Wisla

Wisla, pronounced veeswah, was our destination this weekend. Last thursday was Mother's Day here. It was also some religious holiday. So basically everybody was off for this four day weekend. We went to Wisla.
Wisla is this little (pop.11000) town on the Vistula River not too far from the Slavakia border. It's beautiful. It is also the home of Adam Milosc the Polish Olympic ski jumper. And It is where Olympic athletes train. There are some pictures posted. There were crafts and desserts and food and frivolity in abundunce. I'm tired of pork. There's little beef over here. I didn't eat pork at home, and now that's basically the only meat. Thank god for bread. Don't get me wrong it's good. But just too much of it. No variety.
We went to the top of the main skiing mountain in town. They had this luge thing that was over 710 m long. You reached speeds in the 30's. Yeah. It was freaking awesome. The veiw was beautiful. Ray, ya know how we called Vern crazy when she said they had buffalo? Yeah. I saw 'em. She's not crazy. They got 'em. My camera wasn't workin tho so I couldn't get a pic. I know!!! I'll show all the pics and stuff when I get back. I gotta have something to show ya then! They also had a car show one day. So of course I got pictures for Grampa.

The river was freezing by the way!!! Like I thought my toes were going to fall off.

I also have a picture of me and Vern and the mountain in the background is Slavakia. Yeah it's kinda cool. Well, I think that's it. For now. Keep reading for more of my adventures.

My ass after I fell in the river

Me after I fell in the river!!!

Wisla

This is part of the Wistula River. More specifically the part where I fell in. Yes I'm coming to the conclusion that I should just stay away from rivers. No I didn't fall in trying to take this pic. I mae it all damn day walking up and down the river with out falling in. But I went to wash my feet off before we left and of course that's when I decided I needed to get wet.

The Wistula River.

Before I fell in the river!!! 

and again, Grampa 

Gramp's 

For Grampa 

Humf

So I'm sitting in Vern's apartment again. Being bored. Again. I'm starting to realize that 3 months is a really long break. Right now, I'm the only one here on break. So it's really boring. Sure we go to a couple parties on the weekends, but awoohoo. Yes I know I'm in Europe what's not cool about that? It's cool and all, but I don't know. Vern is still apprehensive about showing me where the train station is. Plus she's told me horror stories about taking trains. I'm sure what she has said really did happen, but for some reason I want to chalk a lot of it up to mean world syndrome. You know. People see something on TV and wont go to a mall or something because the world is a dangerous place and an old lady got mugged in Milwaukee last week. But then I'm not from around here and can't just take what she says with a grain of salt. I gotta listen a little bit. For example, she's said people(workers also) will put like sleeping gas in your car and make you sleep then rob you. Which isn't good. But I'm just wondering if that's something that happened a couple times on a certain line or what. I know I would be an easy target. or so they think. But the extremely naive or hopeful part of me just wants to think that everything is roses and rainbows. Who am I kidding? When do I think things are roses and rainbows? Maybe next week I'll make it to the train station. This weekend I am supposed to go to the Carpathian Mtns. It's like a 4 day weekend thing. Everything closes down for some church holiday tomorrow. I have to go to church tomorrow morning at 8. Catholic church in a different language at 8 in the morning. I don't mind church, or catholic church but at 8 and in a different language. I can't follow that. I'm just gonna fall asleep. I know it. And that's not cool.

Last night we went to this club that Vern normally goes to. I've shown pictures of us there. But last night was karaoke. That's right. That had american songs too. They loved me. I can rap. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I didn't pick em. But the song would come on and I would hear them say something like Now how bout the american girl? ok. Cause I can rap. But that's just it. English isn't there native language so it sounded like I was friggin awesome. The better or sad part was that there were only like 15 people including the employees in the whole place. It was different.

I'm finding out that all boys are the same. They all have lines hat they think are the shit and will work. When someone uses a line I can't help but laugh. I know it's mean to laugh, but i can't help it. I'm not nessecarily laughing at that person, per say. It's just so funny what these guys think of American girls. Like one clever line and you're in. Remember we're all crazy sex kittens. lol. The thing is none of these guys are that cute. They are very forward but not cute. I just can't let the sex kitten in me play when I'm working with that. I can't do it. I laugh to much.

Well, I guess I'm done for now.
Muah

Big News

Ok. I know I shouldn't be writing this. It's kinda mean and all. But what can ya do?

