At Training Facility
general
Settling In
We’ve done two school visits this week and it has me really wanting to teach. It’s in my blood – a sort of addiction, I guess. I’m eager to get to my site. However, I don’t feel comfortable enough with Polish yet to be cast into Polish society without American contacts. Of course, we’ll have tutors which will help a great deal. (I heard today than in the near future we’ll be getting Polish grammar books – are they teasing us? I hope not.)
It’s amazing how one day can be so awful – like yesterday – then all of a sudden, out of the blue, one has the best day in recent memory. This evening has been just amazing . . .
First of all, dinner was incredible. We had a completely ryby based meal. The main course was a rice-fish-pickle dish that was outstanding. Also we had fish patee and a bit of fried fish. It was incredibly good! Not only that, but I had a limited conversation with Teresa in Polish. It was so exciting to hear the dish described in Polish and understand what was in it.,
After dinner Piotr and I cleaned up and had a grand time. We carried on wonderfully. Afterwards we went into the living room and talk turned to the motivations of US foreign policy. It was an intriguing conversation . . .
It’s so interesting to hear a central-European on US policy. Piotr is of the opinion that everything the US government does is motivated by political and (more often) fiscal interests. Even the Peace Corps is a political move. Of course he is right – the US government does nothing for philanthropic (sp?) reasons. Still, it’s almost difficult to hear from a non-American. I wanted to agree with him and yet I also tried to defend the US (if that is possible). Still, how does one explain why his government pays farmers not to produce a certain amount of wheat (so that the international price will remain high) when there are billions of children around the world who are starving to death? It’s impossible – one merely has to admit that his government is wrong . . . in a major way.
One last comment: learning Polish is becoming vastly more rewarding. It is incredible to realize that I am using a language more and more that only a matter of weeks ago I knew next to nothing about. It is so vastly (and wonderfully) different from learning a language in a classroom in the States. Here I don’t pretend to buy a beer for practice; I do it in reality. I don’t practice buying a bus ticket; I actually do it. I’m not just learning to speak Polish; I’m learning to live it. And it’s vastly different.
Another storm is rolling in – the third in as many weeks. The weather here is so very strange.
Today we got our medical kits, including X condoms. It’s amazing how it has been assumed from day one that we will be having sex while in the Peace Corps. Americans (people in general?) seem now to view sex as a right.
Church and State
Yesterday they had the presidential elections in Russia. In Poland that is easily and obviously an issue of great concern. Many Poles feel that the only reason Russia doesn’t control Poland now is a matter of strength. This uneasy fear is echoed in my host brother’s casual comments about Russia when he refers to it as “Big Brother.” Many feel that a win by Zyuganov will mean an inevitable contention with Russia. The international edition [of Newsweek] expressed it most succinctly: “Red Alert” the cover reads, and many (if not all, even the youngest) Poles are turning their attention once again eastward with anxious eyes.
One interesting thing about Poland ten years ago was the role of the church. It played a part much like the church in Latin America. I’m not sure I would say that there was (or is) a sort of liberation theology – I don’t know the nature of the sermons at that point (or this point). Yet, without regarding the message in the church, the connection is obvious when one considers the political nature of the social forum provided by the Polish church of the 80’s. People talked at church about social ills and how they might be corrected. They discussed various methods of dealing with a corrupt and oppressive government. They did not go there to socialize or to see and be seen – they went there to plan action, and to monitor previous courses of action. I would like to find out what kind of sermons were being preached; what role did the church officially take?
It seems that in America only the church has taken on such a passive role. Yet with all the pro-life demonstrations and [the] various religious political action committees, that trend is in the process of changing. All the same Americans have generally not had any oppression to react against. The obvious exception is where the church in America has been most active: MLK was after all a preacher first and a political activist second – at least initially.
Today we observed an English [class] in a Polish liceum; tomorrow or Wednesday we might have to teach. This is particularly difficult to prepare for. We know nothing about the [students] we are suppose to teach (including [their] level). It is next to impossible to prepare for this lesson, if not completely impossible.
Culture Shock?
I woke up this morning with thoughts of home haunting my first conscious moments. Just as happened last Saturday, I thought of what I would be doing if I was back at home. It was nothing too overwhelming; it was just a little pang that deepened somewhat when I realized it would be two years before I could do that again. All of a sudden two years seemed like a desperately long time. I look forward to these years (I think – I hope), but in some ways I'm already longing to return. It's that same comfortable ease that I miss. I have to work at almost everything here. I decided not to do much of anything this weekend just because of the difficulty involved. Once again it's simply a question of language.
It already feels like I've been here for months and it has only been two weeks since I left. When the culture shock hits full-force in three or four months it will feel like it's been years since I was in the States. It will be years until I return and it's such a frightening prospect. I dread the long, dark winter and the total isolation from all that I know. Talk about culture shock.
Host Family
I haven't written about my host family very much, but I am eager to do so. In short, they are wonderful and we get along incredibly [well]. I finally learned my host mother's name (Teresa) the other day and I think we get along better and better every day. We communicate a bit in Polish, a bit in English, and [with] a lot of signs and patience. She has begun helping me every evening with my Polish homework – she does it very eagerly!
