To be honest, I don't feel like writing right now. However, people keep on pressing me about doing so, so I am. And that's the honest truth.
I guess some time has passed since I last wrote. For example, I went to Krakow Monday. The pictures are at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2007139&l=7c175&id=1193123204
I upload my pcitures to facebook because it doesn't take as long. When I upload them to flickr it uploads in the best quality and probably triples the time at least.
Krakow is the most beautiful city I've ever seen. It really doesn't seem like the city I've seen in pictures. It doesn't even look like the city in my pictures. I guess the sounds, smells, and movement contribute a lot. It is smells wonderful.
I hate public transportation here though. It seems somewhat just thrown together and loosely organized. I dread that I have to deal with it every single school day for the next 10 months. I'd rather ride a bike or walk. There are several types of buses and they stop at only certian bus stops and you have to push buttons to get it to stop on some buses and it stops on it's own on others. Some you buy all day tickets for, some you pay when you get on, some you buy single ride tickets for. Some are really just vans with rails on their ceilings. When the van is full, the small aisle is packed with standing people. You're constantly pressed up against other people on sharp turns and I've been hit in the face by a purse several times.
I do have September to look foward to. from the 1st - 14th I'll be in northern Poland (Lublin and Torun) at a camp with other exchangers. Not only will I improve my Polish drastically, but I can finally meet people in my age range.
The language is hard. It is not Latin based so it doesn't come naturally. I find myself picking out words that sound smilar to German then realizing I'm not supposed to be listening for German. I think I am going to take German in school by the way. That should be a near impossible class. Learning a foreign language in a foreign language.
So, that's pretty much all I have to say at this time.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Culture
Today after dinner, my sister asked me if I could go to the market for her.
"Alone?" I asked
"Yes."
So she gave me a bag to put the groceries in (you don't get free plastic bags here), some money, and the key to the gate at the emnd of the driveway and told me what to get. 20 small mushrooms, two red bell peppers, and a large bag of Lays Sour Cream and Onion chips.
So I walked down the street to "Max Market," which I had only seen, never been in and went inside. It was about the size of the grocery section in a gas station. I walked up and down it for a while and found the peppers. Then I found the chips, but they were small bags. I decided to settle. I probably should have bought two though. I never found the mushrooms and I didn't have my dictionary so I couldn't ask if they had any.
When I payed, the woman at the check-out kept on saying things to me I didn't understand. I only smiled at the ridiculousness of the situtation. When she finally gave me my ticket, i told her thank you in Polish.
I returned home with 2 peppers and 1 small bag of chips. I told my sister I could go back with the dictionary but she said it was okay.
That was a very different experience.
"Alone?" I asked
"Yes."
So she gave me a bag to put the groceries in (you don't get free plastic bags here), some money, and the key to the gate at the emnd of the driveway and told me what to get. 20 small mushrooms, two red bell peppers, and a large bag of Lays Sour Cream and Onion chips.
So I walked down the street to "Max Market," which I had only seen, never been in and went inside. It was about the size of the grocery section in a gas station. I walked up and down it for a while and found the peppers. Then I found the chips, but they were small bags. I decided to settle. I probably should have bought two though. I never found the mushrooms and I didn't have my dictionary so I couldn't ask if they had any.
When I payed, the woman at the check-out kept on saying things to me I didn't understand. I only smiled at the ridiculousness of the situtation. When she finally gave me my ticket, i told her thank you in Polish.
I returned home with 2 peppers and 1 small bag of chips. I told my sister I could go back with the dictionary but she said it was okay.
That was a very different experience.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
The 21st
Today I showed my family pictures from my photo album, which has stuff like family vacations, around Cabot, ect.Probably the funniest response I got was that my mom thought a picture of the inside of Cabot Bible Church was a concert. They also were really interested in the tornado pictures.
Today we went to buy home stuff, like a carpet and paint and wallpaper. Krakow has what I call the "Home Depot District" because it has all these specialty stores that carry home improvement things.