It's for sure. I'm am going to Amsterdam. I'm going to England(London or Liverpool). I'm going on a cruise to Sweden. I'm going to Greece(Athens and Leptokaria). I'm going thru the Czech Republic this weekend. I'm going to have so much fun!!!!! Sorry I had to share. It's just too great!!!!

Melancholy yet apathetic

Today I went to Oswiecim. Or in your native tongue, Auschwitz.

That's all I can really say. I don't know how I felt. Maybe I was numb from always learning about it that it's kinda become no biggie. Or maybe I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I just couldn't pick one to concentrate on so I looked kinda unconcerned. It was weird being there. Being in the actual place where the most heinous of the Nazi crimes were performed. There were so many rooms that where open to the public with out glass barriers. and so many preserved rooms with the original locks on them that you're not quite sure whether or not the door has been opened within the last 60 years. There was one building that was set up as a memorial to the Hungarians who were sent to Auschwitz. It was scary. I was scared going in. It was dark all doors were locked like I mentioned earlier. It was one long narrow hallway leading to a screen that was playing film of prisoners in the camp. When you reached the screen the only place to go was up this darkened stairwell. When you got to the top you entered you entered a massive room that reminded me of the Holocaust museum in DC. It was very modern. If you followed the path, you walked on glass that was on top of actual railroad used to carry people here. While walking on either side of you was etched glass resembling box cars.
We spent a lot of time just walking the grounds, which where absolutely beautiful. It's hard to believe that life was so sparse when you look at the place now. We kinda tagged on to an English speaking group at the beginning but for the most part went at our own pace. They were kinda making me mad. I would try to get a picture and someone would push me or get in the way. But in this group was an older lady who had trouble walking. I was listening to her and the guide talk and realized that she was a survivor of the camp. It was her first time back to Auschwitz since her liberation. I didn't get so mad any more when the other people in the group pushed me after that. That and we went our seperate ways.

After Oswiecim, went went to Wadowice. For those who hve been living under a rock for the last month and a half, that is the home of the late Pope. It's a beautiful little town. the cathedral was small but magnificent. Gorgeous. Opulant. I bought a rosary, and I'm not catholic. That morning there were children who had just recieved their first communion. Again it was beautiful seeing the all the kids in white run out of the cathedral. It was almost straight out of a movie.

I think it's time for a nap now. It's been a long day already. Muah!

The Brew Crew. Dancing and boozin it up.  

Chad trying to dance....to techno!!!! 

Eh.....

I figured I oughta write something today. I hadn't written in a couple of days so....
Chad and one of his friends from this trip are coming to visit today. Bogdan, Vern's dad, called the restaurant he owns and preordered a traditional southern Polish feast. So tonight I will truely get Polish food. Right now, I'm cooking tuna cassorole for them.
These people re very hospitable. So accomadating. For instance, Bogdan bought me a cell phone so I'm always connected to one of them. Then, I had been wearing flops a lot. It's kinda chilly here but not too bad were I owuldn't were flops right. Today while we were grocery shopping Vern and Bogdan took me to the shoe store cause I needed shoes. I can't protest. I've tried. They get offended. I'm not used to this. Or holding doors open for me. Damian is always holding doors or taking a bag from me. OK it was nice with my suitcase. But just a grocery bag. I'm just not used to it. Don't know if I could even get used to it. I'm way too independant.
So I'm wanting to find the train station and while Vern's at school and working and such, I can just hop on a train to wherever it's going that day and spend the day or so exploring. Vern doesn't like this idea. Cause I don't speak Polish. But I'm learning some, and I'm an injun scout. Besides, that's my kind of style. Pack my backpack and just go.

Mom and Dad

Please tell Aunt Glenda and Uncle Jim that Chad's alive and well. He's here hanging with us. Boozing it up and dancin (kinda) to techno!!!!!
Muah

Today

Today I went to school with Verno and Damian. They still aren't out yet. But they will be soon. It's so different. In the States, anyone can sit in on a class right? Here that's not exactly the case. Vern and Damian had to ask if it was ok if I stayed with them. In at least one class. The other they didn't care about so they didn't care to ask te teacher if it was ok. I just stayed there. It's a lot like high school tho. The schedule is the same as ours. You're not stuck in the same building from 8 til 3. But the building itself was not like a college campus. It was one building. It seemed completely different for some reason. In their English class, the subject was genetically engineered food. The teacher kept asking me all kinds of questions. It didn't bother me too much. The biggest problem Vern's classmates have is courage to speak. You can tell they know it, just are afraid of their pronunciation and the like. After a while the teach just tolf the students to ask me questions. The one question I was kinda expecting was asked. Except he didn't ask in English. He asked in Polish and Vern and Damian translated. The question was "Are events like prom true to the movie American Pie? Is prom really like that?" I expected that question at some time during my trip. I said my school was not like that entirely. Some places are like that, some are not.

