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Rodeo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1646254152017-VAU28254BDY6W1QJ6TF2/IMG_5931.jpg Rodeo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1646254528753-3P7HSHX5KJ3ZAQQJO1VA/IMG_5860.jpg Rodeo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1646254866409-S8M39LPLUVUXZ8EFCLDE/IMG_5925_small.jpg Rodeo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1646255029269-EBUH5X647ALJOMP8LNIT/IMG_5847_small.jpg Rodeo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1646255105365-1F08RFIGCLMJCX9MNR4K/IMG_5859_small.jpg Rodeo http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip daily 0.75 2022-05-12 http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2021/2/16/pa470ltgjaf8g8qxi6i8sb938ydrvk monthly 0.5 2021-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613523912674-5HW0RF4J8FUOCRCVN2JC/0Z7A6322_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip An image from the place I spend the most time, these days- my wagon. Lots of ladybugs have tried to winter over in here with me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613523946599-YZ342J7GB1HA261M96WI/0Z7A6333_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip We went to Staunton to look at a house and stopped by our friend Nikki’s new space that she’s converting into a cidery. It’s still in the beginning stages but it’s going to be a really great spot. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613523976564-PU4Y6BESZN1K2I7AUDTY/0Z7A6357_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip More pictures form the interior- it was originally a creamery and has really cool tiled walls and floors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613524025686-46H16JQ4UYJZUBPTDELY/0Z7A6382_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip This is the house we looked at! It is a great neighborhood, but the house was old and crooked- those aren’t terrible characteristics, actually, but…it was just not quite the one. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2021/2/15/pv6macfjipzkgvpem9ye9zgygr0vr2 monthly 0.5 2021-02-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613448018408-KTZ7DB9NRPRFN7UM8S1P/0Z7A6294_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Farm life https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613448041116-MOZKTTBPKWR5OBVG3M8M/0Z7A6292_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Farm life http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2021/2/15/house-arrest monthly 0.5 2021-02-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613433964326-HAJ8MPTFG0Z091GNNHQD/0Z7A2236_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest Hopscotch and King! Looking good and happy now that they live together in the same space and share a shelter and can snug each other during unpleasant weather. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613433987302-F6RCDYLJTYFR0D6YR3MM/0Z7A2243_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest A view of the pond. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613434017359-07E0W2RY1FXRV5X6MESC/0Z7A2260_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest Firewood stacked so nicely, I love it and want to take a picture every time I walk by even though the stacks rarely change. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613434043072-1U6UL98GPZW61KAXD5PS/0Z7A2273_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest Lone sheep, looks like he’s posing in front of a backdrop. This batch of guys is not as shy as the last batch. They don’t immediately run and even humor me for a few seconds while I figure out the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613434063054-HGA1K86OS10KQ02DD4Z4/0Z7A2276_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest Tough love is this method of sheep farming. They move around a lot and don’t have a shelter and just forage for what’s around. Here they are taking cover under a tree. The only thing that prevents them from falling ill or dying is good genetics and luck. They don’t get much human help here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613434098046-LH81N2KXCBDXKGGGZ5S4/0Z7A2281_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest Foraging. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613434140798-Y1AR1G644E2NJVS2GHRO/0Z7A2284_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest Sam! Dave was calling for him to come back and I could hear by the increasing urgency in his voice that Sam wasn’t listening - i turned around a caught him just as he took off running toward me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613434179931-UYTUOZZQVP7Q7KXNU7JN/0Z7A2292_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest The roads. It looks like such a heavy snow but by afternoon they were completely clear. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613434220868-JNAFMDRRVY1X0KXDD33M/0Z7A6094_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest Adventures with Sam. He seems to find me at some point on my walk around the farm, mostly when I’m passing his house. I often don’t see him and think he’s inside or off somewhere else but as I start the walk up the drive well past his house, I’ll feel a tug on my glove and there he is! Somehow he sees me or hears me and he runs up quietly behind me and surprises me each time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613434245169-D7Z4VYWJG2GY2LD58RZ2/0Z7A6096_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest More adventures with Sam, who found a scent and nose is pressed firmly into the creek bed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613434283664-H43YV3LMGHL98APQBEB2/0Z7A6132_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest The back of my wagon! The trees in that field are so old and beautiful. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613434310826-ON4MDEETSKHT7LTYEP4Y/0Z7A6136_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613434337389-QPNEJUAY46T6QFHOE586/0Z7A6140_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest This is a love story in 3 parts. Sam and Nala. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613434363967-4WZZJTRWA1TYVYZB85FJ/0Z7A6141_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest More Sam and Nala but Sam is really the only one advancing, overcome with joy and excitement. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613434392159-NUUBEPA1ASSA84BZ77PT/0Z7A6142_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest True love. This is minutes before they became a force for evil, combining their strength to separate out and chase a baby lamb around a field, into a creek, and finally under a bush. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613434432953-90S0N29QP1VO1V14GSWR/0Z7A6156_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest This is my favorite field with my favorite tree. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613434458544-MU031PTOGE4FYJFTZ76L/0Z7A6177_2_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest After the Nala/Sam debacle where after much frantic screaming and chasing, I was able to finally catch up to the dogs and the lamb, and hold the little guy in place- he was fluffy with very warm ears- with him not moving, I could keep the dogs away. Dave came and called Sam away and Nala was called off by the neighbor and Dave carried the baby back to its mom and the rest of the flock. However, I didn’t get to see the reunion because I was busy making sure Nala wouldn’t circle back to the sheep - which she was trying to do since her owner was unconcerned and failed to bring a leash and was more interested in seeing the baby lamb rejoined with its mom. So, that was super cool and by cool I mean annoying. I should’ve made him deal with his dog, but I didn’t want to put more stress on the baby. Also, I was kind of disappointed that when Nala separated the baby out from the rest of the sheep, that they really didn’t do anything about it. They didn’t surround her or try to protect their young, they were kind of like, bye baby, good luck. I’ve since checked on them, the little guy is sticking close to the mom and seems to be ok. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613434487118-LI0D44AD9PVHBXIMZ35T/0Z7A6183_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1613434509936-WGCH5HWCEZ6OT21SYP0I/0Z7A6188_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - House Arrest That sweet face. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2020/3/26/quaran-tucson monthly 0.5 2021-02-16 http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/11/21/all-souls monthly 0.5 2020-02-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398270069-KIHBNJKUKPXMDLGYURUK/0Z7A0780.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398299489-S5HMA1RINDCOM2EC3YBS/0Z7A0799.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls I loved this lady and specifically asked her to pose in front of that car. This was a mistake. She even tried to move out of the way, but I said, no no- I love the yellow. But now instead of yellow I only see the obnoxious headlights and everything else that makes up a car that is not yellow- an aggressive pile of metal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398328927-UYSN5L983LETFPJRS4L2/0Z7A0823.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls This was really nice. I madet two ribbons- one for my uncle and one for our friend Betsy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398355565-9BYLY6MYC87CZ7PVZSIB/0Z7A0830.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls Even beloved pets are remembered. I like that this lady has her eyes closed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398396221-YJH0YOBNLXFZR7R8BFKM/0Z7A0866.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls This gentleman was getting his face painted, and I have photos of this actively happening- but I liked this picture for some reason, I like how the lady is looking at someone out of the frame and how he’s patiently sitting with his eyes closed. His wife, who was nearby, told me that the photo pinned to his jacket was his mother. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398420640-KI1023OXPRW5VY9HTGGZ/0Z7A0945.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls It is always striking when the memorials show someone that died recently. And, I guess that’s a gang sign? Or maybe sign language. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398450500-VGGZRPZN7FUMWXLQA728/0Z7A0962.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls Spectating the spectators! My favorite. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398483284-PPYI2OZFG7Z1Q5CPPG5P/0Z7A0992.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls These ladies were intense. They started off the procession and they didn’t like you to block them or get too close. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398505145-D3L3KOJ400829FM2RUHO/0Z7A1003.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls So, I’ll say that I was moving a lot and not really speaking with anyone, so I don’t know any back stories and when I look at these photos now I see that was a mistake because I’d like some back story. This gentleman’s memorial- it’s very beautiful and there are some interesting dolls along the bottom and a very elaborate shrine on the top…but I don’t know anything and sometimes I think it would be worse to ask because it’s too painful to talk about? Though I think lots of people probably enjoy speaking of their loved ones. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398521945-4B72ZDLLETV7DAOM1KO5/0Z7A1039.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls In a hair salon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398546138-NTV7II35OO4LR9DDXPTO/0Z7A1053.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398576974-JUSOMDKGMSD360VLYZPS/0Z7A1091.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398609460-T71ES5S3MML2CSGJW834/0Z7A1100.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls I love this photo mostly because I love the way they did the menu. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398636935-5AVLUGSQ2KGM2Y24D6XY/0Z7A1117.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398666489-ZIAX4QZHU7TT3DZKXQQH/0Z7A1124.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398686894-71P1U52ZLRI5JP6ICAQ8/0Z7A1138.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398756913-836X6OZ2SBG7A1GMQW4L/0Z7A1149.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398794165-19BBF1A3J70IETNO1AE5/0Z7A1161.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398816441-FGT9IJC0PML7E7V1BR4M/0Z7A1164.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398849763-BRIGK7TKMICST354VM4W/0Z7A1165.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398912042-Y0EBZO9QNUDC9KOUXENQ/0Z7A1198.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls This is a burger place that was full even as the parade was moving past, I think people peeled off and decided to grab a bite before continuing, or just not continuing- this place is 2 blocks after the start of the parade. Also, that guy is very tall and trying to look innocuous. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398943116-LFRO0VBVL4HXNWIVW7P5/0Z7A1201.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574398971027-R9UR0WD8K1PK4KS4HYZK/0Z7A1208.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls This is an interesting photo and perhaps I should post the other one, too- but something changed in the millisecond between the two shots where the woman in the middle was super inviting in the first one, and in the second one there’s a flash of irritation on her face. Yet, I like it the best. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399049818-V0S2L0BICZ2MOE8QHE2X/0Z7A1268.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399077980-BQG4L79KGB7X1FSJW75C/0Z7A1294.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399099360-XU8F8MR14ZM3NQ7DMSWE/0Z7A1312.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls I’m posting two dancing photos even though they are nearly identical. Because I think I like them both for different reasons. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399129455-DRQBD0CVY3J839WNM3IO/0Z7A1314.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399291550-S7SHBQNZWWOKCN9CJ9JL/0Z7A1374.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399325063-LYVUHT6M78J7L9RNGP99/0Z7A1397.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399360761-LCM7ODQBTHOG44GP3JHN/0Z7A1398.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399383618-21QGBAJFCHQRJUHG7GAE/0Z7A1406.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399423307-W8DEY5B2SGXQ68G1RN7Z/0Z7A1419.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls This is a terrible photo of a beautiful instance- I saw this young guy carrying his sleeping baby and gazing at him/her- I wanted to capture that affection- so I didn’t want him to pose- but I did tell him later he looked so nice with his baby. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399448916-O1BJDN83XCFWOOWMTOXW/0Z7A1423.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls Me with my painted face in a dirty bathroom! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399476866-ERVFFIU0GWMMKGUWOPA0/0Z7A1431.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399510971-MZ6SZ169QRWAUCBTQ2H0/0Z7A1435.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls Not sure what’s happening here, but doesn’t she look possessed? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399536356-IN9VB3PUJEJ8KXK8LKK5/0Z7A1492.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls These women! Holy cow, they looked amazing. As I was walking up they were standing together. What happens in this parade is that many people start at the beginning, but many join in wherever they want. When the parade passed them, the woman in the middle, matriarch, took their hands and did this motion, like ok, here we go. It was a motion of conviction, deliberation and forced strength. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399575945-J98P2Z4NCNS5GL50UTC2/0Z7A1502.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls Just some antlers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399600990-AUJHGQ7FNCJMMVA7LE2P/0Z7A1529.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399629798-INW6E8Z3GI8HKP21A5CP/0Z7A1541.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399697135-APYERDINWKJC47BZC8D3/0Z7A1571.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399718390-R4XFTA5R4LSA9LPIDE3M/0Z7A1595.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls This young child was doing a lot of talking into that megaphone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399749096-8UUTZK6M9PBL036I5R1V/0Z7A1598-2.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls Spectators spectating! Spectating the spectators! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399773911-WSTAU19MQHKL8WKJZFAV/0Z7A1652.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls And when it’s all over, people wait for the bus. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399797484-QSEKQOMR0DSTNN3QDDOA/0Z7A1668.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls And they get drinks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399825786-OY2YCM18JJX0GMAJ2KE2/0Z7A1689-2.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls And they eat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1574399855940-8ZLZIPOP2RJ74PTCO3VK/0Z7A1696.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All Souls And they get makeovers and buy hand bags. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/10/28/night-walks monthly 0.5 2019-11-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1572235349290-SIFV2M4FETNIXI0758CK/0Z7A0467_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Night walks https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1572235598682-65ACZUI6V3PAHPJCU7UX/0Z7A0463_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Night walks http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/10/21/dh3gp4ag7cx9ab2bdps2kut4p4km5n monthly 0.5 2019-10-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709147189-Z5VPVYL9PTSKUFH8544N/0Z7A9523.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Sometimes we find these brown jugs that migrants bring with them from Mexico, the color is supposed to be less reflective than the regular white and clear jugs thus making them less easily able to be spotted by border patrol. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709163997-LECY1BJ918QG2HHKC6R0/0Z7A9539.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops We found this jug on the path, pretty far away from the other jugs and not one of ours - it reads ‘Fuerzas amigo!’ which means, I think, ‘have strength, friend!’ which made me pause when I first saw it and makes me cry when I write it. There was also writing on the other side which said “Dios esta contigo”, God is with you. Little notes left for others following the same path meant to give courage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709182516-BGEYJVTUUQY4GW432ERG/image-asset.jpeg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Our hike into the canyon to fill the water jugs, it was about a mile and pretty level, which was fine in moderate heat- but, again, I have a difficult time imagining any of this activity in the summer. And I say it was fine, but it still wasn’t a walk in the park while carrying 16 lbs of water on my back- and that really doesn’t sound like a lot, but it is. And it’s what everyone should carry with them for one day in the desert. It’s heavy as hell. I can’t imagine carrying a child with you on this journey. Also, our path was fairly straightforward, with relatively few ups and downs, but apparently the migrant path which leads to the water drop location we were hiking to is less straightforward and goes up and over the hills leading into the canyon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709197445-1SAIGTVM1M8CI85MVCTT/0Z7A9567.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Water bottle. I asked if we should pick up the trash, but Bob’s answer was as I suspected, the debris lets others know they’re on the right path. So we left most things we saw along the way. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709220220-T2IM0Z6WPW57506I03IT/0Z7A9579.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops It’s always…sad seems too shallow a word- unnerving- to find clothing along the trail. These seemed to be a pair of sweatpants belonging to a woman- at least it seemed like they belong to a woman. Yellow and fun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709238971-KH6HDSATBXHGVICKLJ6O/0Z7A9586.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Piece of can. Lots of cans along the trail. I think these are the kind of pieces Alvaro uses to embellish his crosses. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709258122-1RBFHPC6L0UQC9JOOYH1/0Z7A9608.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Bob! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709278472-HTLGZVWGS7UTLKLDRWX9/0Z7A9611.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops We’ve arrived at our water drop. Linda is checking how many gallons of water were taken, how many had animal damage, and determining how many to leave. In this case because the hike was a mile, no one wanted to hike back out with water, so we left every thing we had. Bob is examining a food bucket we leave in the branches filled with snack/sock packets for migrants- leaving it in the tree is to keep it safe from animals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709295681-E2TKZSZ1BO7RAWOLT6K5/0Z7A9627.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Another water jug left at the site, a sign to the next group that Juan made it that far. A smiley face of encouragement. