Meet Polish-American travel writer and event producer, Pola Henderson. This expat is consumed by wanderlust and spends her time jetting around between her home city Krakow, Chicago (where she also spent many years), Paris, and other parts of the world. Passionate about travel and world cultures, Pola also hosts monthly meet-ups to discuss recent adventures, JA Café: Travel Talk Over Wine. Join her every second Thursday of the month!
What is your Paris story?
Travel writer, event producer, Business English trainer, Polish-American.
I was born in Krakow, lived in Chicago for many years, and moved to Paris two years ago (you can read the story on my blog: Expat Life, Part Deux). When I first came in 2007, I knew Paris would be a special place and that visiting would never be enough. It took some time, because I was settled in Chicago, but I finally took the plunge and haven’t looked back.
Teaching takes up most of my time – I see clients around the city and in the suburbs – but weekends are for blogging and freelance projects. I mostly write about city travel and style, gradually adding stories about the expat experience and sharing more photos from Paris.
Whenever the weather is nice, I go on photo outings, but these days I’m often in front of the camera. Even since I met and became friends with Frédéric of the photography blog Parisian Clichés, we’ve done many projects for fashion clients. It’s a fun way to learn the city, because Fred knows Paris inside out and has shown me very photogenic locations.
I like living between Chicago and Krakow. These two cities are still a part of me and I need to see them at least once a year, “download” their latest version, spend time with friends and family. My parents live near the mountains, so we often hike together in Poland. In the States, I get my baseball fix and go on road trips, since I don’t have a car in Paris and miss driving.
Tell us about this spot you chose, Café Craft in the 10th.
I discovered this co-working café when I was splitting time between Paris and Chicago in 2015. It became my office and my anchor in Paris. When I moved permanently, I already had a familiar, friendly place to go to.
What has been your favorite moment in Paris so far?
One moment that stands out for me, as a big football fan, was watching PSG beat Barcelona FC 4-0 in a Champions League match last year at Parc des Princes. I had wanted to see a game of this caliber for a long time.
French people are generally surprised that I’m a football fan and season ticket holder (“French girls like tennis,” they tell me), but to me it’s natural! Chicago is a great sports town and women are a big part of the sports culture there (baseball, hockey, soccer, you name it). But my interest in the beautiful game started when I was a kid in Poland and football was THE sport on TV. I’m currently writing an article about my experience as a female supporter.
I’ve had some other memorable moments in Paris, but those I’ll keep to myself. 🙂
Tell us about your most challenging experience as an expat.
I don’t have horror stories to tell. Being in Paris makes me happy, so I’m ready for whatever challenges come my way! Learning French is one of them. I should be fluent by now, but I’m still in the process of learning and improving my speaking skills. French is more complex than e.g. Spanish, which I also know, so it will take some time to master. But it’s ok.
How do you meet people in Paris?
I’ve met a lot of people, both native Parisians and expats, through a monthly meetup I host – JA Café: Travel Talk Over Wine (used to be Over Coffee, but when in France…). It’s a casual afterwork event for anyone interested in travel and world cultures. We sit down and chat in English and French over a glass of wine. Join us every second Thursday of the month.
JA Café started almost five years ago in Chicago (JA comes from the name of my travel blog, Jetting Around). I spend a lot of time in coffee shops – blogging, reading books, meeting with friends – and they’re usually my first stop when I travel. After meeting many locals that way, I decided to launch “official” events, where travelers from various countries could connect and share stories in a cozy setting. As a blogger, I write abut my experiences, but I also enjoy hearing about other people’s travels and get inspired by them. Besides Chicago and Paris, I’ve hosted JA Café in Canada, England, Poland, Slovenia. It’s wonderful to see people become friends or collaborators after meeting at my event. Once, a girl in Chicago told me, “You know, I put my phone away for 2hrs and it was great! I missed interacting with people face to face.”
This year, I hope to find a language exchange group, where I could practice French and meet more locals. Any recommendations?
What advice would you give to others wanting to move abroad?
Go for it, but take time to prepare: save up money, look for a job before you move, learn at least some of the language, familiarize yourself with local customs and administration. It will make the transition smoother! I used online resources such as AngloInfo and joined several expat groups on Facebook (e.g. Expatriates in Paris), where you can find an answer to virtually any question. And before moving to Paris permanently, I test-drove living here by doing an extended stay. At that time I met several French people, who are still my close friends today.
Building connections, both personal and professional, as well as finding favorite spots around the city, will make you quickly feel at home. In other words, you need to prepare in a practical and emotional sense.
How do you deal with homesickness?
Like I mentioned earlier, I feel the need to visit both Chicago and Krakow once a year. So far I’ve done that and I’ve had visitors, so homesickness doesn’t strike with great force. But when it does, I chat with my friends and family in both cities, watch Chicago sports online, and make Polish or American food at home. I found a little Polish deli in the 10th, an American bar in the 4th, and a few places that sell American products. I have yet to visit restaurants, but it’s on my to-do list.
How can people continue following your story?
Blog: www.jettingaround.com (city travel and expat life)
Instagram 1: www.instagram.com/pola.parisienne (Paris in back and white)
Instagram 2: www.instagram.com/jetting.around (my travels)
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jettingaround
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jettingaround
Thanks for sharing Pola’s amazing story. I loved learning more about her life, and the adjustment to living in Paris.