Breanna in Poland

Spanialy i Smutny noc

2009-06-27T23:58:00.000-07:00

Witam moja kochany polacy!!!!!!!!!!!
Ja na razie jestem w Amsterdam na lotnisko....poczekam na moja druga lat do domu :(
Chcialam wam powiedzic ze ja po prostu KOCHAM was i nigdy w zyciu bede was zapomniala!!!!!!!!!!!
Present byl/jest EXTRA i na prawde jestescie ZA DOBRZE do mnie!!!!!!! nie trzeba byl nic, ja na prawde nie jestem taka specjalna.....dobra....moze troszeczke..... ;-) nie no, na prawde jestescie niesamowity i zajebiscie ;-P troche tak czuje ze ja powinne mieskac w polscy..no nie?? Szukam juz jak wracac, bo tesknie za wami jak nie wiem!!!!!!!!!! Plakalam prawie pol torej godzinie na samolot do Amsterdam.....i wiem ze bedzie wiecej!
Dzieki za milosc, za towarzystwo i za pomysly na przyslosci :D
bedziemy w kontakcie!!!!
<3 breanna

Wiatr :(

2009-06-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

Dziśaj wiatr wiał ZA DUŻO...i nie mogliśmy jechać na wyczeczka rowerową :( ale to trudno!! coś innego wymyśliszmy!! :D Kocham was! Popolsku nawet lepje no nie?? Byłam prawie całe dzien z Martą Karlewską i Norbert i Jarek też. Oglądaliśmy "Notting Hill"....może by był lepje jakiś horror.....wiesz....dla chłopaki! ale....był śmiesznie :D Marta mama nas gotowała obiad, i też sok z rabarbarem :) pośliśmy na spacer do norbert, i potem do książ Boguś.....a potem prubowaliśmy zminjać koło na rower......nie daliśmy rady :-P Dzięki wam, fajnie był!!

today it was WAY TOO windy.....and we couldn't go on a bike field-trip :( but we dealt with it! we thought of something else! :D I love you guys! Polish is better, eh?? I was with Marta Karlewska almost all day, and Norbert and Jarek too. We watched "Notting Hill"...maybe it would have been better to watch some horror....you know...for the boys! but...it was funny :D Marta's mom made us lunch, and rhubarb juice too :) we then went on a walk to norbert's house, and then to see priest Boguś....and then we tried to change a bike wheel.....and failed :-P thanks guys, it was fun!!

weather?? what weather??

2009-06-02T01:12:00.000-07:00

so...yesterday went as follows
-Breakfast and shower (ok you didn't really need to know that one)
-readin' by the lake and talking to all the fishermen and grandpas walking by there
-downtown with wiola shopping for birthday presents for her bf and his twin sister
-Hanging out with marta at her house.....
and then comes the funny part.....
we were going to ride bikes to a friends house not too far away but when we went to leave...it started to rain. so instead we walked downtown with an umbrelly and bought some essentials for our Gdańsk trip coming up on Friday. When we got home it was decent weather, so we made a salad for lunch and decided again that we'd bike to aneta's house...as soon as we got downstairs....rain started to fall :( so we went BACK upstairs and played some board games (it was "kid's day" yesterday in Poland...so we had a good excuse)...realizing it wasn't so much raining anymore...we got all ready to go to Stężyca and walk around there for a bit...since it was now kinda to late to bike to Aneta's house....downstairs....and...it's POURING. So we then decided to watch a cartoon movie (also for kids' day) and Ola came over as well
today though we're biking to aneta's house
then tonight it's pizza with my classmates :D :D
<3 class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Poland!!!

A bunch of wimps....

2009-05-29T11:59:00.000-07:00

So, the plan was that Wednesday my class would go on a "biwak" (or camping trip type thing). We planned to go on a small river not far from Dęblin, but not too close either. Well, the BOYS chickened out on Wednesday because of the weather.....around 14:00 when we were supposed to leave, it was stormy, but by 19:00 it was FINE and beautiful..so we could have gone!!!
I luckily instead ended up going to Marta's house for a sleepover on Wednesday night, so all was not lost.
Camping trip re-scheduled for Thursday night, I did my prepping at Marta's house and we met up with people in town and instead of going far, we went to a field here in stęzyca owned by Marta Karlewska's family. There, she also has an old "bus" that is all boarded up and the inside is basically empty with a few seats along the walls. We set up the tents and talked and what not....made a fire...then it started to rain. So we hid ourselves in the tent and all sat in a circle and talked and ate American candy and had fun :) (oh, there were 12 of us, plus Monica and Asia showed up for a while) At like midnight, the door to the tent broke, and it was by then raining really hard and the wind was INSANE....(also i forgot to mention that we were all planning on staying till at LEAST Saturday) well....we all gathered everything and went in the bus, froze our butts off all night and ALL slept in there...accept ola and piotrek ...they slept in his car...NOT a dirty thing though, they both have their own long-going relationships already...
then this morning we all decided that it was too wet and too cold to stay any longer...so we were all home by like 16:00 this afternoon :-P
BUT it was fun!!!! we made kielbasa on the fire last night, and this morning we had eggs over the gas-bottle stove (one egg a person HA!!) and for lunch it was spaghetti (maybe 20-30 noodles each and a spoonful of sauce..) omw...we all felt like we were teaching ourselves to live the student life!!!! I love how wimpy and amazingly funny we are:) Hats off to any of them that read this....(and to them in general because I love them all to death!!!)
one week till Gdańsk and kinda counting for the trip home....not lettin' y'all know when though...you'll prolly know soon anyway :P
toodles

Mielno Smutno

2009-05-22T01:30:00.000-07:00

Hey yall....I have to go to Mielno, Poland today on the sea...and this will be the last "exchange student get together" :( i don't want to say good bye to everyone....
BUT at the same time, i'm looking forward to seeing some place new and hangin' with everyone once again. Miss you all but not enough to want to come home quite yet
kisses :*

I'm in wroclaw

2009-05-13T02:00:00.000-07:00

i'm here with a friend Addy...she's from Cherryvalley, NY:-) she's my "minni-me" I'm having fun!! that's about it:D ha ha ha ha

Did I already write once today??

2009-05-05T12:17:00.000-07:00

Yes I think I did

but not about TODAY

I have a new very good friend:)

Iza is her name, and she's AMAZING :D

(she's prolly gonna read this, so I'm bein' extra nice!!)

her dad brought me to the airforce base here in Dęblin!

it was REALLY amazing and I'm so glad I got to go!!!

I got to sit in a fighter plane/one that goes really fast....in the PILOT'S SEAT!!!!

later today I made m&m bars with asia

she loved them as well as monica

my friends are all taking the matura now (all in my senior class anyway)

pray for them would ya!?? they would definately appreciate it!

sounds like it's going alright so far though:)

I am INSANE (and so are my friends)

2009-05-04T23:42:00.001-07:00

SO..........Guess what I did on Saturday?

yeah, no big deal, I just biked over 113 Km
that's about 70 miles
i know...there are prolly ppl reading this that are like..."in one day i can do double that"
well...AREN"T YOU SPECIAL!!!????
I myself can't believe I did it.....it was SO FUN
I went with my church group "Oaza" and 15 of us in all rode
The Priest dude (Bogusz) was the one who organized it all
He thought it was only gonna be 35 Km one way....he was off by a little bit :-P
oh well...we had a BLAST!!!!!
and my but is killing me!!!
i'm never coming home by the way....finding myself a nice polish boy and settling down...
just gotta find the boy first:( hmmmm....
LOL JUST KIDDING
but i do NOT want to come home
that's true
ok
i'm leaving
prolly doing more biking today
:D

Pani Jakubik i Ja

2009-04-25T00:35:00.000-07:00

Last day of school :(

2009-04-24T23:50:00.000-07:00

yesterday was my last official day of school
it was sad but a fun time none the less
the ceremony was completely different than in our country
no caps, no gowns, no parents!!!
just the kids and the teachers and the kids from the "junior" class put on a skit for us
and each "class" (I'm in 3F for example) got up all together and lined themselves up to get their diplomas
I was told I wasn't getting one...but Then they had made one up for me that wasn't the same or official or anything, but I got one saying that I'd completed a year at their school and it's signed by my director and everything :) we also got pens that have the schools name on it as a memory/trophy (they called it a "memorial")
then we went off in our small classes of 30 or so with our base teacher
my friends have all had her for 3 years watching over them, so it was a SAD time:(
everyone cried and brought her presents, but we were all super excited/ full of indescribable jumpy nerves
then after that I went home with monika and asia and we had pizza for dinner
(monika kept saying that she now feels homeless!!)
a quick change after that and it was off to a class bonfire!!!
That was SO amazing and fun, i love my class!!!!!!!!
we took lots of photos and talked and danced around the fire (literally) and were just teenagers having fun!
again, I LOVE MY CLASS!!!
Somehow though I think I was thirsty...I drank an entire 1.5 L bottle of strawberry water!
oh and Everybody LOVES reeces peanut butter cups (my contribution)
they said they're delicious
actually.... zajebisty (I'll let you look that one up.... :} )
too bad they don't got em in Poland :(
ok I'm out!!!
seez ya

pants on or off??

2009-04-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

ummmm
funny title eh?
well...
you see
breanna likes this spot on the dock at a nearby lake
and noone is ever there
so she was there today
with her pants off
(SWIMSUIT THOUGH)
because she wanted her leggs to get some sun
a car showed up with some dudes to go fishing
luccily she quickly put her pants on
because not too long after that
a bunch of boys her age showed up
and were on the same dock as her
fishing
and luccily NOT seeing me in my swimsuit bottom and sweatshirt
(too cold to completely sunbathe)
why do I tell you people these things???
i'm just setting myself up for embarassment!!!!!!!!!!

Come and Gone

2009-04-08T11:04:00.000-07:00

My family has come and gone. It went fast, and yet at the time with them it didn't seem so. I am very satisfied with the time we spent together. It was all very fun!!!! I would write it ALL down right here for you...but in my opinion it should go into my JOURNAL first...then onto here...and let's just say my journal is at LEAST 2 weeks behind:-P Now I have time tho..cause I'm off of school till next Wednesday!!!:) Did some biking today with friends, and we watched a little basketball as well.....and then there was ice cream.....I didn't get home from "school" till like 19:45 :D WOW breanna's getting out there eh??!!! Ha ha ha ha ha, jk
any hoo.....I'm alive and well......that's about it for now!
HAPPY EASTER!!!!

in the rain

2009-03-17T09:55:00.001-07:00

let's just say that my pants and my bangs are all wet.........like......................... soaked

Wrocław

2009-03-16T09:26:00.000-07:00

I was gone for a while wasnt' I???? yeah, i'd say so....from saturday to monda:) fun times...here's what went on:

Saturday: Rode up to Warszawa with my host mom and dad and then got on a train to Wrocław that took like 6 hours. I got picked up there by Ingrid's host brother (kuba) and we drove out to her family's "country house". We hung out there while I met the family (dad (leszek), mom (małgosia), Kuba (20), filip (12), Mikołaj (7), and babcia (grandma). We went on a walk in the woods and played some hearts:)

Sunday: church in the village, bike riding, more hearts, lots of chatting with the family, fast and the furious, then to bed once again

Monday: returned to the city, and Ingrid and I took the trams down town and searched for the Trolls of wrocław (these little bronze statues all over the city). We met up with some of the other rotary students, it rained, we hung out. Dance class with Filip because he needs to learn i guess....... That night I went to her rotary club meeting and presented my flag. we skipped out early because it was going to be a LONG meeting, and we went and drank drinking chocolate at some cute caffe

tuseday: polish lessons and then some more hanging out in the city with rotary students:) WE climbed a tower and saw off of this bridge and since the sun was shining...it was easy to see very far away:) that was neat!!!!!!! that night we hung out at home with the family...made the family some yummy salad for dinner:)

wednesday: Ingrid and I went to the "national museum" and spent ALL morning in like...3 rooms because we were talking so much about the pictures:) later that day we went to the hair dressers and she cut her hair.....SO CUTE!!! but it was a shfancy place, so I got coffe as I watched...and it took them like an hour to dry her hair!!!! we made DELICIOUS pizza for supper

thursday: the oppera!!! beautiful building:) and it was "alice in wonderland" which was nice for the kids..and i enjoyed it too:) Shopping with Addy that afternoon, and then that night ingrid and I saw the leader of FEEL on a live talk radio program in a mall. Look him up, my favorite (and most popular) polish group/singer. Then while in the mall we saw this "international foods store" and....we saw BETTY CROCKER stuff...and QUAKER OATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it was TRULY insane...even poptarts!!!!!!!

friday: more english lessons, and some more hanging out in the city a bit....then back out to the village. That night ingrid and I made "egg-bake" for the next morning.