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709317608-3ICTUWKNA9VEJ1XRPP1C/0Z7A9629.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Linda marks the jugs with the location number and date so we can keep track of what’s been used and when the last drop happened. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709338025-6PCE8G7RSDEJNP357Y88/0Z7A9651.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Marked water jugs- this type of water bottle is impossible and annoying to carry for long distances or any distances because of the handle. But those traditional milk jugs seem to have a thinner plastic that’s easier for birds and other animals to destroy and get to first before any migrants have the chance. Also, I asked if migrants were ever afraid to drink the water, if they feared it would be poisoned, because I think that’s what I might suspect in this inhospitable land. The answer was yes. Having them sealed helps to allay some fears. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709354739-F779CADK9Q9Q3TJZUDM1/0Z7A9634.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops A sample of the food/sock packet we left in the buckets. It seems that socks are often discarded, it’s not clear why. In addition to the socks, there’s a bag of goldfish, vienna sausages, apple sauce, granola bar, and a juice. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709375856-R7STC8E7PRU4QV1726IS/0Z7A9658.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Food bucket hung from a tree. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709403305-H036KLRX5AAYFKT6LSZM/image-asset.jpeg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Discarded socks. Adult socks, child socks - or socks for a very short person. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709422280-298Q8WY1KOCK7UR0E8Z9/0Z7A9670.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Still life with water jugs, food bucket, and discarded socks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709443269-AIYZO0NVW3E0VADWJLXL/0Z7A9699.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Another shirt we found on the trail, it looks like someone’s party shirt. Who knows if this is even true, maybe it was shirt they hated for a long time and were happy for the opportunity to unload it. It’s easy to put a grim reading into all the things found along the way. The journey is grim and one of desperation but there must be bright spots and- my personal favorite- gallows humor along the way? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709464183-8EO58CKPN49S9XVA235Q/0Z7A9706.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Scrambling through the narrow rock path. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709487377-7U596MBYLR2YXIEQWNJI/0Z7A9731.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops The grasses, bushes, are so tall and overgrown it’d be easy to lose your group along the way. And difficult to figure out where you are once you do. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709513299-KMW257F0777IOHIAM1ZR/0Z7A9748.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops We found very clean bones! Someone had a feast, there was a whole pile of them next to this one. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709535849-7H9HKW20WWOS5PBQAPEI/0Z7A9754.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Hey guys, wait up. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709556110-6QSHXE51GAEQXI840V1R/0Z7A9757.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Just the landscape which is both beautiful and harsh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709581232-WHMYBI8YB6Z1DAEMT5NE/0Z7A9771.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops At the next drop the jugs had their tops sliced. This was done by assholes- rednecks, hunters, redneck hunters, or vigilantes. They slice the tops and leave the jugs to show they were there. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709603113-XK8KVJ3OTZ1OVPD1ICOL/0Z7A9782.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Oh, hey Linda. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709639141-ME59ADHSR0851USJQU0V/0Z7A9802.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Recording the water drops in the log book back in the car. An inexact science based on what we can remember. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709658606-77S6RFSZR2GB0FI6MGY4/0Z7A9801.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops More still life with water. How this space is transformed. It looks wild and untouched until you look closer and notice the displaced artifacts waiting for more people to pass through and scattered with the those that’ve been left behind. Near one of the water drops were some rocky outcroppings that Bob said an independent group of engineers and other nerds claimed as an area that might have gold - hobby gold miners- which is not a rare occurrence in this area of Arizona, apparently-- it makes me wonder about how this land witnesses all the different kinds of people using it and passing through it on a given day. Each group - maybe purposefully- oblivious of the others, some brave with an inherent entitlement, some hiding from anything that makes a sound. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709677464-YWEW51UA06SHR6728ISM/0Z7A9818.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Bob! Apparently it’s hunting season and I keep wearing neutral colored clothing, thankfully Bob has a red shirt- so I guess we know if a redneck hunter gets him, it was on purpose. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709702119-WUZRUN2A5W0AI8GICDKG/0Z7A9819.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Blurry Bob- I do love this picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709726955-P8361E9QIH6Y299VBLA9/0Z7A9827.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Ocatillos are so odd and angular and when they’re all together, striking. All the desert vegetation is sculptural. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709748531-BJX3UE3NEU885K81CVMZ/0Z7A9831.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops More found clothing- appears dropped carelessly, hurriedly, flung. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709771946-5IN396XFCYTVM4CECJSQ/0Z7A9833.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Unattached buttons. Of all the pieces we found, these scattered buttons caused Linda to pause. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709801474-VVHB6H5VIHUXW8FMXPBX/0Z7A9837.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops A faint path. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709826830-2CXRRT2OLZ0GHL7THIV2/0Z7A9838.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Ocatillos! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709848762-0F3XFCRMTUV7EZ081EY6/0Z7A9849.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Bob takes a school group out once a month- usually they’re private schools or Christian schools- from California, Colorado, and Arizona. They visit the border and migrant paths so they can see the devastation of these desperate journeys. And no good immigration policy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709870789-76TYQ17T9CPGYM99SMD3/0Z7A9853.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops A blanket provided by Tucson Samaritans that’s been used and left behind. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709891624-8PM6J1LPU365KAPWK4PH/0Z7A9858.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops More clothing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571709908290-ILR6KYA9XZDIHHNCLHMR/image-asset.jpeg The Great American Road Trip - Water Drops Still life with water bottle. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/10/14/tucson-and-on monthly 0.5 2019-10-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571035587454-LMGU65JYFMR3U40J1U9T/0Z7A9224.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on I pulled up at 6AM and they were waiting on me to start the day. We had about 5 stops to make, all south of Tucson (though now I can’t really remember if that number is right- seems right…ish). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571035611379-XZBYDUW4HEDS56FADFPS/0Z7A9225.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on First stop was the gas station just outside of the city. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571035647655-ZHJSQD9I7GEO9O9JGP79/0Z7A9229.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on At the first water stop, we found a carpet shoe which is a cloth boot fastened on top of a regular shoe with carpet on the bottom and camouflage fabric on the top to prevent your foot prints from showing up in the dirt/sand. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571035679654-RBVAU9ZSYXUXGYO1X8XH/0Z7A9230.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on Another view of the carpet shoe. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571035709518-ARWNKX1JV00CYS2OOA0G/0Z7A9236.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on A view of the road near the water stop. This isn’t a migrant trail, but passes near one- I kept trying to imagine a view similar to this- sunny, hot, uneven terrain, empty except for hostile vegetation. In other areas, I’d wander off and the breeze with only the hum of insects made me pause to confirm those were insects and not voices, trees swaying and not people in the shadows. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571035729797-PHMQH2HJYDCIEQG53C3O/0Z7A9238.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on Checking the water. The barrels are about 55 gallons, I think. At each barrel, we’d unlock the top lock and check to see if the water was visibly ok- nothing floating in it, no algae. Someone would always do a taste test, too. A frequent problem was a loose seal between the nozzle and the barrel which would result in a slow water leak. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571035756063-MA2TTFA0AFR3AC6A9YHB/0Z7A9241.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on The blue flag that’s to indicate that there’s a water barrel nearby. Not sure how far a way you can see these flags, from the roads we traveled in the truck, it seemed you had to practically be next to the barrel to see it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571035779547-DLDNX25I2B7U4PLG9ZFC/0Z7A9244.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on The three guys that went on the trip that day. The volunteers are interesting, from all walks of life, most having a history of doing some kind of human rights work, speaking up, and generally trying to make the world and earth a good place for humans to co exist. They’re all pretty much white and retired or semi retired but they’re not all men. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571035803482-SQ8N5YHS65HGTXV6WTP6/0Z7A9248.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on This sticker of the virgin Mary is on the water barrels. I believe she is the patron saint of the migrant’s journey. It lets them know this water comes from friends and is to help. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571035837827-NZJ8059KDTKLOB0G1V47/0Z7A9255.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on A volunteer. He has a Tesla. As we can see by his jacket. And he started his Tesla’s AC from his phone 15 minutes before we returned to the parking lot at the end of the day. He also is a semi/mostly retired trial attorney from Vermont who moved here some years ago and continues to help appeal asylum cases for migrants that have been denied. This man has done and continues to do important work- based on what he recounted- but it was really overshadowed by that Tesla. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571035870685-6LEZ7E45BZLPNMQVPI5S/0Z7A9259.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on After discovering that the barrel was leaking, they decided to unscrew it, let the water out and try to re seal it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571035890661-WHIZJ1C0MJ39WKGF0YXH/0Z7A9270.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on Nice looking berries, probably poisonous. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571035919396-NQ896JQ1LWMJ3GZI07AG/0Z7A9282.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on Hot. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571035975982-JSG6RV1F69ATL6CUFLXK/0Z7A9283.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on Around these water barrels, every little thing that doesn’t come from nature gets a second and third look- mostly from me. Everything seems to hold significance and be a sign of migrants passing through. This tiny yellow ball that looks like chocolate candy made me wonder if someone had been by recently. Or was it only from a county employee who’d been on the land to check the area. Was it even candy? It looks like it, but maybe it’s, like, a bullet or something. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571036014852-U88CI0K42BVDF179E0K8/image-asset.jpeg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on Some unfriendly vegetation, this is cholla. I know to avoid the large spines, but I always want to touch and press on the spongey part where there aren’t any visible spines. This is a mistake because in those areas there are tiny soft spines that lodge in your fingers and are painful, annoying, and difficult to remove. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571036153112-MNNWJ80IFFZW8A2OQS5J/0Z7A9306.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on Frank found a water bottle, perhaps belonging to a migrant. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571036205007-M641JSXBPFMATL8WSVRR/0Z7A9312.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on On the way and along the road, we stopped at some crosses put up by Alvaro. He has a special weekly crosses trip to put up these wooden crosses that he makes in the red dot spots which indicate areas where migrants have died. I went on this trip a few days after this water trip and it was a bit of a fiasco because of the media that also attended, but the general idea to not let these deaths be invisible, to remind us/the government that thousands of people are dying on our soil due to inability to get the immigration thing together, that we are all somehow complicit in these deaths- is important. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340014577-LON3GVJL09IJ9NPHYBTE/0Z7A9315.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on Some crosses are destroyed by vigilantes and general assholes. some crosses are more decorated as time passes. Alvaro puts a couple of pieces on the cross from items he finds in the desert left by migrants, always a dot in the center for the red dots on the map, and then a couple of other metallic pieces he nails on. The rosaries, ribbons, and flowers are added by others. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340090269-TZIXS6OABEAJUF5U9T5I/0Z7A9318.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on It’s difficult to see, but through the blurry barbed wire, there’s a colorful blanket covered in sand that probably belonged to a migrant. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340125988-B1VCBPRPWWD0DWD5F02H/0Z7A9326.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on Another cross by Alvaro with a red dot and the pieces nailed on to each end of the cross. The rosary made of painted chickpeas was added by someone else. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340166799-FVM4UUCC5046PB8N2KMK/0Z7A9328.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on Chickpea rosary. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340291083-YJS4KYX7UA0MIGHN2B2E/0Z7A9309.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on You can see the crosses next to the road. There is no good place to die in this migration, but when it is so close to the road it seems extra strange and sad because you wonder if people saw this person and just drove by. Or were they murdered, or were they so dehydrated that they were delirious and wandered into the road at night and were accidentally struck by a passing vehicle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340325395-TILZ1PB2413RYXLIMBUS/0Z7A9336.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on On our way to another stop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340385468-FRNODTCXGXX4KKFGMISZ/0Z7A9339.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on Trying some water and dumping it out. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340474547-Y40L4YRFP2AIE0U916IU/0Z7A9340.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on A meeting of the minds. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340503326-BY7NGMBAZG90ZBCFN8PB/0Z7A9342.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on A long hot road. But not a migrant path. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340603356-P0SDEI6U7T0H9GSUVPOZ/0Z7A9347.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on Trying to straighten a drooping water flag. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340637030-860S9M38KHHNF75D0WY7/image-asset.jpeg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on Water truck in the wild. The white tank closest to the cab is the supply of water. We had extra blue barrels to replace faulty barrels from various locations, extra flags and flagpoles, and extra of everything that we might need to fix a barrel. Sometimes a barrel leaks innocently, sometimes it has been tampered with on purpose. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340664106-EGOJ6TKWF0EJ4BUFVFL4/0Z7A9364.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on Just a view. That sharp pointy peak in the middle is Baboquivari and it is where the Tohono O'odhama tribe believe their creator resides, and where all of creation started. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340690901-8RQ9PRY7SSQ98UMV8IU1/0Z7A9372.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on Just a view of heads and a flag. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340715573-A77BQNLBY0BODDGKEWNQ/image-asset.jpeg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on A view of Baboquivari in the distance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340744213-E8SAGV13PQ1FKIIESEVN/0Z7A9381.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on A flag in the desert. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340785381-O5AI971Y3XMSEGIVPKZ2/0Z7A9389.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on Refilling the water barrel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340810978-SGYLXEVH3O0LVDG5SOO0/image-asset.jpeg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on Chitting and chatting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340827062-DYTA284B7E68T12JEF4N/image-asset.jpeg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on Water barrel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1571340848312-HQ1LWORAW1W41NTP7ZJP/0Z7A9412.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tucson and on A view of the US- with Baboquivari in the distance- from the Mexico side. The razor wire is abundant right here and really just a PR move by Trump because no one would be silly enough to cross right next to the border guards. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/7/29/so-its-true monthly 0.5 2019-07-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1564458021156-GKJO37OWNPETTOZTF35F/4Y1A6687_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - So, it's true Jamie, sweet Jamie. And Darby. I hope you got your apartment situation settled. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1564547775898-U9VM87MCC1OQYSLRNTQD/4Y1A6747_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - So, it's true http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/7/28/rqr08levvykntmhrmexu91ana6oaal monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1564408800380-L4K1IORELUC8CHALGA8U/4Y1A6855.jpg The Great American Road Trip - On my way to Telluride After the storm. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/7/18/some-portraits monthly 0.5 2019-07-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563472340796-WKC2RRF3NRH447EZQQSJ/4Y1A5242_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Portraits from L'Anse Saint Jean Nadia. I hardly know anything about Nadia except that she’s new to the area, she must be somewhere from Quebec because she speaks French, she plays guitar, and would like to travel through the US. She waits tables at the cafe where I spent most of the day working, though she didn’t wait on me. She has a really lovely and warm presence and when I saw her later that evening and asked if I could take her photo she did not hesitate to say yes. This was taken on the pier, at the end of which is a covered structure with bathrooms and picnic tables. It was empty when I set up and suddenly filled up with a tour group wanting to eat their lunch right exactly where we were. Normally I crop out any other background stuff, but the wind is really working hard to co star in these photos and whipping my backdrop around. And I kind of like the other stuff back there a little exposed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563472363030-EOBFD7TSAJGODIU0IV2I/4Y1A5250_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Portraits from L'Anse Saint Jean Yves B. lives in the village. We communicated- barely- in French because Yves did not speak any English and also did not hear very well. I think he just wanted to help me set up my backdrop but was agreeable to have his photo taken. