MADRID – After what ended up being an unexpectedly difficult week of mid-terms, I decided to leave Madrid’s warm, sunny weather behind for Krakow, Poland for my fall break.

Being in Spain for several months has been chipping away at my tolerance for cold. The second I stepped off the plane in Krakow, my body entered a permanent frozen state that managed to stay that way the entire visit. Every night I wore my fleece jacket and three pairs of socks to bed. Definitely not something I’m used to! At least the country’s famous vodka helped keep my body temporarily warm. The cherry and honey flavors are most famous, as well as Bison Grass vodka (flavored with a special grass only grown in Poland and other parts of Eastern Europe, it is banned in the U.S. since it contains a toxic compound banned by the F.D.A.), which is mixed with apple juice and cinnamon to make “tatanka,” the liquid, alcoholic equivalent to apple pie.

The most interesting aspect of the trip for me was how sociologically unique Poland is. The more I walked around Krakow’s streets, the more I realized how everything seemed to be the polar opposite of Spain. The bright weather, architecture and general disposition I have become accustomed to in Madrid were sharply juxtaposed with cold, dark skies (the sun starts setting at 3:30 in the afternoon!), hushed voices and pre-war buildings in desperate need of a power wash.

Nevertheless, I found my experience in Poland much more powerful than expected; I might even boldly assert Poland had more of an impact on me than Spain initially did. I felt a connection to Poland that I simply don’t have with Spain. Before the Second World War, my entire family lived in the Jewish ghettos of Poland, and seeing some of my ancestor’s former stomping grounds had a touching effect on me.

It was also interesting to see how a country so devastated by both World War II and communism is attempting to move on and modernize. Within the same block, you can find pre-war, communist era and modern buildings. Much of the city’s infrastructure is straight out of the mid-20th century (hello tram system!), yet many things are still left unchanged from centuries ago: rickety and narrow cobblestone sidewalks hug the streets and some churches date back as far as the Middle Ages.

Seeing such a different part of the world helped me further appreciate certain aspects of Spanish culture (the sun sets at a normal hour here!) while also deepening my interest in Eastern Europe. A break well spent, I think.