Saturday: ate the eggbake (family LOVED it), went on a walk, went on a bike ride, guests came and we spent all night talking with them. ended the day watching "bat from hell 2" STUPID MOVIE!!!!!!!! (duh) but it was funny and fun

Sunday: church again, hangin out a bit at the cabin, then back to wrocław to spend one more night/day with the family

and today I came home and I am trying to catch up on things/start preparing for my family to come...in 5 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
omw i'm SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HEy

2009-03-06T05:45:00.000-08:00

I'm headin' out of town tomorrow morning early!!!
The dwarfs of Wrocław are calling my name!!!! (all 30+ of them...I want to see them all....little figurine dudes all around town doing like the old time polish did...it should be interesting...I've even got to catch tram #4 to see one of em:-P )

toodles for a week!!!

not your normal day

2009-03-04T07:46:00.000-08:00

Today was/is just another day....just another normal day....and yet it was out of the ordinary so far here in little-bit-o-nowhere poland

you see....Today in school I was hanging out with my friends, waiting for the bell to ring for English class. But alas, something strange and very touching happened. I was talking to Marta Filipek...moja kochana....and she was telling me that when she started to think about when I'm leaving here, she couldn't believe it!!! She started to cry:( I felt so bad (mainly that I wasn't crying as well....I'm just trying not to think about it...that's why I'm not crying, don't think and it won't happen!!!!) and I was so MOVED by her. I mean, I knew she loved me, i know she loves me...but AWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!

after school, I went on a walk...as usual....not "as usual", but I do walk a lot. Anyways, today I brought with me a plastic bag and some heavy duty gloves...and I picked up trash. Granted, one person alone in this...."still-winter-mess" let's call it....can only do so much. I filled one good sized plastic bag in a span that usually takes me to walk in about 4-5 minuts....ie...that stretch is now clean. I guess April 1st EVERYONE is outside cleaning, no school even, it's spring cleaning day...but I wont be here (since I'll be in EUROPE with my FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) so I thought I'd do MY part right now.

After filling my bag, i threw it out in a garbage bin, then continued walking. Walked walked walked, then on my way back, i ran into this guy that I met last Thursday i think it was. He's maybe 25 or so. Anyways, he works at the fire station/rescue station in town...and he showed me around!!!! It was very neat:) I got to see every compartment of the fire truck, and he showed me all the interesting gadgets and junk they've got there. It was very neat, and I was glad to see it:) It's all volunteer since this is such a small town, and the fire truck is "old"....but I told Piotr that the most important thing is that they HAVE something like that....NEATO BADITO!!!

SKIING!!!!!!!!!

2009-02-23T07:54:00.000-08:00

I went skiing...behind a VAN yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It wasn't just normal skiing either, it was "extreme water-skiing-behind-a-van-on-snow" My host dad brought us (mom was there too...took like 100 pictures). Mati, cousin Krzszek (whom I LOVE!!!! he's like 12 and so adorable and loves me as well :-P ) and I skied 10 K to grandpa's house the next town over..and then home!!!! (I didn't make it QUITE all the way home, i couldn't feel my fingers, therefor couldn't hold on to the bar) Of course it was on back roads, at least the van was on the road, mati and I for sure (krzszek sometimes) were in the fields on the side of the road, as well as going off of every jump we could find, going over hills, skiing on lakes..you name the obstacle...we hit it!!! (even asphalt...:} that wasn't good for the skis...but that's what the skis were bought for so who cares!!!!!!!!!)

well...ya...i still love Poland!

OH YEAH
Marta's house was super fun...we went to youth group Friday night, and then came home at like 22:30 and gabbed till 1....then in the morning 9:40 we woke up and gabbed till I had to leave....15:00.....yeah...we're girls...we talk alot!!! It was fun, and I found a new guilty pleasure...this AMAZING CAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm getting the recipe and I'm introducing it to America baby when i come home!

Owed Blog

2009-02-20T07:10:00.000-08:00

So I owe all who listen a REAL blog!! Because it seems as if I never do so anymore:-P That's all right with me, it means less time on the computer and more time out in POLAND!!!

So last week Monday (the 9th) I started off on a skiing adventure with my church group here: Oaza. It was AMAZING!!! We were in the Tatr mountains of southern Poland, Bukowina in case anyone is wondering....close to Zakopane but not quite there. Out my window was a GORGEOUS view of the mountains...actually the view was of Slovakia...that's how close we were to the boarder. I was in a room with my friend Marta and her older sister Iza. It was TINY,...but that didn't' really matter due to the view, and the warmth, and the happiness we spent together. There were about 40 of us on the trip all together; 15 or so from my church, and then a group of boys from a town about 2 hours away from us. Two young priests, the bus drivers, and us kids!! It was so fun. We skied every day, twice a day on our non-travel days, otherwise just once. The weather conditions couldn't' have been better. The first day it was sunny and gorgeous, so we could see EVERYTHING!! and then the whole rest of the week it snowed. And we had fresh powder constantly to ski on:) I had the time of my life, srsly!!!

Now I'm back at school, well not at this very moment, it's already the weekend!! (Time flies by SO fast I can't stand it!!!!!!!!) Yesterday I had an interesting experience. I was on a walk in Stężyca, and I said "good day" to an old lady..you know...to be nice. She first said hi back, then she's like "WAIT!!! I don't know you, who are you???" I went on to explain who i was, and she decided that I had to meet her granddaughter and come eat doughnuts (yesterday was doughnut day in Poland) and drink tea and talk. So I was stolen away by some grandma lady here in Stężyca. It was funny, and I worried my host mom a bit (just a bit) but we all laughed about it afterwords. I actually DON"T mind those situations much, because it helps me keep meeting people here. Now i have plans for tomorrow to hang out with that woman's granddaughter. She and I actually have more in common than i thought...she had an exchange student stay with her a long time ago, I am hoping to find more out about that. It was just a girl from Ukraine, and she was here for 2 weeks only, but it's still an interesting concept for someone else here in STĘŻYCA to have had an exchange student experience.....it's a rare thing here if you can't tell.

What else can I tell ya?? I've got youth group tonight, and then I'm sleepin' over at moja kochanie Marta Filipek's house. This is the fist time I've had a sleepover with a POLISH person...we'll see what happens :) I'm excited though, she's the bestest friend I've got here. She's got a really good heart too. Very genuine, kind hearted, notices people, loves everyone....i could go on!

I think I will go pack for Marta's house now...and then who knows what?? I have been meaning to read and to write in my Journal...WHICH today by the way I wrote completely in POLISH!! (my classmates were taking a math test, and i felt like i should at least be "learning" something...so I wrote in polish..that's practice right???) Seems as if i never have time to read here...although I have no idea where the time goes:-P

Alive

2009-02-17T08:33:00.000-08:00

I am alive and well. Don't go and worry about me...sorry I havn't written in a while...had some distractions, and now i'm not exactly at the computer constantly cause it's not at my immediate disposal.

But i went skiing in the tatr mountains last week with my church group!!! That was super duper fun!!! I had a BLAST!!!!!!!

School is getting easier and easier...and boringer and boringer...once you understand...the subject you already know is boring HA HA HA HA
oh well...I'll live!!!!!!!!

If i think of more I"ll tell yall

For Aśka

2009-01-28T10:02:00.001-08:00

So...Asia powidziawa ze było tak duzo czas ze nie pisałam....przepraszam:( Będę probuj na pisać więce...ale....NIE MAM CZASU!!!!!!!

sooo what can i tell you? I'm not translating that pt up top for you...sorry it aint happenin

school's going well. Winter break is coming up starting friday..... 2 weeks. I'm going skiing in the mountains the 9th to the 13th that should be amazing!!!!!!!
i'm attempting to write a letter to my future favorite college in the world...(ok it's already my favorite college..but i don't go there yet so...) I have to do some half year thing for them. I must say, i have no drive to do it. Only because I don't know WHAT to say....there's just so much
just like here...i really don't know what to tell you
I'm surprising marta with some scones tomorow morning on her birthday:-P that should be fun
then after school we're gonna search the internet together for our AMAZING TRIP TO GDAŃSK in june!!!!!!! just the two of us...it's gonna be SO COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait!!!!!!!

ok
i'm out
i'm chattin in polish on gadu gadu with asia

LITTLE BROTHERS!!!

2009-01-21T21:56:00.000-08:00

omw
Mati is driving me BONKERS!!!!
I know it's because he loves me.....and I half think it's cute, but really...he won't leave me alone!!!!

Lol, it's all funny and good

I didn't exactly explain...

2009-01-19T07:25:00.001-08:00

I didn't explain WHERE I WAS in my last blog post....:-)
I was at the Studniówka, which is basically polish "prom", but more important, because it's 100 days before their HUGE test starts (the matura). It was increadibly amazing, and I had so much fun and I didn't get home till 6 in the morning. We danced...and ate...and danced and danced and danced!!!

At first, we danced the Polonez, which is a traditional polish dance. There were camera men everywhere (because part of the "admission fee" is a cd with a video of the night and also a BUNCH of pictures...I can't WAIT!!) I felt like I was a celebrity. Poparatzi!!! Then I tried to dance the waltz....it went well in the end, we had a bit of trouble in the beginning. The rest of the night was dancing and talking with friends, taking pretty pictures with our dresses and suits and with our teachers. Bacically dancing...that didn't last long enough in most of our opinions. Time flys too fast!!!

13 hours later

2009-01-17T21:02:00.000-08:00

yes, it's 6 in the morning...and yes I just got home:-P
I tell ya...polish parties are SO MUCH BETTER than american ones.....

conquering the fuzz

2009-01-16T12:08:00.000-08:00

So I was sitting on the bus on the way home from school today. And I was wearing pink mittens. SOMEHOW from SOMEWHERE, there appeared on my mittens a piece of yellow fuzz. And attached to that fuzz, I realized as i tried to get it off of my mitten by using my mittened fingers off the other hand, was a hair. Due to the hair on the fuzz it made it impossible to detach the fuzz from the mitten. Because I picked it off of one...and it got stuck to the other.....and so on and so forth. I tried shaking my hand, flicking it off, wiping it off onto the seat back in front of me....nothing seemed to work. I had (luckily, or I may be still attached for life to that fuzz) a plastic bag on my lap with my amazingly wonderfully perfect impulse-buy green flats in it (b/c we change shoes at school....very clever if you ask me...no dirty floors:-} ). I picked the fuzz up with my fingers inside the plastic bag, and......wait for it..............the fuzz stayed on the bag!!!!!! (ok...I lied, the first time it DIDN"T stay on the bag, the hair got in the way....but the second time....) So now I've got this yellow fuzz on my plastic bag. STILL eternally with me, just in a different location. Then WHAM!!!! I got an idea!!!! I blew on the fuzz, and it floated away and stuck to the seat back in front of me.

