Bytom, Poland .
I stayed a year in this gritty, former mining town for an internship with the Silesian Dance Theatre.
In the winter it was so cold that my eyeballs would feel hard in the short seven minute bike ride from home to the theatre.
But in the spring, suddenly, the green would shoot up from the concrete.
Part of the reason I loved Poland so much is that art there feels so necessary; in the West the arts tend to be viewed as decorative – they will be the first thing that will be cut when budgets get tight. But in Poland, perhaps partly due to the role the arts has played historically in maintaining its identity (all the underground movement during Communisim/Solidarity movement) art is as essential to the fabric of their lives. So it was wonderful to be in a vibrant, artistic community.
Of course, this was six years ago. Since then Poland has joined the EU, a lot of young people have come abroad and gone back.. so no doubt things have changed a lot.
Of the cities of Poland I would say this: Warsaw is impressive and spacious; Krakow is truly beautiful. Small town center, wonderful architecture. I would recommend Krakow for visitors who only have a week for Poland.
But Bytom remains in my heart as a community that was gritty, tangibly alive.
Because a picture is worth a thousand words:
> Cold harsh winters
> Spring in Bytom
> Annual summer dance festival
> Krakow Rynek
> Aga’s family (You can tell very easily which is me.. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a place where I stood out so much. I think I was one of the two or three Asians in the Katowice city cluster. Children would stare at me openly on trams, adults covertly…)