"At the departure those on the boats and those left behind held onto streamers. The ship's orchestra was playing in the background. As the boat left the streamers tore in half and we thought that we would never see Poland or the loved ones we were leaving behind. We would only have contact through letters. Only

having five American dollers in our pocket and an uncertain future in a foreign land

made us very apprehensive. Would our aunt meet us at the train station in Hartford? Would we know when to get off the train?

 

When we got to Canada the ship was stopped in Quebec instead of the original destination of Montreal, the St. Lawrence River was frozen and the boat could not go on. More uncertainty, more fear.

 

Before taking the train from Quebec to Montreal we were all given a sign strung on a string saying which city in the United States we were going to. Most had written on them either Chicago or Brooklyn. My family were the only ones who had signs that read Hartford. We had no idea what the signs said, what the cities were, where we were going.

 

When we got to St. Albans Vermont the American customs officers came on board the train and told us to either eat any food or to throw it out because no food could be brought into the country."

 

Photo of the SS Stefan Batory leaving Gdynia Harbor, Poland, March 1962 The Port of Gdynia Poland on the Baltic Sea, 1962. View of the port in Copenhagen, Denmark. The passengers had a day to do sight seeing. The regular stop was Southampton, but this race went around the Shetland Islands of Scotland instead. Menu Cover from the SS Stefan Batory Inside the Breakfast Menu on the Stefan Batory, 1962 Food and Entertainment Guides on Board the SS Stefan Batory   The menu was repleate with a wide variety of options for all three meals. All meals were included in the price of passage. The food was extraordinary in taste and in presentation but the North Sea and the trip around the Shetland Islands off the coast of Scotland  made many people unable to enjoy the offerings.   Besides the food menu there was also a guide to cultural happenings on board ship on the 1971 voyage. "Films, concerts, dancing, cartoons for children, Mass, Afternoon Tea music, talent show, formal dress "Atlantic Ball", English lessons, physical exercises (on the promenade deck: Statboard Side) and boat drills." (Ts/s Stefan Batory) Activites took place in the "Little Lounge, the Grand Lounge, the Night Club and the Cinema-theatre".(Ts/s Stefan Batory)   Reference:   The food menu shown above uses three languages, Polish, German and English. The Entertainment guide in 1971 was printed in English and in Polish only.   Gdynia America Line. (1971) Ts/s Stefan Batory. Voyage No.20 W.B., Thursday, March 11th, 1971.Poland: WHZ.