Ha ha, now the bus is eternally stuck with that piece of fuzz, and I am free of its' burden:)

bet you didn't do anything more interesting today

stuff

2009-01-15T11:37:00.000-08:00

I'm busy getting ready for the Stółdniuwka (that's the prom here...100 days b4 their big Matura exam). It's this saturday....and I'm hoping that I'm ready when it comes around:)
At the moment...I'm doing OK. I have a sore throat, which sucks. And then today i had a sort of voice lesson thing at Pani Jadza's house (for almost 2 hours) and now my throat really hurts. But....other than that all is well and good. I'll write more when I've got time....just thought I'd update ya!

no aerobics class:(

2009-01-06T07:18:00.001-08:00

so yesterday I went with Asia to see about the Aerobics class I heard about in Stężyca.....turns out there was noone there and we didn't get to do them Arobics:(

INSTEAD THOUGH>>>>> She and I went back to her house and watched some CSI Miami and then chatted...and chatted...and drank tea...and ate toast....and chatted....and giggled..and chatted:) I was over there till like 10:30 (2230) (aerobics started at 1600)!!!!!!!!! It was so much fun, and so "unplanned" it was great:) I love being a polish teenager:)
this weekend I am going to Lublin...and Sunday is this HUGE national charity event, and since I'm gonna be in a BIG city....I'm hoping to get to some events and some CONCERTS:) that should be fun fun fun

(oh yeah...and it's FREEZING HERE, I don't want to go outside...I'm just gonna sit with my back to my heater and read....it's SO COLD....-25 something it's GROSS, and I know it gets that way in Minnesota sometimes...but I think (and my host dad said it so i know it's true..he's a genius) that there's somthin' about the landscape/climate/where we are that makes -25 seem a LOT colder than it actually is....believe me....I drank 3 mugs of hot tea when I got home and I'm still not warm...)

WOW

2008-12-30T12:13:00.000-08:00

so, it's amazing how one can pass the time away:) I'm looking up hairstyles on line to see what I should do with mine for new years tomorrow...I could PROBABLY be doing something more productive...probably

The "second day of Christmas" (or the 26th, because in Poland here they have two) I was with the family all day in the house watching TV and doing whatever. the girls finally got fed up and went outside for a walk...then we went to a Cousin's house and I met a new cousin who I think I will end up doing things with in the future. (also she has a younger brother Mati's age...he came and stayed at our house for three days after that...and at first he made fun of my Polish a little bit...but then....HE LOVE ME NOW it's SOOOOOO cute!!!!! he kept saying my name and asking me to come hang out with he and Mati. The both of them were like that. REally feeling the love here!)
Later that night I went to a club to dance with Ilona and her friends!! It was super fun...the only bad things were that I now have a huge bruise on my butt from someone falling into me (sorry for ppl who DIDN"T want to know that) and also that we were out till past 3 (dancing the whole time) and normally I can't even stay up past ten w/o going insane...so I had NO strength left by the end.

The next couple days were "spokojnie". Peaceful that is, not much going on
yesterday I ended up going to Marta's house, that was fun:) I also went downtown Dęblin b/c I had the time...just normal days in Poland as a bored polish teenager on Christmas break

cheerio...I'm going to go hang out in a boarding school for poor/orphaned English girls in the 1800's for the night (10 pts for ppl who can tell me what book I'm reading)

piszne

2008-12-30T08:10:00.000-08:00

that means "delicious" in Polish:) and that's what my host father's "jajesznica" (scrambled eggs) are.......DELICIOUS!! wow...i don't know what it is...there are onions and real polish sausage and spices and....amazingness

anyway, I havn't written in a LONG time...I mean a LONG time.... at least it SEEMS that way:)

The Christmas Eve feast(s) ended up not being that bad (in terms of eating too much). I actually DIDN'T eat carp on christmas....which is funny b/c I eat carp ALL the time here..and I read b4 i came that carp IS christmas in poland.....I ended up eating Salmon and trout instead. I just tried something different I guess:) and I still can't tell you what all of the "dishes" are....it wasn't a very "cerimonial" type thing with the 12 dishes...i thought it was going to be....we just kinda sat and ate and you ate what you wanted. OF COURSE ppl forced things onto your plate...that's kinda how people are her..."here, try this" or "you havn't had this yet have you??" Whatever, i can handle it:) My favorite christmas dish whould have to be the "uchy" (ears) in Czerwone Barszcz. That's funny...b/c my LEAST favorite christmas food was the Czerwone Barszcz its self. Yuck that stuff is nasty....but the pierogi type things that they call "ears" IN the red cabbage soup are AMAZING!!!
We also sang christmas carols around the dinner table...that was something I'm not used to. It didn't matter how well you could sing (or how NOT WELL...lol) we just sang. I sang a song or two by myself, b/c my family HADN"T heard me sing yet...even though they knew, even before I came, that I'm big into singing. It was nice to get my vocal chords going once again...I miss that.

Christmas Day we went to church (since we were all too tired to go to the Midnight Mass. I guess Ilona has NEVER been to a midnight mass (she's 20) b/c every year she's just too tired.) And then later the family came to our house. We started sitting around the "dinner" table around 1 and people left later than 9:30...all the while sitting around the table and food. But I didn't stay there the whole time. WE WENT CAROLING!!!! And in Poland it's COOLER to go caroling because they dress up!! I was a "devil". there were 8 of us total. all the cousins and my host dad:) it was very fun!!!

Starving

2008-12-24T05:26:00.000-08:00

LOL!! So in Poland they have this tradition where they have 12 courses at Christmas eve dinner (Wigilia) and I'm having 2 Christmas eve dinners...first w/my host dad's family, then with my host mom's!!!!!!!!!!!! So, I'm trying to not eat much till then...but I'm STARVING!!!! I've already eaten more than I planned on eating b4 the dinners today....AHHH:) Whatever.....I'm in Poland right:)??!!! Lots to eat!

let's see if I can remember all of the dishes:

1-Czerwone Barscz (red cabbage soup)

2-Chleb (bread)

3-Kompot (compote made from smoked plumbs, pears and apples)

4-Sałat (salad...any kind...we're having Greek...LOL!!)

5-Bigos (cabbage stuff with mushrooms and beans)

6-Karp (carp)

and that's all i remember...but that's cause I haven't eaten it yet!!! and I can't wait to do so!!!!!!

Actually, my family says this is "my day" because they don't use any "fat" in their meals on Christmas eve...and they eat fish. No sausage, no meat, no butter or other stuff added to the bigos....all for MUA:) (not really, but hey I'll take it!!!!!!!)

The carp's a funny story. Before I came to Poland...i read that they eat carp on Christmas. And that when they go and get that carp (catch or buy it live) they bring it home and it swims in the Bathtub till they eat it...... WELL yesterday I told my family that I had read that amazing fact b4 my exchange, and my host mom's like...you wanna??? So we put our three carp fishies into the bathtub last night and they were there all night swimming around:) And I guess there's gonna be a new tradition in the family....they're gonna buy ONE extra carp for Christmas...and it's gonna swim in the bathtub on Christmas:) KOOL HUH!!! Yay, i started a tradition:)

http://www1.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=264258840/a=142303415_142303415/t_=142303415

Christmas Break the beginning (this was written on .....sunday)

2008-12-21T07:28:00.000-08:00

Friday was GREAT!!! I went to school with a big bag of candy and some American flag pin presents for my teachers. The kids were so cute (my classmates) b/c they were like...."I don't have anything for you" or..."what's the candy for? is it ur birthday??" That's not a "tradition" here I guess:) But it was so fun being all jolly and Christmas with my friends:) In Physics (last class of the day) we did NOTHING!! It reminded me so much of the last school day b4 Christmas in the US:) But I'm in POLAND!!!!!!!! SO IT WAS THAT MUCH MORE AMAZING!!!!!!!

later that night I went to a Christmas celebration with my rotary club...and we gave a group of 18 or so orphans a bunch of candy and celebrated with them. We sang Christmas "kolendy" (carols) and Mikołaj came (my host dad as Santa:) ) Then the rotary club had a big feast once the kids left. I liked some of the food and others I didn't. We actually left a little early...so I didn't get to try it all. I'll explain all food later, I'm on a time crunch;-P

yesterday....i did more cleaning in the morning, and I went to the local Bazar (tark..is what they call it) with my host dad...and there were TONS of fish in these little pools to buy...and of course b/c it's b4 Christmas...the tark was PACKED!!!!!!

Later, I had friends over to watch my favorite movie "while you were sleeping" with Sandra Bullock (sp???) and Bill Pullman. It actually ended up being quite a party b/c Ilona and her b/f were home, and three of Przemek's friends (Valusz, Bacteria, and Kłako) plus Monica, Asia and I and mati and the parents. Lol...the movie started at 8 and no one left till like 11:)

ok....i'm going on a walk now with friends

more later

Yesterday

2008-12-18T11:55:00.000-08:00

All our troubles seemed so far away, life is not an easy game to play, oh I believe in Yesterday!!

Ok, so it started off bad, cause I cut my finger cutting an onion...but after that it got better!!!!! :)

The first "better thing" was that Mati helped me bandage up my finger. And then the eggs that I made myself with that onion were AMAZING!!! LOL

At school, we didn't actually learn at all. We have a "prom" here that is 100 days b4 their Matura Exam (like the SAT/ACT but more crucial). And a film is made for that Stółdniuwka (prom) and we made the intro to the film yesterday in school. We dressed up all crazy in short skirts and lots of makeup (very classy!!). that took about...3 hours. Then we actually made the movie...first in the classroom....our teacher was yelling at us...the girls were throwing paper airplanes and paper balls and painting nails ETC. The boys were all in button up shirts and were all willing to answer ANY question the teacher had:) Then was the "dance" part...hard to explain, but eventually we each had our own "spotlight" and we were introduced to the "crowd". It was super fun.

After school, I went down town Dęblin with Wiola and I got my host mom's Christmas present:) We also went to a little restaurant and had these really good potato things. Then we went to her English lesson and got side tracked at her bf's house. We hung out there till I had to catch a bus home.

At home, I had some amazing soup...and then I helped my host mom clean the kitchen..which was actually so fun:) and then she MADE me go on the computer to "chat w/mom"...that didn't happen tho...LOL I im'ed my dad a bit tho

finally (not finally, b/c yesterday was super duper awesome:P ) i scored big on some panti hoes b/c my host dad got like...200 pair for really cheap (last season's models) and then we went to someones house (Pani Anja) and gave them panti-hoes also and We stayed there till like 11 at night and I made new friends (3 girls...4, 11, and 14 yrs old).

Today was a normal day at school accept we had a Christmas program at the end of the day:) that was cool...then I did some ironing and other stuff....just normal stuff after school:) Helped Mati with English....and My host mom said she loves me:)

Life is good, happy HOLIDAYS!!!!!+

Headin' out

2008-12-11T06:25:00.001-08:00

Weekend Rotary Meeting in Wrocław...and I'm leaving tonight to go to Lublin and spend the night so we can leave early tomorow:)

It's gonna be amazing...phiharmonic concert tomorow night:) Can't wait!!!!!!!!

