Well… just so you know. I passed out around 21:00 last night… Oh yes, you read correctly. :P It’s really weird, but whatever. I’m exhausted by the end of the day, and I slept really well. Which was incredibly nice. Although, I woke up with a stuffy nose, which turned into a runny nose for the rest of the day. Yay sickness! Anyways, you should laugh at me. This morning, I decided to have the bright idea of going in later, since I always manage to arrive 15 minutes early, and yesterday was actually locked out of work… However, I didn’t thoroughly check the times the buses leave… So when I saw the bus going in front of me (I didn’t feel like running), I was like, oh, I’m sure the next bus will be here soon enough. Wrong. The next bus was at the exact time that my trolley leaves. Why, isn’t that convenient? And actually, I’m pretty sure the buses go on a different time than those posted… So. I ended up walking to the trolley stop. And not making the trolley in time. But I didn’t speed walk; ya know, I can’t try and kill my legs immediately. That’d just be really bad considering the fact they have to last for enough daily walking throughout the rest of the year. Here’s an idea of how far the trolley stop is… I’d say… at least 1 kilometer for sure. If not about 2. And hey, that’s a lot for me if it were to be a daily walk. Either way, I was walking up to the trolley stop as my trolley rode away… So I decided to try that bus stop. I got on the bus that would take me to Hallera, which I knew I could take a trolley from there to work. However… while the sign said it was leaving sooner rather than later… the bus driver said he was leaving in two minutes. And that wouldn’t only take me to the trolley stop before work. Which wouldn’t have another trolley leaving until after 9. So convenient, isn’t it? So I took the next trolley at this trolley stop instead, hoping desperately that I would make the next trolley on time. We roll up, I check my watch, and according to my watch, I didn’t miss it. But according to trolley line up, I did. But I stuck around and waited for a few minutes anyways. When I finally determined it was too late, I ended up walking the rest of the way to work. Another kilometer or two. I’m pretty sure two for this one, actually. And! Get this! I only arrived five minutes late. … Not that it matters cause you don’t really clock in or out. But I don’t like being late.
So that was my morning amusing story. Everything that could go wrong did. Ohhh well. I really need to figure out if the buses from my bus stop take me straight to Hallera; I’d assume they do. But I mean, that would make life a whole lot easier. Or actually, the more important part, I should check what time the trolley I need to get on leaves at Hallera. Cause there’s only one for the route I need to take to work. Again, so convenient. But yes! Work today went well. I just had to develop a database of companies and organizations to call and convince to come to the conference. From multiple countries. I have a total of about 146 contacts; and honestly, that’s just the main number contacts. Like, the numbers that you call to figure out who you need to talk to specifically for such an opportunity. Not the people you need to call. So I’ll start calling everyone and getting further information on Tuesday. Yes. Tuesday. Why Tuesday? Because Monday is off. As in, my first weekend is a three day weekend. As in, this upcoming Monday is a holiday. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Heck yes. I’m going to roll into work very well. Three day week, four day week, and then a full week. Oh! I love my co-worker Aldona. She’s so nice! And she knows how to work while relaxing. Meaning, she showed me a picture she saw on Facebook. It was of a sign in London, and it said: “Family planning advice; Use rear entrance.” … We died of laughter. I had tears in my eyes. Then later on I tried to find her on Facebook; neither of us could find each other! High security settings, darn you. Gotta figure that out. Either way, I had to go walk and buy lunch today. It was a pleasant short walk, and it’s really good to know where these sandwiches I’ve been eating have come from. Very Subway-esque in serving style. But the food, of course, is better. (:
That’s it for work, though. Nice day. I left my laptop at home today because I decided that I should go look around Rynek, aka the Square, some, and I felt it’d be best to do that without that bulk weighing me down. So I went to Rynek, which I’ve been to plenty of times before, and walked around taking pictures to share with all of you wonderful people. <3 Sort of a mini tour, really. Also, I wanted to figure out what places there are to eat there. Lots of options. I just had some creamy ice cream with cherries in it. After that, I ended up talking to my uncle and determining I’ll be going to Strzelin for the weekend, which I really look forward to. (: I didn’t get to go last year, unfortunately, due to bad timing. I even heard my mom for a bit, over Skype! But we had to get off my phone because my battery was dying. It’s really unfortunate not having a charger for the phone.
