Happy Thanksgiving... in Poland.

Thankfully, this year I was able to experience an attempt at an American Thanksgiving in Poland. While it was not the same, (I miss the smell of Turkey cooking) I was surprisingly satisfied. There was turkey, stuffing, spinach, soup, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce... and of course mashed potatoes. If there was one part of the meal the Poles could master, its the mashed potatoes.

My dear friends Paige, Caroline and Veronika and I splurged on a delicious meal. As a result our wallets were thinner, but our stomachs were full. It was enjoyable, but I did miss the festivities that take place with the family over Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Hope it was warm, tasty and cozy this year!

Paige's reaction to Pumpkin Pie. This is the first time she's ever eaten it.

It may not look like a lot of food, but I was quite full afterwards.

Paige and Veronika at Dinner.

Wine in hand with a delicious turkey meal before me.

Dear Dad, about that Polish boyfriend...

A dear friend recently shared an article entitled "Polish men not beautiful, says website." Apparently, on the website beautifulpeople.com, men and women can send photos of themselves which are then analyzed. After serious scrutiny the website directors decide if these people are really "beautiful." I did not know this website existed, although I can't say I'm surprised. According to Greg Hodge, the managing director, Polish and Russian men are the most likely to be rejected. About only 9% of both Polish and Russian men are voted in, opposed the the 39% of Polish women.

I have to say this is quite discouraging, except for my maybe my father. My dream of a sexy, handsome Polish man sweeping off my feet and living happily ever after in Krakow seems so much more unrealistic now.

So for now Dad, I'm safe. The chance of meeting said dream man is currently on hold until the looks of Poland's men take a turn. Perhaps they can start with getting rid of the mullets and fanny packs. Just a thought.

Read and enjoy the article here!

Poland's National Icon

Poland is one of, if not the, most Catholic countries. When you come to Poland you are bound to run into a Church.. or ten. Its what the country is known for, among other things. That being said, when you come to Poland it is absolutely impossible not to see something dedicated to Pope John Paul II, be it a street name, a university, an airport or just a random plaque on a street corner. JP II is bigger than God in this country. Pope John Paul II was an amazing man and will never be forgotten, especially here in Poland. My roommate Paige told me today about how when she goes to visit her family outside of Krakow, there is a picture of Pope Benedict XVI, but in the background of the picture is JP II. Because while Benedict may be our current Pope, John Paul II will always be around, will always be the "real" Pope. Perhaps you'll all get gifts relating to JP II, maybe a mug, a plate, a card, picture, photograph, postcard... you get the picture.

I recently read an article on BBC.com about how Chile is facing a current dilemma regarding a statue of Pope John Paul II. Apparently, there is an enormous statue, 45 ft. (13.5 m), currently sitting in a warehouse in Chile because The National Monuments Council refuses to approve the location for the statue, claiming "...the statue was too big for the site and would ruin the harmony of the square." The council also claims "...that was too undignified for such a revered figure as the late Pope John Paul." The desired location is currently above an underground car park. The sculptor is deliberating over what to do with this statue now. I think I know the answer.

Check out the article here!!!!

In my opinion... when in doubt, if it has to do with JP II, just send it to Poland. This country will have absolutely no problem finding a place to put anything commemorating this amazing man. In fact, it would be honor to have the biggest statue ever of John Paul II.

Coffee and Bagels?? Yes please.

I was in my Polish Literature class yesterday, when our conversation took a turn to a more historical discussion. We mentioned Jan Sobieski III when my professor all of a sudden said, “Who here likes coffee? Who here cannot go a morning without drinking a cup of coffee?” Majority of the students in my class, including myself, raised our hands high. I do not function in the morning without a cup of joe. It is really quite sad actually.

Well, apparently, it was a Polish man by the name of Jerzy Kulczycki who opened one of the first cafés in Vienna, and apparently one of the first ones in Europe. Kulczycki was gifted coffee beans leftover from the Ottoman Empire during the Battle of Vienna. With these small delicious, highly addicting beans, Kulczycki opened the first café, named Hof zur Blauen Flasche (House under the Blue Bottle.) This little shop became a hot spot in Vienna. He remains a coffee hero, especially to Viennese coffee houses, as well as Polish coffee connoisseurs.

