Zakopane

Zak o pan e
town down the mountain.

Walked a mile and a half (maybe two) up an icy slope in elevation.  I was very slow and had to make stops, but am pleased to report that despite feeling like pathetically crying a few times, I did make it to the little Chalet thing and while the rest of the group went up an even steeper slope, I stayed back and (rather than just sitting aroundnor twiddling my thumbs) built snowmen. I've never made snowmen before, and the snow was mostly frozen layers, so not ideal for packing into balls.  Instead, therefore, I made 16 little ones and put them all over the place.  On the tourist sign, on the bench, on the rails, in a couple of the trees (little snowmen like treeclimbing!)

I had a couple of people laughing at me and I totally envied the kids their sleds because that looked funner, but whatever, man.  Snowmen!  And actually at one point two kids were standing next to each other, and a thirdnsledded right into them and they all went flying.  The two boys were okay, but the little girl's face got hit with the sled and some ice and she ended up bawling. Poor little wee.

One the busride up here, I saw something really cool!  You know how on the interwebs a few years back there was a thing that people would use postit notes in the windows to make 8 bit art?  I saw that in an office building!!  Eeyore, Piglet, Pooh and Tigger's faces in four windows.  I'll try to catch it on the way back, but it was fast and I wanted to look at everything.  It was also grey and misty, so I didn't take pictures on the way up.

Also I really do have to say that when I went to Ireland, I don't really remember taking the time to appreciate all the things I took pictures of. So this time around, I sort of resolved to take a break once ina while to appreciate what is in front of me, rather than just documenting it.

Unfortunately what that means is that even tho I had my cell phone available, I didnt want to take it out of my bag.  But yeah, on the way home.  I also want to get some of the countryside if I can, so hopefully it will be less misty.

I brought my SLR, and got some beautiful landscapes (and lent it to my RD so they could take some more pics higher up), so those and the ones of thethesalt mine will be uploaded at some point.  But we left the chalet in a manner that avoided my calvin and hobbes snowmen.

In the meantime, I have my hotell room bathroom to show you, as well as the damage done by my boots. My boots I have had for 5 years now, and tho I have not worn them for a year and a half,  they have only ever been uncomfortable.  They have never in my life caused me damage.  But I got a huge blister on my heel which ripped as I pulled off my boot and that is gonna SUCK ASS tomorrow.

They feel so tight on my little toes, but they rub my heel and idk how to fix stuff like that other than adjustingnhow I lace them, which I did, but that still probably means they're super stiff and need to be broken in, and I didnt even bring long socks.

Like.  To Poland.

*sigh* they DID keep my feet dry and warm, though. Well.  Warm. My feet sweat (shut up, i'm human), so they are.almost never dry, in shoes.

On the way down the mountain, because ice, I fell a couple of times.  My RD lent me his hikign stixks (those suckers are FUCKING USEFUL.  On the way up, tou can use your arms to pull you along with your legs, and on the way down,  they help with balance and catching yourself and testingnthe snow/ice) so I fell less times after that.  until we got almost to the bus stop.  See the rest of the group took a shallower slope down together when the RD came to fetch me and we were going to go behind the cablecar station because there used to be a shortcut, but they extended the fence.  So we started to head back up and I started to die again because "up" is about a thousand times more difficult than "down and don't fall".  But then I saw a supersteep slope down and was like "we could use this.  I mean it's all snow so at least if I fall it won't be painful" AND I DON'T HAVE TO GO UP.  STOP MAKING ME GO UP.

So he said "maybe in deep snow it will be better?" And I said "sure.  I mean it won't, but it will be faster." And so, sticks in hand, I started to go.

And I fell two or three more times.

Pretty much every time I fall I start laughing, because 90% of the time I fall, I do it in such a way that minimizes real injury (because I have a lot of practice) so i'm alright.  Not even bruised.  And my camera is alright, too.

I did lose my gloves.  And I mean they were mismatched (same brand tho) and I only really used them to make snowmen, but I still liked them.  They were sleek and stylish.  I had them squeezed into my back pocket.  I hope whoever finds them likes them. But I wasn't going to go back and try to find them.  I had already held the group up.  I do that a lot, actually.  I tell them to go ahead because I know I can't keep up.  But I am not gonna do it for one pair of gloves.  And RD offered to run back for me, but I just can't.  I don't want to drag people down for something that is my own fault.  I could've worn them or put them ina different pocket...  whatever. If that's the worst thing that happens while i'm in Poland, it's gonna be a great trip.