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563472377062-6NCIL1UG6GORRL5LA2IX/4Y1A5262_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Portraits from L'Anse Saint Jean Annaka! Sweet Annaka from Kansas City, MO I saw that she had Missouri plates and immediately asked her all about what she was doing in this remote village in Quebec. She worked here for two months last summer and drove up from Missouri to visit friends and the place for a week because she fell in love with it last year. When she found out I was also traveling, she immediately invited me to stay with her on my way to Colorado. Super vibrant and warm, she’s 20, studying preventative health. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/7/17/i-may-have-made-a-mistake monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563374274908-YS8SAROO00R6EZJIKKU4/4Y1A5315.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Well, this was unexpected In Tadoussac, that ferry in the background is only a 10 minute crossing, it acts as an extension of the highway, traversing the mouth of the Saguenay river from Baie Saint Catherine, but it is the swankiest ferry. Super clean, super high tech, super huge, it feels like the Starship Enterprise with sliding air pressure doors. Way more fancy than the 90 minute ferry from Les Escoumins to Trois Pistoles that I feared might sink along the way. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563374289978-RJ3HO83OCC5IDZJQO6T5/4Y1A5324.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Well, this was unexpected Kind of looks like another planet, but it’s still Tadoussac. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563374306850-E7G03P85S85A8J5TX5G4/4Y1A5353.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Well, this was unexpected This was my sleeping spot on the jetty in Les Escoumins! The RV on the left and the lamp post on the right mark the general width of it. It gets a little tiny bit wider at the end. How about that bright cross? I kind of like it. There’s no church there, maybe it’s just for the passing ships? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563374771249-5YFCL9A44NHTZ0WQRXW5/4Y1A5377.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Well, this was unexpected Morning on the sleeping jetty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563374793417-V8WBGUB23HW4NZMAOFNQ/4Y1A5389.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Well, this was unexpected Rocks and shells and seaweed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563374817720-XU30KYN3YM33UD0ZIAY8/4Y1A5412.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Well, this was unexpected The ferry that came to take me to Trois Pistoles. I was on the waiting list because I didn’t have a reservation because I’d been on the fence about how far to take this journey, and when I saw the ferry I hoped that it would be too full to take me. I know I could have easily left but as much as there’s a side of me that fears or dreads a thing there’s another half that’s morbidly curious to see how it will all go. So, I waited to see if I’d make it on the ferry and simultaneously prayed it would be too packed for me, and it was looking really good actually, because they turned a camper away. But then they motioned me forward and I repeated over and over that really it was ok and I could just take another ferry or even forget Gaspesie altogether I’d be ok to end the journey here, but they insisted I drive forward and try. So, I did. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563374950726-95LNC1XUNGGXPRQMNUMW/4Y1A5446.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Well, this was unexpected And this is how it looked. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563374873299-7HRM1BVG0XAIJHZJ0E7C/4Y1A5426.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Well, this was unexpected Inside- cute, dated, lots of people inside because it was pretty cold and rainy. I did not see any whales on this trip, even though they’re very common up here. And really the only reason I came this far north, actually. I wasn’t super persistent about it when I realized it might be like seeing dolphins in the ocean, mostly just fins in the water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563374912698-D9H9PX3WD23FR66OB1SA/4Y1A5433.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Well, this was unexpected https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563374933018-KLJV9INSF8Y32CKCZFIZ/4Y1A5445.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Well, this was unexpected Isn’t that Abandon Ship notice jaunty? It looks like instructions to a fun game. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563374969357-S2M7EC75FMMZ5WSWDLI6/4Y1A5451.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Well, this was unexpected Empty inside, nice colors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563374992685-IJVGPSY5MEBKSAQPLXT8/4Y1A5456.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Well, this was unexpected https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563375007777-L6UGK0ESEIUNWGWY6HFJ/4Y1A5472.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Well, this was unexpected And after I exited the ferry. Lots of boats, but this one in particular. Seems so American. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563377710396-CF7WNG524B0HAFA2BNL9/4Y1A5472-2.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Well, this was unexpected And a closer view, just because. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563375027465-0JSHX7DGDWT71QCCH8RE/4Y1A5482.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Well, this was unexpected No mistaking which country I’m in. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/7/14/rimouski monthly 0.5 2019-07-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563284273228-0071ADYIQ7FE20POP1WN/4Y1A4918.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Rimouski This is pretty much the main beach in the village. It was overcast and moody when I go there, my favorite weather. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563284290991-MUFRKNVZ48GHUMPLLH30/4Y1A4942.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Rimouski The other side, the village is quite small, there’s a great cafe with a balcony that looks out onto the river/lake where I sat pretty much all day and worked though the rain. There’s a boutique or two, some houses and hotels, a great grocery store (which is truly great despite buying cherries that I ate without washing and made me sick, either that or the cheese that I left out for 2 days without refrigeration or the almonds I put in an old kefir container that maybe was not properly washed out), and the staple of every town in Quebec- an ice cream store. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563284311883-DV0QRW5ZBT1XL5DZYT21/4Y1A4946.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Rimouski Nice life vest colors! Lots of kayaking happening. I didn’t do it because, well, a lot of reasons- but a couple being the aforementioned sea sickness and the weak core and upper body- though, as I look at the variety of people in the class (and I don’t mean this picture, just, overall while I was down there), I mean, not everyone is the specimen of physical fitness, I can’t be the weakest one, right? So, maybe kayaking is for me after all. And, plus, how could you make money if you only accepted physically fit people? That is really probably a minimum of any population. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563284332160-QWWWBAN3609HSE8CO81U/4Y1A4954.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Rimouski Along my walk to the waterfalls, where I was attacked by more mosquitos than I’ve ever experienced in my life. Lots and lots of mosquitos out here. So many. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563284358872-R9U700Z65C48SKP74UBN/4Y1A4970.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Rimouski Waterfalls! Beyond the tree line, you can see the Saguenay River. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563284390145-QAOXZCFP402IRGB11CR6/image-asset.jpeg The Great American Road Trip - Rimouski More waterfalls! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563284404137-GG2NE0QYN1YAORXCU62G/4Y1A4993.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Rimouski Baby water snake? He wasn’t dead, I touched him. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563284422540-CL9UPYIDDNMLGC4B8TQX/4Y1A5000.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Rimouski Tiny mushrooms! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563284438192-3P1NJ0YLR6K16QJ6YC8I/4Y1A5002.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Rimouski More tiny mushrooms! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563284454861-6GOGMC0V0SMJAH0T0PEH/4Y1A5013.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Rimouski This was the trail to get to the waterfalls- so lush, so lovely. So filled with mosquitos. Also, those faint lines on the left of the picture are for harvesting maple- they’re rubber lines connected by nozzles that are attached to the tree. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563284471530-PAVRNPJ6XEPUEH2FI6P5/4Y1A5082.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Rimouski The view from where I parked my car for the night- the tides are pretty extreme and the landscape changes fairly drastically with their ebb and flow. A good portion of this greenery would be under water during high tide. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563284486166-QZXXKG7WDC8KR0GIK2LU/4Y1A5120.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Rimouski More view from my car! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563284502306-MFLXF5LKG9SY3835QUEU/4Y1A5129.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Rimouski Nice textures! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563284537200-6Y016I4YC9F0RBAMR1AI/4Y1A5180.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Rimouski And, literally, the view from my car in the morning. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/7/12/all-in-one-night monthly 0.5 2019-07-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1562962753884-MVKXTN9LSSM4LW31FXG1/4Y1A3022.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All in one night https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1562962772260-0O9YLSUJ1UE29WU0MXWL/4Y1A3030.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All in one night https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1562962801637-GSNHCCBNCJ9QPYO7779Q/4Y1A3046.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All in one night https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1562962910797-ERWI1V18PAU2F17IPX9Z/4Y1A3070.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All in one night https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1562962847874-5K5JSVGDGN9FYGKA938C/4Y1A3078.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All in one night https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1562962867425-6PNVUGCXTFE6MORQLVY2/4Y1A3089.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All in one night Meanwhile, on the other side of the street from the celebration- it was a dinner at a fancy place for fancy ladies. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1562962945910-XLTA2GDQPHCPOX6DQZUZ/4Y1A3098.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All in one night This guy! Three is probably too many photos of him, but he was like a butterfly that unraveled. Not in his singing- he wasn’t hiding anything there, but in his stage performance. His singing sounded just like what you’d expect from seeing these photos. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1562962967678-QT39UJGCAI4LD8UAO9BK/4Y1A3103.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All in one night https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1562962988183-YI9PEP2U0Q45QOA2MHHL/4Y1A3106.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All in one night https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1562963010445-PL7EDE3T9TXH5WDS6A9C/4Y1A3132.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All in one night The bartender!! Just look at that tambourine action. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563147965031-UO41CZ048MEHUSKI76QP/4Y1A3120.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All in one night New friend Victoria with the excellent voice and song choices. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1563148032920-RJPES3HHP9I7AZQLD1FN/4Y1A3202.jpg The Great American Road Trip - All in one night Also this guy. He was one of the exceptions to the professional singer rule. But he was really into it and also brought a fan base with him. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/7/12/check-engine-light monthly 0.5 2019-07-12 http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/7/5/im-baaaack-1 monthly 0.5 2019-07-12 http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/6/24/paradise monthly 0.5 2019-06-24 http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/6/22/june-in-montreal-and-the-start-of-cancer-season monthly 0.5 2019-07-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1561305733530-ZGBZVLVQ11XFGVA284Q1/IMG_1502_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - June in Montreal and the start of Cancer season This is Patti Chickens, the woman whose chickens I watched in Tampa. She was part of the group that got their photos taken that morning at the Marathon gas station. I watched her house and chickens while she was away for a week and she was super generous to let me stay a couple of extra days after she got back- this seems to be a theme with most of my house sits. I knew it was time for me to go when she announced that she fed my food to the hens. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1561309695484-V19KLV7D1IZRHZP9WF3C/IMG_1591_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - June in Montreal and the start of Cancer season https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1561306535782-9QJU0Z518SAOWRHBTGWF/IMG_1586_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - June in Montreal and the start of Cancer season That same day, after the Marathon gas station, I drove a few miles down the road to Ybor City and set up next to a cigar shop for some photos. This gentleman, who is from Belize and works a the cigar shop- who, honestly looked like the king of the cigar shop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1561309712838-13ZT2JVKB7MHHJY7N6EK/IMG_1596_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - June in Montreal and the start of Cancer season https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1561309192619-TI7PYZWCVUSCV9U8KYN2/IMG_1603_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - June in Montreal and the start of Cancer season This couple was heading down the street to host their weekly TV show. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1561309254937-B47D41QS089KLWIHE8YA/IMG_1610_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - June in Montreal and the start of Cancer season This gentleman was cleaning the windows in the cigar shop. He was a science teacher in Cuba. He’s lived here for a number of years and is trying to bring his children to the States. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/6/17/montreal monthly 0.5 2019-06-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1560788578385-YBZGOSV01NGE881AW780/IMG_1460_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Montreal I love these guys- Avaya and Jackson. Jackson was up for it and ready to be in a picture, Avaya was less than convinced. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1560788598436-Z07EWOJLJQ2PAWOY4M9C/IMG_1477_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Montreal I didn’t catch his name, I love this photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1560788682467-M43IYEX6NYE3UXH64BWF/IMG_1441_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Montreal My first pic of the morning was with Dequan. He had a bike he loved, and I took a picture with the bike, too, I guess I should post it. Super chatty, these guys informed me a bus driver had his throat slit by a passenger the day before on his bus route. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1560788708093-2O4R32U7DGWR1HBXCGM3/IMG_1449_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Montreal James! James wanted to take me out to dinner. I gave him my number because I wasn’t sure what else to do, and I realize I maybe give my number out too freely. I’ve been enjoying the occasional texts I get from him, they’re few and far between and often mysterious which leads me to wonder what he’s up to. He never took me out to dinner, but did text a few weeks later to see how I was doing. I wrote back a lengthy explanation of all of my adventures with no response. Sigh. My texts often have this effect. Then a few weeks later an apology for no response. Then one more text telling me not to send his pic just yet to his phone. Why, I asked? Nothing. I emailed his photo today. I hope all’s ok, and also- mystery! http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/6/3/photos-from-the-marathon-gas-station-in-tampa monthly 0.5 2019-06-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1560787902639-29DCANZ56PUALWZ8PRHM/IMG_1474_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - The next stop on the Great American Roadtrip is... This is Daliz. I set up at the Marathon gas station in Tampa a few weeks ago and met him there. When I looked back through the photos it was obvious that it was really bright because in lots of the portraits it seems painful for these guys to keep their eyes open without squinting. But, I love this picture. I love how he’s looking down, it feels strong because, well, amazing body- but it’s also like he forgot I was there for a minute and he was lost in his own thoughts. In reality he was probably just avoiding the glare. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/6/2/next-steps monthly 0.5 2019-06-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1559448805103-OXJNW83PRRTNYVJD19S9/IMG_7029_judy_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Deland now and Arcadia from a while ago Judy in DeLand, originally from Canada. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1559449698739-358OQTLFS42VQUZZVQN9/IMG_5342_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Deland now and Arcadia from a while ago Rodeo in Arcadia. This is the Grandaddy of them all - that’s the official name of the rodeo. I think it happens once or twice a year. It was Sunday, there was prayer, afterwards there was a statement about how everyone is welcome, but, you know, it didn’t really feel that way. I don’t usually feel uncomfortable in new situations, unusual situations and I felt a little uncomfortable here- lots of very cool and nice people- but there was a general din of…aggression, don’t tread on me happening. Is it because I’m older and the camera makes it seem like I have a real job- I don’t, people! No worries there- and that I’ve been hired to take the pics for someone specific, like an animal rights organization? Am I being paranoid? I don’t look like a student just messing around, easily ignored. Also, it probably doesn’t help that I did tell some ladies I was shooting for an alumni magazine and couldn’t remember any colleges in Florida and said UFC. And they acknowledged it and nodded their heads, but there’s no school here with those initials, and as I walked away I heard them asking each other where UFC was. So, I’m sure I’m not helping my cause by being shifty about what I’m doing, but I did think that since I was already where I wasn’t supposed to be- behind the scenes because a very nice lady lent me her badge- it’d be better for me to be shooting for something official rather than just myself. Right? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1559449720350-5XL9TWSR9SCR2BK3ON0K/IMG_5483_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Deland now and Arcadia from a while ago https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1559449736896-3HD6WLAR4KTSN3NKG78B/IMG_5523_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Deland now and Arcadia from a while ago This is kind of a crappy event, I mean, I guess most, all, of these events are pretty shit for the animals- but in this one, this little calf is released into the arena and two guys on horses come and surround him on either side and one ropes his horns and the other ropes his hind legs and I then when it goes wrong they pull too hard in opposite directions and this is a terrible thing to witness. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1559449760989-DPOJOPRNEOEYPOV3JXNG/IMG_5595_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Deland now and Arcadia from a while ago Always nice when the horse wins. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1559449780043-1FE3PBCVOHD2KMWWB8VB/IMG_5684_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Deland now and Arcadia from a while ago This cowboy was from Brazil, but lives somewhere in Florida now. Also, you’re about to get on a bucking bull, is it better to be sober or not so much? It seems not so much. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1559449797703-F7KO9H81FFL4HS4RVNDE/IMG_5693_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Deland now and Arcadia from a while ago Wrist wrapping. