Time

Some quick info about what my program did on May 2, Polish Flag Day. Yesterday was a neat tour of Krakow. I was especially happy to visit places I had never visited including parts of Jagiellionian University and a couple of really nice churches. After the touring, most of us went to an English-language bookstore. I was very tempted to pick up a couple of books in English by Polish authors... but decided against it to save money and because of future issues with packing. It was after this shop that I headed to Cupcake Corner [http://cupcakecorner.pl/en/] with a few others and I had a carrot cake cupcake. I followed this with some snacks at the room, where I relaxed, did yoga, and went on the Internet for a bit before we all met up to go to dinner at Wesele [http://www.weselerestauracja.pl/]. I had some borscht soup with meat "little ear" dumplings in it, a little of the table bread (not horrible, but not the best of breads), a salad with lettuce, tomatoes, orange slices, duck, pistachios, and dressing, and a bit of two sorbets (lemon and raspberry) with hot tea on the side. After dinner, I hung around with the other students in a room two of them share (we all stayed in the living room area to be together and celebrate "America," as some of them announced, upon hearing news of Osama's demise... even listening to patriotic music, which include "America, F*** Yeah!" that had already been somewhat in my head from the other students talking about the news and their excitement) and then we went to a few clubs. Right now I am preparing for breakfast and then we are off to tour Wieliczka Salt Mine before free time and then dinner (at Miod Malina: http://www.miodmalina.pl/) in the evening. Tomorrow we will be back to touring Krakow when we see different parts of Wawel Castle. (Thursday includes Auschwitz and a performance of classical string music at a church near our hotel; Friday is touring a historically Jewish part of the city before departing).

Lublin Tour has been updated to Friday-Saturday May 13-14. We all visit the Presidential Palace that Monday (May 16).

Photos soon.

Lit Class Cancelled For Today

My literature class is off for today (heard as I was on my way out), so I just have my Jewish class at 5:10.

I may begin the research online now and decide if I will need any specific help from my professor that I could email about or ask him about in-person later. I will look over my schedule and decide for a good time to check out the actual institute (http://www.jewishinstitute.org.pl/en/home/index/0.html). I also need to make time to have a second go-around with the laundry room. :-/ Maybe tomorrow I will wash some clothes before the birthday party one of the girls on the program is having tomorrow at an E. Wedel Chocolate Lounge:
http://www.wedelpijalnie.pl/english/our_lounges/warszawa_-_staroswiecki_sklep/226

Another Warsawian restaurant to maybe check out when I want Middle Eastern:
http://fenicja.com/
I found a leaflet for it when I was waiting in the main building of SGH yesterday.

http://www.abeautifulrevolution.com/blog/2011/02/dear-depressed-friend.html

This comic made me laugh-in-my-head (it is more of a rarity when I actually LOL). Yoga and walking are what I have been doing here because I have not had a chance to look into fitness or sporting facilities offered in my dorm and at the academic buildings. I may check out the pool sometime, but I don't think I will spend money on a yoga class this semester since Tara Stiles has great ones online (http://www.youtube.com/user/TaraStilesYoga), as do other instructors on YouTube and other health websites.

Some important poses:

Plank

Up Dog

Spinal Twist

Chair

Class? Work? Uhh...

http://ciee.org/

So, according to my class schedule, I should have four classes on Tuesdays. The first (history) does not begin until March. When this class would have been, I took advantage of relaxing and napping a bit before putting away my clean clothes - they were a bit wrinkly and some did not dry all too well, but it all turned out okay. :-P The second class (politics) was interesting today - talking about European politics during World War II - and I found out that the class schedule has been updated again, favorably for me. :) I have Fridays off! And the rest of the week does not look too bad.

I am here mainly to learn about Poland, so I am focusing on Polish-related courses in history, language, politics, culture, society, and literature, in addition to traveling or exploring Warsaw and other parts of Poland (and maybe Europe as well, but Polska is more important since I know I will see some cities outside Poland towards the end of my time abroad). I have heard a lot of difficulties from other CIEE students about going to classes at SGH/Warsaw School of Economics; one girl mentioned going to a class that turned out to be in Polish; my roommate went to one class that was cancelled - at least for today - and another that no longer exists. I have heard about several people being interested in a class that is also not going to be held. It is strange how much the schedule changes for courses even after the semester begins. I am glad that I do not have these struggles because I was more committed to CIEE classes than looking at too many SGH options. It also makes my schedule a bit more flexible to work with and using classes that I am interested in (so far at least). It is still awkward for all of us how little "work" we have done; friends in the States are already pretty far into the semester, while some of my group are still figuring out classes to take and schedules. I am pretty certain about those classes I have chosen and they were pre-approved, so I also do not have the issue of having to contact deans and teachers about making sure SGH classes will count (I did a pre-registration type form and checked with study abroad and other teachers before leaving Fairfield). But still, only three of my classes have actually started; Polish has given some work, whereas the other two have given a little reading since they began last week (only Polish began fairly soon after arrival). One of my classes - a Polish literature one - somehow did not happen. I was waiting with other students from my program by the assigned room this afternoon and the professor never came. He said we would begin this week (after Valentine's Day) rather than last week, but maybe he went to the wrong room/building? Or maybe something came up? Or he simply forgot? Maybe we will find out later and I will still wait again next time the class is scheduled and maybe he will show then. We even had an issue about room assignment yesterday when my Polish class was moved to our program director's office after our scheduled classroom turned out to be having another class in it.

When I was in the kitchen today using the microwave, a guy there waiting to use it after I finished spoke to me in Polish and I had to say I do not speak that well and he asked what language I do speak, so we spoke in English after I told him that would work better. He asked where I was from and how long I was here and we both said we are half-Polish; he said he spoke Polish to me because I looked Polish - I had heard a few days before from a Polish-American student on my program that I do not look that Polish, so I guess it depends on the viewer or maybe the lighting/angle. :-P

Since Polish was cancelled tomorrow, I have the day off. :-D Some people went out tonight, but I am going to stay in to read, to do yoga (Tara Stiles on Youtube!), and to possibly go to bed at a reasonable hour. I need a shower and whatnot anyway. :-P As mid-week approaches, I am uncertain about weekend plans as of yet. Hopefully the weather will be nice. It has been sunny the past few days, but really quite cold (especially at night and when windy) - I try to stick to the sunny parts of the street when I can.

Commit Yourself!

My O Favorite Things List Part 1 of ?

Brown paper packages tied up with string...

1. MENCHIE'S - Thank you, whoever you are, for self-serve frozen yogurt. And the guy who decided to put out little cups for flavor-trying? Genius. Learn from this, Yogurtland.

menchies.com

2. One of my vegan gurus: http://ohsheglows.com/ 

3. No words for this one. Are those painted on? Wow. I bought a pair after hearing he's a fan. Thanks, Coco.

4. Best PB so far.

5. Unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze. Beats milk any day.

6. Call 'em sweet potatoes or yams: I could eat 'em ALL DAY. I need to thank the guy who told my sister and me about baking them in the microwave. That was a memorable trip to Wegmans.

7. My slipper boots from Target. :)

Bootie-Slippers

8. Strala Yoga. Here's one of Tara's videos:

She has a lot available on YouTube to enjoy, depending on what you're interested in, such as stretching, increasing energy, or toning.

To be continued next time I am "wasting time"... ;)