I do wanna gice credit to mt group; none of them have made me feel bad for how slow I am.   Today I apologized for holding them up and every single one of them was like "Nah don't apologize."  And every night they go out they invite me along, and even tho so far i've said no, none of them take offense at it.  It's a very cool group I am with.

I just don't wanna waste money on nonessentials and by the end of the day I seriously do just wanna rest.

Maybe sometime i'll invite them out during the day.

Anyway, one last thinf and then I'll post pictures and rest.  One of the group memebers was being asked how long they had been in Krakow, and she answred "I think a week?  All the days kind of blur into one."  And it made me really glad that I started a blog.  Hopefully my shit won't blur if I post the noteworthy things.  <3

Ow.

also; ow. 

yeah so my legs are under the sink if i need to pee. 

nothing important

today is a cloudy, cold day.  I'm sitting in my curved, corner room reading and listening to music.  my curtains are open so i can watch the light and i have no classes.

today I'm in europe, and it's a day for relaxing.

right now, i am happy and content.

i miss you, america.  But i'll be back too soon anyway.

<3

little things and a big church

The only things that happened to day were noteworthy only to me.  I headed to class today and on my way I was looking at a dude and he looked up.  Before I could look away, he started to smile.  And I found him atteactive, so I began to smile back.  Both of our smiles turned devious, and he said something to me as I passed him, but I didn't speak whatever language he said it in.  I don't even know if it was polish.  It was remarkable to me, because I was just in a grey sweatshirt with my hood up and my hair back in a ponytail. No makeup.  I've never been looked at like THAT before.   And he was watching me.  I know, because when I looked back, he was still looking.

That was a great moment.

Later in the day (because class had been cancelled) I returned to the square to meet a new friend, and while I was there I got accosted by an old man who kept putting his fingers next to his mouth like he wanted food and asking me over and over for something in polish.  I kept saying "Nye.  Nye Polska.  Nye. I have nothing for you.  Engielsku. I have nothing. Nye." And shaking my head no over and over and after about 3-5 minutes he finally walked off in a huff like I had given him attitude.

The same thing happened yesterday on the way home from the mall when I got lost and finally found my way back to the market place and some old men were asking me to buy them cigarettes.  And I mean then I used not speaking polish as an excuse.  But fucking damn.  Take no as an answer.

After that when my new friend never showed (she mixed up the time and showed up early) I went to walk home and a guy greeted me and shook my hand a bunch and asked me where I was from and he would repeat things so I don't think he was mentally all there, but when i left like "okay it was nice to meet you, bye." he went "okay it was nice to meet you too, goodbye, my girlfriend." And went to shake my hand again.  I had to draw back and say "no. Not your girlfriend."

I don't know what to do with that.  I mean, not that you guys care, but it fucking frustrates me that I wasn't even making eye contant with any of the guys that came up to me, seriously, and that the old men wouldn't take no for an answer.  The younger dude who shook my hand immediately went "okay" when I said I wasn't his girlfriend, but the older men fucking wouldn't back off.

My friends tell me I look too friendly and that I should try to look more like frida khalo.  Grow a unibrow and a mustache.  So here's a pictures of me trying to do that, and also a few of a gorgeous church I went to on the first tour.

Is it there yet?

this is actually fucking cool.  There are these little guys everywhere.  Apparently they are for the blind, so the blind can experience the monuments and whatnot innandifferent way. 

Idk what the fuck blogger did to add these so weirdly, but at least they're all pretty.  My last one is the monastery ceiling.  It was really cool in this simplistic way, and for some reason it really struck me.  Oh and also a pew.  Probably because of the craftsmanship.  amazing.

i seriously saw a real monk in a brown habit. For real real. Not for play play. 

  

and a huge building, why not?

A little after this, clouds gathered and it started to rain.

First Classes

The day started with climbing 5 flights of stairs to get into my first class (on the holocaust and it's meanings/effects on culture).  I am pleased to say I was not as out of breath as usual, but that could be because I did not walk as far, as I took the tram this morning with the girls.

We really need to come up with a term for "not lost, but not going the right direction." Because I am pretty good at being in a general area, but I definitely chose the wrong way to go, so I got to wander around some. My feet hurt less than they have been, but they do still hurt.

Also my weird stomach cold isn't going away.