Christmas Thoughts

2008-12-10T12:07:00.000-08:00

My host mom asked me yesterday if I had any ideas for them to get me something for Christmas. I said...that I really have no idea. She then went on to say that it was ok, because she already has a very good idea for me:) Do you know how good that feels?? Just the little things like that, she knows me enough that she has my Christmas present planned out already:) Cute!!! I love it!
I also know where I'm spending New Years Eve. In Dęblin, in a "party house" that my class has exclusively rented out for us:)
And.....I have a date to the Stółdniuwka (our "prom"). I asked a boy in my class b/c he didn't have anyone..and neither did I....now we do!!! :)

life is good

doing nothing yet everything

2008-12-09T13:21:00.000-08:00

Today I got home from school, and walked to the library and got myself some more polish books. Then when I got home, I ate lunch with my family. Later, I knitted in the bathtub of the new bathroom while my host mom and dad and family friend put up hooks in the bathroom. My host father made fun of me and told me I need a cat. I told him I'm NOT a grandma...LOL. Then, I did some reading of the three little pigs ( in POLISH) and watched Strawberry Shortcake (in POLISH), which is Mati's favorite show. I did a bunch of chatting with my host mom....Life is amazing:)

A Shout out!!

2008-12-04T11:04:00.000-08:00

I would like to give a shout out to Marta Filipek:) She prolly doesn't even know I have a blog going (maybe that's a good thing to tell her eh?) but she is honestly the most nice, amazingly generous, loving friend I could have EVER found here in Poland. I thank God for all of my friends, but today she is highlighted in bright pink:)

I owe everyone a description of my Capitol's trip don't I??

Well, first of all, it was a bus trip over a week with like 40 exchange students to some famous capitol cities (as well as just cities) in central Europe (close to Poland). We visited: Berlin, Potsdam, Dresden, Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. It was AMAZING, and I will NEVER forget it!!!!

Berlin: We arrived in Berlin at night (ok, 4 pm about...but it was already dark) and we visited Checkpoint Charlie as well as a Bus tour of the City. At the hostel we had some dinner and then I went out "on the town" with Addy (my mini me) and some other exchange students. It was fun, but cold and foggy. Also, we weren't exactly in the city center, so there was really just a gas station to go to. The next day we got up early and headed to Potsdam (see Potsdam). In the afternoon we ate lunch in the center of Berlin and Saw the inside of a beautiful church. Later we got to go into/on-top-of Parliament. It was a big glass dome with a spiral ramp for both going up and down. Although it was a foggy day and we couldn't see very far, it was fun:) We also got to see the Brandenburg gate and the Victory Tower. I saw where the Berlin Wall once stood, that was powerful. Later that night Addy, Pat (from Virginia), and I walked out into Berlin again, and again...we really only found a gas station...and a prison....and an Aldi's:)

Potsdam: Here we went into a palace, which now serves as a part of the Potsdam University, and also gives tours in the main building. We got to tour the grounds for a long time, and I got lots of pictures. Inside, we got to where these BIG UGLY GREY slippers over our shoes so that we didn't ruin the floors. The first room was COVERED with over a quarter million shells and minerals. It's called an "indoor grotto". It was BEAUTIFUL!!!! I just wanted to stay there forever!!!!!!! The King who lived there was very into nature, so most of the decorations and artwork had to do with the outdoors. (Also that's why the gardens were so beautiful and vast.)

Dresden: After a second night in Berlin, we headed south to Dresden. Small, cute city! Very historic (ok, old) because it wasn't destroyed in WWII like much of this area was. I think this was my second favorite city, I wish we'd spent more time there:( We were only there for maybe 3 hours, we had a tour and then we had to move on. The architecture was beautiful, and the churches (my favorite places to visit...anywhere really) were GORGEOUS!!!!!!!

Prague: FAVORITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We got here at night, but that didn't stop us from ANYTHING!!!!!!!! After a dinner in the hostel (good for a hostel too), Addy and I headed out on the town into the "main street" of Prague. It was only 600m from our hostel!!!!!! That area of Europe is known for its Bohemian Crystal I guess, so all of the souvenir shops were sparkling. The Czech language is VERY similar to polish, so when a shop keeper didn't understand English...we spoke to her in Polish...that was cool!! Basically, that main street is all lit up, and has flower gardens in the center, and it is just bustling.....magical atmosphere:) I loved it!! We enjoyed hot chocolate and coffee and just drank in Prague. The next day was a FULL DAY walking tour of Prague. Some of the other exchange students weren't expecting a full day/they just couldn't take it, so I think our tour was maybe 2 hours longer than it was supposed to be:-{ On our tour we saw: The palace, the Gothic cathedral (outside="Beauty and the Beast", inside="Notre Dame"), a cute little street that reminded me of "A Muppet Christmas Carol", torture instruments, a BEAUTIFUL view of the town from high up above, the famous bridge that was built: 1357 September 7 @ 5:31 AM (see the pyramid???) to protect it from floods......it hasn't broken yet:); a Jewish Synagogue that was built to Commemorate victims of the Holocaust from the Czech Republic, the Prague astronomical clock...and that was it I think. That night was another night on the town:)

Vienna: Palace at night (we saw runners...how fun would it be to go out for a jog....at the PALACE in VIENNA!!!!!!!!) That night we ate in an actual restaurant. I had a good table of girls, and we had some really good chats:) That was nice, just to sit and relax (in VIENNA!!!!). The next day was some touring of the city, but mostly we went by bus. There was some cool architecture and also a very ritzy shopping street that was being decked out for Christmas. I got myself a "No Kangaroos in Austria" Shirt :-P

Budapest: This city is better at night. It is ALL LIT UP. We got there at night and saw it from the mountain...it was awesome. Then after dinner at the hostel, we got to go on a boat tour along the river!!! Oh wow, amazing. The next day we had a walking tour of the city (mainly the palace) by a guide who was MAYBE 25 and kinda cute.....the poor guy's fly was down the ENTIRE DAY though:( (LOL!!!!!!) That night we got to spend our last night in a hot spring pool type place down town Budapest.

That's my trip in a "nut shell". Last week (more than a week) I spent with a girl named Katie McCormic from Florida. I got to be with her when she made her first snowman:) I was first at her house in Łódż, then she came here to Stężyca. She stayed longer than expected actually b/c we had a "ball" here on Saturday:) It was SO FUN!!!! Lots of food, lots of dancing, and lots of other Polish "traditions". Now life is "normal". Today I was at Marta's house after school for a while (hence the shout out) and we just had fun....like we always do:)

Going back...

2008-11-29T02:31:00.000-08:00

This is WAY back on the 1st of November......but I don't care!!

The Catholic holiday "All Saints Day" is a big deal here in Poland. Days before hand, beautiful bouquets are created to set on the graves of deceased loved ones and then on that morning all familys gather in the cemeteries around those graves and light lanterns and pray. I did this with my family, we ended up going to THREE different cemeteries!! It was an interesting day, and very beautiful. Later, we ate "dinner" (3:00 pm) as a family at my grandpa's house, and then I was off to Lublin so that I could leave on my capitol's trip at 3:00 am the next day!! In Lublin I was met up with by Michelle, another exchange student, and before leaving for an all night drive to Kieltze where the bus was leaving from, her host dad brought us to see the Lublin cemetery lit up at night. It was BEAUTIFUL!!!!

All is Well here in Stężyca

2008-11-28T13:14:00.000-08:00

When's the last time yall heard from good ole me??

I've got an other exchange student (Katie McCormick from florida) staying with me at the moment. We've been together since last thursday actually:-P It was a whirlwin of her wanting to come here then us having a party thing tomorw that stuck us together for over a week...lol !!! But of course, we are enjoying ourselves very much so:)

Both yesterday and today my school friends were taking their pre-matura exam....kinda like the pre-SAT but the grades count:{ So Katie and I went to two hours of school yesterday, and then we kinda missed the bus today...so we ended up walking around Dęblin (my school's town) b/c we were too late for school....LOL!! But that was ok, and then we waited 40 min for the bus becaues one of them didn't come so we had to wait for the next one:(

Thanksgiving in poland is just any other day! But it was nice to have another american with me:) We watched the Butterfly Effect.....VERY good movie:)

tomorow we have a "ball" in the town hall. Sounds like it's gonna be mostly adults...but it's still gonna be fun. All of the food is home made....for 150 ppl!!!! that'll be fun and awsome:) I guess lots to eat and LOTS of dancing...MY FAVORITE

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!
I thank God for all of the blessings I've been given!!!

here's the deal

2008-11-20T07:44:00.000-08:00

I have learned the difficulty and....um...how would you put it...snowball effect?....of procrastination:)...:-(
you see, every day I'm like...I don't have time to write ALL ABOUT EVERYTHING, so i just don't write. That's not good, cause now y'all are all two weeks behind:( Poor poor things:(

LOL! So, today I am going to a friends house 350km away...and I haven't left yet...lol. This should be a fun long night of driving:)

Yesterday I went to the "Catholic Capitol" of Poland, Częstachowa, with my class. Everyone in the third class (my class) goes there before their "Matura" (it's like the SAT accept more crucial cause you only get one chance...) to pray about it. It was beautiful and fun.

More later
just thought I'd update ya:)

catching up

2008-11-15T08:49:00.000-08:00

I'm STILL catching up on EVERYTHING...but here are a fiew pictures from my trip....ones others have posted on Facebook of me:) Mine on snapfish will also be shared with you as soon as they all have captions....all 800 or so of them!!!!!!!!!
enjoy!!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504223963&v=photos&vp=1

home at last

2008-11-11T08:35:00.000-08:00

I'm back home to poland from my big trip around the capitols of central Europe. Thought i'd let you all know that:) I had fun...and as soon as I've got EVERYTHING written down in my journal (so I don't forget nothin....) i will let you all know the highlights.....kk??

Stupid Mr. Sawyer

2008-10-29T12:27:00.000-07:00

So, I remebered something today:

When I was in eigth grade Geography class, Mr. Sawyer had a bunch of these picture things on his walls of his clasroom. Each one featured an average family (each one from a different corner of the world) and the photos had the family and all of their belongings sitting outside of their home. One was a small home made out of sticks (this was china i think) with no car, maybe one motor bike; another a HUGE adobe type house with a 20 ft long couch and 5 cars for a tiny family (iraq); England was a skinny three story building type thing and they had one tiny car, lots of china, and a sail boat; and so on and so forth. Any ways, Mr.Sawyer asked the class one day which place we would like to go and live for: a day, a week, and a year. When it came time for us to answer the "year" question, I raised my hand and said that I would like to live in the russian home for a year. This home was a small wooden house in the mountains, surrounded by no other ppl, and the family had goats and no TV. Mr Sawyer didn't like that answer. The point he was trying to make was that...people don't like change. He wanted me to pick a home more like the one in England....because it's what i was used to.

MY POINT is that I was MEANT for this type of experience:) not that my family here is anything like that russian family that I "wanted to spend a year with". but there ARE differences,.....and that's what I'm here to experience:) I'm loving it, and I'm rubbing it in Mr. Sawyer's face!!!

more puppy love

2008-10-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

I got some more puppy love today:) that was nice!!! My grandpa is a DOLL!!! In the sense that he's so nice, and his house i so cute, and he ALWAYS has candy for the children....lol!!