Anyways, I didn’t stick around Rynek for too long. I found the nearest trolley stop, which was easy enough; I just had to hope one of the trolleys would take me to Hallera. Oh! On the way, though, I saw a comic book and manga shop! A Polish comic book and manga shop. Oh yes, I will be visiting that when I get the chance. So going to buy some comics to read in Polish; this is going to be awesome! Which leads me to… I still have no clue how to meet people and make friends, which sounds horrible, but well, you don’t just walk up to a random group of people and say, “Hi! Can I join you?” Or at least I don’t. I’m too shy for that. Especially since it’s hard for me to figure out who is about my age. Speaking of ages… on the bus on my way home, there was a mother with a child in a stroller. And this child was passed out, dead asleep while the bus jerked and stopped and all sorts of crazy things, causing the stroller to do the same, and the poor mother to try and keep it stable while on the phone. The point of this, though, is that the child stayed asleep through all those movements. He must’ve been exhausted. And he was absolutely precious. Also, I love how parents here just trust society and their children. I see kids who are way younger than high school age hanging out on their own, going around town. You don’t really see that in America. Or at least I’ve never noticed it. I mean, sure, when I was younger, I’d hang out at the mall or something like that, but it was at one place, and someone would come and pick us up. It wasn’t one of those, let’s go hang out here, meet up, and yadda yadda ya. Of course, we don’t have those options in America, as I mentioned in my last entry, but still. It says something nonetheless. And another interesting note! The “Gimnasia,” aka, middle school, that I pass, is a mere number. Not a name, like Maryville Middle, or anything like that. And perhaps it’s just for convenience, but I read something from that, from the fact it’s a mere number. To me it said, hey, school is a place to learn. You don’t really have to be proud of where you go, flaunting the name around, you just need to go there and learn. Sure, you can have fun and make friends, but the major purpose of school is learning. Perhaps I’m reading too much into it, but I found that interesting no less.
You know what else I love about Poland? It’s a dog country. There are dogs everywhere. And they’re all absolutely precious. So precious that I really really want one. Obviously, I can’t get one, but it’d be awesome to have a dog to take care of in the evening when I get home. Feed, go on a walk with, play with. But the poor thing would be cooped up for the rest of the day. Still, the thought is comforting. I was absolutely shocked when I saw two cats at once today. I mean, you just don’t see cats around this country (which I certainly don’t mind). I really should find a friend who has a dog… Just so I could go play with their dog (and obviously, have a friend or two while I’m here; that’d be nice).
Speaking of friends! You guys are amazing. I love all of you who read this and keep up with me, and send me awesome notes. Sam, my roomie, ended up putting up an entire blog post dedicated to my safe arrival in Poland, which made my day when I saw it. Ani sent me a lengthy email keeping me up to date with her own life, which also made my day, cause that’s time and effort, and it means so much to me! Cody followed my blog before I even told him about it (seriously, win). As did my dad, who immediately told my mom! Lisa has been keeping up with these entries and talking to me at the end of my work day (while she begins hers, hahaha). Laurie posted on my wall telling me how much she missed me. Sarah keeps on telling me how she misses me, and all of you are just amazing. I really do have wonderful friends. <3 Although, no joke, you guys really should be worried. I feel so at home here in Poland; relaxed and at peace. I enjoy the environment, I enjoy the culture, I enjoy everything. None of which I really truly feel in America. So far, this is only further confirmation of my necessity to leave that country. (No worries, all of you will have me in America for at least another 8 years. Yaaaaay grad school!!!)