Ok Ray this one is for you. One of Vern's friends at school asked me if I had heard of this movie. What movie? Brain Donors!!!!!! Of all the movies ever made in America, I was asked about Brain Donors!!!!!!! I said of sourse I do. My cousin was in that movie. He was the dancer. He said Ballet? I said yes. I couldn't believe it.

One thing I've noticed. There are no clocks. Everyone has a watch. But there is only like one clock in the whole apartment. One in her parent's apartment. There aren't any in the businesses. They are busy people but have very few clocks. I'm always wondering what time it is.

Well, I think that's all for now.
Muah
Czesc

Sunday

Last night we stayed in and watched Mean Girls. Verno hadn't seen it and she didn't really feel like going out. So now I'm getting used to the time difference. We were going out partying and I was wide awake cause of the time difference made it like Happy Hour rather than 4 in the morning which is what it was here. Today I woke up about 7 am here.

I finished Catcher in the Rye. It's really an odd book. The whole time I was thinking "I don't know why this is an American classic." It's written like something I would write. There are so many digressions. It was so simply written that it was confusing. That's what made it great. I felt the confusion that the main character was feeling. It was making me depressed. But I had to finish it. So I did. Again it was like I wrote it. It didn't seem resolved at all. But there was an unusual sense of hope. It's one I want to read again to see if I can make sense of it, but I don't want to feel the way it made me feel again.

Today Verno and I went to her parents' house for lunch/dinner. It was very good. I'm liking Polish food. Like their beer, it has no preservatives. Everything is freshly prepared. Even juices that are bottled don't have preservatives. It's not as sweet as our juice. I like it so much more. There are so many different kinds of sausages, and it's a breakfast meat. There bread isn't sliced. I know. That's the only down side. And the milk. I haven't had a glass of milk since I got here but have had a lot of water.

Today was odpust. Odpust is Pentacost. There was a market of sorts with all kinds of toys and candies and jewelry. Cheap too!!! And Firecrackers. Not the showing colorful kind. The noise making kind. Black Cats were the most popular but there were these ones that sounded like a cannon was being fired. It was loud and scared me every time.

I think that's all for now. Damian just showed up so I gotta go.
Muah

Squares

These pics were taken at Squares. Vern, my sis, and her posse knows everyone that works there. She and her posse never have to pay to get in and always have the VIP table reserved for them. It was frickin cool. They also had their own spot where they danced. No body messed with their spots. These are pics of her and her posse.

three sexy bitches 

Vercia moja, Verno, vern, Veronika, My sis 

Gabby and Farmer 

Bartek, Wanda, and Verno 

Arik and Wanda 

Damian 

Wanda 

ola 

I made it!

