I lived in Warsaw for the first 11 years of my life.  Ul. Wspolna 41 m 12, Warszawa. It was a city life, ironically filled with a lot of freedom.  I would take the bus, tramwaj (sort of like a tram/trolley), walk to school, get snacks and ice cream with  my friends, go to their apartment complexes – all without a phone, or a way to get in touch with my mom.

I would have loved to walk through this apartment now.  It was 45meters and I am sure much smaller than I remember.  The kitchen was TINY – like an alley kitchen – only one person can be in there.  My mom made it work.  My mom sold it to family friends Orzel (never a fan of them).  It made me sad.  When we were growing up I was the city girl and I was supposed to get the apartment and my brother was supposed to get my grandparent’s house.

I hated and was very scared of our elevators – was afraid it would get stuck.  The stairs were creepy and I would hardly ever take them.  The school was a quick 10 minute walk (maybe less!).  Below our apartment complex was the BEST chocolate store.  Also, we had a grocery store right there.  And across the street was a bakery.  I would sometimes see my mom cross Marszalkowska Str with an eclair 🙂 My mom loved Eclairs, Napoleon and fresh croissants.

My dad, Tadeusz (Tad) Masiak, moved to the US in 1987 when I was 7.  I have been a mama’s girl since then (Wieslawa (Wiesia) Masiak – Lewandowska maiden name).

My babcia/dziadek lived right outside of Warsaw (about a 20 minute drive) and we would spend all of our weekends, summers etc. in Konstancin. Ul. Sadowa 46 Konstancin Jeziorna.  That is where currently my Dad (Dziadzia) lives now.  He came back to poland in 1995.  US was never his thing, he missed Poland, its culture, his parents.  He is very Catholic and feels he is responsible for taking care of the family graves + ordering masses for them twice a year.