Mrs. Iwona Wojtczak with daughter Nina and Ambassador Piotr Wojtczak
Answers by Nina Wojtczak except where indicated.
Please let’s start by sharing your backgrounds and briefly summarizing the life experiences of each of you growing up together as a family of Polish government functionaries and diplomats.
My name is Nina, I am 20 years old and I currently live a double life on two continents: Europe and North America. I am a student athlete in Indiana University Indianapolis, who was born in Belgium, grew up in Luxembourg in a Polish family. At the age of 12 I started playing golf, and here I am now playing golf in NCAA D1 University in America. Furthermore I grew up in Luxembourg as my parents work in the diplomatic field. I will later talk more about this.
I believe for the last eight years before Nina left for University you have lived and worked in Luxembourg. How has this environment impacted and shaped each of you in terms of your world view and your plans for the future?
For me, it is an amazing experience and a lifetime lesson to grow up in a diplomatic family. Moving from a country to another, various times teaches you how to easily adapt to new environments. You learn many languages, create lifetime connections and of course you discover the world. I will be forever grateful for having this opportunity thanks to my parents.
What schools did Nina attend in Luxembourg and how has this Luxembourg educational experience shaped her values and future plans?
In Luxembourg I attended the French High School: College et Lycée Francais du Luxembourg: Vauban. This institution is very well ranked, and has many academic opportunities. However, as golfer, going to the school was a bit of a struggle to me due one principal reason. It wasn’t because of a lack of language knowledge, but mostly because the school never accepted me having golf as a big part of my life. Every time leaving for tournaments was a struggle, even the ones organized by the Luxembourgish Golf Federation. Nevertheless, this taught me a lot of discipline. My average day was starting at 8 am at school, usually finished classes around 4 or 5 pm, and after school I still had two-hour practices or workouts. It was for sure six intense years, however I will be forever grateful for learning the mentality I have now.
What were Nina’s objectives and interests for further education and professional development coming out of her Luxembourg school years?
In the beginning I wasn’t really sure what exactly I wanted to do. I always was very open-minded, having many ideas for my career path. Started from wanting to become a dentist, then study criminology, criminal justice, then law and finally ending up with a Civic Leadership and Management major and a Hospitality management minor. Choosing those, will open many doors for my future which for me is now the most important thing. I plan on doing a master after my undergraduate studies, time will show if it will be in Europe or America. One thing I was sure of was when I was coming out of the high school in Luxembourg is that I want to combine my studies with golf, and I am very happy to be where I am today.
What universities did you consider and why did you decide to pick a university in the United States?
The main reason I picked the United States was the possibility to combine studies and sports. Another major element was willing to discover the world. One of my main requirements while picking my school in the United States was to be in a big city, have many academic opportunities and be able to play Division 1 golf on a great team. I considered many universities, target schools, dream schools, safe options, etc. After all my research done with help of an agency, I decided to sign a contract with IU Indy as it met pretty much all of my expectations, maybe except for the winter temperatures ;-).
What bureaucratic paperwork was required for the selection process at the University and were their any visa or other government challenges to be dealt with?
Going to an American University while being a European citizen can be very challenging as it is a long process and a lot of paperwork. Even more while being an athlete. I needed to go through many medical appointments, English and math exams, SATs (even though many schools don’t require them anymore), visits at the American Embassy, etc. Before going to the USA you need to get a student visa, in my case it was the F-1 visa. It is definitely a long and slow process, however it is absolutely worth the experience.
Nina, please tell us about your experiences during your first year of school and what you have learned while adapting to school life?
I am not going to lie, the first year is probably the most exciting but also the most difficult year. In my case, I had a very tough first semester. Adapting to a completely new environment entirely by yourself, living 4000 miles away from home is not making anything easy. I struggled with making friends, adapting to live by myself and getting along with my team, as during my first semester I was the only freshman on the team. However the second semester went by very smoothly; I met many people, created some great friendships, and simply felt much more adapted. The first semester is definitely a good lesson, not only for the following college years but for an entire life. I am now looking forward to starting my sophomore year.
Likewise, what was your view of the USA before you started your first school year and how have your perceptions about the USA and its people changed or been confirmed during this first year of studies?
Before arriving to the United States I didn’t really know what to expect. I was ready for the country to be huge and completely different from Europe. After landing in America for the first time, my image of the USA met with reality. I really do enjoy having that double life at the moment, as I can live on both of those continents for a certain time every year. Disclaimer for first-time travelers to America: food is VERY different, and eating healthy will not be as healthy anymore ;-).
Mr and Mrs Ambassador, how have you dealt with your daughter moving so far away and what are your observations on this first year’s experience?
This is the natural course of life, but probably more difficult for parents. Youth has the quality of being open to novelties, even they are necessary for it like air for life. Fortunately, we have behind us that most difficult moment of the first separation. Things are easier now. What is most important now, however, is to find the best forms of in-depth contact, exchange of ideas, the way to communicate our advice and experiences in such a way – so that they do not violate Nina’s still fresh adulthood, but help in her further development. As a father, it was not easy, but as Nina grew up, I understood more and more that with each year of my daughter’s adolescence, it is necessary to skillfully transition from pushy instilling of the rules of life to intelligent orientation to what is important in life. This did not always work out, but fortunately there was a mother next door, with a decidedly richer parenting package and feminine sensitivity. That’s why, in retrospect, this sometimes explosive parenting mix produced a result that we think was more than satisfactory. We managed to raise and shape a personality: a tough competitor, a sensitive person, a hard-working person and a person aware of goals. I will never forget when Nina, from the age of 11, since she started playing golf, every year set goals for the upcoming season and then consistently achieved these goals, always with a surplus. It was a fantastic observation. Nina has shown herself to be a brave girl, a real fighter – she has received academic and sports scholarships, a great achievement, the result of hard, systematic work on herself. As her parents, we are very proud. Living on two different continents certainly brings many unexpected and difficult challenges that are worth overcoming in pursuit of goals and dreams.
What have each of you learned as you have shared this journey physically separated in the USA and Luxembourg?
For me, it is an amazing experience to discover the world and learn everything in a slightly different way. It is definitely difficult and frustrating to be far away from home and family, however it is part of life. What helped me a lot, is knowing that I have a return flight for holidays, like Christmas or summer break, which also means seeing my family.
What advice would each of you give to either parents and their children before they start this life journey phase of their lives?
Never be afraid. Life is too short to be scared and not take advantage of amazing opportunities that you may have on your path. To me, as an international student athlete, going to America for college years was and still is a big deal, and I am more than happy that there was a day where I told myself “I 100% want to do this. I want to try something new, discover the world, and of course see that my parents’ and my hard work finally paid off “.
Please each share with our readers any other observations and advice you believe relevant and appropriate.
One thing I can say is, is that I could talk for hours about my experience in details. And if there is any way I can answer someone’s questions I would love to.
