Send us to Poland

My family* and I are hoping to raise enough money to go to Poland next year. We all have slightly different reasons why we want to go but they all involve being with our Polish family. Next year we have an opportunity to make this happen. Here are our stories:

Kinga’s Story

My name is Kinga Ensing (nee Wieliczko). I am a medical student at the University of Auckland, currently in my 5th year out of 6. In 2016, when I will be in my final year, I will have the amazing opportunity to do an overseas elective for 8 weeks. This will be in a hospital or clinic. I will get to experience working within a different healthcare system and culture to further my medical knowledge and skills. I would love to do this elective in Poland.

My family came from Poland when I was 6. My parents and sisters are here in NZ, but all of my extended family, including two living great grandmothers, are still in Poland. I got married in 2012 to Josiah Ensing and we now have a one year old daughter, Xylia Ensing. No one from Poland was able to come to our wedding. I am really eager for my family to meet my husband and my daughter, and for my husband and daughter to experience Polish culture and tradition and learn more about my people.

This medical elective presents a wonderful opportunity for my family to be reunited and for them to meet my husband and daughter. We could even take two 5 generation photos, if I, my daughter and mother go to Poland.

I am currently in communication with some doctors in Poland trying to organise it. I would love the opportunity to explore the Polish healthcare system, to work with my people and also to be able to take my family to Poland. Because my daughter is so young, I would not want to leave her behind, and I would need my mother to come with me and look after her while I am in my training program.

Travel is very expensive, and this would be too much for me and my husband to afford (we are a young couple, both students, with a baby). We would love your help in making it happen.

Katarzyna’s Story

My name is Katarzyna Wieliczko; 17 years ago I came to NZ with my husband and 6-year old daughter. We wanted a better life and more children. We now have 3 daughters. We had the challenge of raising our family all by ourselves. I wanted my children to grow up in a devoted home surrounded by family and love. Because we had no extended family I devoted myself to my children. I gave up work and stayed home to raise our family.

Living on one income was not easy and traveling was something we had to postpone for later. Years passed, my daughters grew; they are now 23, 11 and 9. I am facing the reality that I might never get to introduce them to their great grandmothers. I am lucky enough to have both grandmas still alive. One is turning 90 this year and the other is 84 and both are very ill. I would love to see them one more time. I feel the need and urge to go to Poland to say goodbye.

We don’t have enough time to save the necessary money, because my grandmothers are so sick. It is my dream to take my daughters to Poland, introduce them to the family, and show them the country that their parents are from. Most of all I want both of my grandmas to cuddle my daughters and to get to know them and pass on some of their wisdom to their great-granddaughters. I believe this trip would support my daughters with their holistic development. It would help them get in touch with their heritage and learn more about who they are, before they face the challenging teenage years.

We are hoping that we can raise enough for all of us to go. But if we do not reach our goal, we will send as many of us as we can afford, giving preference to Kinga’s Elective. For transparency about the costs we have included a summary of our estimated expenses assuming all 7 of us go.

Plane tickets = $17 000

(approx. 2600 for adult times 4 and approx. 2000 for child times 2)

Passports with photos = $800

Travel Insurance = $1200

Total = $19 000

* I (Kinga Ensing), my husband (Josiah Ensing) and daughter (Xylia Ensing), as well as my mother (Katarzyna Wieliczko) ,father (Robert Wieliczko) and sisters (Ella and Ania Wieliczko)