English?

This week has been tame. Monday night was so tame, in fact, that it almost reminded me of home. Aydan, Jackie and I spent the evening avoiding this Polish boy who always wants to hang out with us. Then we bought beer and giggled all night. Tuesday was a welcome party for the new interns at this place called Chill Out Club. I guided the new interns there myself. I looked at a guide book, then a map, and we made it there withou any uneccessary detours. I am the queen of this city. So I took the kids to their party and just wasn't feeling it so I went home to eat ramen and check my e-mail. So life goes. It's amazing isn't it?

While at the party, the other interns signed up for a camping trip to Slovakia this weekend. I missed out on the sign-up session, but I've decided to go to Krakow this weekend without them. So there. I'm going to get a train after work tomorrow.


Speaking of work, we're finally going to start teaching English on Monday. Finally. But . . . who am I to teach English, I just speak the the stupid language. So last night I conceded to a dinner date with our awkward Polish friend and his English teacher. His English teacher, Bill, is from Harrisburg and works in Wroclaw 5 months out of the year. During his time in the US he works on a lot of non-profit projects that sponser Pennsylvania teachers who want to come to Poland to teach English. He's taking two Polish university presidents to Pennsylvania next week and he was asking me for advice about where to take them in Pittsburgh. So here I am, in the middle of a Pizza Hut (Pizza Hut, again!) in Poland giving Bill directions from the PA Turnpike to the Day's Inn on Banksville Rd. How absurd.

After the dinner date, we went for a late night walk through Wroclaw. We accidentally happened upon a free reggae concert. It was happenin' and we danced all night. Reggae is crazy big here. Who would have thought. Reggae and Drum & Bass. Then we walked home in the freezing cold. Freezing cold. It's just been raining and cold here. Gloomy European. I love it.

Finally, today at work, they took us to this conference called "The Economics of Leisure." The mayor of Wroclaw was there, and lots of ambassadors and professors from other countries. The conference (which continues into tomorrow) is about the economic and developmental benefits of leisure activities, specifically the consequences of the World Expo 2012 which will take place in Wroclaw. It was held in the University of Wroclaw, which is a crazy baroque building. We were invited to a catered cocktail reception afterwards and mingled with the US Ambassador to Turkey other important people. Crazy, no?

So that's my world here. This next month is going to fly by. Krakow, English classes, gender studies conference, crazy crazy crazy. And then what? Then Israel? How is this my life?