From the moment I stepped onto the plane from Cork airport on my way to Kyrnica via Krakow, I felt completely out of my comfort zone. I had never felt so strange in my life. Not only was I the only English speaking person in the plane, I was the only Asian girl onboard! Everyone was looking at me. I kept thinking, "Is there something on my face?" It was definitely a weird feeling. I just smiled when they looked at me :) The plane finally landed in Krakow and as I headed towards immigration, I watched everyone else just flashing their passports and walking straight on through the gates. When I reached customs, the immigration officer was asking me a million questions, what are you doing in Poland? How long are you here for? Where are you from? Where is Napier? Where are you staying? Is this your first time here? I was feeling nervous but finally he stamped my passport and I walked through to grab my bags. Even after that, I still had EVERYONE staring at me. I think they were thinking, "Was she on the right plane, has she landed in the right country?" In this international airport, I could still see that I was the only Asian person in there. Everyone was Polish! At last, a familiar face! I was delighted to see my Polish friend Lukasz, who I met in Australia. He explained to me that I was probably the first Asian person they had ever seen in their lives.

We finally arrived in Krynica and I met Lukasz's family. A small town of only 15000, it is surrounded by large mountains. The hotel, "Gornik" owned by his family is where we are staying and it’s located at the highest point in this town. Lukasz and I are staying in a 2 bedroom apartment on the top floor. The views here are awesome! The hotel has everything you need. It has a tennis court, sauna, Jacuzzi, conference rooms, gaming area, bar, restaurant. I felt very spoiled here. I even had a personal chef! It was a great two weeks of relaxation here. I learnt that even when you are the odd one out in such a small town, if you make an effort with the locals and throw in a few Polish words here and there, they really do appreciate it and everything becomes a lot easier. Before I knew it, Krynica felt like home. I was even invited to a Polish wedding! Once you get to know the Polish, they are so warm and friendly; they will start showering you with food and… vodka. I've enjoyed every minute of Krynica even with the hundred million stares!