Journal:
Welcome to my journal page. Here you can read about what I have been up to. I figure this is more convenient for everyone as opposed to a bulk group email. I will try to update this section and this whole site for that matter as often as possible.
Want to know a bit about me?
Click here.
Dec. 3 2003
That's it, that's all.
My second journal entry is my last for Poland.
Because of
Visa difficulties I'm now back in Canada.
Thanks to all my students from Kosmopolita and The American English Acadamy. I had a great time teaching you, sorry for not being able to stay. I'm really upset with how suddenly things happened. I may see you again, if not, good luck with things (especially those taking the C.A.E. exam!).
I MISS TEACHING!
I remember a time when teaching a class ranked in the top five things that really terrified me in the world. Funny how things change, I now wish I could spend the next five years teaching all over the place.
Why can't I live three lives at the same time?
Teaching Polish students was a pleasure. They are generally shy at first but fine when things get going.
I hope to hear from you guys!
I have a return ticket to Krakow so I'll be back for a vacation in six months.
In the mean time I'll be working on business oportunities back home in Canada.
Bye Poland, believe it or not I'll miss you (most of you :-))
Sept. 18 2003
Well, I'm here.
Krakow, Poland. 2003.
Lots to tell so get ready.
Flight here was fine. 9 hours, no biggie. The flight from Warsaw to Krakow was a different story though. It was a small propeller plane. The flight was only 40 minutes but it was really hairy. Whenever the wind blew it tossed us around. Noisy too
Thank goodness we had a place to stay. We called the "Piast Student Hotel" home for the first week. During the school year it is a residence for students. The rooms are small and the washrooms are shared. Not the best conditions, needless to stay we were anxious to find a place of our own and move out.
We spent one solid week looking.
Finally things on Florienska worked out and we moved in.
That first week was tough, very stressful.
That stress culminated for me that first Thursday. It was about 6pm when I started feeling really rotten. I tried to sleep it off but at 3am I woke Anna up and we were off to a Hospital.
In reality it was a 24 hour clinic. We woke up the one nurse there. She gave me a once over and said I had a stone.
She gave me a shot and said if that didn't help we should go to the hospital.
I felt like I was getting stabbed in the gut.
We went to the hospital straight from the clinic.
It was about 3:30 in the morning by this point. We took a taxi and he dropped us off at emergency.
We walk through the doors and...nothing.
No one around.
This was a typical communist building. Drab, dark...looking like it was 1955.
There I am keeled over, in pain, Anna frantically looking for help.
We wandered those damn halls for at least 15 minutes. The signs didn't make any sense.
Thank God I wasn't having a heart attack or something.
We banged on a door and woke up some nurse. She was like "no problem, just go straight, up the stairs...left...up...right..."
It was so stupid, I almost found it funny. Like out of a movie or something.
Anna was great, she was calm and made everything possible.
We finally found what we were looking for and I was examined by a doctor who was severely pissed about being up at that hour.
He said it could be stones but he said it could also be an infection.
Anyways, a week of medication later and I'm fine. Though I was in severe pain for four days.
So we moved in a few weeks ago.
This apartment is great. The only problem is the noise. Because we are right in the center of things there is always a "buzz" from the street.
Most of that noise is only noticable when the windows are open, that should be fine in the winter. Plus you really get used to it. When I first got to Thailand the noise was insane, a few weeks later...fine. Same here. There is one exception though.
The street musicians. They are driving us nuts. One guy is the worst, he keeps playing the same three songs over and over and over and over.
I fear for his safety if he keeps it up.
The violinist is pretty good though, I like it when she is around.
Polish people love their chocolate.
There is lots of it and it's cheap. I can't stop eating chocolate. Dark, milk, white...it's all great. I swear, I came back from Thailand 15 pounds lighter. When I return from here I'll be 15 pounds in the opposite direction.
There is so much to do around here. People love walking around or sitting in a cafe or bar. Lots of people watching. There are so many bars in the old city, over 200. There really is something for everyone.
Food is good. We have a nice kitchen now and are making full use of it. We visit the market around the corner and buy fruits and veg. We've made some great soups and stews.
Yes the purogies are good.
Oh man there is this great pizza joint on the next street. They cook their pizzas in a wood oven. So good, we made a vow not to go in there until next week. We were there 3 out of 4 days last week.
We have a bakery on the ground floor of our building. Smells like baked goods in the morning. It's really convenient, just down the stairs for fresh baguettes, which we have every morning.
Just got a T.V. and our satellite cable installed. 350 channels, 300 of which are crap. Al Gezera, Greek parliament, Serian news, I mean come on. We do have HBO, CNN, BBC, Discovery, Cartoon Network, so that makes it worthwhile.
Work starts in a few weeks. I'm teaching English to adults, ten groups, three times a week. Should be about 35-40 hours a week. I'm anxious to get started with it.
Going to a Drum and Bass club tonight, looking forward to that. I went to a similar club last week and discovered the do's and don'ts of Krakow life.
I guess I stand out like a sore thumb with the way I dress, even in a country where I look similar to the locals.
I was in my red hoodie, Guelph jacket, Airwalk shoes and backwards red hat.
Right away the bartender starts yelling at me. The people at one of the tables translate for me. I had to take off my hat.
Sportswear of any type is a bad idea here. It doesn't help that my other jacket is an umbro. Apparently the mob here wears sportswear so bars will not let you in if you have it on.
At one "artsy, fartsy" bar a guy (who I swear was a wino) was on a stool at the entrance. This guy wouldn't let me in. I asked Anna what he was saying and when I found out I was like "F" this...we were out.
I've got to do some shopping.
Poverty here is noticeable. There are winos in the park who drink huge $2 bottles of alcoholic fruit wine. At times it reminds me of downtown Hamilton.
Street tuffs are a problem.
They walk up to you and extort money, "do you have some money for me? NO. Check again...I think you do."
Will not be a problem for me because I'm in an area very well patrolled, there are diamond stores on my street! Plus I'm a foreigner and they don't mess with us. These thugs only speak polish so if I ever do have an encounter I'll be like "what?" And keep walking.
Guelph has about 60 students here every year. 10 minutes away and there has never been a problem.
Oh man, this country can be soooooooooooooooooooo frustrating though.
It's one thing after the other, nothing is done easily.
I want to spend money but there is no one there or no store open. Don't they want money?
The old communist roots show sometimes.
I've been trying to call my bank in Canada but it has been impossible.
I tried from a pay phone but it wasn't working, I had to buy a phone card...still no.
How do I get an operator? I don't know...impossible!
God.
So finally I get an operator after two days and she says she can't put me through on a public phone or a cell phone. I have to find a land line.
I was so pissed.
What am I to do, knock on some farmers door and be like "can I call Canada on your phone?"
So on the way home from Tesco (a store like Walmart) I think, hey...I'll try a hotel.
I was thinking of trying a Polish one but I was skeptical they would help me. Then Anna remembers there is a Holiday Inn one street over.
It was pretty poshy.
There was a dude playing the piano and a busboy all dressed up at the counter.
I walk in wearing my backwards red cap and my Guelph jacket.
I talk to the guy at the front desk. He couldn't have been more helpful.
He dialed a bunch of numbers and spent five minutes on the phone.
Then he finally connects me but I realize it's costing him...he hasn't called collect.
He said not to worry and I spent the next ten minutes on the phone talking to Bizsmart...on his dime.
Made my day.
I now love the Holiday Inn.
If I was in a Polish hotel I bet some thugs would have appeared and tossed me on my ass.
Anyways, 'till next time.