I am also dropping into a class today, that if I like it, I'll stick with it and drop something else.  Reading Anthropology between the lines.  Apparently it's a sociology class taught in english, and it might mean I can drop something else.  Unfortunately the other think I might be forced to drop is Poland as a work of Art, and that sounded like a beautiful class to take while i'm here.

Graduation is looming, tho...

Yes.  I have decided to drop Poland and the European Union.  It's a more scholarly class than Poland as a work of Art, but if I am here, I might as well take classes that I WANT to take, right? 

I met a German girl who had her phone swiped from her while we spoke, (or accidentally left it somewhere and had it swiped then) and completely broke down.  And I can't blame her. Idk about you guys, but I have thousands of photos on my phone.  Irreplaceable. *shudder* I felt so bad I traipsed all around with her, trying to find it. 

I only got lost for about 10 minutes, but I have NO IDEA where we traipsed to, I just followed her because if it was me, I would want someone friendly there, too. :(

I have officially bought a purse and hilariously enough it matches the tablecloth we have like some weird camoflauge. I think it's probably an old lady purse, but I like it anyway.  I've never actually spent money on a purse before. 

It's not entirely unlike tea pizza.

today i feel american

on the one hand, i got lost for about half the time i was lost on saturday.  on the other hand, i got stereotyped as american, which has never happened before.  And i mean i think it was probably because i gently disagreed with the guy over a political issue, but it still kind of sucked.

I signed up for my language courses today, and after that was done, the API dudes told me where to find the main building to sign up for something called an Erasmus Card,which is apparently a progam for all the exchange/abroad students to get together and do events, and for like $10 you get fifty percent off a bunch of signups and whatnot.  I also bought a welcome bag which came with a tote, a notebook, two pens (THANK GOD COZ I DIDN'T BRING ANY), a SIM card (for when/if i finally get my Polish phone), a lanyard, a tshirt (which i'm giving to mom!) and a mug.

Before i get into the who stereotyping story, i wanna give a shoutout to my mom for buying me a little portable tea diffuser and encouraging me to take it with me.  I didn't bring any tea, because i figured i would have to declare it.  But there is a vendor selling tea in the market, and so i was able to get a couple types of tea from the guy.  One is strawberry and comes in bags, the other is Pineapple Green which comes in loose leaves.  so woo to my mom for giving me a totally useful gift!

so okay there i was, and i was waiting in line to sign up for this Erasmus card, and there's this totally beautiful girl in front of me.  She almost bumps into me, but didn't, but she kept making eye contact in a way that i have learn means "talk to me!"  So I ask "englielsku?" she she responds "what?"  And i said "oh, good, english!"  and there are a few people around me and eventually she leaves (though she insistently and and repeatedly shook my hand really hard.  and told me where she was going, and where she'd be tomorrow.  which either means she has a crush on me, or she was seriously confused and wanted help.  idk)

One of the people standing around was this guy and he was kinda cute, but i hadn't really been talking to him.  still, i noticed him trying to catch my eye, too, and so when the conversation moved away from Sophia and onto the other people who were waiting quietly (which i fixed pretty damn quick) he kinda busted into Anna, Evgenia, and my conversation with "So have you seen it?"  and i asked "Seen what?" and he asked "Have you seen 50 Shades of Grey?"  and so i laughingly include him in that no, i haven't, but i'm trying to read the books.  we talks some and make the eye contacts and do the joking and stuff that is the closest that i get to flirting.  making someone laugh and doing eye contact?  yeah, that's my game.  that's how i roll.

(I also made fun of him for THAT being the first thing he asked me, "hey what do you think of kinky sex" equivalent SO FUNNY YOU SHOULD MENTION THAT.  ACTUALLY--  but apparently he heard me say i'm from the seattle area and he remembered that from the movie.)

later i am lost and so i sit on a bench to go through my erasmus bag and who walks by but the flirting boy!  So i get up to walk with him for a bit (because he's heading my way and actually it was good because i needed to get back to the old town to collect my bearings) and while we walk, he tells me about one of his studies or papers due or whatever is about Cyprus Island fighting for its independence from a bigger country.  So i ask if that's like Crimea and Russia, and his response is "Sort of, except historically, Crimea was just part of Russia."  and i sort of smiled and said "probably not if you asked the Crimeans."

So he flashed back with "Why do you care?  You're American!  You live well, you have one of the biggest military powers in the world, why would you worry?"

