By: Ania Jablonowski
Published August 30, 2014
As an ambitious entrepreneur, Nicolette Pajda is proud to connect with international clients through her Polish American background. She believes that having been born in the US to Polish parents, she is able to relate to different cultures and feels more worldly. “It makes me well-rounded. I developed a cultural curiosity for languages, traditions, and travel,” shares Nicolette.
Nicolette Pajda is a first generation American of Polish descent
Her father’s hometown is Rzeszów, the capital of the Sub Carpathian region located in the south eastern part of Poland. Located on the banks of the river Wisłok, it is a beautiful city that is rich in historical monuments and interesting buildings to explore. “There is a town square which happens to have a lot of international performances and concerts. One of my favorite monuments is the Castle of the Lubomirski. Rzeszów is also a modern city. There is a small but modern airport, many large world shopping centers, swimming pools and sports halls. It is a wonderful city,” Nicolette recalls.
“My mom was 11 when she came to the US with my grandmother. Our family had established businesses in Poland, including restaurants, but everything was repressed. They came here for a better life and opportunities,” says Nicolette.
Her mother’s hometown Bielsko Biała is a picturesque town located at the foot of Beskidu-Małego. “There are many such towns surrounded by greenery around the mountains, and many monuments. While it is not a big city, it has some 700 years of rich historical and cultural events. The city has a very good geographic location, with beautiful scenery and clean air. The views are indescribable. Bielsko Biała is beautifully situated. Within ten minutes, you’re out of town, where you can peacefully rest and live,” she describes.
Nicolette Pajda pictured with her Mother (left) and brother Aron (center)
Nicolette’s parents met in the States when her father was visiting family at the age of 21. They fell in love and soon married.
With English as her second language, learning Polish first gave Nicolette a chance to truly absorb the culture. “Our family spoke Polish at home, and I started to integrate English in grammar school. I don’t remember the transition, I feel like I had no problems because there was such a mixture of Polish and English in my life. On Saturdays my younger brother Aron and I went to Polish school at St. John Brebeuf in Niles. Our parents had us attend through high school. They really pushed for us to keep the language.”
Since Nicolette’s mom came to the US at came at such a young age, Mrs. Pajda’s English was perfect when Nicolette and her brother were born. Mrs. Pajda graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, and even began a Master’s program. Both Nicolette and Aron also completed their undergrad at UIC. Funny enough, Nicolette and her mother even had the same professor for a Polish cultural class. “During UIC, I took a few extracurricular courses to help me explore our culture, including cinema and literature,” says Nicolette. Like her mother, she also pursued her Master’s degree and completed her graduate program with honors at DePaul University with a focus on New Media Studies. Education has always been a very important aspect of the Pajda family for many generations.
Nicolette was raised with a deep sense of appreciation for her family’s background. One of her most fond experiences includes participating in folklore dance groups for eight years. “It was really great to get in touch with our culture, being immersed in the music, wearing the costumes, singing traditional songs. We often met up with other local groups and performed together at big events. I also played classical music on the piano. I loved playing Chopin.”
Nicolette Pajda dressed up in a traditional Polish Folklore Dance Costume
Being part of Polish dance groups allowed Nicolette to embrace trips to the Motherland. She visited her mom’s hometown for the first time when she was six years old, and traveled around the country with her family, exploring Gdańsk, Warszawa, Zakopane, and Kraków. “I remember the people in Kraków being very warmhearted and welcoming. It was a bit of a melting pot, with all the different parts of Poland coming together. There were so many tourists that visited the city, it had the hometown feeling like Chicago.” The family would visit Poland on an annual basis.
Nicolette also had the honor to meet former Polish President Lech Wałęsa on a trip to Gdańsk through Polish school. Since then, there were numerous occasions where Nicolette was in his presence at many gatherings in the US.
Another memorable trip was seeing the beloved Pope John Paul II at the World Youth Day in Canada when she was sixteen years old. “He was the greatest Pole of our time. We sat so close to the stage, and spent three days praying and talking on the lawn. The trip was amazing,” she shares.
When asked if she felt more Polish or more American when traveling, Nicolette explains, “Naturally I say I am Polish, born in America. When I am traveling, I say American-Polish. I mention both, but more so that I am American. I’ll usually discuss my upbringing.”
Nicolette Padja & Former Polish President Lech Wałęsa
At home, the Pajda family tends to keep a balance of Polish and American norms. The holidays include celebrating both Wigilia and Christmas Day, each with their respective traditions. “For Christmas Eve, we have twelve meatless dishes, we place hay underneath the tablecloth, and we set an extra setting for any unexpected guests. On Christmas Day, we open gifts with our immediate family – like American families do, and on Eve we open gifts with our cousins.”
Nicolette also loved celebrating one of the silliest Polish traditions, Śmigus-Dyngus. Her father still likes to carry on the rite of passage and splash water on her and Aron. Back in the Polish school days, they regularly marched in the 3go Maja parade.
One of her favorite activities is supporting her Aunt Beata Pilch’s avant-garde theatre, Trap Door, located in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood. “For the last twenty years, she has been an ambassador of Polish culture in the US. My Aunt has directed numerous plays by world-renowned performers and writers,” says Nicolette.
The Pajda family has been actively involved with many Polish American organizations including Polish National Alliance, Polish American Congress, and Women’s Auxiliary Club. These past two years, the family has attended the International Polonaise Ball, organized by the American Institute of Polish Culture. Nicolette marveled at the extravagant affair. “This year they incorporated Argentina, and it was amazing to see both cultures clash with the folk dances and costumes, while feeling a sense of unity. There were influential people from all around the world.”
It was easy for Nicolette to relate to the Argentinian culture, and she was also able to understand some of the language. Having studied Spanish for years, and more recently learning Portuguese, she has a knack for picking up new languages. Next on her list is Mandarin.
Nicolette mentions, “When I have children one day, I would love for them to learn as many languages as they can. I would definitely want to pass on our traditions and send them to Polish school. It has always been and will always be important to my family. I am very proud to be Polish.”
Nicolette Pajda with Nervana Group’s Dubai Bus Trip
Of course, another necessary element to keep in the family is the art of cooking. Nicolette’s mother and grandmother opened several restaurants together in Chicago, featuring mostly Polish cuisine. Naturally, many delicious meals were cooked at home and often times the chefs’ creations would also make their way home with Mrs. Pajda. Given that their family traveled quite a bit, the family would mix in French, German, and other international palates to the menus. “I love all Polish food, but zupa ogórkowa is my favorite!”
Nicolette plans to learn her mother’s recipes and pass down the culinary creations for generations to come.
First Generation American Project 