Arrived in Warsaw yesterday and brought rain with me. My CIEE Seminar Ruin & Revival has now begun and great group of people. Had Polish dinner first night and today was full. We went on tour of city in morning including rebuilt old town and areas of Warsaw Ghetto and Warsaw Uprising. Participated in a panel on Memory and Art then went to the new Polin Museum on the 1000 Year History of Jews in Poland. It specifically does not focus on Holocaust but shows other histories prior and after. Trying not make Jewish history just Holocaust history. Very nice place and adjacent to the memorial to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Many people think there was only one uprising here but 2 separate. Also Warsaw was basically completely destroyed by war's end and deliberately. So much rubble that built on top of it. From 1 million inhabitants,before war to only 1000 at end. Then Soviet occupation ad much Soviet control over what and how rebuilt. Interesting day.
