Check out my kids as we head out to snow tube in Minnesota!! Left to right: Erica, Jeremy, Michael and Erika (with a "k")! It sure was nice to have everyone home for at least a short visit during the holidays!!! And, yes, I also went tubing. We all had a great time and my lungs got a real work-out from all the laughing and screeching I did on the way down the hills!
Not sure where the three weeks went but I was able to enjoy Minnesota even with the snow and cold. For those used to centigrade we calculated the temperature to be -40 to -50 c!! I wanted to take a picture of the snowbank in front of our house but never got around to it. It was at least six feet high! It definitely was nice having someone plow for us!!
I must admit there were moments of utter confusion when I got home. For instance....
- Light switches inside the room (US) versus outside the room (Poland)
- Toilet handles (US) versus push buttons (Poland)
- Washer and dryers big enough for a family of four (US) instead of just four socks (Poland)
- Cars stopping for pedestrians in the cross walk (US) versus "watch out sucker" (Poland)
- Grated cheese (US) versus do it yourself (Poland)
- Fully-stocked grocery store 24/7 (US)
- Local news I understood
- Standing in lines five minutes (US) versus 30 minutes - if you are lucky (Poland)
- Self-check-out lanes (I forgot how cool they were)
- Everyone understood me (bad humor and all)!!!
Now I have to acclimate myself to Poland. Today Oliver and I walked to Hala Targowa to pick up fixings for soup. I forgot what a novelty a Yorkshire Terrier in a puppy back-pack is around here. We caused quite a stir - at one point there were six people chatting to the dog in a language only they understood!!! I also discovered dog-owners still do not pick up poop (although the pile I stepped in last night in the dark had to have been left by an elephant)! Puppy poop containers placed by the city are apparently used only for discarding soda cans and food wrappers. I, however, will continue to be a responsible pet-owner even if it is tempting at times to follow suit!
Craig bought me a nice camera for my birthday/Christmas present this year so I'm looking forward to sharing some rocking pictures. Right now I'm best at leaving it in the camera bag and thinking about all the great pictures I will be taking. Kind of intimidating but I'm really looking forward to learning all the ins and outs and sharing my work with everyone. My next calling perhaps????
We are gearing up for New Year's Eve (Sylvester Day). The Rynek is absolutely amazing! We will be spending New Year's Eve at a night club with our good friends Gareth and Basia. At least it will be warm there. I'm getting too old for hanging outside in the cold, drinking vodka with strangers and otherwise reveling in public!! I hope to share my first Polish New Year with jottings later this week!
Our time at home was too short, with not enough hours to spend with everyone we should have. It was hard saying our good-byes but we are truly looking forward to spending our final nine months or so in Poland taking in as many exciting adventures as possible. I promise to be more faithful with my blogging!!!
Happy New Year to everyone!
p.s. Somehow it is more palatable to only have to lose 4 kg of holiday joy!!!!!
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