This week consists alot of "getting ready". I have to get ready for my big capitol's trip next week and we also have to get ready for the big holiday "all saints day" on saturday. Supposedly that's a BEAUTIFUL holiday...I can't wait. And don't worry, you'll get a FULL description ...when i get home from Europe that is:-P

yesterday I went to see my aunt and grandma....I really enjoy visiting family here, they're all so very nice, and also each time i visit, i see how much more I understand polish than the last time I visited. Anyway my uncle got a new car (a volvo) and we took a ride in it.....let's just say it can go very fast...very quickly:)

not much else out of the ordinary right now......i'll try and find something interesting to say next time

oh!! I've got some videos on youtube.....keyword: no1dorkiediver...that's my screen name or whatever....anything by that name is mine:) enjoy!

2 month annaversary

2008-10-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

Ummm....I swear...I wrote the 1 month recap YESTERDAY!!!!!!!! This month has gone by SO fast:-P ......:-( sad!! It's almost NOVEMBER!!!!!!!

any ways, for my 2 month annaversary, I biked 57 km in slightly cold weather and I had a BLAST doing it!!! Marta and I went to Kazmerez Dolne, which is a little, georgeous, town along the Wisła river. It is also the place where my host rotary club meets:) We had so much fun there despite the cold. We figured...if it's not raining...why not still go, right?? You see...It's been HER dream for 2 years now to bike there...and I helped her make it happen by suggesting we go together. Now, I guess she just has two more things to check off of her list: go to Rio de Ginaro and learn to play the violin:) I hope she can do those some day as well!!!

So, it took us about 2.5 hours to get there...including stops...and that was 40k. Once there, we sat along the river and ate a little lunch. Then we went into town, I spent 1.5 żł on the BATHROOM (i swear, if you have to pee alot...europe is NOT the place to live...no free public restrooms....."woods" here I come:-P ), and then we found a "pub" to sit in and warm up with some hot tea!!! Afterwords, we looked around some shops for a bit, as well as a local "bazzar" (more "tourist"y though...actually lots of hand made crafts....i'm going back to buy stuff later:) ). Then was the Mountain of 3 Crosses, from which you can see the WHOLE TOWN!!! It was really amazing up there. Then we had some apples and people watched in the town square. We also went into the church and saw the oldest organ in Poland. It was really amazing in there...there was alot of intricate wood work, none of which was painted...all the real color of the wood....Pienknie!!! (Beautiful)

We "cheated" on the way home and took a train a little ways...but it was worth it cause we got more time in the town that way:)

Tomorow hopefuly we will eat that emu egg that has been in the kitchen forever and i'm dieing to eat:-P...and i'm not sure what's going on tonight....enjoy the pictures!!!!

http://www1.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=246551911/a=142303415_142303415/t_=142303415

Eye contact

2008-10-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

So yesterday in Polish class, I was sitting there listening to the teacher and copieing down words I didn't recognize and then looking them up in my dictionary (like I always do). At one point, i was understanding everything so I was looking at the teacher as she spoke. For some reason she started to stumble over her words (it was something like "i, me, you, he" accept in polish). Any ways, clearly I understood it...and I kinda laughed to myself a little and right as I was doing so she and I made eye contact. We both started laughing...and the rest of the class was like "what just happened??" It was seriously a "moment", it was so funny i honestly don't think i'll foget it:)

WARSAWA!!!

2008-10-21T22:30:00.000-07:00

It was a blast...not what I expected...but a blast none the less.

We ended up leaving about 20 miunes AFTER we were supposed to because we had to wait for the police to show up and inspect the bus/driver. I guess that's normal procedure for field trips around here:-P Then about half way there...we stopped for ppl to pee and for the driver to have a smoke:( Too bad, but I think it was more for the peeing girls than for him.
Once we got to Warsawa we went to a "minerals" museum. I THINK we went there cause our Base teacher is the teacher of Geography...but I'm not sure. I didn't know we were going there..but it was cool none the less. There was an alphabet of minerals...which was AMAZING there were emeralds and saphires and "these cool peach rocks from africa":) And then of course we got to see alot of AMBER because that's SUPER polish:)
Next we went to a technology museum...and the planetarium. The lady at the planitarium spoke so slow and drawly...even those who understoon all of it thought she was boring:-P BUT the stars were pretty to look at.
After that we had a few hours to do whatever in "Arkadia", Warsawa's biggest mall. I shopped around alot with a group of my friends, and the favorite I would have to say were the perfume shops.....we all smelled REALLY strong after that. And of course....there are makeup testers as well in those shops, so everyone got all "dolled up" for the Movie we went to later. Also, they all ate at McDonalds b/c....it's NEW and EXCITING here:) I personally hate the place, so I ate food i'd brought from home.
The movie we went to was called "The Strangers" (In polish: Nieznaiomi) It was a horror...and let's just say I thank god for fingers and the ability to stick them in your ears and also for eyelids:) It was fun though!!!
Then it was the drive home. We played alot of poker because Marlena and I had a table seat with two boys, and then a third boy joined us in our seat. It was REALLY FUN!!

Forced Enjoyment:)

2008-10-20T11:03:00.000-07:00

My family was home Sunday morning...everyone...so I kinda forced them to go to church. Not REALLY, but I told them I wanted to go...and they're like..."We'll go together". I guess they usually go, but they've been bussy alot the past weekends, as have I ....so we havn't gone since basically my first week. But afterwords they thanked me immensely, said it was a good thing I am around to get them there:) It was a lovely service, I guess the one they usually go to is the "children's service". Bunches of kids were up front the whole time, and they sang all the songs...so they were kids songs. I recognized a few of the tunes, and also luccily Alleluia is the same in ALL languages, so I could sing the song that just consisted of THAT phrase:)

Later yesterday we went to the cemetary to put candles on grandma's grave. I guess it was her "name day" and in poland, especially with the older people, your name day is more inportant than your birthday. It was sad though, she was only 47 when she died...she had breast cancer:( Afterwords we visited grandpa, because he deserved visitors on such a day for his wife. I got some "puppy therapy" because one of his dogs has a puppy...it was GREAT!!!

Later yet, we went as a family to a pool. It was maybe a 45 min drive..and we only swam about an hour...but it was fun and nice to be a "family". (Ilona was home...don't think i mentioned that) Any ways, then we went to my dad's best friends' house where we picked up fish for dinner....I LOVE IT:)

today was school..not much else
tomorow i am on an ALL DAY TRIP TO WARSAWA!!!! i'm THRILLED
i'll be sure to post a link for all the pics i take there:)

Funny stuff

2008-10-18T22:48:00.000-07:00

I know I just posted last night, but I wrote this paragraph to my mom in an email and I thought you all might be interested to know it as well:)

I asked my mom yesterday when I am going to Warsawa with her sister....and after saying "i don't know" with a funny look on her face, she asked me if I "know everything in advance". So of course then I had to pull out my planner which is full EVERY DAY since I got here...and she just shook her head and laughed. She said her life is too busy and changes too often to be like that. That drives me bonkers:-P not enough to be mad at my family or hate it here or anything...but I really wish I knew waht was going on every once in a while:)

quick note

2008-10-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

Hey peeps:)

yesterday was fun, I went to a friends house and watched a movie then we went out for pizza and a walk. This morning I went out to the Bazzar with my mom where we bought MANY fake flowers for the all saints day "celebration" that's coming up. I guess we are gonna use them to decorate the graves of some family members. It should be a wonderful experience!!! Also today I went roller blading (twice) and went on a super long walk with a friend. I'm so glad I'm learning more and more polish from all of my friends here:)
tomorow I guess we're going to a pool as a family:) that should be fun!!!!

more fun!!

2008-10-16T09:41:00.000-07:00

Hello fello ppls reading my blog every now and again

Tuseday I didn’t have school…which was really nice. It was “teacher’s day”, and on that day in Poland…noone goes to school, it’s FANTASTIC. Instead….i got the guts up to randomly show up at a friends house…cause I know where she lives…and we ended up going on a really long bike ride. She took me mushroom hunting (she never has really done it either….so we only found one measly rotten mushroomL but it was fun anyways!!) and also I met her grandma. She was a very nice woman, and she gave us cake. I think it was one of the best days I’ve had yet…wait…the’ve all been good!! No, but it was ONE of the many best days I’ve had

Yesterday I did some thinking about my little cousins back home and I went on a long walk and took lots of pictures of my town that a little kid would like!! Actually…I think I’ve figured out how you all can see some photos…..i’m gonna attach some links…let me know if they work!!!!

For oscar: http://www1.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=246431571/a=142303415_142303415/t_=142303415

Friends photos:http://www1.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=246319857/a=142303415_142303415/t_=142303415

Pizza and this past weekend:http://www1.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=246354962/a=142303415_142303415/t_=142303415

oh! and I just got back from a walk with a friend...IN THE RAIN!! I was soaked, but i had a lot of fun. I can really tell my polish is coming allong...I NEVER would have done this a month ago..especially all by myself. We actually kept a conversation going...it was great!!!

oih veh....long time no write

2008-10-14T02:00:00.001-07:00

Sorry about that!! Not really, i've been having too much fun:)

Recap: Thursday I went to a fort with my friends. It was super fun and we took tons of pictures!! Friday my friends Michelle from Lublin came here for the weekend. We went out for pizza with some of my friends from school (Sylwia Marlena and Marta) and had a BLAST sharing each other's languages' toung twisters. We taught them "peter piper". Saturday I showed Michelole around Stężyca and then that night we had a Discoteka...super fun, we made many new friends!! Sunday, we went hunting for mushrooms (Michelle's first time) and then hung out till she had to leave. And then yesterday was school and I had a dance (they call all dances Diskotekas) and I danced about four hours straight....and Had the BEST time ever!!!

Today I have off of school because it's teacher's day. I'm hoping to do some stuff with frinds..but we'll have to wait and see. Ttfn

Stood Up:(

2008-10-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

Ok...kinda. My little buddies didn't show up at 5...but we're gonna try back again at 5:30 to see if they're there then....I'm not COMPLETELY surprised, I mean, they are only 11 or 12 yrs old....easily forgetful:)

Yesterday was uneventful...and yet it was ar really good day and I didn't have time for much writing at all. After school we went to the "dom cultury" or the culture house to ask about my dance classes. The guy that knows all about it wasn't there...so we're gonna go back friday. I think i'm gonna end up doing traditional polish dancing...or something of the sort. I dont' think they have much:( Then I came home and went for a run with one of Ilona and Przemek's friends. I guess you could say he's my friend too:-P His man is Valusz..,,,he's the onei initially danced with at the first disco...on like my third day here. Any ways, he's a smoker so i didn't think he'd last long...but we ran 1/2 an hour!!! and then we went on a walk towards the Wisła River and I agreed to correct his English if he correct's my polish:-P He's got a big test this year in order to get into college basically....and there's an english part...so I think he's trying to get a toutor. Oh well though, I could use one as well. It was really nice, because if you don't remember, when I first met him...we coudn't communicate at ALL!!! But now, as long as he talks slow...I GET IT:)

Later, I played ping pong with my family and we ate and then i showed off my "impressive" sportlike talents (which means I can touch my nose to my knees with my leggs straight...while balencing on my butt....not THAT interesting..but oh well:) ) It was cool though, cause we were all just hanging out and bonding and it was really fun:)

Today, Mati brought me around on his MotoX bike...and I was freaked. It occured to me only later that "this is kinda dumb"!! "No, Mr. Rotary president sir, I wasn't the one driving the bike, honest!! It was my 13 year old brother that crashed!"

(this was written wednesday by the way....just didn't have internet....it's being dumb again)

ok so

2008-10-06T10:27:00.000-07:00

Sorry ppl, i've been so bussy that i haven't written in AGES!!!

