Pionki: Lessons Learned

September 09, 2017


Second Town! With an easy name! Haha Anna, her sister and Amelka drove us to Pionki. It’s not far, only about 45 minutes ride from Skaryszew. When we arrived, all I can think was how pretty this house is. It got a huge yard (front and back), blueberries & raspberries little garden, and this cute window with plants hanging. It didn’t take a long time for Anna and the house owner to mingle, they are outgoing people. This house is belong to Ms. Anna and Mr. Marek, who is spouse with 2 children, which both already has their own families, living in Malta and Australia. We took couple of pictures and our Skaryszew family said good bye to us.


Top chef foods from Mrs. Anna!

Ms. Anna told us that “living here is temporary, because it’s a little far from school, but there’s a sports house near school that you can see”. Too late. From day one, we already fall for this house. They treated us like their own child. Ms. Anna kept saying “I’m sorry my English is bad” but she had been doing an awesome job until the end of the program! Mr. Marek most of the times couldn’t do a full sentence, but he always knew what we meant, or he knews the word we’re looking for. And the most important part, he’s funny! We decided to continue living with them afterwards.
Mrs. Anna and Mr. Marek (They were so excited showing us good foo
This school is different from before, because this is a Culture Center called “MOK” that provides a course for orphanage kids. It would be more challenging because there are older kids here. On first day of teaching, we thought it will be like in Skaryszew..just introduction. Turned out we were expected to do something. Shocked because we’re not prepared, thankfully I brought Indonesian flag with me. So we introduced ourselves, I showed them Indonesia flag, and introduce my self once again with Indonesian language. I asked them to repeat after me, but with their name, one by one. They’re quiet excited and asked another Indonesian language. Anna tought them to write Poland in Cantonese (or Mandarin?) and Asser tought them to speak Arabic. These kids are kinda hard at first, maybe because of their condition. But days went by and their starting to like us (I hope so), they listened to us more and corporated well. Every week we tried to bring something new with the teaching material. Because, boy, I wish I had prepared tons of stuff to teach them, but the naïve me only made 1 Indonesia introduction video. Yes. I know. On last day, I tought them Papua dance and their faces were so happy and energetic that they asked to dance once again.

First Day! Anna was showing Hongkong Flag

Asser teaching the kids how to draw camel

That's me. Teaching Papua dance so awkwardly

Through the teaching session, we had 2 wonderful translator. Kinga and Weronika. One day Ms. Anna just met them and asked “Can you guys speak English?” they answered “Umm.. yes?” then she said “Then can you help me?” Bam! They became our translator. What a unique backstory. They’re not only our translator, but they become our friends. They told us stories about this town. Pionki used to be known with its gunpowder and explosives factory, but after World War II,   the factory began manufacturing glue, plastic, and gramophone (vinyl) records. Nowadays most of those factory doesn’t work anymore, only the vynil factory still producing goods. It’s one of the reason there aren’t many job vacancies in Pionki. A lot of young people went to another town for studying or working. “There aren’t many activities for young people to do in here as well, so most of them left” Kinga said. Oh that’s why we didn’t see that many young adults here. They took us everywhere! On the first day we ate Zapiekanka (Polish open-sandwich), then we went to the lake. It was summer, but the weather was so chilly! On another day we went to Weronika’s house (It’s literally in the middle of forest which is awesome), we met her family and played GTA a lot. We went inside the forest to see the abandoned factory. Asser never been to a forest……haha maybe this is as weird as I said I never been to a desert for him. We walked through, and there is a big abandoned factory. It’s kinda creepy actually so I didn’t take many photos (with my camera, but I took a lot with my crappy phone camera). They already memorized the way to some buildings here, and there’s one with high stairs that we could take a look at the rooftop.


Zapiekanka and Tymbark Juice (We could collect the bottle cap that contains message)

The one and only Kinga & Weronika

Photos of abandoned factory starts here



It stops here, I must obey to the sign.
Their farewell gifts! How sweet!