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1559449816623-OP0NX3LZ448BFMHGRM2M/IMG_5751_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Deland now and Arcadia from a while ago So, this is another event- it’s supposed to be fun for the kids- but, again, probably terrifying for the animals. What happens is they ask all children under a certain age, like twelve- to come down. Then they release three calves into the arena, these three calves are very cute and very excited to be free at last, until the kids - probably 50 or a 100? - are released, like hounds- and told to grab the ribbon that’s been lightly affixed to their tails and the first ones to grab it win a prize. So, at first, the calves are curiously running towards these still (ish) children and then the kids take off towards the calves and immediately you see the panic in their eyes as they do a 180 and attempt to run back towards the gates that just released them. But it’s no use, children are crazy little monsters and they’re no match for the promise of a prize of a twizzler or shoelaces or whatever was being given away, and they quickly get surrounded. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1559449834707-OTH8XZ1SWUXVW9YHH8KB/IMG_5763_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Deland now and Arcadia from a while ago Cowboys just hanging out til it’s their turn at their eight seconds of fame. RIP Luke Perry. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/5/27/florida-friends monthly 0.5 2019-05-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558971232001-21VA5AAR2VHV0C7UEPNZ/IMG_0055_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Florida friends Meple and Noeli in Little Havana. I met these guys at the airbnb where I was staying, after multiple attempts to leave that week- packing my bags, packing my car, exploring the area, deciding it was too late to leave and I’d leave the next day, calling Julio and asking if I could just stay one more night- repeat, repeat, repeat, and then an invitation to his granddaughter’s birthday party, where I met these guys and learned of a magical apartment building in South Beach where they all live. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558972604464-NIA7NOVIV08OP1DI1NO0/IMG_0504_2_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Florida friends Guille, Noeli, Amaya in South Beach. After I finally left Little Havana, only because someone else had already booked my room at Julio’s, I meant to leave Miami…but stayed a little longer to hang out with these guys in the magical apartment building. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/5/26/puppy-academy monthly 0.5 2019-05-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558883708901-Y8TZYKK4RHT52IYJ2B0H/IMG_1201_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy Getting snugged while vitals are being taken. Actually, I don’t know what’s happening here, I made that up, I don’t know why the puppy is on the table, this was before the tour. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558883733091-5SA2FQA6GIB1ESXK4JOD/IMG_1208_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy The sleepiest, sweetest little buddies. I think someone said they’re 6 weeks old. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558883748238-24675KUCQXOAW9BAPOOV/IMG_1214_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy Sleeping on an outer space pillow. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558883766391-W1X151E7HHEWHKPQQJZX/IMG_1225_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy Needs a spa day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558883784858-A9BE11NEZY3MVBXWVQTN/IMG_1227_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy Puppy preschoolers and puppy kindergarteners. Gulp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558883801835-XIMW4EENRCOV2XTGXSH7/IMG_1231_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy Playground with purple worms wearing boots! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558883817035-WGBD943LSCU3LEPULN6M/IMG_1233_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558883831818-PR351Y8N516RXHYH68VH/IMG_1238_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy Look at that one guy in the back, curious and ready. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558883850810-JSCLCULMC2R25WV9O13Q/IMG_1249_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy I think this one got a weekend pass to go home with this volunteer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558883872411-F3NL7GQRMAUHE0LRAMTY/IMG_1250_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy Puppy Kindergarten. Gulp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558883990284-SDUPC4AIKV7HN0FTLMWW/IMG_1263_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558883990037-ZQHXLN2M5RSGOKYWEVOI/IMG_1264_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558883990743-6RHG2696SCL6D24CM8OY/IMG_1269_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558884014208-KZU8BH20DX0P09CR8TSY/IMG_1276_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy Waiting for a guide dog in training to come out. Above was the first attempt, but she had to go back because she was too excited. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558884039391-AKJUMXEK94G597JLIGRZ/IMG_1277_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy Single and ready to mingle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558884061167-42Z8D154P5JHLYDZ96E2/IMG_1284_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558884092066-6MDVLN1UEHGPCZOGZAJ9/IMG_1290_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558884114279-OQBWDLMMCM1D42LONYXE/IMG_1296_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy An homage to Instagram’s Subway Hands. These guys were sweet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558884144988-INWQ9P6HHREVFJ9K1HQV/IMG_1298_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy Oh, I just remembered the other state of the art element is the veterinary care! The vet combines eastern and western medicine to treat the dogs and also, unrelated, hip dysplasia has been pretty much bred out of them. I believe this is all mostly correct. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558884168279-1XSHKCXN1FMB3CK3K1AA/IMG_1302_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy Sprinkles dog. If you donate enough money you can get a dog a statue- that stays at the school- and a local artist decorates it according to your vision. This was by far the best one, maybe that’s why it’s in a building protected by a glass case? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558884186351-LTKGV1NNR6G1FACFXAT0/IMG_1304_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy These were stuffed in a closet like a dirty secret. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558884202071-5OVGNLNYP5IH30XHT17V/IMG_1311_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy Recess! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558884221629-G3UT2CGP0QW17219HMH6/IMG_1313_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558884247644-AIS5YVPR4WQV5W4FYF45/IMG_1310_smaller.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Puppy Academy http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/5/22/new-frieds monthly 0.5 2019-05-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558584666791-LFTWKPRTL6SUPRNTXO1O/IMG_1920_arm_erase_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - New friends Alex “Lucky” and Mark- brothers from Thailand. St. Petersburg, Florida. I met them on Monday and returned Tuesday to take this photo of them. More pics of them to come. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/5/19/tonight-in-tampa monthly 0.5 2019-05-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558307328833-Z848IGWMYTR16XYRGT63/IMG_1010_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558307359380-3U2PK1W2TKTID91WV1N6/IMG_1018_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558307376280-HDL788V9GICB8RF4EV3J/IMG_1036_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558307452259-5QA6QEFWXR3A2OSCSK2Q/IMG_1045_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558307472740-90PRJP8FEQZVX0GG9MVV/IMG_1055_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558307490381-YN9VB4X94Z9CXUZ6QR09/IMG_1056_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - 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Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558309177742-8L2UJT304UDNJ0SPXS8K/IMG_1089_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558309204626-XKMS89PSL7C7ZZJND9BZ/IMG_1092_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558309220903-D3JOCAGXISYR5O5182C2/image-asset.jpeg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558309236699-RHEFV4MWV1V2S2R4AQIX/IMG_1116_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558309253212-YDB3SDDQRUZWKY4OV8DB/IMG_1122_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558309273896-Z2NF8RO00CO05JOA4EDI/IMG_1126.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558309289641-E155PNWNG5G9UE72ILF4/IMG_1127_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558309307550-RU59JSE6WFRYPXZJ5M7O/IMG_1133_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558309328931-A8NM3TAWK56M6IZBLMW5/IMG_1139_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558309347111-4DDO8V3JB1RJG7NBFNOH/IMG_1152_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558309441215-L7IY3F9JVDG4XPSM5J34/IMG_1155_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558309457364-JEHMDT4WPS4XDU20DCLH/IMG_1166_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558309518694-VE7XONAUOXADTSVVMXX3/IMG_1177_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558309537057-LG6FA30R9OXJQMK9UN6Y/IMG_1120_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1558309550798-7YXMU1LUGY7O5WJ8X4IZ/IMG_1142_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Tonight in Tampa http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/3/17/got-my-sunshine monthly 0.5 2019-03-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1552838908897-7Q6OEIH6P4YWGIC5SG79/IMG_6442_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Got my sunshine This might be the best image from last night. This is a family of horse riders who perform tricks in between the competitions and usually that small boy rides two horses - AT ONE TIME! His other worldly look of determination and the other two horse stunt looked like they’d fit well in Twin Peaks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1552844712753-KF6PIAB8JV5DBG8UIE5K/IMG_6351_small_bw.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Got my sunshine At first I thought he was a tiny man, but he is a child. Here he is waiting and contemplating. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1552844413949-56KCNVYT0UREGZ1438NS/IMG_6391_small.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Got my sunshine And in the arena. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/3/9/hot-too-too-hot monthly 0.5 2019-05-19 http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/3/8/baby-steps monthly 0.5 2019-03-08 http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2019/3/6/orlando monthly 0.5 2019-05-21 http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2018/12/24/ho-ho-ho monthly 0.5 2019-03-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1545671178746-XEYUT8M5EPBJXMXFXA42/IMG_2354.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Ho Ho Ho Smokey doesn’t know about this guy, but I definitely know I like seeing Santa surrounded by palm trees! Aaand, also from December 24. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2018/12/24/new-four-legged-buddy monthly 0.5 2019-03-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1545671848562-PMBFXX0WD7EIQ8FESLTE/IMG_2360.jpg The Great American Road Trip - New four legged buddy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1545671863934-9BVA6GJSIZMG3E2AF2W1/IMG_2351.jpg The Great American Road Trip - New four legged buddy http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2018/12/15/fried-okra-and-cinnamon-gummy-bears monthly 0.5 2018-12-15 http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2018/12/7/pico-de-freako-more-albuquerque monthly 0.5 2018-12-15 http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2018/12/7/albuquerque-nm monthly 0.5 2018-12-12 http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2018/12/6/lots-of-travel-not-a-ton-of-writing monthly 0.5 2018-12-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1544128619597-20KJZ0SKGMHKJI923CDY/IMG_0252.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Lots of travel, not a ton of writing It’s hard to see the Trinidad sign on the mesa- is that a mesa?- but it’s a nice way to announce the town. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1544128642350-C1CW5FT5M3OB6WERGQI2/image-asset.jpeg The Great American Road Trip - Lots of travel, not a ton of writing Travel buddy! Cool old ads! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1544128790531-L9L7O4W0MSFA2ZYY0OUW/IMG_0207.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Lots of travel, not a ton of writing Oh, hey cowboys. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1544128910047-PJ4Z8KYVA0QQBJKA4OZW/IMG_0269.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Lots of travel, not a ton of writing I know this seems like a real blah picture and it kind of is, but that light in the west shining down that main street was pretty phenomenal, I didn’t really do it justice, but I want to remember it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1544200755834-KC6RNORQDCQ4LS7YV2NQ/IMG_0243.jpg The Great American Road Trip - Lots of travel, not a ton of writing And one more! This is the photo that makes it seem like I got into a time machine and found Trinidad. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/roadtrip/2018/11/11/first-post-not-the-first-day monthly 0.5 2018-11-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1541982123688-7LPXR9WCF5H49HL826HW/IMG_9378.jpg The Great American Road Trip - First post, not the first day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1541983116692-LZECGYB2UMTMQXIYTIMU/IMG_9400.jpg The Great American Road Trip - First post, not the first day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1541983204019-TNEG4MGZ61PYJ0NNHXT9/IMG_9410.jpg The Great American Road Trip - First post, not the first day http://www.mpedynkowski.com/all-souls-procession daily 0.75 2022-03-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1646255568020-PSHF6HYWHCR2ZOEN4I9Q/0Z7A0780.jpg All Souls Procession 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https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1646326159563-VFWE5R7NM1KQWJRFLVRF/0Z7A9483_bw.jpg Summer 2020 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1646406008866-8AEHTEFA506PIZG7PKXN/0Z7A8489.jpg Summer 2020 http://www.mpedynkowski.com/blog daily 0.75 2023-08-26 http://www.mpedynkowski.com/blog/2023/8/26/more-days-more-moments monthly 0.5 2024-03-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/615495f1-d430-491b-9c73-935ff571fa03/0Z7A5044_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More days, more moments - Make it stand out The smoking area is not just the smoking area, it’s also the play area mostly when the adults aren’t around. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/221bbe76-9f7c-4a5d-b385-53896148c4df/0Z7A5058_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More days, more moments - Make it stand out Tatiana’s daughter runs inside while Mila and Tatiana talk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/a933cd31-11e1-4631-bd0c-7b1bf448dd00/0Z7A5065_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More days, more moments - Make it stand out During the day when the adults are mostly at work or trying to find work, the younger children are left to their own devices. Mila and Tatiana are the ‘house mothers’. While Tatiana comes to the Foundation with her daughter M-F, Mila lives at the Foundation. They’re there to make sure everything runs smoothly and keep an eye on the kids. Valentyna had arrived fairly recently to the Foundation and she wasn’t sure yet about leaving her daughter alone. She was somewhat unique in that her family was Russian and she was born in Russia, but had lived with her father in Ukraine from a young age. Her father was no longer alive, and she had no family in Ukraine. Her daughter’s father was fighting in the war and they did not have a close relationship, so she left. She worked as a seamstress in Ukraine and could take her daughter with her, but was not able to find similar work in Poland. She experienced some issues crossing the border into Poland from Ukraine, where she was told to go back to Russia, to her family- but she does not consider Russia home. She said ‘ne moye vina’, meaning this war ‘it’s not my fault’, they’re not her people. Here she sits with her daughter while the kids draw. She draws a dog from a kids tutorial on the phone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/e5d0c919-0958-4b92-a74e-ff0cb4cd29d3/0Z7A5080_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More days, more moments - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/f4049ddd-a021-43af-9c75-628d7eea501a/0Z7A5087_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More days, more moments - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/243ddd66-0f15-4341-aec2-eee81be5710b/0Z7A5110_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More days, more moments - Make it stand out People stop by with donations, clothing, some food. The biggest issue at the time was food- while they bring some baked goods, some canned items, what was needed was to be able to go to the grocery store. Here a woman had just come by with bags of kid’s clothes. The girls were excited. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/d1ba8c8c-99b7-480e-886c-2106cc6715b9/0Z7A5153_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More days, more moments - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/0315a6e7-ffc0-44f6-9f55-37e1a99895b8/0Z7A5163_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More days, more moments - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/120e2953-77b8-402d-bc21-3079f55c846d/0Z7A5169_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More days, more moments - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/fa4ab5eb-8d0b-4692-81db-b0f0b4aa9d41/0Z7A5180_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More days, more moments - Make it stand out Finding a bunch of things she liked, she pushes her goods down so she can fit some more in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/9ec621ab-ff2a-4c44-85ad-e95f6208c139/0Z7A5187_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More days, more moments - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/blog/2023/8/26/revisiting-mogilany monthly 0.5 2024-03-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/e7feb10f-9152-4175-9b54-362fde2574b6/0Z7A2985_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Revisiting Mogilany - Make it stand out I returned to this refugee center in the village of Mogilany in April 2023, about 12 miles from Krakow’s center and and 45 minutes to an hour by bus, it is an old country villa owned by too many descendants to agree on what to do with it, so it’s managed by the village and when its days as a private home were over, it became a hotel, and most recently a refugee center. I met Nataliia and her parents there in October 2022. When I first met them, they had arrived recently from Snihurivka, a town about 35 miles north of Kherson. Their town had been occupied by Russians almost immediately. She described living through the occupation, disbelief, expecting that it would end soon- the internal negotiations of getting used to frequent missile strikes and considering it a good day when there ‘weren’t as many’, sleeping in her clothing to be immediately ready to take shelter in the basement. At last they couldn’t take it and headed west to Poland. She, her husband, his mother who was on kidney dialysis, and her mother and father. Her husband and his mother drove in one car, she and her parents drove a yellow Lada that her father had bought on a whim to take on vacations to the sea. Instead they were using it to flee a war. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/a3ed71a4-c740-4d93-aaad-fa88632c2b96/0Z7A2950_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Revisiting Mogilany - Make it stand out The yellow Lada. With a cracked windshield due to shelling, and a couple of bullet holes, it made it across Ukraine and into Poland. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/5f14dd0e-daf1-41cf-921d-fcc1cf5a3e49/0Z7A3016_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Revisiting Mogilany - Make it stand out Nataliia fills me in on how it’s been going since I spoke with her 6 months before. When I first met her, she and her family had just arrived. They were in shock, traumatized. She described to me in detail how Russian soldiers told them if they became part of Russia things would be better for them, but she had said to them- things are good, we don’t need anything from you here. And the soldiers marveled at the flat screen televisions and indoor bathrooms and asked if they were rich to have these things, she said to them no, she was just a teacher. She missed home, she had never wanted to leave Ukraine, she had had a good life there, a life that made her happy. Now she said she was in a country where things looked like they did at home- trees, cars, buildings- but it was not home. Six months later, she had a new energy about her. She was figuring out how to make money. She told me the Polish government was pulling back funding, that staying in the refugee centers would begin to cost money. She told me they would begin charging $1500 zl for their shared room (between $300 and $400 USD, this may not seem like much, but in Poland, it’s the price for a modest apartment). She was concerned, but optimistic. She had a lot of ideas and wanted to start her own business. Kherson and her village had been liberated in November 2022, but she did not want to go back. She knew that she would need some money to go back and rebuild, but her father and husband wanted to return immediately. She resisted, her husband would be conscripted, and with no money to rebuild her father wouldn’t get very far. This time she said she knew it would be ok- she saw the trees, the cars, the buildings and they reminded her of home and now this brought her a sense of peace, and a feeling that they would be ok. