Thursday and Friday of this week marked our halfway point on this journey. At the onset of the adventure we asked each other several questions. One of the questions was, “Will this trip change you?” We asked the same questions, and several new ones, to each other this week while road tripping through Poland. The answers, not surprisingly are changing, as are we. What follows are snippets of our halfway-day reflection.
Will this trip change you?
All – yes (Mr. N’s answer has changed since January, and both kids say it already has.)
Will this trip influence your perspectives?
All – yes (Miss A says she thinks her perspectives have definitely changed.)
Things we love about Europe:
Mike – All the walking we do.
Kristy – People outside all the time.
Mr. N – The architecture.
Miss A – The history.
All – The time we get to spend together.
Our favorite thing about life in Poland:
All – The wonderful friends we have made! They have made this part of our adventure so much more than we could have ever expected. They welcome us into their homes as though we’ve known each other for years. The kids play with each other despite language barriers. They have shown us a Poland we surely wouldn’t have known without them – away from the tourist sights, a genuine look. We only hope they know how much they mean to us!
Things we miss at home (besides friends, family and our kitties):
Mike – Baseball, street lights that go across intersections and our local sushi place
Kristy – Having a clothes dryer, my shower, bed and streaming music
Mr. N – Toys, Xbox, carpeted floors and smoke detectors (he’s our cautious one)
Miss A – Toys, a microwave and her room
Top 5 Favorite Cities:
Mike – Budapest, Madrid, Barcelona, Paris and Krakow
Kristy – Budapest, Madrid, Getaria/San Sebastian, Segovia and Beaune
Mr. N – Budapest, Madrid, Marbella/Nerja, Arcos de la Frontera and Warsaw
Miss A – Eger, Barcelona, Paris, Arcos de la Frontera and Krakow
(Stay tuned for the next post when Mike breaks down our top 10 with a power ranking.)
Favorite Day
Mike – Miguel and Zabel’s winery
Kristy – Home day in Getaria
Mr. N – Zushi Sushi night in Warsaw
Miss A – Our full day in Eger, Hungary
Favorite thing to do:
Mike – Wineries
Kristy – Dinners/nights on the town
Mr. N – Tapas crawling
Miss A – Dinners/nights on the town
Will going home be hard?
All – YES! We will surely miss our time here. It has definitely changed us and will continue to leave its mark. Europe will remain a part of each of us, and hopefully will be a place we continue to return again and again.
Next up, a glimpse of our life in Czestochowa, Poland. Time is flying by! If we could hold on to each little moment we would – the good, the bad and the ugly (we’ve had them all!) – but, that’s exactly why this is changing us in ways we never expected, and it’s why it will live with us forever.
Eat, Play, Love 
Half way already! Can’t believe how the time is flying.
What beautiful reflections from you all Kristy and love how differently everyone answers.
Savour each moment until your return.
🙂 Mandy xoxoxo
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Thanks Mandy! We will savor every single minute! xo
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I totally agree with Karen, we take so much for granted and don’t realize how well off we are until we visit other countries. I too cannot believe you are half way there already, seems like just yesterday when you were planning your trip. Great memories, wonderful experiences, can’t wait to hear more about your adventures.
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In some ways it feels like we just left, but then other things seem ions away. And I agree too – living away shifts your priorities and perspectives. 🙂 Enjoy your day Norma!
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So great to read your reflections and hear a little about how each of you is feeling. I’m struck by your global enjoyment of eating/wining out/nights on the town — my other 3 members are all about physical adventure no matter where we are in the world! Clearly, I need to find a way to travel with your family ;o Thinking of all of you. May your days continue to be full and your memories plenty.
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It boils down to our kids being talkers. They LOVE to talk – real topics and imaginary. We go for the food, but stay for the convo. 😉 (And we get the physical in walking everywhere-or in Miss A’s case skipping, dancing and hopping everywhere!) Ha! And you are of course welcome to vacation with us anytime! Miss A in turn would no doubt want to join in on your boys’ adventures! Xo
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okay now you’ve really got me jealous… your teenage son actually likes to speak to his parents? 🙂 xx
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For now…we’re milking it as long as we can! (Helps that he’s stuck with just us for a few months!)
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Methinks my favourite post from your journey . . and I also cannot believe you are half-way thru’! I happen to think every day changes something in and for each of us: in your present lifestyle it has just been hugely accelerated!! Love the comparisons: and you certainly all liked one of my favourite countries: Hungary!! It is interesting to read both kids truly have appreciated the history and architecture . . . .and as far as things ‘missed’: nought of them have been really that important . . . more some comfort issues and practicalities . . .a wonderful read!!
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Thank you! I think that was one of my biggest surprises Eha – we really don’t miss much (family and friends aside). Amazing how the perspectives change. We have all we really need together. Mr. N definitely puts a lot of thought into architecture and design, and both kids are absolute sponges! Can’t believe it’s halfway either!
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Such a great post! I can’t believe it is already the half-way point!! It seems like time is flying by. We had an awesome trip back to Paris last week, and the first day H said “it feels like we are home again – our home away from home”. We fell right into our summer rhythm, and it was wonderful. I miss it already…. Enjoy every day, which it looks like you are definitely doing!!
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That is awesome Dawn! So glad you got a chance to be back! And how cool is it that you all slipped back into your Paris rhythm! And how cool that you will always have that together! I can only imagine how much I will miss this, so for now I’m embracing every second. 🙂
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I loved reading your reflections and i miss you very much.
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Thanks! And there’s so much left unsaid, as you know. Miss you too!!! So much!!
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When you get to live outside your own country, it does change you and I think for the better. We take so much for granted in our everyday lives. You can visit other places as a tourist but you really have to walk in other peoples shoes to appreciate what we have or don’t have. We lived for six months in the Dominican Republic and had such different experiences from those who have gone there on a week’s vacation.
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I can only imagine the difference there Karen! Incredible no doubt, and like you said, makes you appreciate things very differently. I can already see how much bigger the kids’ world is and ours too. Definitely a change for the better. Thank you my friend!
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It looks really wonderful
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Thank you! It’s been incredible in every way. 🙂
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Yes. I see what you mean – it will change you. Or at least it will add to your already enormous collection of travel experiences. Travel is a great teacher. And half way there already? Time is going by terribly fast. Our first dinner when you return will be momentous! So much for you all to tell us. love you and miss you but loving that you are loving your time over there.. c
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Miss you too C! We talk about you often and that we can’t wait to see the farmy when we get back. So much to talk about!
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