Hello! My name is Olivia and this is my blog about moving from Texas to Poland with my family - Martin, my Polish husband, and our five children. We arrived in 2012 and through all the ups and downs have slowly made Poland our home.
We are a home schooling and work from home Catholic family. You will find mostly my ramblings about making my way in this country, but also a little about our days just living life, some knitting, some cooking, and every once in a while, very rarely, Martin will put in his two cents.
Thank you for stopping by my blog. I genuinely do love comments and conversing about our adventure, heck, any of our adventures. So ask your questions. Offer advice. Share your own stories. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!
oliviamarydemkowicz @ gmail .com
UPDATE 2020:
Still here in Poland. Still accepting emails about moving to Poland or Homeschooling or just general chat. I have added giving birth by c-section in Poland to my list of accomplishments so feel free to ask about that. And I make some really great soups now, if you're desparate for recipes (no one is that desparate, but you never know). We have sheep and chickens and soon, a dog. We're doing it all folks. Shoot me an email if you have questions. Cheers!
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| Easter 2020 |
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| May 2020 |
UPDATE 2017:
Hello! Even though I am not posting on the blog any more I wanted to send out some words of encouragement to anyone who happens to find this space. We are here in Poland, almost a full five years! We are still homeschooling, we have finished and moved in to our new home, and almost two years ago we added an 8th member to the family. :)
I get so many emails from people asking about homeschooling in Poland, please continue to send your questions and introduction emails. I never tire of answering them. Anyone else out there who might not be homeschooling but thinking of moving to Poland, please write to me if you have questions! We are here and I would love to chat with you.
oliviamarydemkowicz@gmail.com
Peace be with you!
Olivia
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| Photo from almost exactly one year ago. We need more family photos. |
Hi, we are Polish - American family living in Krakow, I am expecting nr 4 and we take our catholic faith very seriously, so I think we have a lot in common. If you need any help or you want us to share some well kept Krakow's secrets or just to meet some new people, please call me (605055651) or email: annaole@wp.pl. Take care, Ania
ReplyDeleteGood evening Olivia,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Paul Malott and I have been on multiple expatriate sites looking for advice and help on how to get myself to Poland. One of these sites referred me to you and had said that you are extremely helpful. Long story short, I need a mentor of sorts. Someone to help me clear the clouds and bounce ideas off of. It seems you have very busy life but if you are willing I would love to explain my situation further. I can be reached at malottp@ferris.edu or 810.449.3806. I have phone card and would love to speak with someone who can help if you have time.
Thank you,
Hi Paul -- I am not in Poland (yet), but am working to get myself there as well -- I chose to answer your post because you are/were attending Ferris State University... (Great to see another Michigan university). Your post is from 2012 -- did you ever make it to Poland?? You can email me as well if you like -- I've been to Poland MANY times, and have it in my sights within the next 4 years.
DeleteLorrie
lmayzlin@emich.edu
Hi,
ReplyDeleteWe are an american family who has been living in poland for 14 years. We have 2 children ages 12 and 8. Although it is a bit of a culture shock we love living here. It is always a challenge but we can't imagine living agin in the US. We are south of Krakow and would love to meet up with other homeschool parents in Krakow if there are any. kas1705@yahoo.com
Thanks,
Katy
Hi Olivia! I found your blog recently and have been catching up with reading it this evening. I'm considering a move to Poland from Massachusetts with my family in the next five years. I would love to be in touch with you! It's inspiring to see what you and your family are up to! Feel free to check out my blog (many Polish topics there) where you will also find my contact info if you have time to be in touch. Thank you and best wishes!
ReplyDeleteHi Olivia,
ReplyDeleteI was referred to your blog via an FB posting by Karina Grolewska.
I've enjoyed browsing through your posts, brings back memories of my own early days in Poland.
I wanted to point out that the Krakow Post is always looking for contributors – check us out.
Hi Olivia
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading through your blog. I'm the editor of Expat Arrivals, a site dedicated to producing comprehensive expat country and city guides and I was hoping I could convince you to share some of your insights about expat life in Poland with our site. If you're interested to learn more, please email me at catherine@expatarrivals.com
Catherine
Dzien dobry Olivia,
ReplyDeleteI just bumped into your blog while looking for expat blogs and I admire your perseverance.
If you ever need any help or any clue I or my fiancee (who is Polish) would be glad to help.
You can find me here also: http://twistedredladybug.blogspot.de/
Cheers!
Hi Olivia,
ReplyDeleteYour. blog. rocks! There is just no other way to describe it. As a soon-to-be expat moving to Poland for 18-months starting in September, I really appreciated your candid insights and observations. Thank you for sharing your experience and through that helping me to prepare for my own.
Cheers!