This weekend I spent in Lublin with a friend from Pensylvania celebrating her birthday. We went to a club friday night, saturday we went shopping and had a shfancy dinner and watched a movie. And then sunday we walked around old town, and I was shown these really cool old wooden buildings that have been preserved since the turn of the century:)

Today at school was fun, someone had a birthday, so we celebrated in class and had cake on "wafels" ....really it's like those wafer type cookies one layer thick cut into squares...basically they're the plates and you get to eat them:) YUMMY

Then after school I went for a run and ended up meating some PRETTY COOL DUDES!!! ok, they're 5 boys around 11-12 years old, but they were still cool:) They watched me do my sprint work out around the track, and shouted the english phrases they knew (EVERYONE here knows i'm the "new-foreign-girl" it's CRAZY!!) and then we ended up chatting for a really long time. They asked me all about back home, who my siblings were, my pets, what music i like, i tak daley(etc) (ps this was all in POLISH....God is amazing I swear!!) and they we set a "date" for wednesday...we're gonna play soccer:) I'm really excited!! Silly, but I have friends of all ages here, and that's wonderful!!

Then i got home from my run...and my host parents weren't home, just my brother..and some friends:) Not sure if that was entirely allowed, but really I don't think it would have mattered, my parents are really loosey goosey about ppl here...EVERYONE comes to our house. any ways, we played ping pong in the living room for a long time and then they helped me with my "polish face book":) that was nice.

Thursday i get to visit some ruins with some friends, and then friday we're going to pizza! I'll maybe post some pictures of those, or at least post a link for pics!
till later
(na jutro)

hey all

2008-09-30T12:24:00.000-07:00

My internet has been down since saturday, so I haven't written in a while:( And also, i've been bussy.

Let's see, friday night I went to a club with Ilona, her friend (also Ilona), and her friend's brother. It was fun, the club was kinda sketchy...and empty...and loud...but I enjoy dancing so it didn't really matter. I liked the place we went after that though. It was more of a "pub"/hangout type place. There I saw alot of my school friends, which was neat, and they were all surprised and excited to see me:)

Oh!!! I forgot about the rotary meeting. I went to that after school on Friday, it was quaint. Only 9 rotarians, plus another exchange student, Ilona, my mom and I. But it was cool none the less. I was able to blast them away with my superb polish skills (ok not really, but I tried my hardest), and I was really happy to get to meet the people who are so kind to be hosting me:)

Saturday I woke up late-ish (9 is late for me) b/c we got home arround 2 friday night/saturday morning. I went for a long walk, made my family brocoli spaguetti, went mushroom hunting then went to an 18th birthday party of a friend. THAT was so much fun, I loved it. I ended up dancing all night...from like 8:30 to about 1:30!!!!! And if I had 1 złoty for every time I was spun around by a polish boy on the dance floor....well....i could pay for a trip home for the weekend :) Of course, I wouldn't spend it on that!!! Not just one polish boy either, ALL of them wanted to dance with me. I was very flattered, I felt like an honerary guest even though it wasn't my birthday.

Sunday I got to go to the local soccer game with friends, that was nice....it was a relaxing type day.

Monday and Tuseday I rode my bike to school. I also now own my first polish book:) It's for little kids, but i still can't read everything in it.

This weekend I get to go out with friends for pizza after school friday...then i'm riding a bus to Lublin for a weekend at another exchange student's house for her birthday. It should all be SUPER FUN!!! I can't wait!!

Oh, some of my friends from school found my blog when they were looking me up on the net....so hey (or cześć) to all of you:) I thought that was pretty cute/cool.

Oh, I would also like to thank all of you who have written me letters. I really enjoy hearing from you as much as you love hearing from me. To all who don't remember my address is:

Breanna Tetreault
Rokicka 1
Stężyca, Lublin 08-540
Poland

(that's not a hint at all btw's....lol)
ok, more later...maybe a story or something

One Month Recap

2008-09-25T07:39:00.001-07:00

(Sorry to all of you who check this blog regularly, but I am killing two birds with one stone and sending this out via email as well...so you're prolly gonna read it twice!!)

Hi all!!!! It has officially been ONE MONTH that I have been here in Poland:) Crazy, it seems so much shorter than that! That of course means that this year is going to go by quicker than desired I'm afraid, but "time flies when you're having fun", right??
My host family here is wonderful, I am so greatful for them. I have a mom (Barbera) who is an OB/GYN doctor in Warsawa, a dad (Antoni) who sells caps and scarves to little shops (and also in his own shop in Łodge) throughout the country, a sister Ilona (who is unfortunately leaving for university in Warsawa tomorow:( ) who is almost 20, and a brother Mati who is 13. Also I have a german sheppard, Oskar or "Oski", and another brother who is in Canada on exchange this year. We live in a small town named Stężyca, on the Wisła river, and we are about one hours driving distance from Warsawa one way and Lublin the other.
I started my exchange off at a language camp in Lublin. The "camp" ended up being a bit of a dissapointment.....from the "investor's" point of view anyways. We were taught alot, but then we didn't do much else, and we were in a hostil unsupervised every night from about 9pm to 9am. And, as an 18 yr old that's ok, but for the parents of the 15 yr olds that were there, I feel sorry:( Anyways, I ended up making some very good friends at that language camp, and I did learn a bit of Polish as well:)
Now, for the past three weeks, I am in school! Polish school is similar in some ways to the United States, and in other ways not. I am in a class of 29 students (w/me it's 30) and although there are other students my age at the school, all 30 of us are in every class together! We do however travel around the school for different classes and different class periods. However, every day is different, our schedule of classes is never the same...which is nice cause you don't get so bored! (it also means that I get done with schoo sometimes at 12:30!!!) My classmates are very nice, and I am so happy to be making friends, although I feel bad because their English is much better than my Polish:(
HOWEVER!!! I am finding that I am learning this language quite quickly. I can't speak very well at all right now (although I'll admit, I'm told otherwise), but my understanding has gone through the roof!! I'm really greatful/amazed...it's so hard to believe that I'm doing so well really.....It's exciting!!!
I'm sure some people would like to know about the food:) Mushroom hunting in the forest is something that's done often (especially in the fall when it's raining), and they are used in stews and soups. Also they eat alot of bread (that according to them is the "best" there is...I won't argue, it is good! But it's alot of white bread rolls, the "seed bread" i've had though is my favorite!!) Also, they eat four meals/day. Wich is ok with me because I love to eat all the time anyways:) I have also had alot of yogurt and fish (not together don't worry).
Two weekends ago, I had a Rotary Exchange Student meeting in Toruń, which is the "Gingerbread Capitol of the World". It is also where Nicholas Copernicus grew up. The "Old Town" there is lovely! It was a fun weekend filled with lots of exchange student crazyness (60 of us in all) and learning too:)
I'm not exactly sure what else to tell you?? It rains here alot in the fall, today however was/is beautiful and I was able to ride my bike to school (my family bought me a bike!!). I enjoy walking around our small town here, and visiting the old church we have in town.
I hope wherever this finds you everything is well! I'll be sure to send out another update eventually:)
Dowidzeńa for now (good bye)

Oh my word.......SO CUTE!!

2008-09-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

So.....I just got done with one of the most interesting experiences I've had yet here:) I went for a run, right....then I was walking it off (since you're not supposed to just STOP when you're done running) behind my house near annother church in town. Then, these three kids (maybe 10 yrs old) on bicicles (2 girls and a boy) ask me if the church is open...cause I had just checked. I told them "nie" which means no. THEN....they proceed to jibber jabber at me five hundred miles a minute and i'm like "CO???" (which means what) So they proceeded to talk to me and try and get me to answer their questions. I got the most of it, but they spoke SO FAST and I for some reason can't pronounce the word for slow in speak slowly... They got out of me that I'm from America (and they have no idea where Minnesota is) and for some reason they were asking me if i understood "african". They also were wondering what the heck i was doing in "krutki spodnie" (short pants) and spandex...and then they listened to my music that i had in my hand:) It was super cute (accept for the fact they kept laughing at me:{ ) but it was cool all in the same!!!! And i could tell that they WANTED to talk to me, so they weren't laughing totally...it was nice:) Yay!!!

quick quick quick

2008-09-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

So my internet's been down, and i kinda am tired so i'm gonna make this quick.

Yesterday as you know i had to do my first homework...but it was fun cause both Mati and Ilona helped me, it was a "team effort":)

I gave my family their gifts finally last night, and that was cool, they were all really excited. My sister and mother got home made jewelry, my father a book on minnesota and my brother a minnesota baseball cap:) Also, I gave them wild rice, Malt ó Meal and Maple Syrup. I'm looking forward to making them pancakes and wild rice soup!!!

I had a cold shower this morning....like....FREEZING!!! cause i guess sometimes when the washing machine is on...the hot water turns off:-P oops, and yikes!

Also, today I went Grzyb hunting (that's mushrooms for yall that don't know) it was something I read about (and laughed at) before i came her...but I guess it was pretty darn cool. (and handy if you like mushrooms:) ) and I found out that the nickname for bad handwriting in polish is translated to the same as it is in english...."chicken scratch" (jak kara pazurem) ha ha funny!!

Pierfsza Praca Domova

2008-09-22T08:56:00.000-07:00

"First Homework" :)

Yup that's right, I get to write about the climate and ppl of Minnesota....in polish:) For english class. They all have to do it in english, and I figure that they can help me a bit and I'm doing it in polish. Ilona's gonna help too....maybe I'll type it up for yall when i'm done:)

Technology rocks

2008-09-21T22:01:00.000-07:00

Hey all, i just got done "skyping" my mom...again:) we did last night also. (for those of you who don't know what that means..it's a phone over the internet...FOR FREE!!!!) So that will be a handy tool to have while i'm over here:)
Yesterday consisted of me sitting on my butt and reading all day:( I was sick, and I had to take tons of vitamines and this lemon cold junk that my host mom said would help. Then last night i got to skype my family for the first time and it was really nice:)
Today I am better, and i'm now gonna go get ready for school:)

my weekend...or part of it at least

2008-09-20T10:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I got out of school early:) and then i went for a walk with my host brother, Mati, and some friends....and then I did some "pampering". Really, it was just sticking my feet in really warm water for a while, but it felt good.
This morning, i had to go to school and set up for a celebration of it being around for 80 years. Luccily the students didn't have to attend though, we just had to set up. We set up classrooms as "dining rooms" with lots of fall plants hand picked by students used as center pieces. We cut holes in apples and put candles in em...they looked really good:)
then when i got home, I did some helping/learning in the kitchen. and i got to go to the local sklep. (i use "local" in the most literal terms here cause in all reality...my town is tiny...and all 6 skleps we have in town are local, but the one i went to was..on the first floor of my house basically....so it's THE local sklep) any ways, i got to do that on "my own", basically i asked the lady for mayonase and handed her a 10zl bill...but it was cool:)
Tonight there is a Diskoteca in my town, but cause it's been so rainy and cold, i think i'm getting sick and i feel really lousy, so i don't think i'll be going:( I want to, but I feel like i should stay home.....
polish peanut butter tastes different, but it's still good:)
yup..that's about it for not, thanks for readin'!!!!!!!!!!

Good news and a few stories:)

2008-09-18T11:30:00.000-07:00

Ok, first stories....