Tonight, I helped Agnieszka pick fruit to make the compote. It's neat being able to pick your own food. Compote, coffee, and Kefir (sour cream) are all I've drinken here.I hope soon I get so busy that I don't even have time to leave updates in my blog, hopefully once I get in school it will be that way. However, until that time comes, keep me and in your prayers as I will keep you in mine also.
Today we went to buy home stuff, like a carpet and paint and wallpaper. Krakow has what I call the "Home Depot District" because it has all these specialty stores that carry home improvement things.
Tonight, I helped Agnieszka pick fruit to make the compote. It's neat being able to pick your own food. Compote, coffee, and Kefir (sour cream) are all I've drinken here.I hope soon I get so busy that I don't even have time to leave updates in my blog, hopefully once I get in school it will be that way. However, until that time comes, keep me and in your prayers as I will keep you in mine also.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
I'm sorry I haven't written sooner, but internet isn't free in Munich and my laptop does not get internet, so I have to borrrow my family's computer.
I am in Poland now, its it's 9 something pm.
Meals are different . Yesterday I had pasta with mushrooms and maybe chicken, or rabbit, I'm not sure actually. Today I had potatoes with a pasta-type sauce for lunch, and for supper we had "gourd cakes" or something. My mom grated gourds then mixed them with flour, eggs, and onions (which I chopped and helped pick from the garden) and made a batter. Then she fried it into patties like potatoe cakes. It was good. However, the drink served with them, "Kefir" I think, was not. It is liquid sour cream. I prefer to stick to my mom's homemade compote that uses fruits fresh from the garden. In fact, all of the fruits and veggies so far have come from the amazing garden. I like my family very much. My dad is in Sweden, so I haven't met him. My mom speaks no English, so communication is limited there. Angnieska(sp?)(my sister) speaks it well, more so than she realizes. Today she took me walking. She just randomly asked me, "Do you want to go to the forest?" Of course I said yes. We went through some fields and and woods and picked blackberries! Blackberries are in season here! We went through the village too. All the houses are large and have red tile roofs and lots of bright flowers. There is a flower garden out back that is beautiful, it even has a fountain and koi pond. Sunday is also the "Harvest Festival." I am looking foward to that.
Last night was no doubt the hardest night of my life. It was so hard. Once the sun came up though, I felt so much better. Now I am stable, but I cannot explain how terrorifying it was to see the reality of what I've gotten myself into. This is a big deal.
Monday, I am going to see my school. I am excited about that! I may miss some school though if my Rotary lets me go to language camp, which I need really really bad. Polish is really really hard.
Much love, Hannah
pictures are at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2006925&l=19ca9&id=1193123204
I am in Poland now, its it's 9 something pm.
Meals are different . Yesterday I had pasta with mushrooms and maybe chicken, or rabbit, I'm not sure actually. Today I had potatoes with a pasta-type sauce for lunch, and for supper we had "gourd cakes" or something. My mom grated gourds then mixed them with flour, eggs, and onions (which I chopped and helped pick from the garden) and made a batter. Then she fried it into patties like potatoe cakes. It was good. However, the drink served with them, "Kefir" I think, was not. It is liquid sour cream. I prefer to stick to my mom's homemade compote that uses fruits fresh from the garden. In fact, all of the fruits and veggies so far have come from the amazing garden. I like my family very much. My dad is in Sweden, so I haven't met him. My mom speaks no English, so communication is limited there. Angnieska(sp?)(my sister) speaks it well, more so than she realizes. Today she took me walking. She just randomly asked me, "Do you want to go to the forest?" Of course I said yes. We went through some fields and and woods and picked blackberries! Blackberries are in season here! We went through the village too. All the houses are large and have red tile roofs and lots of bright flowers. There is a flower garden out back that is beautiful, it even has a fountain and koi pond. Sunday is also the "Harvest Festival." I am looking foward to that.
Last night was no doubt the hardest night of my life. It was so hard. Once the sun came up though, I felt so much better. Now I am stable, but I cannot explain how terrorifying it was to see the reality of what I've gotten myself into. This is a big deal.
Monday, I am going to see my school. I am excited about that! I may miss some school though if my Rotary lets me go to language camp, which I need really really bad. Polish is really really hard.