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/25cf6a8a-eae0-49e8-bfbe-d4d1b60a2d78/0Z7A3042_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Revisiting Mogilany - Make it stand out Her father shows the interior of the Lada. He calls it his sparrow. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/40c216a5-e531-4364-a2bc-d1e2407c2342/0Z7A3047_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Revisiting Mogilany - Make it stand out Her father has had many people approach him to buy the Lada. This gentleman said he had a friend that wanted to buy it and tour it around Poland and try to get donations for Ukraine from such an installation. Her father held out for a while, but in recent communications, I was told he agreed to sell it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/525b9b5e-4c72-424e-ab75-871ffe26e96b/0Z7A3067_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Revisiting Mogilany - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/f539cb85-87fb-4279-a643-270ca3e583de/0Z7A3074_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Revisiting Mogilany - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/06ececb9-bec8-4fb5-b478-7ae8c247c978/0Z7A3093_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Revisiting Mogilany - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/blog/2023/7/5/orthodox-easter monthly 0.5 2023-09-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/a33354d2-c38c-4a59-b4d8-d0a3e6e7564e/0Z7A4101.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/ee2c098e-4913-4f07-8549-ae923803e43c/0Z7A4176_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/c1d76522-e9b4-4ddf-b1cf-b6faa2e60260/0Z7A4110.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out Lots of jokes, laughter, and meat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/6e0c810a-ad73-4049-b56f-f439387cbe12/0Z7A4190_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/986882f6-3b6f-4922-8611-edb4ef9157c9/0Z7A4159.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out Everyone helped, even the children. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/686fbced-ebf0-4489-a7a5-b6cbcc16a684/0Z7A4161.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/0d43876e-ad3e-46e9-9c27-780e2f904c25/0Z7A4208.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out So much food was prepared. There were tea sandwiches, with spreadable cheese topped with just cucumber and cucumber and sausage, plates of cheeses and various sausages- kabanos, wiejska- or country sausage- (it’s not all just Polish sausage! Sausage in Poland is like snow in northern Scandinavia- there are many varieties and more words to describe the subtleties and nuance than we commonly have in countries with less snow and less sausage), there were veggie plates, and dishes of herring and olives, and deviled eggs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/ec8f5940-7dea-412b-8aaa-23937da0e8db/0Z7A4212.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/cc8ebf56-2730-4ed3-806e-7dfd92a6c980/0Z7A4283.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out Making food and tasting food. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/b0c83be5-da18-41f4-87e7-60329064a91d/0Z7A4296.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1cb5d142-2c5f-4927-8c67-6173821f1854/0Z7A4355.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/7bd0f661-9d7e-4ee1-8682-a099e1cf5aa0/0Z7A4384.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/b0a0a82e-9750-4ca9-b752-9e20b9147d37/0Z7A4407.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out This is a traditional Ukrainian shirt, a festive shirt for a festive day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/892a587a-c6ac-4f3f-94b2-35724d726f06/0Z7A4417.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out The food in all its abundance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/6e455ca3-3a77-4c06-bec8-583dd50233a9/0Z7A4442.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out Not convinced about that apple. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/3c9e2957-ca2c-4f14-a1f6-7d2840d2dbdf/0Z7A4495.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out Most everyone gathered in the dining/ common room to take an Easter picture, to be together for a bit before dispersing again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/f5304a7c-37f5-4a91-99ab-bb7ec77e7166/0Z7A4480.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/bd87388d-be56-4c16-b4d9-e739f669f8a0/0Z7A4517_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out This young girl is the performer of the house, always ready with a poem or a song- usually Ukrainian in theme and language- she did not disappoint on this occasion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/83ac2f55-8a9c-4635-bb34-83f31adf7f22/0Z7A4505.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/f214a2ef-ebcb-46ca-afaa-9545ae54a194/0Z7A4528_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out A visit from a former Foundation resident, who now has a job and an apartment in another part of Krakow, she frequently comes back to visit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/b3e75534-2047-4679-85a1-e603b5d4f333/0Z7A4532.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/c893b6fb-9eec-41bd-a951-1d4782bea9b8/0Z7A4540.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Orthodox Easter - Make it stand out A traditional Ukrainian Easter cake called paska. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/blog/2023/7/5/moving-back monthly 0.5 2023-09-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/723f5779-3916-42da-b833-fba37e883c13/0Z7A2783.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Sasha sits on her bed talking with friends, it’s her last day at the Foundation, she and her mom will return to Ukraine that night. When I first met her in October, I would often see her with a baby, pushing a stroller, helping out. When I returned in the Spring, the baby was no longer there, and I expressed my surprise because until that moment, I thought it was her sibling, I had seen her so often with that red stroller. She smiled, told me it wasn’t hers, and how much she missed that baby, and that family had already returned. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/a0a813eb-9c8c-47ea-99e3-862185045af5/0Z7A2788.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Packing a few final necessities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/5b1c382a-3cdf-4403-90db-2b2a8e92550f/0Z7A2793.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/4e4971cf-c890-4d05-b9d8-518215d7617e/0Z7A2849.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Julia on the morning she leaves, spirits are good for everyone. Julia seems happy to return. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/6594da16-17d5-4516-8520-19a3fb538880/0Z7A3137.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Sasha and the daughter of Tania, also Ukrainian, who works at the Foundation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/3f164d18-f72c-46d6-8cd9-0525f6540513/0Z7A3154_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Elwira helps her mother Julia pack some final pieces. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/3b6f3e2e-5821-4069-b977-0d9ed0b3b5e7/0Z7A3161_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Tatiana readies herself for leaving that night while Julia packs last minute items for her departure that afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/ad86fb35-013e-42b1-aed4-413c7d2af14d/0Z7A3198.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Julia and Elwira share a hug. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/5d9cbfeb-df64-4fd6-aa08-834fb2a3c6b9/0Z7A3200.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/ec7ddeec-c7dc-459f-b336-509c6eb0e9cd/0Z7A3207.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/17045945-2c25-47ad-b548-5a8da49cf0ff/0Z7A3209.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/647dcc72-ccd9-47aa-a32b-22457b4c50a4/0Z7A3413.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Last day coffees. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/b83fc475-7fc5-4804-9bab-b12704dcf654/0Z7A3464_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Julia left in the afternoon, and the group got together in the evening ready and waiting to take Tatiana and Sasha to the bus station. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/44af18c0-b383-4be6-baa4-8cb326fc1043/0Z7A3472_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/a6899c69-328a-4391-ae31-cffe2f8ac74e/0Z7A3482_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out The to head to the bus station. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/4792e787-f9ea-4dbb-9409-41f2ce31573e/0Z7A3492_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Sasha says her goodbyes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/3eddcac8-928f-4389-a4bb-3359ef3a5cf8/0Z7A3526_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out On the way to the bus station, everyone helps. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/bfa8358d-fad9-42a8-b6c8-0702f7148008/0Z7A3538_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/ffec14f3-6d6e-44d8-a296-c3a7e43f1878/0Z7A3548_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/0d6e870a-59bb-42cb-a22d-76f3e8321188/0Z7A3579_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Tatiana looks for the bus. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/0d95083b-238c-4d48-bae8-71c477273aa4/0Z7A3586_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/2538b01e-cfef-4b34-bcb6-16205e929b64/0Z7A3608_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out So late at night, the bus is mostly empty except for our crowd from the Foundation. Tatiana takes a call and starts to smile and laugh. I imagine this is someone who is waiting for her at home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/945c6a22-b048-45b2-b6b9-a222a189b203/0Z7A3605_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/0589d95d-7cbb-4db2-a115-15f24ca9ce16/0Z7A3623_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out There was some initial confusion about where the bus would be, but at last they found it. Most of the transportation going into and coming from Ukraine are small cargo vans. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/14943e87-affe-4eba-88cc-274c2ef34aba/0Z7A3625_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out There are a few people heading east, back to Ukraine, some children. The TV is on in the van, they’ll be driving all night. Tatiana and Sasha hand the driver their luggage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/19c4c1c7-958c-4d2d-8e47-5b5129785b37/0Z7A3632_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out The final goodbyes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/81da2098-c8cb-44ca-b867-2f23254c0d35/0Z7A3637_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/a766a4d5-8b42-41ee-9cc3-8693fdd39c0f/0Z7A3652_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/e934a424-f210-4f17-9955-f1ed4634ab76/0Z7A3658_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving Back - Make it stand out And the group heads back to the Foundation. Since I’m writing this a few months after this trip, I have been in contact with Sasha. They are home and everything seems to be going ok. My biggest question was, what will they do once they get home? Both Julia’s and Tatiana’s cities are in Eastern Ukraine, close to Dnipro, Zaporizhia- and while their cities have been somewhat spared, those regions haven’t. Is there work, is there food? Tania, who works at the Foundation, explained that they’ll probably be able to find work. But the inflation on food- 3x what it normally costs- the scarcity of food- this will be the struggle. Sasha says her mom is working and they are doing ok. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/blog/2023/7/3/moving-on monthly 0.5 2023-09-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1c08a211-62d3-4551-bdf0-d0ad576b3176/0Z7A1912.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving on - Make it stand out Nazar and Mila. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/0449002f-c77c-4391-8e22-dc65a542dc40/0Z7A1915_smaller.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving on - Make it stand out Nazar describes the altercation between himself and an older man who’d been staying at the Foundation for a bit. The older man was immediately required to leave once Krzysztof understood what happened. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/b16fcb67-16cf-4f71-8b67-9d05763feee9/0Z7A1922_smaller.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving on - Make it stand out I arrive in the morning to find Mila, preoccupied, checking for texts from the bus driver on arrival updates. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/6943c407-689a-43ac-bf1a-3c850a150fdf/0Z7A1937_smaller.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving on - Make it stand out It’s 5:30 AM, the bus is a little late, and Nazar gathers his suitcases for his trip to Portugal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/384d4043-b5d4-49f2-913e-462aba22c902/0Z7A1943.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving on - Make it stand out If there was a question about how Nazar felt about his trip, this photo answers the question. This is the happiest I’ve seen him since I met him. He was optimistic about this new chapter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/659cb695-4792-450e-9651-4329335df5b8/0Z7A1967.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving on - Make it stand out Waiting for the bus. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/78752f27-5f99-4f36-ad8a-00d9fba4ae7e/0Z7A1975.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving on - Make it stand out Nazar boards, he’s the only passenger on the bus that originates in Ukraine and stops around Europe, picking up mostly Ukrainians who want to go farther into Europe, and those who are returning home to Ukraine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/fbc41b02-9b0c-4786-abe8-2df58a6c16a8/0Z7A1982.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving on - Make it stand out One last hug. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/386b596c-60ba-49d0-9c74-ec94ae4a98fe/0Z7A1985.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving on - Make it stand out Saying goodbye. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/5f6a682a-33cf-422a-8efb-19885275f966/0Z7A1996.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving on - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/03be5f1b-6ac6-4fe6-a392-4900d32b0aab/0Z7A2008.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Moving on - Make it stand out A wave of emotions- happiness and relief that Nazar is going to Portugal, to his godmother, where there will be work opportunities and safety, but immediately after the bus leaves, tears come. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/blog/2023/5/5/easter-sunday monthly 0.5 2023-08-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/e07764b4-5382-4d11-88bd-06be2f56a15c/0Z7A1525.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Easter Sunday - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/9d712cc4-4743-42a2-a1f7-26d3a69726fd/0Z7A1531.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Easter Sunday - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/0bc9edde-740f-452f-8dc6-ffbd9a31261a/0Z7A1542.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Easter Sunday - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/4964c1bc-4be2-437f-80bc-4ba61175977f/0Z7A1546.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Easter Sunday - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/42e2b2fa-b5ee-49c9-8f2a-1a0c46bacb2b/0Z7A1548.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Easter Sunday - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/06b3dcc1-1d05-4176-879b-ce8eb0cc78cf/0Z7A1559.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Easter Sunday - Make it stand out A photo of one side of the kitchen which is also different from when I was there in October 2022, on the far wall there had been a bathtub, with a drying rack to dry dishes and pans, and a small sink next to it. Now the bathtub is gone, in its place a heavy duty sink and dishwasher. Too, one of the biggest improvements was the additional water tank which could hold more hot water and allow for a shower and washing dishes at the same time- before the tank was so small that a shower or washing dishes could easily deplete the hot water reserve. Showers are also a challenge, there is one shower for 45 people, maybe a third of those folks are adults. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/281e289d-ea4e-4bdb-8d04-fe81b51477db/0Z7A1613.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Easter Sunday - Make it stand out Tatiana sits in the smoking area, the phone area, the community area- the area that provides shelter and privacy outside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/89309544-df10-4d34-a2a7-8f6868cf4e93/0Z7A1610_smaller.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Easter Sunday - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/575d2311-eb08-4024-8ba2-01c25355edf0/0Z7A1657.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Easter Sunday - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/8de261d6-5dde-4e1a-a841-01b4906ec0b4/0Z7A1695.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Easter Sunday - Make it stand out The Foundation is always full of children. This time when I visited there were exclusively young girls which brought a completely different feel from the wildness of little boys. She makes herself a snack of condensed milk on bread. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/fce9d814-6146-4f09-aa59-463d1d5b7787/0Z7A1714.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Easter Sunday - Make it stand out Inspecting her work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/77132a73-24fc-491c-8651-d6754e8bd612/0Z7A1721.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Easter Sunday - Make it stand out When there’s a camera around most of the kids immediately want to pose and show off their tricks and skills. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/96aecb35-e10f-4853-9268-5c195acc6f7b/0Z7A1751.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Easter Sunday - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/9d54cecf-18e6-4ffe-afb7-291da763a60a/0Z7A1685_smaller.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Easter Sunday - Make it stand out Playing on the landing between floors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/8e5d7383-a078-4e19-bf9d-25c3028c1bc5/0Z7A1772_smaller.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Easter Sunday - Make it stand out Mila tries to get to the bottom of shenanigans, thought I didn’t completely understand what was being said, I witnessed elaborate explanations from both sides. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/d740d739-7444-4493-a801-bca7b8423555/0Z7A1815_smaller.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Easter Sunday - Make it stand out This room used to be the dining area, but now that there’s more privacy in individual rooms, many people cook their meals and eat in their rooms. This space now serves as a community gathering space, play room, activity area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/839011a7-9f17-48ff-93c5-286151217d34/0Z7A1825_smaller.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Easter Sunday - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/blog/2023/4/30/easter-in-krakow monthly 0.5 2023-08-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/e6bc7544-265a-468e-a37d-ccb6331e6436/0Z7A1145.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Krakow, Spring 2023 - Make it stand out Mila and Tatiana share a quiet moment outside in front of the Foundation, now with a new anti Putin sticker on the door. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/bc90d80d-3616-42e8-b105-b05fbcbffd9b/0Z7A1168_smaller.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Krakow, Spring 2023 - Make it stand out These two women - Tatiana and Julia were getting ready to return to Ukraine the following week. Struggles with finding work that pays well in Krakow and feeling like they had been away from home for too long pushed them to return. Both of these women were here in October 2022 when I visited and Tatiana, on the left, was at the Foundation when it was at its first location at the start of the war. About nine months of living an in between life was long enough for them. In Ukraine, life is uncertain too, but it’s not in between. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/afeee1b5-ab3a-4ce4-aaef-3dfd9fadfe04/0Z7A1169_smaller.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Krakow, Spring 2023 - Make it stand out This gentleman was new at the Foundation. The Foundation hosts mostly women and children but when I went this last time there were a few older men, most with families that were also there. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/e6488bb2-e080-4a70-9f51-2c826ad88868/0Z7A1173.