Oh! I remembered! So at work, everyone calls each other pet names. Like, it’s very common to say dear, or sweetie, (well the equivalents) and stuff like that. I really love how laidback and family-like the work environment is. It just makes me feel far more comfortable there as opposed to being the complete newbie. Which I am. So I’m really quiet in most conversations. Plus I don’t understand all of the jokes, yet. Regardless, I don’t feel like some outsider, and hearing everyone talk to each other with such care, even at work, is a small, but very meaningful reassurance.
Well I must say, I think that’s all for today. Yet another simple day, full of many thoughts on my love for this country. <3 Oh! Wait! In the madness this morning, I got a free packet of salad dressing with my newspaper… So awesome. Anyways, I’m going to make myself a cup of tea, order myself some sort of stereotypical dinner-type food instead of eating scrambled eggs, and read that newspaper I got. And dang, it’s not even 8, and I’m already incredibly tired. Madness, I tell you, madness!
P.S. Juuust kidding. Totally just found out that the pizza place I was going to order from has Free WiFi, so I just made myself some sandwiches. That way, tomorrow I’ll go buy a pizza at that place and have Free WiFi. WIN! Oh. And this will be the day. The day. Of pictures. (:
Today’s been a very calm day. I just chilled in my apartment, took a few more pictures, made a video around the apartment (yay for awesome lameness!). I drew a few things actually, as well. Well, more like sketched, but whatever! Better than nothing. (: So, I have a really awesome view from the back of my apartment. It’s onto this wonderfully designed garden, which you’ll see pictures of, of a rising sun. I was in awe when I first saw it. Absolutely beautiful. I can also see the SkyTower from my kitchen. What’s the SkyTower, you ask? Well, it’s a building in the works here in Wrocław. It’s going to be the tallest building in Poland. So yeah, it’s really cool that I can see it from my apartment, just over the roof of an adjacent apartment building. I need to pack some things for the weekend, though. Gonna go to Oława by bus today and meet my uncle at 6 (meaning leave Wrocław at 5). Hopefully I’ll get to see my cousin and his kids as well! (: If not, there will be other chances (I hope), but it’d be nice. Then from there, we’ll go to Strzelin, the city my parents were born and raised in. ^_^ It’ll be nice to go there, since I’ll be in my grandmother’s old apartment. It’ll also be nice to go light the candles at my grandparents and great grandparents graves, considering I didn’t get to last year. Maybe even buy some flowers. I don’t know what else we’ll be doing other than that. Maybe I can bake some scones for my uncle! :D (Oh goodness, I miss having a full kitchen to work with all ready. Which is a very good thing.)
So, the pizza at this pizzeria was rather yummy. Had two sauces with it, a garlic white sauce and a tomato red sauce. Obviously, I preferred the red sauce. Also, it took me forever to log into the internet. I misread the n as an m, cause she wrote it like a cursive n, which looks like an m. Darn you cursive. AND! The pizzeria made me think of Luke! Because the name of the pizzeria is Soprano's Pizza. And it has all these gangster pictures inside. And my first thought was Luke. Thank you, Family Business! Haha. Also, when I left the apartment, it was bright and sunny. Then, when I finished my pizza, I looked outside, and BAM. Pouring. Rain. Seriously. Temperate rain forest or what? Oh oh oh! So another interesting note. I think I realized why it's so easy for me to walk around and not get completely torn out after a short distance. This part of Poland is flat. So. Flat. Which is quite useful for the entire walking around thing. But it's just one of those things that just.. randomly occurred to me. I'm so used to hills and all of that, yay Tennessee, that it didn't even occur to me until a few days later how flat everything is here. You can see things that are quite far away, without any obstructions minus the buildings themselves. It's really nifty, and in this case, legitimately convenient, haha. Well, it won't be too long now until I have to figure out how to find the bus stop to go to Oława. That ought to be an interesting trip! But, I'm all ready and packed, so I just have to hope that it doesn't rain on the way there. Duffle bags aren't the best for rain. :P Well, time to start uploading pictures to Picasa, finally! And if anyone of you want to see my mini video tour, just send me a message and I'll share the video with you! (:
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