Wroclaw (pronounced vr-os-wav)is the fourth largest city in Poland and is also home to my dear friend Konrad Bojakowski. I was lucky enough to travel throughout Poland with him and spend some time in the place he calls home.
I found Wroclaw to be a vibrant city with a charm that is lacking in Warsaw and even Poland’s tourist haven, Krakow. Unlike those two cities, Wroclaw feels like an authentically Polish experience.
Tourism is encouraged, but doesn’t dominate the picturesque Old Town or riverfront walkways. Instead, you’ll find (almost exclusively) locals crowding tables in the Rynek City Square and lounging on park benches.
The aging brick buildings of Wroclaw University line the streets of downtown and college students populate the thriving nightlife scene.
All the while, you can’t ignore the undertone of the city. It feels old and stark, run-down and tired. It feels like a place that was under an oppressive regime for 45 years. In short, it feels like what I imagined Poland to be; a country still recovering from a clouded past.
And yet the city continues to grow. Konrad says that more and more people are attending University and literacy is on the rise. There’s also a huge push to learn English so that Poland can be more active in the international economy.
Poland is already a member nation of the EU, but the government continues to petition for the right to adopt the Euro as their official currency. (The Zltoy remains relatively weak compared to the Euro.)
Konrad attends Wroclaw University and is working on his Masters Degree. He’s part of a growing population of motivated 20-somethings – fluent in English, well educated, and ready to help propel the country forward.
In addition to his studies, Konrad helps organize the Wroclaw World Championiships and works as an acrobatics coach, training and grooming children and teens for international competition.
Konrad in coaching in lower right*
Konrad himself was a world-class athlete competing in several World Cup competitions for solo and synchronized trampoline. He now sees athletics as an opportunity for Poland to shine on the international stage.
In Wroclaw you can feel all of that – the struggle among optimism and the desire to make Poland thrive.
*Photo courtesy of Wroclaw World Cup
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I have always wondered how you pronounce that! Thanks for clarifying. Now if only I could remember it if ever I make it to Poland… =)
I have no doubt that you will make it to Poland!
Cool post, glad you got to see some authentic Poland. I have been in Warsaw briefly but there’s a lot more to see!
I know so little about Poland but you make it look so interesting and fun!