When Pat Samaddar moved from India to Krakow 11 years ago, she experienced a one-woman cultural revolution—she’d left all her friends and a high-powered career in software, and didn’t speak a word of Polish to boot. But living outside her comfort zone proved to be a personal awakening. Now, she’s the president of the International Women’s Association Kraków, works only on her own terms, and has raised kids who love pierogis as much as her dal. For Pat, culture is a tool, not a rule.

Photography by Magdalena Wielopolski ©