This past week has been very quiet in preparation for the weekend to come (it seems like that's the norm of my experience in Poland- quiet weekdays and ridiculous weekends). After MPB (aka. Mid-Point Break- yes, Cameron, I am making that a thing now, I expect all of LE to start using this super cool LE slang), I was more than happy to catch up on my rest and lesson planning.
However it hasn't all been quiet.
Some events that occurred this past week:
* I learned to salsa dance from some incredibly sassy tan Polish man (sassy and tan are hard to come by in my part of Poland). Four years in Miami, and not once did I ever learn how to salsa from any of my fabulous hispanic friends (I blame greek life where culture gets taken over by Vinyard Vine frockets, PBR, and the white bro grind, and mixers are never salsa themed despite my desperate attempts). Now that I can salsa properly, I expect all of my Miami friends to go salsa dancing with me next time I'm down there (I'm looking at you Tambor, 'cause you're the only person I know who actually has told me they can salsa, even though you're a jewish bro from New Jersey- kudos brotha, kudos).
* In my youngest two classes, I taught them clothing and had them identify the different clothes of my wardrobe. They then decided to try them all on themselves, which was probably the most adorable fashion show on the face of the planet. One kid even put on my JCrew turquoise dress and posed with his backwards baseball cap and Metal rock tshirt underneath. #punkgoesprep?
* A fight broke out in my 11-13 year old class...like an actual physical fight. Coming from a suburban preppy school in Virginia, my experience with school fights is at the same level of my experience with deactivating bombs. Since I'm not a member of the Bomb Squad (I couldn't even handle a game of operation, let alone a deadly device...maybe I should cross Secret Agent off of my potential list of career options...), I did my best to handle the situation, but it was an experience all the same.
* After my oldest teen class, a few of us were walking back from school and stumbled across a woman in the middle of the street. She had fallen, and her face was covered in blood. A crowd began to form, and my students were helping her and asking her questions in frantic polish. Eventually the police came and drove her off. I later found out she had been drinking and fell and broke her nose. It sparked a conversation amongst my students about the drinking issues in Poland. Granted, everywhere has its own batch of issues, including America, but this was a new experience I hadn't expected to stumble across during my stay here.
* I decided to make peanut butter MnM cookies for my host family as a thank you for all they have done for me. After buying the ingredients and looking up the recipe online, I managed to somehow still uphold my title as "Worst Baker in the History of the Planet." Not only did I add too much egg, causing them to boil in the oven, I also burnt them. My host family was so kind and ate them, smiling and saying "interesting!" Needless to say, this experience has taught me that I really need to learn how to fucking cook for goodness sakes. This incident is right up there with the Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancake Disaster of '09.
Today I prepare for my Ukrainian music festival journey with my host siblings. Since I probably won't have wifi, don't be alarmed if I don't log on or post anything for a couple days (Mom, that means you...). When I get back, I'll have less than a week in Komancza left....unreal....
Until then, PEACE!!!
JBro<3
***A few random facts about Poland:
* Everyone has family in Chicago. When they find out I'm American (if it isn't already obvious from my loudness and overly eager smile), normally it's the first thing they mention. This rocks, because the next time I'm in Chicago, it basically means I have a zillion extended family members to visit and say "Hey! I'm that crazy American girl that stayed near your family in Poland!" and they'll gladly welcome me while simultaneously stuffing potatoes down my throat, because the Polish rock that way.
* Jesus shrines are as common as chickens. You'll past at least hundreds on a bus ride to Krakow, on the side of the road, in corn fields, next to a house, you name it.
* Weather is almost as unpredictable as Miami, which as all my Miami peeps know, is saying A LOT.
* Everyone rides motorcycles or some form of motor bike at speeds that make me believe that the Polish are all decedents of Evel Knievel. I had the "pleasure" of riding on one of these motorcycles- it was terrifying.
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