When Expat Sofra was conceived back in 2015, we co-editors hoped for different voices that would highlight expat voices of the past. We felt so lucky to receive Polish expat Slawomira Kozieniec’s story, which not only showcased her present day expat life in Istanbul, but also paid tribute to the descendants of the Polish community forced into exile in Istanbul over a century ago. Slawomira’s piece shows how those expats of yesteryear shaped the city and how they managed to keep their culture, language, and cuisine to pass down to subsequent generations. Many that speak Polish are fourth and fifth generation and have never been back to Poland. Juxtaposing the two “foreign” experiences within her story, Slawomira also demonstrates the connection to “home” that transcend place and time, calling into question the terms used for displacement (expat, immigrant, refugee, migrant, asylum seeker, etc.) and further ties it all in by making a personal connection that transcends culture and language.
While Slawomira has since moved from Istanbul, she was back in town for the release of Expat Sofra, and was able to join co-editor Francesca Rosa at the Istanbul Concept art gallery (featuring fellow contributor Gabrielle Reeves’ art exhibition) for a reading and discussion. We asked Slawomira for a recap of her experience at the reading, and her perspective on being a part of the Expat Sofra journey in general. Here she is, in her own words:
My book. I call it my book, although my name is not on the cover, and there are 32 other authors in this anthology.
I guess most of us, the co-authors, call Expat Sofra “my book.” Because the ”pregnancy” of our book took five years, because there were bloody tears of fear for “miscarriages” within that time, because our hopes grew up and settled down in our hearts so deep, our expectations were almost visible. In my mind I already saw my book standing on shelves in every bookshop.
Then, one autumn day, I got news that my book was waiting for me in an art gallery in the center of Istanbul. My heart started beating in a very different rhythm, my hands got sweaty, and my pace was that of a sprinter. I ran to the ferry, got impatient to board (though it’s always pleasant crossing the Bosporus!) and then the Metro to Tunel – why does it take so long again? – and making slalom-like moves in always crowded Istiklal Caddesi before I finally came to the gallery. Paintings on the walls – that was what caught my eyes first, and the scent of delicious cakes cut in small pieces by Francesca in a small kitchen. I sneakily entered other rooms, but… where were the books? Before more people came I wanted to have the pleasure to meet my book face to face, without any other witnesses.
Francesca’s happy smile sent me behind the DJ table. There they were, the snow-white pages with still secret stories of foreign women in Turkey.
It was like seeing a newborn baby, with disbelief, with thrill and weakness in my legs. I took one petal from that white mountain and sat down. Page by page I discovered colorful pages with delicious food and finally I found my own story.
It was a strange feeling. I read my story again. I knew it by heart, its fragments and structure, though it was not like mine. Was I that author? Was that a Polish tiny woman, who fought with strange obstacles to show stories of her countrymen to the world? Was that woman, sitting alone at home with hope, that it was worth to do? And now, here with that book in my hands, was it me?
Yes, it was me, the same woman, the yet unknown author, yet with unknown heroes. All the work was for those still hidden between my pages, forgotten, without names, who faded away in history by the Bosporus. “Taste of Exile” hopes to gave them life again.
Here, not knowing fully how much work others did, I finally embraced the book with both hands. It took a while until I could breathe normally again.
Soon, with so far unknown voice the unknown author stood in front of her first readers in Istanbul, presenting her Polish story.
No wonder it was very emotional, it was my book!
We are so pleased to have Slawomira’s story as part of Expat Sofra, and honored to present a story of expat voices from a bygone time and almost-forgotten community. Well done, Slawomira, and special thanks to Istanbul Concept Gallery for your support and the space and publicity to promote Expat Sofra at your event.