And i'm ashamed to say i honestly had no response.  I mean, i still don't.  I know that the stereotype of americans is lazy/ignorant/privledged, but i work really hard NOT to be like that.  And i know i'm not very good.  If i didn't find the news so depressing, i could know more about the world than i do, but still.  even if i'm ignorant, i try not to be disrespectful.  and i suck ass at not being loud, but i'm super good at least being open and friendly.

so for this guy to be frustrated over the fact that I DO care confused me.  It kind of struck a nerve.  And i guess if i was smart i would just write it off as one more dude who doesn't like a chick that talks back, but it's a fucking bummer, you know?  

Adding pictures from my phone in a second of a pretty building i saw while i was lost, and of the main Jagiellonian administrative building.

on the train ride home

*me clicking pictures rapidly of older buildings and frozen puddles*

Him: "This isn't really the most pretty part of Krakow, or the prettiest time..."
Me:  "Are you kidding? I love this.  This is reality.  It's what people look like."
Him: "There are prettier parts, though.  Places that are better for pictures."
Me:  "Places aren't just made up of their pretty parts, though.  I like the whole picture."

(And a little later.)

Him: "People, when they are poor, don't always care as much if something is pretty."
Me:  "I know what you mean.  *quietly indicates classmate* you know she brought nine pairs of shoes?  I can't even imagine fitting that many in my suitcase.  But she likes heels.  And good for her, you know?  She'd be the pretty part of town."
Him:  *laughs*
Me:  *grins*  I'd be the part next to the library.

There were gardens with these run down shacks at the end of them and they were apparently very popular during the communist regime because it was hard to come by fresh produce.

Also I saw graffiti of "cracovia" upside-down and a star of david with a line through it.  And the most interesting part of that is that it isn't really anti-semetic.  It has to do with soccer; historically, cracovia was one of the only teams to let jews play.  So the other polish team uses that as an identifying feature of the team.  Apparently the rivalry is so heated, there is gang-style violence and graffiti'ed-out sections of turf.  The fans caused so much trouble they aren't even allowed at the games.  which is fine by me, because we are apparently set to attend one of those games.  So the fact that they won't be there sits pretty.  READ THAT, MOM.  IT'S SAFE COZ THE HOOLIGANS WON'T BE THERE.

I was on a moving train. No pic.

I also went to the famous salt mine.  Got some great pics there with my regular camera. (Cel cam, regular cam, fancycam.)  We were encouraged to lick the walls to taste the rainbow salt.  Which of course immediately made me go "the schnozzberries taste like schnozzberries!"  But I am pleased to say that I was quiet enough only one person heard me.  Which I am displeased to inform you that he did not get wither the willy wonka, nor the super troopers reference.

At the deepest point (nudgenudgewinkwinksaynomoresaynomore) my person penetrated (a nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat) the earth's crust by 130 meters.

So that's fun.

just a quick one

My feet are not used to this much walking.  They just aren't.  All the API students are going out 'socializing' tonight (read: pub crawl) which is fine because they're all of age and are being responsible and whatever and they invited me and i'm just too... Not.

I'm tired, i'm dehydrated, and most of all my feet just hurt.  I know I am out of shape and I know that this city is going to kick my ass simply by virtue of the fact that it seems like more of a pain to take the tram than it does just to walk.  And it's cold, yes, but it's simply easier to walk.  especially since i will probably fuck up whatever I try to ride to.

We had a culture shock lecture today and apparently that shit is a much longer process than i thought.  Apparently about a month from now i will just be frustrated and depressed and also i'll be sick with a mild cold fairly soon, as well.  just coz it's a whole new set of bacteria.  idk.  but so far the thing that frustrates me the most is how slow i am.  and my feet.  idk if good shoes for feet like mine exist, but if they do, i've never ever found them.

tomorrow we tour the salt mine and the next day i sign up for my polish course and then real classes start tuesday.

our classes meet once a week and i'm looking at five of them  (with a possible backup of two extra)

Holocaust and it's CUltural Meaning II
Poland and the European Uniion
Anatomy and Dynamics of Prejudices
Poland as a work of art
Nationalism and Identity

Methodology of Social Sciences
Selected theories o Image from Plato to Late Modernity.

I've been spreading out my photos between family/friends/here/facebook so that no one section is overwhelmed.  Unfortunately that means you'll just have to wait until I'm so inclined to download all my stuff into one blog, but idk when that will be.

so far i've only been using my phone to take pictures because i can take an extra battery with me and it'll last throughout the day.  I didn't bring a purse and i haven't bought one yet because i haven't met one yet that the cost and the cute match up for me.

