Get ready for an adventure of a lifetime with Heritage Polonia! It's absolutely free and you'll spend 10 amazing days touring Poland with a group of new friends. We cover everything — roundtrip airfare, meals, super comfy places to stay, tons of landmarks, and exciting adventures. Plus, we take care of all the planning, from flights and accommodations to itineraries and activities. All you need to do is sign up, pack your bags, and get ready for an unforgettable exploration. Let's make some memories!

The program is intended for American students aged 18-26 who are of Polish descent or maintain a deep and demonstrated interest in Poland.

Yes! Thanks to our generous donors and sponsors, Heritage Polonia will cover roundtrip airfare on LOT Polish Airlines, nightly accommodations at four-star hotels, three meals each day, transportation within Poland, and all tours and activity fees. All you need to do is pack your bags and grab some spending money for snacks, keepsakes, and fun with your new friends!

We will visit prominent Polish cities including Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Torun, and Zakopane. We will hike the Tatra Mountains, explore the Baltic Sea and Bay of Gdansk, cruise the Vistula River, and more. In addition, the group will have the opportunity to meet accomplished individuals including artists, businesspeople, and politicians. All of these activities are covered by Heritage Polonia.

Heritage Polonia is intended to be a trip of discovery for adult students, and we hope all accepted applicants treat Heritage Polonia's investment in them with seriousness and respect. That said, the program also intends for participants to immerse themselves in Poland's culture, create new lifelong friends, and make great memories. As a result, our itinerary will include social time for our young adult students to get together, visit local establishments, and develop the types of friendships made possible by hanging out in informal settings. The legal drinking age in Poland is 18 and we will allow all young adults to responsibly consume a low-alcohol beverage (e.g., beer or wine) with meals. Moreover, participants will not be chaperoned during free periods. During these times, we will ask participants to behave responsibly and conduct themselves with appropriate decorum. Importantly, Heritage Polonia will not tolerate excessive drinking or intoxication. We will not tolerate any sort of drug use. We also reserve the right to expel any member of the group who behaves irresponsibly, and that individual will be financially responsible for his/her immediate return to Chicago.

Participants in Polonia Heritage will depart Chicago (ORD) for Warsaw (WAW) on July 7, 2024. The trip concludes with a return flight from Warsaw (WAW) to Chicago (ORD) on July 18, 2024. Participants are responsible for their travel to Chicago for take-off and back home upon our return.

Yes! We understand that even as young adult students, parents play an important role in your life (especially if you have Polish parents!) We recommend you contact us via e-mail and we will arrange for a discussion to answer additional questions and address any concerns.

We take the health and safety of our participants very seriously, and will take the following precautions: Host a pre-departure online orientation Require all participants to have medical insurance useable in Poland (either your core policy or a supplement) A small group of Polish-American volunteers will accompany the group throughout its journey in Poland Participants and loved ones in the U.S. will have emergency contact information for the on-the-ground volunteers Safe accommodations at four-star hotels Information about how to secure authorities in Poland (police, ambulance, fire, etc) Regularly scheduled morning check-ins and group meetings We will request information regarding any health issues we need to understand