So the next time you are sipping on the delicious cup of coffee (as I am right now), remember, chances are Kulczycki made it possible for you to drink it. Yes, thank Poland for that delicious morning necessity. I know I will.

Also, if you are ever in Krakow, Poland and you happen to be searching for a delicious cup of coffee, under the guidance of my Lit. Professor, go to Pożegnanie z Afryka. This café apparently has the best coffee in all of Krakow, and is reasonably priced. I will surely be venturing there this week and will report back with my thoughts.

Now, with this new found knowledge of Poles and coffee, I want you to picture this. You are sitting at your kitchen table, enjoying that delicious cup of coffee, perhaps in a Kulczycki commemorative mug and what is sitting on the plate next to said mug? Is it a warm, slightly crispy bagel with some cream cheese? Well, if it is you can just call yourself a Polish loving person. Because indeed, Bagels were in fact created by Poles.... in KRAKOW... in the early 17th Century. This carb filled delicacy became a quick staple in Poles diet.

With this new found glory of Polish creations, I hope every morning when are enjoying a wonderful breakfast you raise your mug and bagel to the Poles.

There are bagel stands all over Krakow. My heart belongs to the one right next to my foreign language school. The woman there knows me now and knows what kind of bagel I always choose... z serem (with cheese). Actually, one day it appeared that there were no more bagels with cheese left so I was content with getting a sesame seed bagel, when all of a sudden she looked at me, pulled out a cheese one and said Jeden. Just one left... for me?? She smiled and handed me the bagel. She officially is the best bagel lady in all of Krakow.

“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”

Travelled this weekend to Wroclaw, a beautiful small Polish city. Together with my wonderful travelling buddies, Caroline and Petro, we conquered this city. Literally, by the time we left on Monday morning, we walked practically every inch, at least that which was worth walking. We arrived late Friday night, allowing for full exploration on Saturday and Sunday.

Funny story time, the first morning in our hostel was quite an adventure. Petro, Caroline and I were sitting in the kitchen enjoying our “breakfast snack” when another guy staying in the Hostel came in. He threw some toast into the toaster and left. All of sudden, his toast practically caught on fire filling the entire room with smoke which then triggered the fire alarm. The guy came back into the kitchen, clearly embarrassed and awkward, followed by a disgruntled hostel employee who was clearly not happy about the almost smoky fate of Nathan’s Villa Hostel. It was quite a fantastic way to start off our adventures in Wrocław.

Saturday we meandered through the city, weaving in and out of small cobblestoned streets. The Rynek was the first stop, where we admired the beautiful architecture and clock. After taking several photos we made our way to St. Elizabeth’s. A beautiful church with quite an interesting history. It is the first church I've seen where there were no stain glass windows. The church was bright and beautiful, and the feel is completely different from any other church because of the windows behind the altar. They reach from floor to ceiling. After spending some time in that church, we walked to the Cathedral, another beautiful edifice.

The weather was cold, but we beat it with the help of Chococoffe. A local café, serving delicious chocolate treats. We all chose the same Chococoffee, a scrumptious combination of espresso and melted chocolate. It hit the spot perfectly.

Daily boosts of entertainment of our trip came from the little, almost completely hidden gnomes. Yes, gnomes. A simple word that when uttered results in nothing but laughter. There are 50 hidden all around the city, creating quite the scavenger hunt. Unfortunately we did not find all 50 but relished in the search all the same.

One of the most interesting parts of the trip was visiting the cemetery on All Saints Day. Poland is full of traditions, especially those related to religion. On this day family and friends light candles on the graves of loved ones. No grave is without a candle. While this day may not be as vibrant as the celebration in Mexico, it is beautiful and fascinating all the same. We went at night allowing the full effect of the holiday to hit us. While I’m sure it is beautiful during the day, at night the cemetery is glowing. It is eerie and luminous. The surrounding mood ranges from those enjoying some drinks to those deep in prayer. Everyone visits the cemeteries. The whole country practically shuts down on this holiday.