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Krakow, Spring 2023 - Make it stand out Valentyna and her daughter, also new to the Foundation. Valentyna has family in Russia but grew up in Ukraine and described that she got some push back when trying to come to Poland- I’m unclear if it was from the Ukrainians or Poles- to go back to Russia and her family, though the family she has there is distant and not anyone she maintains contact with. Her father was Ukrainian and she and he moved from Russia when she was young, so she considers herself Ukrainian. He is no longer alive and she has no family except for her daughter. This room is different from the way it was when I was there in October. Previously one large room with about 15-20 beds, a wall was put up by Krzysztof and transformed into two rooms, allowing for smaller groups and a little more privacy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/e674dd4e-51b7-4e27-802c-565ae931b502/0Z7A1180.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Krakow, Spring 2023 - Make it stand out A new family at the Foundation. This man is here with his wife, daughter and his 4 granddaughters. Another room that has been divided so the family can have their own room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/c2417156-c327-4a77-886d-0813a0f73f50/0Z7A1298.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Krakow, Spring 2023 - Make it stand out Most everyone pitches in to help load up a van that is going into Ukraine to deliver supplies. Many supplies have been donated. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/b17a8937-e02f-480a-a2e6-1a37776a0b42/0Z7A1239.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Krakow, Spring 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/c423065c-f8e9-4742-a66b-f1db918e5b5e/0Z7A1248.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Krakow, Spring 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/f83765c9-e3e4-4dd4-a9fb-441da2b58522/0Z7A1226.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Krakow, Spring 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/a13bb44a-5c40-49da-bf6d-94f7c39897c2/0Z7A1323.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Krakow, Spring 2023 - Make it stand out The current location of Fundacja Nidaros is in an old Catholic nursery school. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/3e2b593b-f397-458d-909d-7341252fd74c/0Z7A1404_smaller.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Krakow, Spring 2023 - Make it stand out When I was at the Foundation in October 2022, they had just moved in to the space a couple of months before. The rooms were the original classrooms and offices- classrooms were large, fitting 15-20 or more beds per room with little privacy. When I returned in the Spring, Krzysztof had taken a weekend to put up more walls, dividing rooms into smaller spaces so rooms now comprised of family units or smaller groups. Many of the common areas were turned into sleeping/private areas, so the once open spaces for kids to play had been eliminated. Children now gathered on landings and hallways to play. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/8d22613e-7b44-4b78-ad30-92ddb083ab57/0Z7A1417_smaller.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Krakow, Spring 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/0e14b1fe-3167-466c-aace-2b6e77b427ce/0Z7A1424_smaller.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Krakow, Spring 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/blog/2022/11/5/7gdhhobvf9rig9wxqyd6u33lwivcgm monthly 0.5 2023-07-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/54040f33-7e78-4c2a-b336-1101010f0567/0Z7A5528.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out One of the three or four cats that came from Ukraine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/866e360f-83c3-423b-a2b8-cf947715245a/0Z7A5541.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out The playroom at the new location of Fundacja Nidaros seems to be one of the most active rooms next to the kitchen. The younger kids gravitate to the large room that holds toys, sofas, and desks- all elements that lend themselves to their own new toy combinations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/e14966b4-70a9-4d92-9b55-d5b09b6490d1/0Z7A5575.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/c308af0a-5236-4724-9223-c595b04e4453/0Z7A5585.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/5cc25262-7543-4424-8db9-6de764b773c8/0Z7A5603.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Got hurt and getting a kiss, the small culprit who caused the pain watches from the entryway. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/971de1c5-d024-4d64-a992-7249b7d3c296/0Z7A5605.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/21ff6c06-7ffe-4639-80bc-776c91a492e0/0Z7A5611.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/a3e244d3-f41e-4d3d-bac1-0887fc0ce11b/0Z7A5618.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/4912fa08-2de4-40d9-b2bf-2c4d1130f5a9/0Z7A5620.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/c37aeeee-edc4-44b9-be85-705260896c59/0Z7A5627.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/35792994-c194-498d-bcf4-b37260605757/0Z7A5632.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/0318ee00-1245-4692-a70f-8d54acce79d2/0Z7A5634.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/ebab69a6-167c-4b14-9822-5b0d0f43f6f0/0Z7A5641.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/9c4a8451-75b2-47ed-9ede-6a9aa313ddb9/0Z7A5668.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/505c1145-cb36-45b5-8253-9d349cd2a885/0Z7A5677.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/3a8c05d2-1d12-4a00-b345-cb1230faf349/0Z7A5688.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/16d4a52a-10d5-4fc1-93bf-f6186b0e83cd/0Z7A5705.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/f48ceba6-2cf4-4f74-aaa2-83185351934d/0Z7A5741.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/06dea4d5-7723-4d54-be80-97a970b02414/0Z7A5767.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/9e8e1441-466f-43b9-bbdf-f57d7f59cb1d/0Z7A5785-small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/09bd8648-6c16-4e4f-8fc2-c687c37282d5/0Z7A5791.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out There are more questions for the older kids. Nazar was 17 when the war started and when he came here, now he is 18 and unsure about what to do- he is also from Tarnopol, even though there is no war in his particular area, there are also no jobs. He feels that his best contribution will be to earn money outside of Ukraine and send it back home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/5c861996-f090-4968-b656-6512e7a45e85/0Z7A5823.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/f1893079-9d9e-43f7-b47a-8028afe6cc15/0Z7A5829_small.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/4d951949-8b71-49a7-b1e3-cb6d35bce28c/0Z7A5865.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Life is hard when you’ve been sick and now aren’t allowed to have a popsicle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/91e12613-dfa5-4994-a3d0-d0a7d05f16ab/0Z7A5888.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/4ba394b9-229e-4025-a8ba-bf93b0c62355/0Z7A5912.jpg Dispatches from Poland - More scenes from Nidaros Foundation (Fundacja Nidaros) - Make it stand out Lyudmila and Nataliia tackle cleaning some newly donated sofas. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/blog/2022/10/26/back-in-krakow monthly 0.5 2022-11-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/169a83e4-255d-4a5f-bac6-97ecf12364b6/0Z7A5133.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Mostly mothers and their children of varying ages live in Fundacja Nidaros. Currently, the rooms are wide open filled with mattresses and bunk beds, many families living together in one space. Adults and teenagers hang out most up here, if they’re not cooking, working, or attending online school or Polish school. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1e4723c8-f482-4abc-aa8b-bf48252cc787/0Z7A5144.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Cats brought from Ukraine live here, too. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/ca7f73ea-4e26-40c3-ac11-dd05111f9d9a/0Z7A5147.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Lots of phone scrolling, there’s not much else for those who are in transition to do. This is what one version of waiting looks like. Love for the US, Ukraine, and not pictured, but also a Polish flag to the left of the US flag. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/2e6b65f9-3a46-4e2d-a148-ed16485433d4/0Z7A5152.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Maybe these cats sometimes wish they were still in Ukraine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/f115c10f-1096-4b26-816a-599b6eb16a80/0Z7A5158.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/e317fafe-f0f7-4a68-b9d5-f904c9399588/0Z7A5162.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out The kitchen in the new foundation, which is also a place of a lot of activity. I caught it in a rare empty moment between laundry and food prep. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/153ae9d0-e5e8-4a20-993d-d26cdfdcd223/0Z7A5181.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Lyudmila and Nataliia are from Tarnopol, in Western Ukraine. While there is not much fighting, the air raid sirens and the constant fear prompted Lyudmila to bring her children to Poland for a while, where they don’t have to worry about air raid sirens and surprise attacks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/0a9d784c-53dd-4f4b-bc7a-314b5aa6377c/0Z7A5188.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Lyudmila holds up her phone to show me how she feels about what’s happening in Ukraine. It’s impossible to try not to make sense of it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/d90aa466-c690-4c49-b6bd-eee8e70eb242/0Z7A5192.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out In the playroom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/573c2938-38a5-475b-ae4b-3a7527f0bd35/0Z7A5197.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out The kitchen starts to get busy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/3eb055a1-f293-4fdf-a193-a0994c698728/0Z7A5334.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/4dbec81d-b1e1-4968-971a-f05fa82c25fc/0Z7A5313.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/a2d5982e-66d5-492f-bd51-2c8d18a6ef1a/0Z7A5349.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/5c99a87e-cf9d-4435-af6b-59e4279d9c2f/0Z7A5413.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/6fa7225e-8053-4ed4-8e53-88bb85a0544b/0Z7A5415.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/b5d67f89-263b-4d66-9d0c-d182fb7f1ef2/0Z7A5287.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/df970858-05e2-423e-b128-9513b35d3909/0Z7A5376.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/16655905-760e-4e8d-91b4-3ccc08a19199/0Z7A5391.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/980a0360-29e9-4fbf-a253-273e68c99a29/0Z7A5392.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/0404e3d6-8ff3-44d9-b3cd-537dbf31f12e/0Z7A5220.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Fresh food donations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/f3fc24b0-a8dd-4182-894a-83a8813db569/0Z7A5467.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out The new foundation location on a dreary day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/87ec5125-0d11-4ddd-a489-1a9c571af8f1/0Z7A5343.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1530c194-044f-4c67-826d-bfe7ffa9605a/0Z7A5228.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Back in Krakow - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/blog/2022/4/11/a4c2f0bhakpsctkq9u1xluk8p1tssk monthly 0.5 2022-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/228e018c-6080-40db-b5ef-5c8ab047395e/0Z7A1759.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- Krzysztof's mission to deliver supplies into Ukraine - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/09797b7a-e778-4f8c-b788-f1aea42a9c25/krzysztof_map_marked.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- Krzysztof's mission to deliver supplies into Ukraine - Make it stand out A rough map drawn by Krzysztof to show his trip. The first leg is marked in pink, the second leg is in orange, and the third leg is just in blue pen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/95b6fcdc-2bad-4e8e-9763-f36b0730bc0c/0Z7A2029.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- Krzysztof's mission to deliver supplies into Ukraine - Make it stand out Krzysztof, back and tired, with a little buddy. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/blog/2022/3/31/xd6ff5e2ju7f0d6co9g88jgb84ueb8 monthly 0.5 2022-04-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/a3348041-2aed-4afa-a584-2a05fb79370e/0Z7A1417.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- back on the border - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/4a8acce4-eea7-478a-95ee-825a1081bcac/0Z7A1422.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- back on the border - Make it stand out Last week I took a train back to the border possibly for the last time on this trip. Each time I go it’s a different experience. The first time it was fairly busy with Ukrainians crossing over and an incredible number of volunteers. This time it was a little less busy, more volunteers than refugees. I also heard that the busy hours shifted- before it was busy during the day and less so in the middle of the night, but apparently it flip flopped and now the middle of the night saw more activity. There are no real answers about why this happens. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/b6dd7cbf-46d4-4903-b4c1-c4cb76c52174/0Z7A1431.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- back on the border - Make it stand out I met Marcel as I was getting off my train and heard English being spoken. Needing a ride the few miles to the actual border, I asked if I could join. It turns out Marcel is a freelance journalist who has been in an out of Ukraine for the past few weeks. Most recently he had to return home to the Netherlands to attend to the matter of picking up his bullet proof vest, which are in high demand and low stock. He was going to be in Lviv for a week to do some photography for a nonprofit and then he planned to head south to Odessa to broadcast the situation down there, if possible. He’s covered wars in the past and said this just feels different, more unstable and unpredictable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/13b34af0-a8ca-49c4-aed1-63daca881c58/0Z7A1442.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- back on the border - Make it stand out I stood next to this lovely lady at the train station for a bit. Eventually we struck up a conversation. She is from a town near Lviv and is going to visit her daughter in Poland for two weeks. Her husband stayed put. I asked if they had any plans to move to her daughter’s, where it would be more safe. She said no. She wouldn’t leave her home. She now receives retirement and if she moved to her daughter’s she would have nothing to do, she would be living off of another person and that’s no kind of life. She also told me that many women were returning to Ukraine. Women who had been living in limbo for a month, women whose husbands, sons, fathers stayed behind. Their lives were on the other side of the Polish border so they packed their children and the same bags they brought over one month ago and returned. I had noticed this on my train from Krakow, it was full of mothers and their children speaking Ukrainian, they had more bags than would fit in an overhead compartment, and it all looked exactly like the train station in Krakow and Medyka, they were just heading in the opposite direction this time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/c6a7e6ff-9f06-49c5-b7cd-e7bee58834cc/0Z7A1446.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- back on the border - Make it stand out A hallway in the Przemysl train station. After crossing the border in Medyka, refugees either come directly here or go to the refugee center in Przemysl. Even after they’ve stayed in the refugee center for a bit, most will eventually make their way here where a train will take them to their new lives. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/2a69b614-7e76-4fb4-a7ec-f9699fe63190/0Z7A1448.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- back on the border - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/4efefa32-9974-4a9d-a2fe-02798f350f1f/0Z7A1461.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- back on the border - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/e5c21540-3e6a-40de-a346-62ac9c8c298d/Untitled-1.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- back on the border - Make it stand out I noticed this dog lying on the ground, almost catatonic, a demeanor that was deeper than peace, an unusually deep rest (because his eyes weren’t always closed) for a living animal in a very public and busy place. He was surrounded by his people and I asked if I could take a picture. I tried to indicate that he seemed unusually unwilling to stir. In response, his owner showed me a video of her apartment block near Kyiv, in the video it had been recently destroyed by Russians. People were moving around, some were huddled together. She pointed off to the left, out of the frame, and said she found him in a pile of rubble. After she showed me, she pulled his blanket out of her basket, he recognized it and slowly moved himself onto it because he knew it was better on the blanket than on the ground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/7784391b-7cb9-4946-8efe-92066a5b9364/0Z7A1493.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- back on the border - Make it stand out I’ve seen so much art work by kids- plastered up like wall paper at the hostel on Pilsudskiego and in train stations at the PKP and Caritas kiosks. This is hanging in the train station in Przemysl where many kids have spent many hours waiting for their parents- but really mostly moms- to work out their next steps. It says “Help save Ukraine” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/4d83c9cd-29c9-4276-afce-0518fa7d1eb7/0Z7A1494.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- back on the border - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/f7a42883-1bdd-4c72-8d49-744ba448c8ae/0Z7A1499.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- back on the border - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/303223c6-8679-4583-ba6a-ca6488cc84ea/0Z7A1515.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- back on the border - Make it stand out A couple of nuns were drifting around the train station helping where possible. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/549adf46-fd03-4fc0-bdfd-e74e0477f3b3/0Z7A1555.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- back on the border - Make it stand out The perils of trying to do a ribbon dance with a Ukrainian flag on a windy day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/c0910f13-59b6-40a6-aea9-60050525785e/0Z7A1566.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- back on the border - Make it stand out Linda came with her husband from Kentucky for a week to volunteer and distribute supplies for which they’d raised funds. Here she is volunteering at the women and children’s tent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/45bd8294-6387-40db-910c-e08f872644b0/0Z7A1582.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- back on the border - Make it stand out A woman and her child who just crossed over. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/7e4116ec-95ec-4b83-9faa-d477978ea968/0Z7A1586.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- back on the border - Make it stand out This mom and her daughter had just crossed the border and I don’t remember her crying, the rubbing of the eyes seemed to be more due to exhaustion. Moments later a volunteer offered her a slice of pizza which she gladly ate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/d6879820-c203-45bc-936a-5a081179d88f/0Z7A1592.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- back on the border - Make it stand out This man is from Texas, he works in IT and took his annual vacation to help at the border. He was specifically moved to come and help because of the unprovoked nature of the attacks on Ukraine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/61153092-a6fa-4a38-ac8e-62bd90b06c83/0Z7A1604.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- back on the border - Make it stand out A piano player brought his portable grand piano to play for peace. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/blog/2022/3/31/77jmyfooc224gcw7bsp7rtru07hqtx monthly 0.5 2022-04-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/7fc3df67-e841-4276-9899-b3166b5dd1f5/0Z7A1122.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more shared stories - Make it stand out I met Nadiia at Soup for Ukraine, she volunteers there and she’s also from Ukraine. She came to Poland years ago but her parents are still in Ternopil, which is located between and south of Lviv and Kyiv, but closer to Lviv. She desperately wants them to come to Poland, but they won’t leave. She thinks it may because they somehow know once they leave, they may never return. The war and the news of it are a source of much anxiety, sadness, and despair for her. So much so that she said her 12 year old son started asking if he did something to upset her. She explained over and over that it was not him, she explained what was happening in Ukraine. He now knows not to ask, but instead has taken to comforting her. She says they talk about the war at his school and have brought in psychologists to help explain it more. There was a drawing exercise and he wrote that he hates the Russian soldiers, he hates the Russian language which is his father’s language. I’m sure so many feel this way. This is also how hatred of a people starts- one person starts a war and everyone else will now pay for it- not just the Ukrainians, but the Russians, too. Nadiia carries the Ukrainian flag in her backpack, folded up, all the time. It’s a sort of talisman and it has become so imbued with meaning that she won’t go anywhere without it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/8870d89a-d564-4c25-a7d1-f6e48fa34640/0Z7A1234.