Not that y'all care, but i've only been working with pockets.  which is annoying.

Alright i'm gonna crash.  Goodnight.

fun bits of history

Jageillonian was founded in 1364 by this Pagan king of Lithuania.  It was start by a different king, but Mista J was the main one.  Originally, when the king died, there was a lot of unrest, so they ended up crowning an 11 year old princess 'King'.  She was the King, and had all the kingly duties that came with that rank. When it came time to marry Mista J, she prayed because she (and the whole damn country, for that matter) was terrified of this pagan guy.  But it turned out that he was super cultured and did a lot to help the kingdom.  He even invited Jews/Orthodox/Saracens to study and opened up the doors wider than most other places.   It's the second oldest university, edhed out by Prague by only a few years, and I have it on good authority that even though most europeans might not say it, there is a quiet pride in those who go here.  COPERNICUS WHEN HERE. AND POPE JEAN PAUL II.  Whose coolness as pope rivals today's Pope Francis.

I would love to show you pictures of his sarcophagus, but they do not allow pictures inside of the royal chapel.

This is Saint Florian. 

He is not Polish. 

The funny bit about this is that the City of Krakow was found pretty damn early.  (I think they said 40AD but idk) and obviously this is too early to really have a saint.  But when they became religiously important (and therefore ended up on Rome's map), it was a huge deal that they didn't have a saint.  So they wrote the Pope (and there may have been a fire of some sort, because of the mongols invading and burning the place down three times) and tbe pope said "mmkay. Saint Florian.  Patron Saint of FireFighters.)

The coolest thing about this (according to me) is that the only king in the histoey of Poland to earn the nickname/suffix "the great" came up with a solution to the mongols.  It was said that King Casmir was born into a wooden Krakow, and when he died, it was stone. 

Major infrastructure reconstruction and the beginning of the University that opened its doors to all types?  Yes please. 

the dogs; they are barking

                                                    I knew I came to the right country.

This morning I had an apple and 1.5 carrots for breakfast.  I also left 45 minutes early for a supposed 10minute walk for the purpose of being anble to take pictures, and I knew I would get lost.  I got a lot of pictures of street views and of façades of buildings i liked in particular.  (Ones that showed age, or particular craftsmanship, or were hilarious for whatever reason.)

So the Polish people use the alphabet that we do, but tthe pronunciation rules are different. They have an L with a tilted hyphen through the stem that make our "w" sound, and then W is a V.  There are a few moreis a green-bely differences, but those (to me) are intuitive, so i wouldn't be able to point them out very well.  Especially not any better than any other basic phrasebook.

I mention this character because I live on a street with this character in it.  The name of the street means "long" street. And if you follow this street, it's a straight shot through the biggest market in central Europe (i think) to campus.  Campus, which is four flights of stairs (god help me) and today when i came out, i got lost.

Now, "lost" for most people means going completely off course and simply havingnto navigate back to where they were and return to the course they were on. For me, "lost" means stepping out of almost any building, or room, or out of anywhere.  Or it means dtiving down a street. Or very nearly looking out at anything at all.  I know my town in washington because i've lived there for 12 years. I know a little of bellingham because i've liver there a little over a year-- but i still can't recognize a one-way street in the dark in either place.

Is bad news bears.

So when I tell you I got lost today, I want to explain that there is a green-belt/park that encircles all of "old town" and that if you get lost, you can follow the park around and there is a buliding with a globe (oxidized copper green?) And it has gold oval on it.  Go towards that landmark, and you can find D'w'uga street.

But it's a big damn place, so even tho i kept seeing ladmarks i knew, for an hour or more there i still couldn't find the IMPORTANT ONE.

The Important One.

the time is a cliche!

This is a watch I received as a gift from my friend, Emily.

It's about time for me to leave.  A WEEK FROM THIS MOMENT.

I've talked to banks. Every box is checked for school, every light is green for API.   Stuff been upsetting me and making me nervous is being pushed out of my brain to make way for anticipation.  (Is 'cipation' a move?  It's 3:30am and these are the thoughts that keep google alive.)

I am packing in my head. I am debating which camera I should take. I am wondering about wifi. I am curious about bedding. I am bemused by the fact that I will be line-drying my clothes.

I am thankful for my parents.