I'm here in Poland. I made it safe and sound. I was so stressed on my plane ride from OKC to Chi-town, but once I got to terminal 5 for my international flight everything was fine. I had absolutely no stress. I wasn't worried about anything. I was on a 747 from Chicago to Warszawa. There were like 8 seats in "first class." Then normal coach and the second cabin. If anybody's ever played commercial crazies you remember the commercial with the illegals and goats and chickens behind the curtain, that's where I was. There was an in flight movie but my cabin didn't get to watch it. We had a screen and the LCD projector worked but we didn't get a movie. O well I'm halfway thru Catcher in the Rye. It's ok. I know it's great american literature and that's why I bought it but it's not holding my attention. Jake, if you haven't read it , you will like it. I'm sure I will like Emma better.
Customs in Warszawa was a breeze. I just had to show my passport and my tickets and I was good. I probably missed a step somewhere and am visiting illegally. O well. I got my bag and went thru the doors and didn't see Verno. So I kept walking and then I saw her and Damian. Damian is frickin tall. Verno wasn't lyin when she said there were tall people in Poland. She really the only short one. I felt short. We went to her flat to put my stuff up and get the presents for her family out and stuff. We stopped by the bowling alley to see her dad he had a tournament and couldn't eat dinner with us. The first english I heard besides talking to veronika was clear as glass "Fuck you." Bogdan's friend Martin told another friend as he was getting up to bowl. A lot of people know english but are afraid to speak it. Then we went and had dinner with her mom and sister. Her mom is a mom. Always saying eat eat take this food with you. Her english was very good. Everyone understands what I say ( if I don't use slang terms) and I'm understanding a little bit of what they say but only in context. I will hear a word or two that I know and can piece together what think they are saying. Verno will translate and I'm not too far off. After dinner we went back to her flat and got ready. For being on a plane and in airports for about 16 hours total, I wasn't tired. I am still on Oklahoma time. I slept til 1 pm today which is 5 am there. I'm trying to get my clock set, but Verno has me partying til 4:30 in the morning here 8pm there. There's a bit of difference in the time. I gotta get used to it. Her friend Bartek came over and went with us. We went to get Damian and Farmer. Farmer's name is Lucas or something like it. But they call him Farmer cause he's chunky. He's not chunky. So we went into Katowice and were going to go to this disco called Scandel. It's next to the SEXX Shop. But it was closed. So we went to another one. Downstairs was the techno. It cracked me up. Right now the really big music is a bunch of 80's pop that's been mixed into techno. The FlashDance song was teched out. I couldn't dance. I don't know how to dance to techno anyway, but I was just laughing so hard. Everyone went crazy over the song like it was the next big thing. Upstairs, where we stayed most of the time, was hip hop and stuff I knew. Older stuff tho. They love Michael Jackson. Billie Jean, Beat It, and one more but I forget were all played. There were some Polish songs that I knew cause of Verno all her friends were impressed when I sang along. I don't know what I was singing.
Right now Verno has students and I'm playing on the computer. Some are actually speaking english; it's fun. These girls right now are 8 or so. So cute.

Well I can't talk anymore right now. I'm helping talk english with them. I will write more as the summer progresses.

I leave tomorrow!

Well I leave for Poland in 25 hours. I'm done packing completely. I've put everything into one bag, one backpack, and my purse. Everything! I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say here. I know I said I'd write something deep before I left, but I'm not in a deep thinkin kind of mood. But I'll try.

First I am an organ donor. Yep, too lighthearted to write anything deep. Um. I know I keep saying I might not come back and it sounds rather sarcastic and flighty every time. However, it's on my Big To Do list. I want to live in Europe for at least a year. I'd like to live in the Phillipines, Africa each for a year. Just working, living. I'd also one day like to run the family farm. I've looked into ag stuff at school. I know me but there something about farmin your own land. I have this opportunity to cross off one of my Big To Do's. Why wouldn't I want to take advantage of that? For so long I was just stagnant and waiting for something, anything to happen. Then I decided I had to take this trip this summer. It gave me something to look forward to. I'm still looking forward.

Mom, I know we've already passed Mom's Day but I want to tell you again how much I love and appriciate you. Your strength gives me strength.

Dad, I know you worry about me and and it's always genuine worry and never superficial. I love you too. I'll take care of myself. Besides didn't ou always think that Bogdan was in the Polish mafia. I think I'll be protected. I'm always your little girl.

Cole, I almost wish you were going with me. Almost. I want you to have this experience also. Someday you will. Take care this summer. Don't worry about where you're headed or where ya been. Don't worry about money, but budget accordingly. Above all, have fun. You only get one chance at life.

Everyone else: I'm sure there will be things along the way that will make me think of each of you at different points in my journey. Just know you're not forgotten. I'll try to keep this thing fairly up to date and put some pictures up also. Keep checkin in. Sorry for boring all of you with the only topic I could think or talk about for the last 2 months.

Love ya all
Muah
Elyse

4 Days

Well, today was my last day at work. Thank God. I've been in total slackerdom since I booked this trip. My peeps got me a discman thing as a going away present. It was nice. Almost made me cry. But then I'm not a crier. I can't believe I only have four days. I started packing on my day off last week and realized I'm going to have to repack so that's what I'm doing in the next couple of days, organizing making lists, checking it all off, packing and repacking again. I dropped a pair of shoes off at the cobbler and they won't be ready until Wed. luckily quite a few hours before I leave so I can pack 'em.

Well, I can't think of anything else to write. That and my back hurts.
I'll try to write something more deep before I leave.

8 Days!!!

BOYS ARE STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!