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more shared stories - Make it stand out Magda, standing, center, is 26, is the day to day go to person for many that volunteer and work at the hostel on Pilsudskiego. A general organization of refugee help was formed in fall and winter 2021 to aid refugees on the Belarusian border, sending supplies that would be useful for life in a forest during winter. Eventually it came to encompass help for refugees in general who are waiting for a decision to be made about their residency status. When the war started on February 24, the organization as it is -mostly the result of the work of a small group of women in Krakow- immediately realized that a space would be necessary to provide refugees with a place to rest and figure out the next portion of their journey. She says they found the building- unused for many years, dirty, and in a very raw state, completely empty walls- and in 48 hours they had their first guests. Monday she was still cleaning windows and on Tuesday March 1, their first guests arrived. Word spread quickly- both as a refuge and also for people wanting to help. They were inundated with donations when they posted their need for mattresses, bedding, food. Now the World Central Kitchen provides their meals, but before that they were provided by school children and other individuals volunteering to bring in sandwiches. While there, it felt predictably chaotic, it was the largest refugee space I’d been in - they house about 150 people. Children run around, parents after them. Women on their phones speaking in Ukrainian in the stairways and hallways, meetings downstairs in the main room with various volunteers and NGOs helping to place them in good work and living environments- whether that’s in Poland or beyond. The constant movement upstairs is balanced with pockets of quiet upstairs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/008c1993-7f34-4191-bc16-89a8bc42bf36/0Z7A1153.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more shared stories - Make it stand out Anna came from Ukraine with her mother and is nearing the end of her time at the hostel as she heads to Austria for work and a place to live while her mother goes back to Ukraine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/2509e6e1-595b-42c8-9c41-89734814d194/0Z7A1162.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more shared stories - Make it stand out Maxim, 17, left Ukraine with his cousin, Angelina, 19, , while his parents stayed behind in Ukraine. He brought his pregnant dog with him who gave birth last week. The typical amount of time for refugees to stay at the hostel is 15 days, but due to the birth of the pups, these guys, or at least Maxim, will stay 8-10 weeks so that the mother can finish nursing before moving on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/f90e1cba-06ed-4289-bf0b-4360000a28e6/0Z7A1182.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more shared stories - Make it stand out For now, the pups are an endless source of entertainment for the transient tenants of the hostel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/a220884b-2f4d-4608-90f1-76b90376b5fd/0Z7A1195.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more shared stories - Make it stand out Viktoria, 18 is from Ukraine, a town near the Moldova border. She came to Krakow to study law and foreign relations before the war started and is now a volunteer at the hostel. Her family, including her brother remained at home, his vision is not good so he hasn’t been recruited to fight in the war. She expressed her frustration that her teacher from Odessa has not made any public comments about what is happening, and that he is pro Russia, but is pleased that her teacher in Krakow has been criticizing the war. She believes it’s up to local Ukrainian government and town officials to be vocal about condemning the war, their silence frustrates her. She hopes to eventually return to Ukraine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/d4373ee4-d077-4c32-8bcc-16cdfb017e51/0Z7A1198.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more shared stories - Make it stand out A wall of children’s art at the hostel. The hostel is filled primarily with women and children. They average a 15 day stay there, the volunteers are constantly working to place them within or outside of Poland with work and housing situations that will help them earn money to eventually take back to Ukraine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/b6ac9c79-0d0f-4587-b0df-6aa39991dec8/0Z7A1205.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more shared stories - Make it stand out Martha arrived from Texas about a week ago, working with traumatized children in a therapeutic setting is her specialty. She will be here for two weeks playing with them and teaching them methods of coping with anxiety arising from what they witnessed and experienced. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/82a7b2ea-6313-4ff2-8c1e-5060f94360aa/0Z7A1200.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more shared stories - Make it stand out A living and hang out space in the hostel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/5347e761-4efa-473c-abc5-59edc7faf1dd/0Z7A1235.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more shared stories - Make it stand out A wall filled with information for Ukrainians. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/2985d98b-439f-4c87-b7b7-ff7516eecd25/0Z7A1255.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more shared stories - Make it stand out This is a free pop up clothing store started by an artist named Paulina and her boyfriend. They realized a need for teen refugee girls and boys to feel good about the way they look, and how much clothing is tied to identity and self perception. Since many Ukrainian kids left most of their clothing behind when they fled, she organized a small free boutique behind the Hotel Cracovia, which is typically used as a carpentry workshop and was donated by the Design Forum- a store in Hotel Cracovia. Paulina says their boutique has been incredibly successful and they’ve received phenomenal donations, but the pop up will be coming to an end the first Saturday of April because it is a time consuming venture on which she spends all day everyday- unpacking donations, organizing them and being generally available. She said she is happy to pass the entire concept including the clothing on to someone else who can take it over, otherwise they will send remaining merch to a similar place in Warsaw. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/a5ee8016-a792-4fa5-a779-7c8cf6c5827a/0Z7A1259.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more shared stories - Make it stand out Women and teens peruse the wares. Women shop for their children. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/blog/2022/3/26/8552wmjcv2kxw0ruhuyjjih0ppkq2y monthly 0.5 2022-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/a255700e-fa21-4496-8e66-84d252e846cb/0Z7A0855.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Before I left for the border, I saw these guys strolling the train station in Krakow. I could tell they didn’t belong to any country’s official army so I asked them if they were volunteer soldiers. They are. They were. Giulian, 22 and Marco, 26 both from Germany had just returned from Lviv. Marco said it was jarring, they were there during the explosions a couple of weeks ago. Giulian is returning to fight. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/b1aeb5a6-43c9-44f2-b8c1-53613ef39750/0Z7A0876.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out On the road to the Medyka border, we drive by Rzeszow, where there is a large military base. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/0827b228-7d84-471a-b612-162948751dcb/0Z7A0883.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out The border, Medyka. It currently does not seem to be as busy with refugees as some of the images I’ve seen in the past. There are tents set up with cooked and also packaged food and supplies to take. Refugees who have been standing on the border for hours come through, exhausted. There is no elation of touching foreign soil, a dream of years finally realized. This is an unwilling migration. The border set up is slightly surreal. It’s meant to greet refugees with love and warmth, to make them feel immediately welcome on this first tiny step of their next 99 steps where they may not have anyone cheering them on. It’s a tent city of volunteers. Przemysl, the nearby town has very little accommodation available, so many volunteers sleep in tents behind the supply tents. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/dd592643-4b16-490c-b3ce-faddfd9f731a/0Z7A0893_2.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Volunteers in bright yellow and orange vests give toys and candy to children coming through. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/cb4ab986-1bb3-44fd-b4c5-e72e3caa5a91/0Z7A0900.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Refugees just cross the line into Poland, many holding their most valuable possessions. The number of animals coming through shouldn’t surprise me any more or at all, but it still does. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/183982a3-ac68-42dd-84e9-909e1df7ae09/0Z7A0923.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out A group of refugees just about to cross over the line into Poland. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/e04ab739-c5d3-4de4-bbb0-86d57abeb846/0Z7A0940.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out A couple of Ukrainian women speak to volunteers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/9e224db0-5477-4650-9e1d-9150af81c5fe/0Z7A0958.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Entering the gate into Poland. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/f7cc06bf-9af4-4286-9c71-ecbc6d2515ae/0Z7A0966.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out An Italian clown stands at the border gates adding to the surreal atmosphere of leaving a home under siege and crossing on foot to another country with just a suitcase of your most valuable possessions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/290302eb-4551-4a72-9d1f-58673712443c/0Z7A0988.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/947c10d5-9fbe-49cc-82da-8ada46b23dbf/0Z7A0996.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out The kids seem to be curious about him. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/bc9321a1-3663-4143-9bf0-15b254e7b5d7/0Z7A1009.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Jared, from North Carolina in the US. Jared, like most of us, watched the news and felt he needed to do something. He says watching this event, the scale of it and how it has impacted the whole world, millions of people crossing the border and the Poles picking up slack. He thought he would find large international NGOs here but really it’s just small groups and individuals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/fc6a41ff-c0cb-4602-90b9-50a4ee02de4a/0Z7A1021.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Clowns. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/6acb8715-b502-4e39-aac8-d9f42962c47c/0Z7A1039.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out A French aid tent at the entrance, with an off road vehicle parked nearby. Blue elephant attached to the front. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/2e13763c-4025-4061-900f-f24da678a71b/0Z7A1044.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out A mural being painted in the midst of the aid tents. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/d5ded78a-7631-4a65-8612-f26c0134f37e/0Z7A1047.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/b860de7f-7d9b-48b6-b7e1-2767cfce3d86/0Z7A1057.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Toys for children to have. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/40c6f36d-3f89-40bb-af6e-34248152c257/0Z7A1060.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/d2954bc0-5982-475f-853b-b37bc53b2b67/0Z7A1062.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/d265d464-6aa8-4eae-85bf-c68630a7d4dc/0Z7A1067.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out I found Jay making soup in a tent. Though not a sikh, he is there with there with an organization of sikhs- there was one called United Sikhs- they had a clothing tent- but I don’t know now if the food tent was part of the same sikhs organization. Jay is an engineering management student in Krakow, and like most, he wanted to do something to help. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/399e22d8-6ce0-427d-a78d-5f92a4a6dee8/0Z7A1068.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/32bd8478-0abd-44c6-8696-31958b5348e3/0Z7A1071.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/a5e14c4a-df28-46a4-9829-2304a8ee8d98/0Z7A1075.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/81b70f92-7e76-421d-a604-735ce6c43c2c/0Z7A1077.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out This is the woman who owns the dog above, I loved her nails and she let me take a picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/6e68b4d0-2459-437f-9b4d-7cd36b4b276a/0Z7A1080.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Sam Davies with a Scottish charity called Siobhan’s Trust. He is a veteran of the British Army and as a current non military freelancer, he was able to get away and help manage this tent for a bit. He says he sees many young people coming over to volunteer for the Ukrainian army. When he gets the chance, he tries to talk them out of it. He counts it a success if they don’t go and some have even stayed on to help out in the tent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/5e6dca03-5ef1-42bb-968b-506ed6703050/0Z7A1087.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/ace0a8f4-280f-4040-86b5-5abcd4321313/0Z7A1092-2.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out This exemplifies how surreal, chaotic, but also welcoming and full of love the border set up is. Baby in a shopping cart, clown singing songs. The mom gets instruction on how the buses work. After having crossed into the border and walked through a boulevard of tents, she now stands in line to get on a bus to take her to Przemysl, where she will most likely go to the train station or to the center for refugee help. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/3e6681ec-5191-4fe8-bacc-3b21b42cebc5/0Z7A1094.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/ba395051-4544-44e6-ae88-7470739d8a52/0Z7A1102.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Robert and Linda drop off supplies at the center for refugee help in Przemysl. He and Linda made the decision on short notice, coming from Kentucky in the US. When I asked why he wanted to help he said it was a rare opportunity when the world is standing shoulder to shoulder and he wanted to be a part of that. Linda has always loved Poland and Krakow, in particular. This is her fourth trip over- her first during the war. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/faf44ef1-fa06-4209-9265-cb9d2565bfe3/0Z7A1107.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the border - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/blog/2022/3/26/1mwry8y6j72f9lc3mwlgwhg4r9izo9 monthly 0.5 2022-04-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/253a1428-8eb7-4b5d-ba04-4a31e3338a85/0Z7A0670.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out When I was directed to Krzysztof’s place I was only told the address and to go to Pan Krzysztof’s. I was given no name of an organization and no indication of what happened there beyond his connection to helping refugees. It turns out this is actually quite common with many of the places I’ve visited, there’s no name, nothing formal because they set up so quickly, they’re just known by their address. But it turns out that Pan Krzysztof does also have his own one man foundation, called Fundacja Nidaros (fundacjanidaros.org) which he set up long before the war started. He is a builder who employees Ukrainians and has, for years, been helping them come to Poland to work. His foundation helps process their papers and arrange living spaces for them among other things. Since the war started, he moved to a bigger space- and office front on a busy street- that can house about 50 refugees at any given time. Food, shelter is provided. He is a central point of contact for many who are going beyond Poland and can take refugees with them. He arranges transportation and he also drives into Ukraine to distribute medical supplies, generators, clothing, and supplies for bullet proof vests for the Ukrainian territorial army. When I entered that building, knowing nothing about the place, and only asking for Pan Krzysztof he greeted me with an infectious energy and smile, and an incredible generosity of time and spirit - and food. I am not unique, he greets everyone in this way. We were interrupted countless times, he is the man everyone comes to for everything, he sleeps very little, because he says that’s how he’s always been- and now even less. He says he may run home to shower and close his eyes for a couple of hours, but he is immediately back. And especially at night, because he says that’s when the difficult questions come. When it’s quiet. The Ukrainians staying there, come when he’s alone and ask when it will be over, how long they can stay, where they will go, how this will all end. The questions that have no answers but are impossible to not keep asking. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1030a617-2d3b-4d24-9320-deeb5ef494f3/0Z7A0669.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out Krzysztof was heading to Mariupol on the day after I visited. This is the truck he drives. He said he normally doesn’t keep in touch with anyone on these trips, but I’ve noticed that he’s updating his stories on Instagram (@chawrona)- the last update was that he was getting shot at and it was too dangerous to continue. The Ukrainian army had him in their care and he was waiting for morning, to either continue or turn back. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/174d17cb-a056-4966-a330-e4639ced96c9/0Z7A0632.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out There were so many baby items heading into Ukraine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/bc5b3f47-a206-4f2b-8983-d8083c7ad89f/0Z7A0621.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out Four guys from England came through the same night I first stumbled into Fundacja Nidaros. Former firefighters, some of them, they drove from the UK withe supplies for which they’d raised money. They gave many supplies to Krzysztof’s foundation and bought him a generator to take with him on his trip into Ukraine the next day. They spent the night and that morning re packed their van for items they took to Medyka - the busiest Poland/Ukraine border crossing- which would also then get taken to facilities within Ukraine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/fd89c8b2-e805-4697-88e4-152050fc9235/0Z7A0599.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out Coordinating deliveries and needs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/54680275-84fa-45f1-935d-f651299328ee/0Z7A0695.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out A play room set up in Fundacja Nidaros. This mom was there with her five children. Her husband was also there. I was told men of fighting age were allowed out of the country if the family was too big for a single mom to care for on her own. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/51ca2f89-b7a6-43eb-926f-c5a2e83b8f2c/0Z7A0698.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/0be610f3-eaf3-4fde-bbe3-6f33a0ddae71/0Z7A0702.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/bf7e88e6-bd31-4d05-9df7-4366f0d290a9/0Z7A0719.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out A living space in Fundacja Nidaros. I wasn’t able to speak with these women beyond asking if it was ok if I could take their picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/b38a64af-7161-4fab-96ce-376dc5746ff8/0Z7A0714.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/646c3c16-bd61-4b9d-90e9-58141232da93/0Z7A0687.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out Another living space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/0dbc799f-9daf-4989-97cb-bb031abaea54/0Z7A0678.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out Elina, came to Krakow from Ukraine a couple of years ago and now helps out at Fundacja Nidaros. She is putting away groceries from a donation they received. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/3366604e-33d6-4d16-9a39-0aed02806bc9/0Z7A0741.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out Elina came to Krakow a couple of years ago with her husband and two children. She now helps out with the incoming refugees at Krzysztof’s. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/ddbf7302-85b9-4832-99c5-17bf32187e90/0Z7A0747.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out Lena’s daughter, Kasia and her brother. All three live with a Polish woman in Siepraw. They sit in their makeshift bedroom, which is actually the dining room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/c709e5ce-f494-4d52-baf3-5afed8f84d2f/0Z7A0752.