We Get Introduced to One Another and Begin Forming a Traveling Family

Until today, our 15 traveling partners had simply been names on a list.

There was Heather Evans and Martin Marx from California. Cindy Price-Habberley and  Mark Habberly, also from California.

Tim and Janet Hargrove were from Indiana, while Dennis and Deborah Murphy resided in Florida.

Isaac Sapoznikow and Ivette Lenard called New York home. Dr. Linda Winkler lived in Pennsylvania and Donald Ritter lived in Michigan.

One couple, Tom and Nina McVeigh lived in Virginia, less than half-an-hour drive from our apartment in Arlington, but we had never met until all 4 of us had been picked up together at the Warsaw Airport and dropped off at our Warsaw home, the Pelonia Palace Hotel.

Eventually, that evening at a welcome dinner, we would also meet our tour director who would be with us for our entire 16-day bus excursion through Poland, Hungary, Austria, and the Czech Republic. 

Our Odysseys Unlimited director, who we quickly began calling with much fondness "Our Mother Hen," was Dalija Volkskiene. Dalija would be responsible for blending education, logistics, and hospitality to make our trip smooth and successful. And, indeed, in the days to follow we would find Dalija being our ...

1. Cultural Interpreter

Who provided detailed historical, political, and cultural context at each destination explaining:

• Key historical events (e.g., WWII, Cold War, Communist regimes)

• National customs, languages, and lifestyles

• Local legends and culture

2. Logistics Coordinator

Who handled day-to-day tour management:

• Ensure timely departures and arrivals

• Coordinate hotel check-ins and local excursions

• Managing entry tickets, reservations, and passports 

3. Liaison and Troubleshooter

Who acted as a bridge between travelers and local service providers:

• Translating when necessary

• Handling health concerns or unexpected events 

• Offering recommendations for meals, free time, and shopping

4. Storyteller and Educator

Whose commentary turned sights into stories:

• Bringing ruins, synagogues, castles, and cathedrals to life

• Sharing anecdotes and personal experiences

• Highlighting how the past connects to present-day Eastern Europe

5. Host and Companion

Who fostered a welcoming atmosphere:

• Encouraging group bonding

• Providing support and humor

• Answering our many questions with insight and patience

In essence, as our Odyssey guide , Dalija would prove to be the glue that held our journey together, enriching it with meaning, warmth, and seamless execution.

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We also met our Smithsonian historical expert, Laurie Koloski who would deliver evening lectures, take several of us on tours not on the itinerary, suggest the best place to eat and shop and, along with Dalija, answer questions ranging from where did Hitler hang out to where is the nearest bathroom. 

According to bio information provided by the Smithsonian, Laurie traveled to Poland for the first time in 1981, knowing little about the country and maybe a dozen words of the language. It didn’t take her long to realize what a special place it was, and she lived there for four years before returning to the US to complete her undergraduate studies. 

She has been traveling to and studying central and eastern Europe ever since.

Recently retired from William & Mary’s Department of History, Lauire has been a historical guide for the Smithsonian since 2016. While her training and research focused on social and cultural history in communist-era Poland, her teaching interests also encompassed modern European and global history, communism and socialism, historical interpretation, and material culture. 

Her favorite course at W&M was “Stuff: Objects and Their (Hi)Stories,” in which she worked with first-year students to read material objects and critically evaluate the past and present-day stories of their favorite (and sometimes least favorite) things.

Laurie used case studies to highlight key historical themes and lessons, often by focusing on the ways that things such as monuments, maps, food, buildings, and even mustaches can help us understand broad developments such as identity, imperial power, and ideology. 

Of course, time would tell, but it seemed quickly apparent that we had an exceptionally nice group off travelers and we would be in good hands with Dalija and Laurie.