Travel is my therapy.
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I have successfully survived the first week of school!
Currently, I am most excited about my language and Jewish studies class. It will be really nice to speak in the native language and not have to hope that everyone speaks English. The Polish language looks a little bit like consonant soup but with some time and practice I’m sure I’ll see patterns and everything will make a little more sense.
My Jewish studies professor is very knowledgeable and I can’t wait to learn so much from her. The class gets to go on “study tours”, aka field trips, to Kazimierz for a few of the lectures. And what better place to learn about Jewish culture and religion than Krakow?
My Polish culture, heritage, and history class is brutal when it’s only lectures because it’s three and a half hours long. But I’m very thrilled for the study tours because I will get to see a lot more of Krakow and I’ll check more items off my bucketlist.
Today, January 17th, Cedric, Brian, David, Sydney and I went to the Cracovia hockey game. Cracovia beat Goscie 5-3. It was a close game and was so fun to cheer for Cracovia even if I didn’t understand what everyone around me was saying.
This week I attempted cooking in my dorm. It went much better than the first time. I was able to cook eggs even though the stove turned off in the end. The stoves here turn off after a certain amount of time and it’s difficult to turn back on because none of the buttons line up with the stove top. I’m disappointed because I bought a pizza but I don’t think the oven works.
After an entire week here, I have a few complaints. I don’t like that students smoke cigarettes inside the dorms, it’s disgusting. I don’t like the smog. Poland still burns coal to run things. Breathing in the smog air is equivalent to smoking five cigarettes a day. And I hate sharing a bathroom with six other people especially since the shower doesn’t have a real door, only a curtain.
On a the opposite side…after an entire week I have a lot of things to love. I love that my dollar goes further here. 1 złoty is equal to 25 cents so I can eat a full meal for 17 zł which is about $4.25. Even if the buses are sometimes late, I enjoy not driving everywhere. It’s a nice change from last semester where I was driving an hour to school and back 6+ days a week. Don’t get me wrong I miss my family and friends a lot, but I’m enjoying exploring all of this on my own and making my own decisions. I know I’m going to grow so much as an individual because of it.
For the weekend, I have a vodka and food tour, trip planning, laundry, gym membership buying, and reviewing my notes planned. I’m sure other spontaneous last minute plans will happen too.
I have a few photos to add so check out the pictures page. And look for another update sometime during the weekend. I’ve been getting a lot of the same questions from my friends about being here so I think I’m going to compile them and post the questions and answers as a blog. If you have any specific ones, drop them in the comments/reply section and I’ll be sure to answer them. 🙂
Helene's Poland Adventure 