Everyday Ms. Anna always prepared something for us. After school she’d be like “Let’s meet the mayor!” “We should take a ride on that water duck!” “Do you wanna play Wake Park?” “We will go to the festival!”. So this is what they as as “Everyday is a new adventure!”. On the third day, we went to the vynil museum-school-lake. On the lake, Asser played Wake Park with The Mayor and his son, while I still thinking about it and Anna didn’t want to. Ms Anna, Anna and me played water duck instead. At night, Mr. Marek set a bonfire in the backyard and invited Kinga & Weronika. We were really excited because they said we’re gonna try cooking potatoes inside the bon fire! It tasted amazing. Mr. Marek was so excited to prepared this activity as well. Later Ms Anna told us that the last time they did that, it was with one of Mr. Marek’s family member. After his family member passed away, Mr. Marek couldn’t make this kind of activities anymore because it’s too emotional for him. But now he did it again, with us. *BIG HUG TO MR. MAREK*. I couldn’t appreciate him more for this *sobs*. Ok! On the fourth day, finally I played the Wake Park! I am sucks haha really. The shoes and board were slipping off my feet, which made me a little bit panicked. The mayor (he’s kinda our coach) said that if I felt not strong enough to continue and wanted them to pulled me, just waved. I waved, lots of times, but they didn’t see!! Maybe they wanted me to be more tough. Fyi, Wake Park is a cable wakeboarding which is like water ski, but with cable controlled by electric motor that runs back and forth. Whenever you fall and your hands off grip from the cable, you have to swim reaching the cable. It’s kinda hard to do if wind and waves in the lake are strong. That’s what happened with me. So they sent a boat to picked me up. Or I thought so. Turned out that boat only helped me to reach the cable, so I had to wake-parking again hahaha it’s good for gaining experience though. I regret nothing J On day five, Mrs. Anna and Mr. Marek took us to Kazimierz Dolny (I will put it in different post) and we came to pre-events of World Youth Day on the lake. So World Youth Day is an international meeting of youth with their catechists, priests, bishops, and the pope. They (people who will attend WYD) traveled to Krakow (where WYD 2016 took place) by passing through Poland from all over the world. They would make a stop in few towns, including Pionki. And Pionki made a welcoming party for them. Last day had came, we went to the school to watched Serbian singing concert, and after that we went to Moto Weekend where people are drifting and showing off their cars and motorcycle. Totally different events in one day, eh? I was excited and sad at the same time because it was our last day before they drove us to next town on Sunday. Mr. Marek was surprised when he heard we had to go on Sunday morning. “What? I thought you will go on Monday.. I’ve bought a lot of fruits and cartons of juices for you guys..then what will I do with it?” He said, he sounded really upsets. And that kinda broke my heart…

The Mayor

The famous Lake in Pionki

Asser was trying to beat The Wake Park (in one week he played like 3 times!)


That boat in the back saved me! Please pardon my face

The Vinyl Museum



World Youth Day Pre-event

Biggest eggplant I've ever seen

Mrs. Anna and the English Teacher, Mrs. Kasia

Moto Weekend

You would never expected that a total stranger with different languanges, different background and cultures, can make you feel like home. It’s like you’ve known them a long time, you feel comfortable with them. It’s a weird, yet a beautiful feeling. During my stay, I learn from Mrs. Anna and Mr. Marek that kindness doesn’t always needs a reason. Kindness is not limited by your background, or your nationality. I can say that I want to be like them when the future me & husband are growing old together. Their life still full of gratitude, team work, joy and laugh. And no matter how old you are, you never stop learning. NEVER. Isn’t already feeling tense if you have to be with stranger all the time? Moreover if they don’t speak your language. But they took us, they accepted us in their house, and made us feel like a family. How cool is that?
I learn from our friends too, Kinga and Weronika. I learn that even if your life sucks, you have to be strong. It’s okay if you can’t directly deal with it, but at least you have to stay strong. Don’t give up. Don’t be affected by your circle. If they are full of negativity and hatred, leave them. You’re the one who will grow time by time. You will grow gracefully, successfully, if you really mean it.

Thank you for letting us stay in your house, Mrs. Anna and Mr. Marek.
Thank you for being our friends, Kinga and Weronika.
Thank you for teaching me lessons, Pionki.




P.s: Our farewell gift for them :)






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