending her picture - he was stunned. She was beautiful. Not for a moment did he hesitate to describe how he saw her, and that description almost took Kasia in a trans. For each word had a meaning, and each meaning were decorated with affection. Had Kasia not been sure of his reality, she thought, she might've just said "it is a fairy tale".
Both were in love ofcourse, within a year of their meet on the net. They were careful to admit, they even thought about it long and hard. But they truly wished of each other, and this could never be denied.
But does long distance relationships last? To keep up with that was the massive distance, the language, the race, the religion, the culture and the ideological barriers between the two. Trust, is something that we love to think as invincible, but when it breaks - it rips the heart apart. Commitment is easy to say, but difficult to keep even in the most acceptable of circumstances. And here was a relationship that seemed so destined to fail.
Kasia shared it with her best friend and she laughed. She said that Kasia was making a fool of herself, in the same way as she refused to be a part of the many "girl parties" and the other stuff that girls probably in the West (western Europe) must be doing. Had Kasia been interested in that, she would've been a different person since he beginning - thought Kasia in her defense. "Yes," she decided, "I would give his promise a chance. I wish to give US a chance".
The problems with Wasique were many. He had limited money, and worse - there were no Polish Embassy in his country! The one that oversaw his country's business was located in New Delhi, India.
Kasia's heart used to sink. But she found support in one of her childhood friend Krzysztof. He asked her to share the name of the one she loves with her mom - her only parent. And so she did. Her mom hesitated, but she let Kasia find the meaning of life herself - not to mention the possibility of any man crossing all those barriers in such a ripe age for her daughter sitting in a corner of Poland seemed quite unrealistic. Still, she promised, she will meet him and talk to him with an accepting mind, would he come to meet Kasia, his love.
They heard the love song of Berlin "Take my breath away" and sung it together with hope and pain and a strange kind of satisfaction on IM voice services. Looked very unrealistic everything, but hope surely makes the morning seem nearer.
He went India in the summer, only to be sent back. Poor Wasique traveled in Autmn, staying for a month, and receiving no response. The third time he enrolled in a University with a suggestion by Kasia's friend Krzysztof. On the letter of acceptance from University of Lodz, Wasique decided to try again. However, secretly for Kasia - this had to be Wasique's last effort as her mother took her word for it. Kasia could not eat in this time, a helpless angel. One of the few most wonderful people were Kasia, her beauty dazzled from inside and out with innocence being her crown. Had those Polish bearcats in the embassies known how sometimes they cause their own Polish hearts to ache to the point of collapse - perhaps they would think a million times more before they made another Kasia's Wasique wait.
Just like the smothering heat of the summer which burnt the waiting Wasique infront of the iron gates of the Polish embassy for whole days without result. The cruel winter of Delhi did not spare him. He sat near the gate, remembering his Kasia, remembering his promise. All his efforts and that one cherished goal - to hold her hand and say those two words in Polish. To rise us and hold her tight ... and go to her mother and say how he loves her daughter.
For this story, it seemed that the doors of God's mercy had closed. Perhaps Jesus Christ got embroiled into the divisions man had devised all those years against Love. Against his Father's own reflection. Did Jesus turn away from Kasia and Wasique? Did religion and logic and race and cultures became big for Him who we know as Christ?
Wasique left empty handed to Bangladesh. No rejection on his passport though, but the Visa for India had only a day to be expired, and he just had to go back. With teary eyes he sms'd her his failure. He asked her to move on as perhaps their love was not worthy of God's mercy. Maybe they dreamed too much ...
Kasia cried ... with the cross. She did not say anything to her mother, but she cried. She knew nothing what happened and she shivered. In her room she remained for two days. The tears had left round spongy traces around her clear blue eyes ... Had Jesus a drop of mercy for a poor pair, would His treasures exhaust?
On the first day of the second week of Wasique's return to his city. While having lunch like a dead man, a call came. As nobody was around, he picked up the phone. It was the POLISH EMBASSY.
Somehow, for some odd reason, his Visa had been granted. It is unusual that a Visa is granted without the bearer of the passport or the passport present in the embassy. But this rare case had to occur with him.
Wasique couldn't believe it ... he dialed Kasia. Kasia saw the phone, his name, but she would not pick up. She was afraid of herself more than her mother. She knew he would ask more time, and her mother would make a scene. Somewhere inside her she knew that Jesus had forsaken her. No he can never come. She wept that night, and stopped using that number. She stopped using the phone.
Wasique, through dishearted ... took his flight to Poland.
He arrived to Lodz. He knew where she studied ... and he went there taking a seat on the campus.
She arrived, she saw him for the first time. She never expected this. And they stood looking into each other's eyes.
Why did not Wasique write atleast a mail! Could he not? How could he give up contact if she did not pick up the phone. And a lot more complaints in Polish ... which continue to this day, and often end with yet another kiss...
Wasique and Kasia married after Wasique's completion of his graduation. He earned and earned excellent. Giving Kasia a life as best as he could. And his best was good. Something a few of the most critical friend's of Kasia did not get. And a love most would just have envy on ...
However, ... they still sing together specially in their anniversaries after years of their marriage and a child ... the song that kept their heart's alive ... "Take my breath away ..."