Polonia Ensemble Journal

December 5 & 6, 2007

It was early December and Polonia Song and Folk Dance Ensemble was leaving for the tropical island of Puerto Rico.  Some of the group members left in the morning, and the rest in the afternoon.  During a seemingly quick flight I noticed there was a drastic change in the outside climate.  As we left, clouds filled the entire sky and snow covered the whole ground, but closer to our arrival all that could be seen out the window was ocean and beautiful beaches on tropical islands.

After landing we were greeted by an organizer of the International dance festival we had been invited to.  Then on the way to our hotel we shared a ride with a Russian dance group from New York.  Though many of us were tired from our early flight we were excited in the journey we were at the time embarking.  We asked the organizer what time we were going to be at our hotel and he had told us that we shouldn’t expect more than a two-hour ride.  Since there was bumper-to-bumper traffic on the main highway we had to take a different route.  We enjoyed beautiful scenery across the mountainous island and amazing ocean views.  After four hours of breathtaking sites we finally arrived.

We arrived at the resort complex and it was a ten-minute ride to our room, which was worth every bit.  Our hotel room had a balcony, which oversaw the beautiful Caribbean Sea in the city of Cabos Rojos.  Arriving with a setting sun we took a walk on the beach, breathed in the fresh air, then watched as the stars and neighboring village started to light up the night sky.  The rest of the group had come and we were all ready to go to sleep.

The following morning we awoke to breakfast and even though we had a short sleep we had to leave for a performance at ten in the morning.  The audience was going to be junior and senior high school students so naturally, since the audience was closer to our age, it excited us.  Puerto Rico, Russia, Panama, and Poland, the four nations that were presented and very much applauded at the performance.  Even though it was such an early performance many of the audience members came after the dances and told us how well we did and we were happy to hear it.

The ride to our next destination consisted of many Polish and Panamanian songs accompanied by their band of drums, bajakallas, and an accordian.  Then this was followed by English, Panamanian and of course Polish Happy Birthdays for our dancer Christopher Ptaszek who was celebrating his birthday the following day.  We arrived at a Senior Citizen home where local Puerto Ricans were eager to see all the cultures show themselves off and then gave us a thunderous applause of a farewell.

The evening was filled with a surprising boat trip.  When the boat had arrived at its destination little lights were visible moving around in the water.  We were informed that these were microorganisms, which illuminated a glow when there was movement near them, to scare away predators.  A couple brave souls took a dive in the water.  When they swam around, it appeared as though their entire bodies were glowing from this spectacular ocean wonder.  Everyone that had been at the trip was truly amazed.  When we arrived to our current home right on the beach everyone was wondering what other new adventures we would run into.  Then with a few shooting stars that gleamed across our bright sky we went to sleep wishing of a safe trip and a tour of a lifetime.

Tomek Tarnowski                                         next day

Polonia - Polish Folk Song and Dance Ensemble  -  Chicago USA
Northwest Center Traditional Polish Folk Dancers