I became brave yesterday and asked for ppl's email addresses:0 and I got them:) Now i have contact with friends at school...it took guts but i did it:)

That one really wasn't a story was it?? ok, at school yesterday, there was a girl with "Sweet" written on her shirt.....I didn't realize that's what it said though. I was reading it Shveet?? what does that mean?? then i realized OH!!!! that's english. I was trying to read it in Polish!!!! That was really cool:)

Next story...I got to string mushrooms with my mom yesterday....they do that with a needle and thread like we do popcorn and cranberries...only theirs is for a purpose: to dry them out for eating. (and they're mushrooms....) Anyways, I was stringing these mushrooms when I saw the bottoms of some of em and i'm like "ew, these are moldy" then i was like "WAIT, these ARE mold" (actually SW (bio teacher) would KILL me if she heard I said mushrooms are mold cause they're not, but it's all fungus right:) ) it was funny (and gross) all at the same time....and fun, i quite enjoyed it even if i'm not too inclined on eating them:)

finally, the good news that came from i guess the other good news i put at the beginning of this blog is that I went "out" with friends today. Really, we just went to their houses to drop off some stuff, and then we walked allong the Wisla river and picked these berries for a school decoration...but it was still fun:) They were all excited to hear about Minnesota, and I was excited to have friends and learn some stuff from them.

Actually more good news, i really am understanding now what my friends are talking about, if not every word (ok, never every word) i get the just of it...and that's soo cool!!!!!! I love it:) what else can i say??? I love it here:)

Weekend wrap up

2008-09-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

Hey all!!! Here's my weekend...it was amazing!!!

Since I DIDN"T have to go to school on friday, I woke up "late" and went for a run in the woods near the Vistula river in my town. Then I took my time packing/getting ready for my weekend...only to find out we were leaving the house 15 min earlier than i thought....needless to say we were running out the door. But the train was late anyways, so it didn't matter (but we were on time...) On the train i met up with friends from Lublin also on their way up to Torun, and we had about 5 hours to hand out and party and ...smoke:( Not me, but some ppl were...it gave me a headache. Once in Torun I got my room at the hostil (newly renovated, so much better than language camp i have to say!!) and we had a little opening. Off to a park and barbeque that night!! it was very cold, and we had a bonfire that didn't help a whole lot. But then when the folk dancers showed up...I didn't care about the cold. They made us learn/do this funny dance where we all danced around in a circle...and eventually had to put our hands on each other's butts:-) I was glad to be next to two girls...but in all reality...it's culture right??:)

Saturday we had breakfast at the hostil and then had more presentations.... Then we took a group picture of all 61 (plus adults) of us!!! it was so cool!!!! Then we saw "old town", made gingerbread cookies, and went to a planetarium.....nicholas capernicus (sp?) lived/grew up in Torun!! Than night we had a talent show, and I made a fool of myself trying to do some german clapping dance with two of my friends...but it was fun:) aftoer that we had a "dance party" and some ppl didn't get to bed till like 6 in the morning....for me it was like midnight...but that was even pushing it concidering my still having mono. It was a whole bunch of fun!!

Sunday consisted of bidding farewell to friends untill december (grugien) cause that's when the next "meeting" is. I rode a train home with friends again, and had beets and potatos for dinner (beets are EXCELENT btw's) I also went to bed early b/c i was exausted and feeling a bit nautious from the train ride.

Yesterday was school....woo hoo. No actually it wasn't so bad at all. I then went on two walks in the evening...one by my self to read a letter mom sent me....(the address i gave yall works...hint hint..nudge nudge:) ) and then with some of Ilona's friends later.

Today was more school...no riding my bike there yet:( It's super cold here right now:(
I think next time...I'm gonna go into detail about a specific thing...cause this post seems kinda vague and boring....oh well it's what you get!
thanks for listenen!!

quick quick

2008-09-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

Sorry, this is short. Just wanted to let everyone know that my email for some reason ISN"T WORKING!!! ....so that's why i'm not responding to those. also i have no time at the moment, so i'll post about my Torun Meeting weekend adventure later:)

Weeling good news:)

2008-09-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

First, a few observations you may want to know that I made at school today.....
-Teachers wear the same clothes many days in a row
-The bell rings for class to start....and THEN kids head to class (this is b/c the teachers don't show up with the room key till like 2 min after)
-there's a Sklep (convenience store type thing where you can buy almost anything) in the basement of the school kinda like an alla carte type thing, but there isn't a cafeteria...
-boys and girls have gym sepparately
-they have to change shoes when they get to school so that the floors aren't dirty...many ppl wear slippers:)
-the same 30 students in one class (i'm in 3 F for example) move arround to the different classrooms every day....but they're always together:)
-and the gradebook/attendance record is just ONE hard copy notebook type thing that somehow gets to each teacher for the next class every hour of the day

Today I actually passed a class:) Or I got an "A". and I WON too:) It was a 1 K race around a track....i kinda felt bad being the forign kid winning against everyone else.....but not too bad :-)

AND>>>>>>>>>>> The awsome good news is that............

MY FAMILY JUST BOUGHT ME A BIKE!!!! Krazy...I thought they had one (and they do) but they insisted on buying me a new one. So now I have my own set of wheels and keys (for the bike lock). I'm so excited!!!!!!!!!
yay
won't post anymore till monday cause i'll be in the gingerbread capitol of poland .....anyone know where that is????
dowidzenia

Szkola

2008-09-10T06:28:00.000-07:00

ok, here's what my week looks like at school here in poland.....

Monday: Classes start at 9:50 and I have Inglish, PE, Geography, Polish, Math, and Religion
Tuseday: Classes start at 8 and I have Business, Geography, Math, Religion, Inglish, Biology, then Russian

Wednesday: Classes start at 8 and I have Math, Polish, History, GW (it's like a home room/learn-all type thing), WOK (more polish cultural type stuff), and then Inglish
Thursday: Classes start at 8 and I have Math, Geography, PE, WOS (don't know what that is yet...), then Polish (short day!! i get done at 12:30!!!!)
Friday: Classes start at 8 and I have Polish, more Polish, Math, PE, Phisics, WOS, and then Russian

School was hard the first day, I was avoiding talking in english and everyone else was afraid to use their "bad" english. But then the next day, and then today were MUCH BETTER. I have friends now, and everyone wants to know me:) I'm the "cool foreign girl". I've been invited to some birthday parties already....hopefully something more close in the future will come up though since the one I can go to isn't till the 27th.
ummmm...what else can I tell you?? I ride the bus, a local one that takes like 20 minutes even though it's like 6 k away....oh and there isn't a lunch break. Just two 15 minute (as opposed to the normal 10 minutes) periods between 4th and 5th then 5th and 6th period.

Last night I got to go on a walk around Stezca with my host brother and a friend and I also went for a run...That felt good:)
I'm now going to go walk around again to take some photos so I can show off my town to all of yall!!

Adress....

2008-09-09T21:22:00.001-07:00

Many people have asked about my address here in poland, so here it is if anyone would like to write me snail mail:) (hint......hint)

Breanna Tetreault
Rokicka 1
Stezyca, Lublin 08-540
Poland

(you've got be sure the poland part is bigger than everything else...they have to see it)
ttyl!

sorry about yesterday

2008-09-09T12:21:00.000-07:00

I meant to write yesterday, then i didn't cause I was too bussy talking to my parents on google chat:) AND NOW i'm doing so again...so i'm gonna add some long awaited photos...then tell you all about polish school later:)
they're all from my fun times at language camp btw!!!
sorry to be so short two days in a row:( i've got too much going on!!!!!!!

2008-09-08T09:21:00.000-07:00

can you even see this???

I'm home...sorta home at least

2008-09-07T08:01:00.001-07:00

I am back from language camp and boy was it a whirlwin of a week....so crazy I had to write it all down in a planner to remember it all....so here it is, my past week in a nut shell:

Monday: This morning consisted of a one hour "orientation" at school, really it was just a ceramony that noone listened to, and then we found out our classes and everyone was done for the day. Wierd thing is...they were all dressed up for this one hour. Like suits and nice dresses dressed up nice, it was insane. And of course...I didn't get the memo, so I was in shorts and a tank top + sweater combo....I looked SO out of place
then was a bus to lublin where the sketchy language camp began. It was sketchy because they were unorganized, and un-supervising, even though we had two 15 yr olds in our group. It was clearly an organization paid by, not given by, rotary. They basically gave us pizza for supper at four (and we were supposed to have lunch at three then supper at 6), showed us what was going on all week, and then left us alone to fend for ourselves for the night.

Tuseday: This morning we got boxed lunches...late. They were good cause they had yogurt, but basically ALL of the other boxed lunches SUCKED and they were not the "traditional polish food" that the camp promised us. School was from 10 to 4 with a boxed (nasty again) lunch break in the middle.
At night we saw the old town of lublin which is pretty, definatly a place to go when you're looking to just sit around and enjoy your surroundings:)

Wednesday: first time I had cereal in poland, but it was with warm 2% lactate milk. more school from 10 to four...INgrid lost her glasses (a girl from red wing minnesota who I knew before I came) and they were like $200 glasses...not good:(
We had a good dinner in a pub, and I got a pasta salmon dish and only ended up eating the salmon b/c it was REAL and so yummy:)
also I didn' t get to sleep till like 1:30 cause ppl were SO LOUD!!!!

Thursday: more classes, went shopping.....first real polish shopping experience. It was in a supermarket and I bought batteries and gum. WOo hoo, so interesting:)
At night we went to the Lublin plaza (mall basically) and went bowling, had icky pizza and YUMMY banana juice, then we had free time in the mall. That was super cool, cause Ingrid and I just walked around alot, adn I was just shopping for the fun, not buying anything. Also I got the perfect sized ice cream cone with mango italian ice cream for like 75c equivilant. CHEAP and WORTH IT!!

Friday: More school, walked to old town at night and saw the castle. Beautiful, and I'm so glad we walked. Also we went to the same irish pub where there was a WHOLE lot of second hand smoke, but we had fun just hanging out...seriously i think that place had like 12 different rooms, and it had 3 floors!!! yet each little room seemed SO SMALL and comfey.