Darlene
Dear Olivia,
ReplyDeleteIt's a pity you're so far away,I have been living about an hour from Gdańsk for the last 16 years and I found your blog so very interesting.
It's nice to know there are people out there like us, when I really thought I was the only one! I'm considering homeschooling my youngest sons, and wondered do you have any information on that?
Thanks,
Jojy
Yes! Please email me at olivia.demkowicz at yahoo.com. I love chatting about homeschooling. And here in Poland there is a great community.
DeleteJust found your blog, and I am envious and humbled by Americans who successfully live in other countries! I'm in Boone, North Carolina, and I homeschool my youngest son, age 5! And I agree with your statement - God is good all the time! I am also commenting to let your family and any other families living in Poland about a facebook group I have started for families all over the world to exchange children's books by mail! The International Children's/Youth Book Exchange by Roberta is a group I started to organize and facilitate my son's strong interest in maps and world cultures! https://www.facebook.com/groups/473597016065521/ I would love for your family or others to join us and see what the group is like! Please feel free to ask any questions, request to join the group and browse around! Also, you can find me on facebook with my full name: Roberta Meyers-Edmisten I look forward to your next post from Poland!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds wonderful, I'm looking into it now!
DeleteHi Olivia, I really like your blog!! I see that sometimes you struggle with finding American stuff in Krakow and I thought I would share some practical information. Being a Pole and living in the U.S. helps me to bridge these two worlds :) First, do you know that TJMaxx is now in Poland :)) It's known as TKMaxx and I think it is in the shopping center M1. Second, there is an American (might be British) bookstore in the center- Massolit (you probably can google its exact location). There is also a muffin/cupcake (Texas style) place open downtown as well! You mention that you miss some American food items, have you tried Alma (a few locations around the city) or small stand Smaki Swiata (or so) in the Galeria Krakowska (level -1)? They might have some American food. And trust me, Krakow is beautiful! You are probably living in the coolest city in Poland. Just go downtown as often as you can (sadly, it seems that the part of Krakow you live in now is not very appealing...)There are plenty of cute cafes which you are going to find charming. Just give it a chance, and you will like it. Just think about it - medical insurance: lower cost, college education for your kids: lower cost, public transportation - accessible for everybody, cute little stores, charming small streets, beautiful old town; and Main Square always packed with people. And the last thing food: i saw that you complained a bit about food, and i can absolutely understand it, we Poles sometimes eat "nasty" stuff, but food is very healthy. Here, in the U.S., I'm really stressed knowing that animals get lots of antibiotics and then I eat these antibiotics...., plus corn syrop in everything, and board ham off the bone (i think you mentioned it once) is full of salt yaki yaki. If you need any suggestions where to buy good meet and bread, let me know and I will be happy to point out some good locations. And you can also go to Kleparz, fresh fruit and vegetable in reasonable prices everyday. Yes, you can see I miss Pl ;)
ReplyDeleteKleparz! Yes, we like going there. Especially for the bialy ser. ;)
DeleteLove your blog! I am living a similar life to you - I am Polish who loves her country but decided to move to England for my English husband who has to live here. I understand you so well....
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI am newly to Wroclaw Poland from Massachusetts. My children are currently enrolled in a private International school. I am very very displeased with the staff. I thought it was the kids having a tough time transitioning BUT....... I could get into specifics if needed but let's just say the level of professionalism is very questionable. Not at all what we are used to in the states. I have 5 kids ranging from 27 to 7 and I have several friends and family that are teachers. I have no problem with public, private schooling. Never thought much about homeschooling. I'm not sure I have the patience. Right now I am so frustrated with what is happening in the school here that I am taking a hard look at homeschooling while we are living here in Wroclaw. I am hoping you could give me some advice, contacts or just point me in the right direction. I would appreciate ANY help. We are here for the next 2 years. Emily Butler emilypbutler@msn.com
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteMoving to Poland is my dream and wish, after living in the US for 20 years.... but how to find a well-paying job there? So far, no one seems impressed with my vast US professional experience nor MBA education, and the comments I got from headhunters is that employers are looking for local experience. How narrow minded, that can't be true! I hope I am just not looking in the right places and good jobs for expats in Poland do exists. What insights can any of you expats or soon-to-be expats offer? Do you know if any specific sites/headhunters specializing in international placements?
Hi Olivia and family. Are you still around?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletePoland is a great part of Europe to visit and certainly you can see there many beautiful places. It is worth to go there also, if we want to take a treatment in a well-equipped clinic, such as the American Clinic as part of Medicover Hospital. The staff working there in multilingual, and one of the most interesting options there is the Second Opinion. Within its framework, we may decide to re-run the diagnosis by another doctor, and what's more he also will propose an alternative method of treatment.
ReplyDelete