What am I doing here?

I have been training and competing as an athlete in the sport of rowing for the past four years, and having just graduated from UCLA in June, I needed a place to train. Although there are very competitive clubs in the United States, I took the opportunity of the fact that I was done with my studies and that I have familial ties to Poland. The Poles have a very strong presence in the rowing world (having just fielded one of the best M4x in recent history, winning four consecutive world championships as well as the Beijing Olympics) and I took it upon myself to come over here to train, see a bit of my parents' country and gain some perspective both on the differences between the U.S. and Polish in their rowing systems as well as the general lifestyle.

Growing up, I learned to speak Polish, eat Polish food and developed a sense of the Polish culture. However, my knowledge of the Polish language was not perfect, and I figured the best way to learn to speak the language properly would be to live in Poland. This also offered me a chance to better understand and embrace the culture of my parents.

So in a few words, that is why I am here. I have no job currently tying me to any one place and I figure I should travel and see a different part of the world while I have the chance. I also have a great opportunity to train here. I am rowing out of RTW Bydgostia, located here in Bydgoszcz, Poland. We row on the Brda river which offers us 11 kilometers of water in one direction. The club is one of the most competive in Poland, having produced a number of Olympians and most recently three members of the 2009 U23 World Championship Men's 8+. The picture at the top of this post shows the club from a bridge which crosses over the Brda river.

Here in this blog I will be writing about my experiences here in Poland and sharing them with anyone who wishes to read about them. Please feel free to comment or ask me any questions. If you would like to learn more about Bydgoszcz, please click here.