Piotr and I get along better and better too. We have a lot of laughs together and our communication is improving.
One amusing thing that is becoming a regular occurrence in the house is that Piotr talks to his mother in English, saying things that are playfully and lovingly insulting (seems an impossible combination of words). Tonight, for instance, he was carrying on with her about tea. "Can't you understand that when I create something, when I make something which is entirely new, I want to enjoy it!?" It's much like I carry on with my own mother, except I do it in her mother tongue.
Getting along so well with my host family really helps to make this a more livable (even enjoyable) experience. Their generosity and flexibility has made my transition into Polish culture much more relaxing. Tonight I thought to myself, "I am living in Poland – and having the time of my life." (I write that because I've ceased thinking "I'm in Poland" and begun realizing "I'm living in Poland." It caused me a bit of stress initially, but for now I like the thought of it.)
Spit
I’ve been working with my host mother on the basic Polish sounds and I have hit a real break through in [the] pronunciation of sz and rz. It’s great! Earlier in the evening I was trying to pronounce one of the many “sh” sounds and after several failures I finally threw out a last attempt accompanied by a significant amount of spittle, and she cried “Tak!” with great delight.
I am really finding my place in my host family and I feel quite comfortable here. We joke with one another and seem to enjoy each other’s company.
Parties and Neighbors
I’ve spent a good bit of the day watching Polish television – it’s interesting, to say the least. They have a version of Jeopardy called VaBanque or something like that. I watched “Beverly Hills 90120” with Polish dubbing. But the most entertaining was the Polish Donald Duck and Chip and Dale. It was interesting, to say the least – again. (Why the repetition?)
Yesterday several of us went to a chamber concert (string quartet) which was wonderful, though the building was a little too warm. They warmth mixed most effectively with the relaxing quality of the music and that made it very difficult to stay awake.
I’m not sure what it is, but lately it has been difficult to stay awake. No matter how much sleep I get, I am still always right at the point of falling asleep. I thought it was the decongestant, but it must be something more because I’m tired even when I haven’t taken any medicine.
A few words about Poles and their relationships with neighbors: They seem extraordinarily tolerant of each other. Last night there was an extremely loud party in the neighborhood. Music blared until seven this morning. When Piotr mentioned it this morning, he just laughed it off. “It was a wedding party,” he explained. On Friday night Justina said that the neighbors would not complain about the volume of the music because they would not want a feud.
Polish Reality
There's something interesting about many of the English-speaking nationals (HCNs!) – quite a few of them were taught English by British native speakers. The resulting accent is very charming and has a pleasant bounce to it.
I finally tried my power converters with my CD player – it's a good thing I bought my own because the one Mark gave me doesn't cut the voltage down enough. I'll be able to use it with my computer, though – at least in theory. For a while, it didn't look as if either of them was going to work and it left me with quite a helpless feeling. I guess I might be able to get one in Warsaw, maybe. At any rate, the problem is solved for the moment.
I guess I need to do some studying now. I might get Piotr and/or his mother to help me out. I think soon, as I learn more Polish I will get Piotr to stop talking to me in English primarily. Otherwise, I'll never learn Polish.
Unknown Corpus Christi
I am waiting for the bus, sitting in front of a church. I went in for a moment, but decided I should probably leave — I didn’t cross myself with holy water (It appears to be stagnant water with a greasy film.) and I was getting a few looks (though there were several others who did not cross themselves either). Suddenly the bells began ringing and eventually I caught sight of a procession coming around from behind the church. Choir boys were dinging small bells and behind them was a procession of relics. A little behind that was the priest, walking under a canopy supported by six men, preceded by a young priest waving an incense burner. The head priest was holding a staff with a gold sun in front of his face — he was led by the arms, for he certainly couldn’t see where he was going. Behind the priest was a group of loosely organized lay-persons, singing a capella. The woman beside me knelt as the group went by. A strange thing, this Christianity.
Lost in Radom
I got lost today for the first time! It took me two hours to get from downtown Radom to the house. I kept wandering around, looking for a 24 stop, but none was to be found. It was frustrating, to say the least. I finally asked two police officers – they were little or no help. I finally determined that the #15 could, in theory, take me back. The driver was a great help when I asked him for help.
When I finally got home I was very relieved but really wanted to talk to someone close to me. Then I was talking to Piotr about tomorrow and he told me that bus 24 will not be running (It’s Corpus Christi) and I thought, “Great – more adventures on the bus!”
Other than getting lost I had a great time this afternoon. Five of us spent the day exploring Radom. It was great fun, and I feel I am making great friends.
I’m feeling better and better about my Polish everyday as I learn a couple of things here and there (tu and tam).
We’ve only been here two whole days now and already it feels like a week. I guess it’s because we’re so busy and there’s so much to take in.
Today was a beautifully bright and sunny day – such a contrast with yesterday when it was cold and windy. I took my North Face shell just in case but didn’t need it at all, so I just lugged it all over the place. Of course it is so very heavy . . .
I stay so very tired – of course walking all over Radom today did wonders for my alertness. Still, without all that walking I am sure I would still be so very tired. I am wondering if it’s still just jet-lag. I should be sued to the time by now, but perhaps I’m not.
I am going to sleep now . . .