My stay in Poland has been anything but bland. For an appetizer, I can see that Poland has opened its doors wide to foreign investors just by walking through town, admiring American, British, and German shops and restaurants. For my main course, I need only glance at a daily newspaper, skimming an article on the government's attempt to liberalize abortion laws, to witness the debate between conservatism and liberalism. It's an age-old democratic process, but one that would have never taken place behind the Iron Curtain. And, as there is always room for dessert, I can conclude my feast content in the knowledge that even the prudish and very Catholic Polish society is not immune to a few political scandals and incidents of corruption.
Democracy is alive and well in Poland.
I am pleased to say that, as a Fulbright scholar, my education has been intriguing. Through my studies, I have gained greater perspective on Polish education and the Polish way of life. When invited to lecture at the European Youth Convention, I discussed with university students from across Europe current issues in Polish politics, such as NATO expansion and European Union integration. I have also attended seminars and lectures at Jagiellonian University, exposing myself to a formal education much different from the one I received at Mount Holyoke. In Poland, for example, many professors supplement their meager salaries with second and even third jobs.