But Why Is The Rum Gone?

I guess I will not leave it as a surprise, but say that I went to the main post office here [upon recommendation by Gosia, who said there is virtually no wait there, whereas most other offices are similar to a deli where you take a number and wait for your turn], where in mixed Polish and English I bought stamps and sent postcards to some lucky people. ;-) I did "ordinary" over "priority," so I am uncertain how long it will take for the cards to make it to the US. :-P It was interesting because on the way there women with clipboards tried to ask me for help with something - maybe a petition to sign? - so I had to keep saying I didn't speak Polish well and/or did not understand and walked away.

Yesterday I had classes and after they were over, I met with my Polish "buddy" [similar to the Big Brother/Big Sister programs of high schools]. She is very nice. I finally had a chance to give her the small gifts I brought her from America [she was so busy with exams and classes and going on break that I only saw her at the airport for a few moments and have only spoken to her via text messages and Facebook since then] and at first she refused to take anything, so I had to push a couple of times until she finally accepted. :) She asked me where I wanted to go and I said it was up to her, so we headed towards Old Town to a pub. I met a friend of hers who works there (she said they live together, so I am uncertain whether this fellow is a platonic friend or a boyfriend or what...). I learned some about my Buddy:

• Likes Cuba Libres :-P (I think ours were free since her bartender/friend gave us some and I didn't hear or see any mention of money)
• Used to be a bartender, so she knows how to make a lot of drinks or at least is familiar with names
• Likes rum, sweeter/flavored beers - not regular, strong beer, white wine sometimes; doesn't like vodka, red/strong wine
• Studying for a Master's in International Business (so I am pretty sure she is older than me)
• Has studied many foreign languages and knows Russian, Polish, and English (her classes are in English now)
• Going to Finland next semester (leaves at the end of August)
• Born in the Ukraine and moved to Poland around the age of 14
• Her parents live in the suburbs of Warsaw, not too far away (still technically Warsaw area)
• Has friends who live in different parts of the world - a classmate from NY, a friend in Portugal, a girlfriend in Gdansk area, family in Ukraine
• Speaks well in English (her friend knows a lot as well), but wants to work on it as I want to work on Polish (we will help each other and she is pushing for more Polish since she is not confident in her English, but it is better than my Polish, so I try to encourage her as well)
• Smokes (she buys slims of whatever brand - which a lot of girls here seem to prefer)
• Fan of soap operas as my Babcia/grandma is and movies (more comedies)
• Reads Paulo Coelho - favorite book being his "The Alchemist"
• Loves sushi and wants to go to Asia - especially Japan (almost went to China for vacation, but went to Malta instead because it was not as expensive as going to China)
• Tongue pierced and at least one tattoo

We stayed at the pub talking (and smoking for her :-P ) until closing when we left with her friend. It was fun; she starting making ideas of more activities we can do together now that she is back in Warsaw - having sushi (apparently her friend has made it himself before and they like to go to sushi places), going to the Warsaw Uprising Museum, hanging out at her apartment, etc. She also gave her opinion on pubs, clubs, malls, stores, restaurants, neighborhoods, cities/places, etc.

Today I changed my bed linens; every three weeks a sign goes up specifying two consecutive days and the hours on those days when you can take your sheets to the office and put them in piles to be laundered and then collect new/clean ones to replace the dirty ones. This morning I had a group meeting with everyone on the program and then a class, but now I have a break until two classes later this afternoon. During the meeting, we learned about finalizing course registration and some important dates, in addition to asking any questions we may have. Monday we are going to see a choir/folk dance group at the National Opera: http://www.mazowsze.waw.pl/ On Thursday morning we are doing a tour of SGH's library. Next Tuesday, we are having a group dinner. Our weekend trip to Gdansk is either March 25-27 or April 15-17. Also, we are going to a ballet on March 30 and our day-trip to Lublin may be April 1-2 or 2-3, but this could change. The Krakow/Auscwitz area trip is May 1-6. We also have a Spring Break around Easter (April 22-30 I believe).