Magda, 37, is a speech and neuro-sensory integration therapist living in southeastern Poland, near the Czech border.  She is married and the parent of three children, ranging in age from eight months to ten years old.  She identifies as Roman Catholic.  

Reflect on your experience during COVID-19 Pandemic:

It was a very difficult time, especially with two small children at home.  There was much uncertainty about the virus.  We felt fear.  We felt concern.  One child was in preschool and one attended primary school.  

A two-week lockdown was imposed on April 10th, 2020.  We could not leave our homes–except for food or medical purposes.  We couldn’t even take our children for walks in the forest.  Regardless, my husband and I resolved to respect the rules and stay positive.  We thought life would return to normal after two weeks, but then, the lockdown kept being extended.   Our children’s classes were virtual until the end of the school year. This was particularly hard for my oldest child who is a special needs student.  We were all emotionally exhausted due to the isolation and quarantining mandates. Still, we all caught COVID-19 early in the pandemic, despite precautions.  Thankfully, we got through it with relatively mild symptoms.  

I worked from home while also supporting our children’s learning.  My husband’s job required his in-person (not virtual) presence.  He engaged the children as soon as he returned from work each day, supporting me in finishing my work or taking time for myself.  I tried to remain positive, reading lots of books and beginning to learn a new language, Spanish.

Summer’s arrival brought somewhat looser restrictions. We went outside as much as possible, taking the kids for walks in nature.  We took a family vacation to Greece.  My husband and I supported each other throughout which was very important.

How do you feel about Poland’s membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)?

We feel safer as a country, particularly given the invasion of Ukraine—our neighbor—by Russia.  I feel better knowing that the United States is stationing soldiers in Poland with plans to establish a formal military base here.

How do you feel about Poland’s Membership in the European Union (EU)?

As with so much in life, there are pluses and minuses to most every situation.  Open borders and the freedom to travel with ease is a huge PLUS.  We live close to the Czech border and visit frequently. Polish university students are eligible to participate in ERASMUS (an EU student exchange program) and there are entrepreneurial grants available to people opening new businesses.  I was able to establish my neuro-sensory integration practice with EU funding assistance.  Members of my extended family and friends tend to support Poland’s membership in the EU.  We see the clear benefits for ourselves and our children.  That said, I think it is a good thing that Poland did not change its currency from  zloty  to Euros.  

Talk about women’s rights in Poland today:

Women’s rights is a very complicated topic.  I think it’s fair to say that women—regardless of the country in which they are residing—experience difficulty finding balance between “career” and “family” demands.  In Polish, we call this balance zloty srodek [the golden middle].  I am fortunate that my husband is a true partner who helps with the children and supports my career.

(Background:  Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal issued a decision on October 22, 2020 eliminating Polish women’s constitutional right of access to abortion based on, “severe and irreversible fetal defects or incurable illness that threatens the fetus’ life.” Current Polish law, in theory, permits abortion up to 12 weeks in cases of rape or incest and if the pregnancy presents a serious threat to a woman’s life or health.  In practice, this is often not the case.  Source:  https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/22/world/europe/poland-tribunal-abortions.html)

As a woman and as a mother of a daughter, I do not support the ruling of October 2020.  At the time, 100,000 women took the streets in Warsaw to protest the decision.  Today, in Poland, every pregnancy, verified by a medical visit, must be registered and monitored by the physician.  Doctors can be prosecuted if they do not follow these new rules.  Poland has been identified as having the harshest anti-abortion laws in Europe.  I believe women should have control over their bodies.  I believe women should have a choice.  

As a parent of a child with special needs, I speak from experience when I say that governmental financial assistance for such children is inadequate.  Women of special needs children who stay home to care for them receive a small, monthly stipend of 2,458 zloty (about $554 USD) and are not allowed to work outside the home as a condition of receiving the stipend.  

Our current government (led by the right-wing Law and Justice Party) established the “500 plus” program which, since 2016, pays families 500 zloty ($112 USD) per month for each child under eighteen.  In my view, this is fostering a pathological state in which Polish women are expected to relinquish careers and live as women did in the 1950s.  This, in my view, is a step backward for women as they are pressured to have more children.

Talk about the fall 2021 refugee Crisis on the Belarusian Border when Alexander Lukaschenko, President of Belarus, lured desperate Middle Eastern and African migrants to Minsk and he bussed them to the Polish/EU border.

This was a horrible situation.  From the humanitarian side, innocent people, including those with children were simply dropped off by Belarusian officials and pushed, literally, towards the Polish border.  From the political side, Lukaschenko was manipulating these people and placing them in life-threatening circumstances.  Poles were very divided on this issue.  Some wanted to and actually went to the border to help the migrants.  Others called for Poland to build a wall—like some Americans say about the U.S.’ southern border with Mexico.  

Talk about refugees entering Poland following Russia’s February, 24, 2022 invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

The Ukrainian refugee crisis feels different.  Poles and Ukrainians share a common distrust of Russia, a distrust born of historical oppression.  We share a similar culture and language, easing the integration of Ukrainians into our country.  I remain astonished by the solidarity Poles are demonstrating by welcoming millions of Ukrainians fleeing the war.  Many Poles host Ukrainians in their homes.  Our small town opened a shelter for Ukrainian refugees and people continue to donate food, clothing, etc.  

A more delicate aspect of hosting so many refugees is that our government immediately provided access to social supports such as education and healthcare and the right to work for all Ukrainian refugees.  The sheer volume placed a burden on Poland’s social services where there were already waitlists for preschool slots and waiting times to see some doctors. As the war continues, some Poles are starting to wonder, privately—not in a public way—how long this will last.  We also realize that some Ukrainians will choose to remain in Poland.  Even in peacetime, the standard of living in Poland is higher than in Ukraine.

Talk about LGBTQ Rights in Poland:  

I am not bothered by how others choose to live their lives and whom they choose to love.  I also do not have friends who are openly gay.  In my view, the PiS government is homophobic.  I read that Poland is considered the “worst” in Europe in terms of rights for LGBTQ people.  I feel really bad because I think that everyone of us has the right to live according to their own rules, provided they don’t hurt others.

Talk about Poland’s 2023 Parliamentary Elections:  

I hope things will change, politically.  As a woman and a mother of a daughter, I am counting on women’s rights being restored.  I believe a woman deserves a right to the decisions made about her body.  My friends who are mothers of daughters are all saying this.

What do you feel Americans should know about Poland and the Polish people?  

I worry, sometimes, that Americans think Poland is somewhat backward.  I want them to know that Poland is a country that has been devastated, for centuries, by wars and partitions, and this knowledge is embedded in the Polish psyche.  I want Americans to know that our history makes us resourceful and entrepreneurial and we are able to unite in crisis. People in Poland are also well educated and intelligent.

This Time, This Place interviews capture perspectives from Poles and non-Poles, living in Poland today.  Views expressed are those of the interviewees and not necessarily those of the interviewer.