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out Lena sits in the kitchen of the woman she and her children live with. Next to her is a meal that’s been prepared and delivered to the refugees in Siepraw. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/d75560c8-5c05-4911-b2e2-32d1894ae11b/0Z7A0754.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out Lena with the woman she and her family live with. They both expressed feeling lucky they found each other. This is a fortunate situation because many refugees are unwilling to move to places outside of the city because they’re concerned about being isolated and on top of that the possibility that they could find themselves in an incompatible situation with their host. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/b2d1b8aa-597a-4a4d-9121-9f648134c25e/0Z7A0774.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out Lunch made by Patrycja for the refugees living in a ski lodge called Zajazd pod Sloncem (Inn under the Sun). In this particular place, there are 27 people, 15 of those are adults. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/662c4e2b-f284-4183-8777-be0ac6325efa/0Z7A0781-2.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out The former ski rental area now converted into a dining and play room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/79845872-0591-4a00-98d7-624bb3479a32/0Z7A0787-2.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out Shelves are now filled with snacks and children’s toys. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/b4251e11-b27c-4d32-9519-9d868ee6f820/0Z7A0791.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out Laundry hangs outside of Zajazd pod Sloncem. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/d467af71-9dcb-4f7d-9db0-c7d05077773a/0Z7A0807.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out This baby was born one week before the war started. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/511c9767-a48f-4dbe-b5e3-d9c203e51dc7/0Z7A0819.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out Of the 27 people at Zajazd pod Sloncem, all are women and children except for one older man that was above the age limit for being required to stay in Ukraine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/ed2bc1b3-b31c-443f-86c9-3c5f4d4d2d23/0Z7A0827.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out Another small hotel that houses refugees. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/7567b266-6470-4846-a6bc-080a8897b980/0Z7A0831.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- more notes from Krakow - Make it stand out Children play outside. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/blog/2022/3/23/poland-the-helpers-keep-helping monthly 0.5 2022-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/e4c76b54-b22b-4e48-90ea-0222e1bf7630/0Z7A0283.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers keep helping - Make it stand out A Ukrainian family at the train station. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/d105f67c-3bb5-4d0b-a3f3-49ba99d7ec64/0Z7A0316.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers keep helping - Make it stand out Bartolomeo, artist and one of the co founders of the artists collective, CCA Squirrel, the space where Soup for Ukraine is located. They are looking to host a Ukrainian artist - or more than one- to sponsor with a work space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/bb7a5e1c-6f57-4fe6-a1d0-bf55ee68ffa0/0Z7A0437.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers keep helping - Make it stand out CCA Squirrel, where Soup for Ukraine is located https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/86704f4c-d84b-44a8-9c02-1f5e7e35c0ab/0Z7A0532.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers keep helping - Make it stand out A special delivery of a few jars of pickled tomatoes in honor of the one the woman in Kyiv threw at a Russian drone last week. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/b2f46fac-2525-439f-a7cd-d33440ea221c/0Z7A0536.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers keep helping - Make it stand out Kasia, one of the founders of Soup for Ukraine https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/53b51888-49eb-4847-8520-4ab235517929/0Z7A0556.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers keep helping - Make it stand out A volunteer makes a small child laugh while his mom delivers or picks up soup. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/7eebba91-c5d3-4c84-8fba-76cd45b8867d/0Z7A0558.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers keep helping - Make it stand out Udaj is volunteering as part of his company’s volunteer day. He told about how he’s suggested his company not just send out volunteers and donations to non profits but provide support for the Ukrainians that work within the company- for example a colleague lives in a flat that she rented for herself, but now has a sudden the sudden expense of buying/renting a bigger home so that she can accommodate her family from Ukraine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/71c24613-7b71-4e52-a0c3-7540761728b3/0Z7A0562.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers keep helping - Make it stand out Kamila came here with 9 jars and stayed on to volunteer. She says they are scared, make no mistake about it because Poland might be next. Some people aren’t excited about taking care of refugees because they fear it will anger and provoke Putin. She keeps herself busy to keep the worry at bay. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1ef13147-3ed3-429c-a987-8c87d87d20d0/0Z7A0572.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers keep helping - Make it stand out Krzysztof runs a place for refugees. It’s in the space of a vacant storefront on a busy street. Vacant no longer, the light is always on and there is someone to greet refugees at most hours of the night. He, himself makes humanitarian runs into the heart of Ukraine, leaving generators, medical supplies, food, toiletries and clothing. Showing me pictures I see that he wears a suit and tie and I asked why he would be so uncomfortably dressed for a trip that might be better in sweat pants. He says he dresses for his funeral, if he is killed he will be ready for burial. He has been shot once and his bullet proof vest saved him. He has guns that he buries in the forest on the other side of the border. And he’s been kidnapped by Ukrainian bandits. Tomorrow he goes to Mariupol. The way it’s been told to me, no one has made it in to deliver aid. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/c805b36c-0390-4809-8ba5-aee2db5e1361/0Z7A0567.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers keep helping - Make it stand out Krzysztof holds up the vest with the bullet lodged in it on the left and the vest he currently wears on the right. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/caebef36-12fc-487e-8c34-d05fcb43e0a1/0Z7A0574.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers keep helping - Make it stand out A white board of needs for the facility. Krzysztof accepts everyone there and turns no one away even if it means putting them up in his own home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/a652d205-a932-4b96-82b9-22f44c679958/0Z7A0577.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers keep helping - Make it stand out The front room is packed with supplies to be loaded for delivery into Ukraine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1fb61d89-78ee-4dd3-89e7-ddb3502c9a16/0Z7A0580.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers keep helping - Make it stand out Locals deliver muffins and bread they baked for the refugees. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/blog/2022/3/23/poland-the-helpers monthly 0.5 2022-04-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/9e47802e-f8d3-400e-bc33-1527a5648067/0Z7A0308.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/2ac482cd-300d-4364-a292-c6e2694dbd1f/0Z7A0337.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/b5d14c69-f936-4c8a-a3d2-12d4753036f8/0Z7A0339.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out A volunteer drops off a few jars of soup and some home made bread. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/52ffe9f9-0acc-49ae-b110-5ac931107574/0Z7A0343.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/dce19c0b-cead-475b-aa66-88dc205c6729/0Z7A0356.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/9abac13b-a0e7-4313-9bf4-d7732a5d6911/0Z7A0364.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/2191eb3f-c4bb-4283-b698-b2f41872d936/0Z7A0367.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out Kasia checks the wall of NGOs and other individuals that partner with Soup for Ukraine. She became involved when she saw on Facebook that they needed a printer, she brought hers over and as she says, four hours later she left as a member of the coordinator team. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/e4a78f72-3c21-49e2-8bf5-c50acf5ba49c/0Z7A0378.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out Dropping off homemade soup https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/33b364db-6dbd-4ff8-a24a-1ac44d85f3b4/0Z7A0390.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out Kasia drops off soup and tells a little about why she makes soup: it’s like helping your own, your neighbors- we all know Ukrainians, we work with them are friends with them- how can you not help? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/44c8cb13-40ff-4967-b757-09f238a755a4/0Z7A0396.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out Karolina is a volunteer and she feels it’s a moral obligation to help, you can’t avoid what’s happening because it’s everywhere. The fight is not just for individual Ukrainians, it’s for Poland, and for the world- but mostly for Poland, the war is so close physically. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/7b64f82d-5818-41c8-bd81-3f602962103f/0Z7A0411.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out Kamila cooked soup once and then decided to stay and volunteer. She helps because she thinks about what it would be like to be in the same situation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/0c9f0c0f-093a-4bb2-8e3c-5d9c8a52c1a8/0Z7A0415.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out A Ukrainian family picks up soup and some other needed supplies. The twins and their mother are part of a group of seven that are looking for accommodation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/f7616fa9-6e14-48f3-bfde-d6ad263b8330/0Z7A0423.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out This father and daughter come by with a larger group to Soup for Ukraine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/17ae95e1-9586-4569-9804-40d54f2119a1/0Z7A0453.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out The group of seven and one pup that are looking for a place to stay. The woman on the far right had to leave her son in Ukraine because he was of the age that he was required to stay and fight. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/24751605-1e2a-4369-9d32-88167ab14c2d/0Z7A0462.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/269b25e4-8dd6-485b-bce2-00d9f8d1f74c/0Z7A0464.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/ad89333d-153c-4a85-a3c5-0c6fb29287ae/0Z7A0482.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out The building where Soup for Ukraine has space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/04e25f0f-9c39-4c29-b39c-0dae62295c7f/0Z7A0322.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out Another shot of the room where Soup for Ukraine has space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1bbe517a-14f7-4670-8c8e-dca395587a2c/0Z7A0445.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the helpers - Make it stand out Volunteers hang out with the dogs brought by refugees. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/blog/2022/3/22/poland-the-first-few-days monthly 0.5 2022-03-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/dabf7599-5612-4103-9906-ffee69cababe/0Z7A0109.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out My studio block in Krakow. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/656cd551-3f1b-42e0-b004-3ea86a092698/0Z7A0132.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out Ira and Swieta, mother and daughter and there was one more daughter who wasn’t there at the moment. They were spending one night in Krakow before going to family in Germany. They are from Kyiv and will go back if their home is still there. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/64a47bae-c75d-4378-8a84-0274954212db/0Z7A0146.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out Johnson, from Belfast. Volunteer soldier. Veteran. While helping him locate the track from which his train heading East was leaving, he had a panic attack. PTSD. We found a medic and I stayed with him for a while to help translate. Needless to say, his daughter bought him a return trip to Ireland a couple of days later after two nights at the Veterans Hospital psychiatric ward. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/5193ae14-cbd6-4818-b56f-15a8f461fe85/0Z7A0154.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/73dd8f97-9bee-476c-bc9c-a2e46d3e4bc9/0Z7A0157.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/365e26d9-94da-4e36-a419-2d3f2855f8f6/0Z7A0158.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out Anton and his wife. They have two daughters and are from Kyiv. They leave behind three homes and were hiding out in a cellar until they decided their young daughters couldn’t continue to live that way. They were heading to Lodz where they have contacts. I was unclear how he made it out of the country but it seems he is a veteran who fought before and may be exempt. I’m not sure- he pointed to various scars on his body as indication. He has two brothers who stayed behind and are fighting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/f72c6dfb-4350-4281-b355-955e10240afd/0Z7A0161.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out Ola and her daughter. She brought two cats and was heading to Lodz to stay for two nights but didn’t know what would be next. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/59b77204-5744-4f80-9c6e-8235de9f4967/0Z7A0206.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1650c959-357c-4928-8cbe-4d4dfb0d1801/0Z7A0217.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/520ae499-1b68-40f9-8da6-7b67e39b8140/0Z7A0171.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out Krzys and his partner Asa dressed up to hand out candy at the train station. Someone asked them to pick up a Ukrainian family from Przemysl (border town between Ukraine and Poland), and when they delivered the family, in thanks the person who’d asked them to help out turned out to work for a candy factory and sent them pounds of candy as thanks. They passed it back on by coming to the train station to distribute it to the children. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/5f7b1903-9b99-427b-83fc-a62532fb2822/0Z7A0173.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out I spoke with this woman as she waited to pick up parents of her brother’s Ukrainian girlfriend. We had a long conversation as she waited from their train from Przeymsl to arrive. She is Polish and described to me her initial fear about the war and how it would affect Poland. She just bought a house and couldn’t even continue with moving in because of the uncertainty. Eventually, like most people here, she tucked it away and has forced herself to keep going and do what she can to help. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/fc96179c-6fb9-4a4b-b3e3-d1888d31e790/0Z7A0175.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out A blurry image and I cropped it because the father was staring directly at me, but the gesture of relief and gratitude between the two women says it all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/836c1162-75dd-4278-9cec-27ef2509ebe7/0Z7A0176.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out A mother and daughter with their dog. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/532fdfa2-8214-432b-a227-db6606eb5cc1/0Z7A0194.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/d3c08f9f-bbc6-47b9-8201-84d9a58cd145/0Z7A0226.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out Many people wait at the train station for refugees, everyone trying to help. Various people from various countries, like Austria and Estonia and even Jehova’s Witnesses. There has been some issue with people showing up at train stations, while predominantly well intentioned, there is no regulation and there are now a very few stories circulating about young girls being picked up and finding themselves in a human trafficking situation. But mostly, it’s people who want to do anything they can do to help and with a quickly created NGO show up in buses to take refugees to their country. My understanding is, too, that many Ukrainians are reluctant to go beyond Poland if they don’t have to, because they expect to return Ukraine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/45018520-7991-4707-ae94-b51f8d95a278/0Z7A0215.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out Mihal and his daughter. Mihal has been living in Poland and working, his wife and daughter just arrived. He says he will be going back to fight. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/41402042-96dc-4871-9f97-128b92822b82/0Z7A0224.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out Children wait as their parents get necessities from a free shop set up in the train station, or arrange for connecting trains. In Poland, all travel by rail is free for Ukrainians, and Poles get 40zl/day if they host a Urkainian. The shop in the train station is filled with basic necessities and is set up by an NGO called Caritas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/cea68c62-4778-40b2-8335-8a9959385d8d/0Z7A0160.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/ac1701ac-e3ae-4012-9737-a55c7c64a62c/0Z7A0191.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/439cd99c-01a1-4586-8770-0be12b4965a3/0Z7A0197.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out Scenes from the shop of necessities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/0e2e8857-16d2-457a-be0a-6a6a9ec6617c/0Z7A0227.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out We didn’t have a language in common, but she let me take a picture of her dog. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/e9dd5bc4-75ac-47e6-853c-e1c3fe19c25e/0Z7A0232.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out There is a group set up to help animals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/0f4194cf-d2c8-41c1-8c5c-8eedb58d96cc/0Z7A0236.jpg Dispatches from Poland - Poland- the first few days - Make it stand out Anna and Leon the dog. Anna just came from Ukraine and is going to Prague to stay with her mom now. http://www.mpedynkowski.com/neither-here-nor-there daily 0.75 2024-08-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722630248612-JN9NFM4GJ53DX0BR1EBK/0Z7A1092_notcropped.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722630248612-JN9NFM4GJ53DX0BR1EBK/0Z7A1092_notcropped.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722813719481-839COYOISAJPUDYWGC49/_project_description.png Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722792098833-4G2B7ZYYFV9UPQP67UR6/0Z7A0988_cropped2.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722791702088-W5TXMEKWSNJ2PZG79MIN/0Z7A1092_crop.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722630369091-0ULB8UGO5WKOLFP1RCPO/0Z7A6318.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722630341292-4O1XLYNB7VC1VSOH2AED/0Z7A1198_2.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722630384049-HPJ6NRHYJH8WR2QBUK0Q/0Z7A2108.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722630771225-I3NQN4644VWDI83NUMUP/0Z7A6198_2.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722793044596-BEKYKBE9QF8C3CUG0VWI/0Z7A8308_crop.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722630294705-FWXWDOTCVNCQLUGFMKNF/0Z7A0827.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722810725945-O2QLZ4NC079SJZ94HPDN/0Z7A6096_2.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722630825166-VW5Y4LMWS1POCL30AQ3S/0Z7A6512_2.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722630391351-QIO4KFNQF182Y1IYPEAL/0Z7A5641.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722630396994-WM77VIMTR8OBBOL32UGH/0Z7A5627.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722813792940-VDBXLHUSI0LB7MF56LLJ/0Z7A6036.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722630402773-FT8BMGU59B61X7H5WZ4U/0Z7A5391.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722813810283-KL1J57BR62J2R4ILE1GZ/0Z7A7469.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722815093530-7DQ4JD8VPVSG18Z06AQ1/0Z7A7476.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722630409043-39HLIVOW6Y2M8U8X6W4A/0Z7A3198.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722792745422-DZM0LUBC5ZTEG7HB6GYL/0Z7A5135.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722631011540-LPSZD87K2OTVGS4ZSDT6/0Z7A1937_2.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722791960074-9FYK2IGER1SZPXDANLV6/0Z7A3637_2.jpg Neither Here Nor There https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1722792482168-16XEY40HVHNFPDSI6802/0Z7A3632_crop3.jpg Neither Here Nor There http://www.mpedynkowski.com/cc-jane-doe daily 0.75 2015-07-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/559d7c72e4b0da80bdf98523/1438267223204-ANXDRQLMJHJKMG5NYGYF/image-asset.jpeg cc: Jane Doe 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