Much love, Hannah
pictures are at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2006925&l=19ca9&id=1193123204
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Welcome to the USA!
Today, tonight rather, (yesterday technically since it's in the a.m.) Kathia Velazquez Vergarao of Paraguay arrived at the Little Rock Airport. While I'm in Poland, Kathia will be hosted by my family until December.
Kathia currently knows very little English, mirroring my own lack of ability to speak Polish. It was an interesting experience, seeing someone else in the shoes I will soon be in. But, with the help of my dad's high school Spanish, a bilingual dictionary, and the YEO Resources "First Night Questions," we were able to connect and get situated for the first hours of Kathia's American experience.
Kathia currently knows very little English, mirroring my own lack of ability to speak Polish. It was an interesting experience, seeing someone else in the shoes I will soon be in. But, with the help of my dad's high school Spanish, a bilingual dictionary, and the YEO Resources "First Night Questions," we were able to connect and get situated for the first hours of Kathia's American experience.
Kathia and my family. I used my jacket as a makeshift Rotary Exchange blazer! We exchanged pins :).
Kathia with Rotarians Don Peters, Phil Robinson, and Jeff Spann.
I hope she enjoys her exchange in America as I enjoy mine in Poland!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Eeelectronically Complete
Along with buying a travel-size hairdryer and electric conversion kit for the exchange, I have also purchased a camera and laptop.
At Outbound Camp, the topic of whether bringing a laptop was good or not was debated, however, the past exchangers told us they recommended it, as the good outweighed the bad.
For my camera, I chose a compact Canon Powershot SD1000 which has proven to take excellent pictures so far. It also has an impressive battery life.
For the laptop, I chose an EEEpc 900 with preloaded Windows XP. I ordered it from an online shoe store as it was the only company I could find that offered the Windows preloaded, which was odddd. So, it came and it's great! It's very small and weighs barely over 2 lbs, so it'll easily travel in a purse. It's shockproof too, so it has less chance of being destroyed. The only downside is there is only enough room for one hand on the keyboard, but that was anticipated.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Gifts
One thing I've tried to put thought into is gifts. Before and especially after Outbound Camp, I've spent time trying to get gifts and pins. My mom has helped out a lot with emailing companies and now I have most of my items ready to go in the suitcase.
I have:
110 National Park Service/ Arkansas themed gift bags
2 Native American jewelry themed gift bags
11 tea themed gift bags
3 bottles of local BBQ sauce
5 Smokey Bear bandannas
40 National Forest Service activity books
4 books about Arkansas
3 US flags
1 Arkansas flag
1 Cabot Rotary Club banner
120 Charlie Daniels Arkansas pins
50 Woodsey Owl pins
40 Jacksonville, Arkansas pins
36 "Arkansas, the Natural State" metal pins
101 "Arkansas, the Natural State" plastic pins
7 National Park pins
2 Indiana pins
3 "Indianapolis 500"pins
Along with these abovementioned items, I am going to also get cornmeal, Oreos, and brownie mix to take
Hopefully, I'm set on gifts.
I have my luggage which should be easy to indentify at the airport, as it is pretty unique:
This week and the next, I'll start packing my sweaters and weighing my bags.
Hannah
I have:
110 National Park Service/ Arkansas themed gift bags
2 Native American jewelry themed gift bags
11 tea themed gift bags
3 bottles of local BBQ sauce
5 Smokey Bear bandannas
40 National Forest Service activity books
4 books about Arkansas
3 US flags
1 Arkansas flag
1 Cabot Rotary Club banner
120 Charlie Daniels Arkansas pins
50 Woodsey Owl pins
40 Jacksonville, Arkansas pins
36 "Arkansas, the Natural State" metal pins
101 "Arkansas, the Natural State" plastic pins
7 National Park pins
2 Indiana pins
3 "Indianapolis 500"pins
Along with these abovementioned items, I am going to also get cornmeal, Oreos, and brownie mix to take
Hopefully, I'm set on gifts.
I have my luggage which should be easy to indentify at the airport, as it is pretty unique:
This week and the next, I'll start packing my sweaters and weighing my bags.
Hannah
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