Saturday: last day of school..didn't get alot of "school" in though, cause it was saturday and noone else was there...and we did alot of circle time and down slacking off time b/c of it..oh well
THEN I did my first alone time, or on my own thing i guess, after school. Addie, my minni me, and I walked to the old town and back all by ourselves. We even got the guts up to go into a shop by ourselves, ask someone to take our picture in front of the castle, and then go in a post office and buy post cards. It only took like 25 minutes to get down there, and it was soo cool cause I'm never in the city, let alone ALONE, plus it was in a forign place (can you tell i'm excited)

Sunday: I got up early, the bus I was supposed to get on crashed, so I had to take a train back to lublin, then I went sunbathing. It was at some random pond in the middle of a forest, but obviously ppl know about it cause there were others there and there's even a dock to jump off of. Mati and I had fun taking turns balencing on an old tree that was in the water floating which was cool.
Tonight I got to celebrate an annaversary and birthday of some friends, and also go fishing and eat the fish I caught. It was good, and now I'm tired:(

Language camp as a whole was fun and I think I learned alot. I met alot of new friends from Mexico, Brasil, Canada, and some more from the US and I will get to meet a WHOLE lot more (everyone in poland really) when I go to the meeting next weekend with all of the exchange students in Tourin. Sorry if this post was kinda random...I'm not sure if any of it makes sense...but it's an entire week taht I had to sum up...so it's all you get!!!

discos and churches

2008-08-31T09:05:00.000-07:00

Last night was super fun, but super tiring at the same time. Just meaning that I was up way too late. But I got to go to the town "disco" where they played traditional polish discotech music. It's more like a mix b/w the polka and techno.....odd mixture:) I danced with this one kid almost every dance (the one other kid doesn't count cause I think he was drunk and WAY too young for me...and a little wierd). But the one I danced with alot was nice, about a foot and a half taller than I am, and spoke little to NO english. But that's ok:) He was a good dancer, and I had alot of fun. Too much second hand smoke though...it's kindof a problem over here.
Then this morning, I went to Church with my family. We actually stood outside the church for the service, and I could barely hear the pastor. It reminded me alot of a Greek Orthodox service I once went to, because I could understand nothing, and it was alot of chanting by the priest. We had ice cream after that, and then this afternoon we went to a pretty little town to watch the local soccer team play a soccer game. I only saw half though since the second half we spent walking up to a castle built in 1500 something!!! Crazy cool, and the view from the top was AMAZING!!!!!!!! once I figure out how to put pictures on here (everything on the computer is in polish) i will show you all:)
tomorow I go to school then a language camp for a week, so until next sunday or something like that:)!!!!!!!!! <3

warshing dogs

2008-08-30T09:29:00.000-07:00

Ilona and I washed the dog in a pond today...it was freezing but we got in anyway
then we gave her grandpa all of his medicine (he had a heart attack a year ago and needs medicine to live)
breakfast was crep type things with yummy plum jelly, also hot dogs and pickles
lunch...vegitable stuff boiled with small bits of sausage, chicken rolled with feta cheese and mashed potatoes.....and pickles
then i went running
now I will go watch tv until the town "disco" tonight where I will meet EVERYONE in town and have to dance with mati all night

Dirty, Hungry, and far from home

2008-08-30T01:23:00.000-07:00

The headline is a quote....not a feeling...although it was at the time I guess...My host dad said it. So, are you ready for this??? Here's my friday:
1:30 AM- Ilona wakes me up because it's time for us to leave soon to go to work with her dad.
1:45 AM- I'm dressed and ready to go, and I find out we are having breakfast NOW. Ok...breakfast at two in the morning.....who knows how I will hold out for later. We had scrambled eggs with sausage, onions, and cheese (i think). Also bread and (you guessed it!) pickles.
2AM -We get in the car, my three middle seats of the van facing backwards with tons of boxes crammed in the back and the seat made up for a "bed" for me....So I slept till about 5:15 on the long drive 600 KM away to the pure center of poland Lodge (I spelled that wrong, in ENGISH phonetic spelling for to say it how the polish say it it would be: woodge......If that makes sense at all)
5:15-We're parked somewhere, and the boxes of hats are dissapearing from the back of the van. I get out and find out we're in some sort of HUGE open air market type place with many streets of garage type shops where the shop keepers just open up every monday and friday at 6am till things die down around 11 (wow!)
5:15-630 Ilona and I helped stock the shelves with the different types of men's and women's caps that he sells. It was dusty, and dirty but it was fun...for six something in the morning. At first I didn't know what to do, cause I didn't understand....but then I started to get it (like how they lable the Hats, and of course I kinda get numbers)
630 or somewhere close- ilona and I went to the bathroom, where we had to pay, and washed our hands off because the bags that the caps are in are filthy:-P (oh btw: CAP in polish is Chapki, and HAT in polish is Capelush....there's a difference....I think there's a difference in english as well...but that shows how much of a dumb nieve American I am)
-More stocking of shelves, and then taking certain #'s of hats out of bags and puting them in piles so my dad can sell bags of a variety of hats as well
8:15 is- I got hungry a little and had a banana that I'd brought with and My dad took me around to look at shops with bags (Ilona and family insisted they buy me a large purse to use for school...appearantly my backpack isn't good enough)
after my dad and I got back- Ilona took me to actually buy a bag I wanted (once I get a picture...I'll show you ...it's white leather with black, and a big flower:) it's cute!) also while we were walking around I got to try some sort of marshmallow creme, chocolate/nut covered, caramel stuffed thing. It's called King something...I don't remember, but it was the Kinder stuff Katrin (my austrian friend) really liked....or at least that brand. It was YUMMY
the rest of the morning till 11-more sorting, selling, and stuffing of hats...then we got in the car for the long 3 hour drive home
12:15-we stopped for lunch, where I was super cold (rainy and chilly with shorts and a light jacket on isn't good). We had hot tea (which i guess is also a staple around here...literally every meal...hey! I'll take it), 6 different types of "salads" (saurkraut, pickles, that stuff with cabage adn mayo that dad likes...i'm drawing a blank), chicken, and mashed potatoes. Huge meal, and surprisingly i wasn't starving since I ate at 2 that morning, but good.
THEN!!!! on the way home, it's raining..and I'm sleeping, but also plotting on how to ask my family if i can go running. I decide that I'll ask if I can start tomorow because they'll think I'm crazy if I ask to go in the pouring rain, right? So we got home (415 maybe) and have some fruit and tea and I ask about running:) Next thing I know, my mom, dad and I are driving in the rain to a "sports complex" (more like the arb without the trees and with cow poop) where we're all gonna run together. (oh and we took oscar aka: oski, the dog with us) Not only that, but we got to run up and over a hill to see the Vistula river, and then I got a running LESSON on the track from my dad. After I got home I found out that he was a runner way back when...18-25 years old maybe and he placed very well in most competitions and he even ran a marathon in 3hours 7 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I got to see all of his "diplomas")
after a shower we headed off to my Mom's childhood home where I met two cousins (boys 11 and 15...don't remember names) an aunt and uncle, and grandma. We had tea and cookies....these heart shaped chocolate ones with Dates in the middle were AMAZING, and I said so, so now we have "stolen" some of grandma's home-made date jelly to have here at home. THat's also amazing, I had it on bread. I also tried and didn't like so much, but at least i tried it.....polish blood sausage:-( icky, but i was nice...plus they were all like "you DON"T have to try it, or like it!!" During time at their hose though, I actually understood alot of the conversations..which is cool cause it was what? the fourth day here:)??
finally, home then I had some yogurt (cause I was SERIOUSLY lacking in calcium) and went to bed cause I was TIRED!!!

a quick hey

2008-08-29T12:51:00.001-07:00

So...I got up at 2 this morning...and I'm super tired, so I will tell about my LONG day tomorow morning, but I wanted to say HI:) and that I love POLAND!!!!

oops

2008-08-28T08:53:00.000-07:00

oh and ...hotmail isn't working at the moment...so sorry to anyone who's emailed me:(

The Ups and Downs and it's only the second day

2008-08-28T08:43:00.001-07:00

So today I saw Lublin...both the good and the bad. Ilona and I went with my dad to sell caps and scarves (that's what he does for a living) and while we were there I got to see some amazing places. First I saw a church that was endited (I think) by the polish pope (John Paul II). It wasn't very old, but it was BEAUTIFUL. They were doing some repairs on the pews inside, so we didn't think we could go in, but then the priest let us in and even turned the lights on for us so we could see the full effects of the place. Very georgeous, I loved it.
Then, we did some more selling of caps (and buying of underwear and socks for Ilona and I...I didn't need any, but she insisted I get some "polish stuff"). After that we went and saw Majdanek, Lublin's concentration camp. My second day here, and I'm already seeing some of Poland's tragic history, wow!
We then did something a little more to my liking (ok, not more to my liking, but something with a better mood about it), we ate:) We stopped and this roadside "pub" where they sell meat and onions on a stick...and I have to say...BEST food I've had so far:) Although, I did have to strip off a layer of fat each time I reached for another piece of meat, the spices were amazing and the white mustard stuff was better than the yellow stuff we have at home. And of course there were pickles, I think i've only have had one meal without them so far....good thing they're tasty!

CHESCH

2008-08-27T05:42:00.000-07:00

Hello, I am in poland
holy crap
that's insane
Yes, I've already eaten a polish hot dog (with sourkraout on it)
The flights went well, and I arrived last night around 4
(by the way....I didn't even have to go through customs when I entered the country....sketchy??)
Then they took me to the Warsaw inner city zoo, and even though it was closing, we were still allowed to walk around for like an hour. We drove home after that (about an hour) and I barely remember any of that...I was in and out of sleep. Last night then I moved into my (HUGE) room and had a little to eat, then went to bed.
This morning, I had bread with ham (but it was like that deli ham that has junk in it...lots of veggies...odd but good) home made pickles (different than I've ever had) and yogurt. Then I had a shower, and we went to my school. I am actually going to be in the last year of the school (as opposed to my host brother's grade which I initially thought) so now I will be with ppl my age:) I also went and took a photo for my ID and then we went shopping for stuff for the new bathroom my family is putting in:) THen I met an uncle, aunt and cousins....then went to my grandfather's house and met him and another cousin. Lots of home grown fruits and veggies here.....I"M LOVING IT:) Golden plums are my favorite..and the "gruski" (or pears) home-canned by my dad are AMAZING.
I think tonight I get to go have pizza with Ilona and My host brother's friends in Warsawa.
Thanks for being interested...once I take some pictures...I will post them!

epic failure

2008-08-16T14:15:00.000-07:00

ok not really
but I was trying to find a map I could post on here so yall could see exactly where i'm going...but I couldn't find how to do so
so if you're so inclined as to see where i am....go to google maps and look up stezyca, poland....it's about 40 K SE of warsaw on the Wistula river.....Super tiny town

Bittersweet Day

2008-08-15T06:32:00.000-07:00

Well, today is the day I was SUPPOSED to leave:( But since I'm not leaving, I am able to go with my family on a birthday/fun weekend up to my Godparents' Cabin (Perry's birthday). So that will be fun. I think now that I am leaving later, I know my host family in Poland even better. (That's right, I said SINGULAR host family, because I will just be having one all year....that's exciting!!!!!) You see, I've been writing to them a whole lot lately since we're supposed to have met soon. Plus they're interestd to know if I'm feeling better. Which I am, for the most part. I'm still not running yet :( but THat will come....
Thank you to all who have commented, and anyone else who's keeping up! Hope it's interesting enough for you.
Happy weekend to all!!!!

A Little Dissapointing...But Sensible Update

2008-08-12T07:39:00.000-07:00

Over the past half a week my family (and many others in Rotary) have been rushing around trying to figure out when to move my flight back to. You see, in Poland, people who get mono are quarantined for the first few weeks because that's when you are most contagious. So my Polish family, and many others (including myself) thought it would be better that I rest up here first so that I am healthy when I arrive. So now I am leaving on the 25th of August. Sad that it's not sooner I know, but I believe it's for the best.
Thanks for listen'en!!!

A Quick Thanks

2008-08-08T06:18:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who has sent me warm wishes and get well hopes:) They're all greatly appreciated!!

Musings of boredom

2008-08-05T12:17:00.000-07:00

You know, the most boring blog I can possibly think of to read would have to be that of a person with mono. Because in all reality, who wants to read about how someone sits around all day, and sleeps the rest of it. It's like reading about the life of a sloth. Accept, I would like to think that I am less dirty than a sloth. Any way, besides the sitting around and the sleeping, I have done some packing, and I have surprised myself in that I might just have EXTRA room in my suitcase. I know, I'm packing for an ENTIRE YEAR....and I have ROOM. There's got to be something wrong with me. Anybody small want to hop in to my second piece of luggage? Cause you'd prolly fit at this point.

Well, once the thing that is instigating all this packing (yes...I'm talking about the year abroad....OH MY GOSH I'M SO EXCITED) takes place, you'll have much more interesting things to read about. Thanks for looking!

Beginnings

2008-08-03T15:17:00.000-07:00

ok, so i'm trying this to see if it will work
this is the first post....duh
we're going on a walk, cause I have mono and can do nothing else:-P