I enjoyed Wrocław, and will hopefully return again someday, preferably when it is warmer.

In a nutshell

My dear friends I finally have an answer for you. So many ask the question, "So what is Polish really like? Is it really that difficult to learn?" My usual answer consists of a mundane response, leaving no real description of the challenge I, and all other brave souls who try to conquer this language, face on daily basis. "Oh, it is difficult. Yea, really really hard."

Well no more prosaic answers. I officially have the best description one can possibly create about learning Polish. Norman Davies, a British Historian, says it best.

"Everyone visiting Poland has to try and speak the language. After all,

its really not that difficult. In fact, the pronunciation is extremely regular.

All you need is a split palate, a rubber jaw, steel teeth, a forked tongue,

large gaps between your teeth to release the excess saliva, and twenty years

of practice. That's when you can say Kopiec Kościuszki without using an umbrella."

Thank dear sir, for adequately describing the Polish language. In those brief sentences you put into words what I've tried to explain for weeks.

*Norman Davies is a British Historian who lived and studied in Poland. The time he spent here developed into a profound love of the country and its history. This quote is from a guest lecture he gave at The Summer School of Polish Language and Culture at the Jagiellonian University in 1995.

Four foreigners walk into a room....

I love to talk. I love conversations that begin at one end of the spectrum and after a roller coaster ride of engaging discussions finishes at the complete opposite end. When you become so involved with one topic which turns into six and then suddenly it ends with no one remembering how it began. So the other night, some of my friends and I were sitting around in my room. Our conversation was casual, talking first about our personalities. How I tend to be sarcastic and tease people, but in a good natured way. How my friend Robert and I agree that you shouldn't dish it out if you can take it.

When Josephine (my Chinese suite mate) joined in we started talking about what life is like in China. It was very eye opening, since she said that life in America must be better. There much more freedom to do what you want. How in the States you have the right to protest Obama on the National Mall is you feel the need to do so. However, do that in China and you’ll find yourself locked up in jail. She shared how her mom and dad work hard but don’t make the money they deserve and how so much of that money goes back to the government. This conversation made me truly appreciate what I have living in the States. However, I realize America is far from perfect.

We then moved on to talking about education. Again, Josephine shared how the Chinese educational system is rigorous, demanding extremely dedicated students. Education is valued therefore much emphasis is put on succeeding. Robert too shared his experience of education in Romania. What struck me most was the story of an American teacher who spent time teaching in Romania. What surprised this teacher was the dedication of his students. For example, they went out partying late one night but somehow they all managed to make it to class the next day. The teacher fully expected most of them to blow class off, as many of his former students would in the States. This teaching experience was so moving, during his end of the year speech he cried. What does this say about the emphasis put on education in the States? Unfortunately, it is easy to coast by through high school in the states and never really learn anything. I know plenty of people who barely made the grade in High School but still managed to walk down the aisle at graduation, diploma in hand. That being said, there are plenty of great things about the education system in the States. I went to a great high school and was privileged enough to have some dedicated teachers.

The topper to this whole conversation is the fact that we spoke English the entire time. A guy from Romania, a girl from China and two girls from America. Again I feel so privileged that English to some extent is universal language. That when I walk into the store praying someone knows English, my wishes 9 times out of 10 are answered. Not enough emphasis is put on learning a foreign language. I took French for years and while I could survive in Paris, I’ve lost most of it.

I can’t even imagine the challenge some of my classmates must go through on a daily basis. Trying to learn a foreign language in a foreign language. I am the only native English speaker in my Polish class and again it is a privilege to be taught in English. Most of the time the class is taught in Polish but when we are all sitting there with blank stares on our face, completely confused our Professor asks that daily question, Rozumiemy? (Do you understand) and when we clearly do not she switches to English to explain.