1. (1201) Jarek age 11 with 2 Austrian tenants

(Jan 01, 1974) Vancouver, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

Once in Canada, my sister and I would begin the slow process of westernization as we struggled to learn English. Over time, our culture shock would be...

2. (1202) Jarek age 11 with Renata and Award of Excellence

(Jan 01, 1974) Vancouver, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

As a proud recipient of the Canadian Award of Excellence given to kids who excelled in athletic events, this was my crowning moment as a new-Canadian,...

3. (1203) Jarek age 12 in Queen Elizabeth Park with Mom and Renata

(Jan 01, 1975) Vancouver, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

Sunday after church outing at the Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver B.C. where I was sporting my infamous 'Leisure Suit' from the 70ies. These were e...

4. (1204) Jarek age 13 in parking lot with Mom, Dad and Renata

(Jan 01, 1975) Vancouver, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

Slowly being acclimated into the woven fabric of Canada, regularly on the weekends my family and I would continue to explore the city of Vancouver and...

5. (1205) Jarek age 15 at a Boy Scout Jamboree camp in Toronto

(Jan 01, 1978) Toronto, Canada - Canada after 1973

One of the highlights of attending the weekly Polish Boy Scout meetings throughout the year, was the 2 week camp during the summer where many of us wo...

6. (1206) Jarek age 16 at Abbotsford Air Show

(Jan 01, 1979) Abbotsford, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

Posing in front of a US Air Force aircraft at the Abbotsford Air Show, this was another regular outing with my family and their friends each year duri...

7. (1207) Jarek age 16 at a Boy Scout camp

(Jan 01, 1979) Vancouver, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

During our yearly 2 week Boy Scout summer camps, we often got together with troops from other parts of the country. There was always some premise of ...

8. (1208) Jarek age 16 at Space Museum

(Jan 01, 1979) Vancouver, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

After our 2 week summer Boy Scout camps, many of the local families would take the visiting Boy Scouts into their homes for a few days while they got ...

9. (1209) Jarek age 16 posing for a year book photo

(Jan 01, 1979) Vancouver, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

As a yearly event, everyone in high school would get to pose for their school year book photo prior to the start of the summer. At the time, I was sti...

10. (1210) Jarek age 17 with Marek

(Jan 01, 1980) Bialystok, Poland - Canada after 1973

After our migration to Canada, several years would pass before I returned to Poland for a visit. Many of my childhood friends were by then grown and m...

11. (1211) Jarek age 17 with cusin Yola

(Jan 01, 1980) Klodzko, Poland - Canada after 1973

Yola, my cousin from my mother's side of the family, was one of the few relatives that was my age when I returned back to Poland for a visit. Along wi...

12. (1212) Jarek age 17 with the Michalowski family

(Jan 01, 1980) Klodzko, Poland - Canada after 1973

Like holidays of the past, my few visit to Poland involved large gatherings with various family members to not only celebrate our return but to also g...

13. (1213) Jarek age 17 blowing out birthday candles

(Jan 01, 1980) Toronto, Canada - Canada after 1973

Unlike my July 22 birthday celebration in Poland, where they actually threw parades in my honor because it coincided with a Communist holiday at the t...

14. (1215) Jarek age 17 at Christmas sitting in livingroom with cousin Mazena and Renata

(Jan 01, 1980) Vancouver, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

Christmas holidays at our house, complete with a well decorated tree, custom-made golden curtains and a red velvet couch to complete the authenticity ...

15. (1216) Jarek age 17 in church dressed in Boy Scout uniform

(Jan 01, 1980) Vancouver, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

During the many years of Boy Scout service, I attended many Sunday masses dressed in the traditional uniform. Whether a religious holiday or a scout ...

16. (1217) Jarek age 17 in a church procession dressed in Boy Scout uniform

(Jan 01, 1980) Vancouver, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

Religion and Boy Scouts went hand-in-hand in the Polish community when I was growing up. Along with other organizations such as the Knights of Columb...

17. (1218) Jarek age 17 in front of church gym with a group of Boy Scouts dressed in uniform

(Jan 01, 1980) Vancouver, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

Polish Boy Scout organization gathered in front of the side door of the gymnasium where we met every Wednesday for our troop meeting. We were small b...

18. (1219) Jarek age 17 sitting in backyard with Dad and Renata

(Jan 01, 1980) Vancouver, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

Sitting in the back yard of our house with dad and sister Renata, undoubtedly on a Sunday afternoon after dressing up to attend church....

19. (1220) Jarek age 17 sitting in backyard with Rob Mikulik

(Jan 01, 1980) Vancouver, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

Sitting in the back yard of my parent's acquaintances, most likely after our traditional Sunday church attendance. My family would often congregate w...

20. (1221) Jarek age 17 with broken arm at Zgoda dressed in Boy Scout uniform with Tom Pawlowski

(Jan 01, 1980) Vancouver, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

Tom and I at Zgoda, a Polish Community Center where weekend events were often held, including traditional Polish dances, plays and a sleuth of other e...

21. (1222) Jarek age 18 in backyard in front of van with Mom and Renata

(Jan 01, 1981) Vancouver, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

Standing in front of our van in our back yard with my mom and my sister. Eventually the van would affectionately be referred to as the 'brown cow' fo...

22. (1224) Jarek age 18 at 1982 Graduation Commencement

(Jan 01, 1982) Vancouver, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

The 1982 Graduation Commencement at John Oliver High School, following my transfer from Moscrop junior high two years prior. It would be here where I...

23. (1225) Jarek age 19 inspecting Cessna C150 with Tom Pawlowski and his dad

(Jan 01, 1982) Vancouver, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

Inspecting the Cessna C150 with Tom and his father before taking my dad up to the aircraft training area for some simple aerodynamic maneuvers. It wa...

24. (1226) Jarek age 19 taxing the Cessna C150 with dad as passenger

(Jan 01, 1982) Vancouver, British Columbia - Canada after 1973

My father and I taxing the Cessna C150 towards the runway for take-off after completing the standard aircraft inspection procedures. Destination for ...