How I became once more a child

Someone told me many years ago: "Aga please never grow up". It was the time when I was in secondary school (high-school), I was the biggest idealist you could ever seen and I was celebrating my 6th birthday every year, because I didn't want to grow up. In the end of my secondary school I got a diploma with the text "for doing things, which everybody though are impossible". I am still proud of this and it is still hanging on my wall. With the small change I have already grown up.

I was awsome times when everything was possible, everyone loved each other and we had heads full of amazing ideas. We believed in friendship, love, peace, true, ut most important we believed that in the future we would be those happy people we want to be - idealists.

It is right now almost 6 years since I have finished my secondary school. For most of this time I was working, studying, travelling and doing many other things. During this time I just forgot the person I used to be. I am not saying that I changed so much, because I done many this which most probably I would do anyway. Rather I stopped thinking like I used to think.

Well someone might claim that being idealist is stupid, somehow I agree after my own experience. But it was so amazing to met few people who used to be like me few years ago and who shown me how the smallest things can make U so happy.

If u wanna get back to the times when u used to dream, it is a perfect song for u:

How it is just before everything ends...

I should study right now, I have important final on Wednesday, but still I can invest the next 15 minutes to think about coming back home.

Tonight during the dinner, one of my firends said something about the party tonight. Someone mention - yes, we have someting to celebrate; and I realized that today was my last day of classes. It is the end. Just 2 more exams and thats all! I was pritty surprised.

How do I feel? This time is different. From the very beginning I knew that it will be like holidays, that I should not get close to people because I will never see them again (this happen for the first time, because before I always knew I will meet them soon). I have treated this stay as something out of my reality and from the first day I was trying to enjoy everything, not to regret after.

Right now I have 8 days to go. I don't feel it, I am not sad that I am leaving, because I still didn't realized it. Only one thing which proof that soon I am coming back to reality (my life in Poland) is that I started planning. I know when my university is open and when I have to be there, I know when my teachers have office hours and I know when my friends are at home.

I know one thing - I cannot get sentimental! I cannot miss this place and spend to much time on thinking about what I would do if I would be there. Usually I am getting on plane, coming back from somewhere and this is enough to move my experience to the past, not live with the past, move to this what is in the future. Hopefully it will happen as well this time. I don't know... What I know for sure is - I have a lot of things to do in Poland, and still I have to find out what to do with my life:)

Various thoughts from my last days

Honestly I have so many things to write about, so many memories in my head and still so many questions... but I don't have time to do it right now.



Today was my last day of classes and by accident I had my first final. I am leaving US on 18th of December, and this place most probably on 17th... I still have two finals and two papers to write, and a lot of upcoming parties. I have to say goodbye to everyone and I think I just want to enjoy my last day as much as possible not to regret after.

The purpose of this entry is to make a list of all things I want to write after coming back home (less then 10 days!). Here in US i finally learn how to write papers so hopefully right now there will be less stupid gramar mistakes.

So soon I will work on the following topics:

1. Why the small college in Arkansas was awsome
2. How I build the amazing and loving family at Hendrix
3. What happen when someone has birthsday
4. I don't like american movies
5. What does it mean "to become americanized"
6. I still have bad luck while travelling
7. Singing in arabic, on the streets of Chicago and other stuff
8. My awsome teachers - it was really cool
9. How it is to have roomate
10. What I like about America: classic rock (and maybe I will find some other things)
11. History of VZ 101
12. Model UN - one of the best experiences ever
13. Why I love asian people
14. What does it mean: drinking like americans
15. Imagine - there are a lot of dreamers...
16. Studying in US
17. The elections and a bit more about politics
18. "Winter wonderland" - when I was in Christmas mood
19. My dear friends
20. ... and many more

I will have a lot of time to write, because I have no plans for Christmas and New Years Eve, besides meeting with few friends who will stay in Wroclaw for break, I will have nothing to do...

So u r more then welcome to visit my blog around Christmas time


... and this is my new hair cut :)

Summary 1 - Intercultural shock

Everyone has it, that's true, but acctualy it looks different in the theory and in practice.

Theory is simple. everyone has cultural shock when going to leave abroad in different culture, just some people are reacting stronger and the symptoms are more visible.

To understand what is cultural shock u have to know the stages. One of the most popular description I have found on wikipedia:

* Honeymoon Phase - During this period the differences between the old and new culture are seen in a romantic light, wonderful and new. For example, in moving to a new country, an individual might love the new foods, the pace of the life, the people's habits, the buildings and so on.
* Negotiation Phase - After some time (usually weeks), differences between the old and new culture become apparent and may create anxiety. One may long for food the way it is prepared in one's native country, may find the pace of life too fast or slow, may find the people's habits annoying, etc. This phase is often marked by mood swings caused by minor issues or without apparent reason. Depression is not uncommon.
* Adjustment Phase - Again, after some time (usually 6 - 12 months), one grows accustomed to the new culture and develops routines. One knows what to expect in most situations and the host country no longer feels all that new. One becomes concerned with basic living again, and things become more "normal".
* Reverse Culture Shock (a.k.a. Re-entry Shock) - Returning to one's home culture after growing accustomed to a new one can produce the same effects as described above, which an affected person often finds more surprising and difficult to deal with as the original culture shock.

Symptoms of culture shock include:

* Homesickness
* Boredom
* Withdrawal
* Excessive sleep
* Compulsive eating/drinking
* Irritability
* Stereotyping host nationals
* Hostility towards host nationals


In practice - you can not say if u have depression caused by cultural shock or not. I had this kind of feelings that once was better and once was worse. Sometimes I just wanted to sit in my room and do nothing and I was forcing myself to go out and find people and not sit alone. I was complaining as well, mostly on food. I was walking through cafeteria to find something tasty and I couldn't. I couldn't understand why everything has to be sweet, or fat, or just without any taste. I was bored as well. What I din't observe in my case but I have observed on the example of other international students - I didn't complain that much. I was not annoyed "how americans are", "how americans party" and so one.

When I wrote, that it is hard to say if depression some people have is caused by intercultural shock or not, becuase there are some other important factors when u r moving abroad. Sometimes you might be just tired, somethimes you can feel lonely, sad about things happening in the place u r living now. If you want to fight with the symptoms of cultural shock the worse thing u can do is to excuse your behaviour that everything is caused by cultural shock and do nothing.

Time to start summary

hmmmm, I haven't wrote for a while, but I think it is becuase those last few month were very intense in some way. I hava a bit more then one month to stay in US, and just few days to really enjoy life at Hendrix.

I have just 10 days before I will go for my thanksgiving break and conference, so during this time I will be separated from the life here, then there is one more week of classes and finals so I guess that people will be much more stressed about their grades and they will not likely party so much. So I have 10 days...

Therefore I decided to start sum up what happened here and as well use those days to enjoy my time as much as possible...

Finally some travels plans

OK I spend already one month in the some place, of course it happened before and I am enjoying it all the time even more, but it is time to travel:) finally, yupi!

OK I have 3 places on my list:

1. Vancouver and Seattle

This trip is planned for fall break so we will start at 6am from Little Rock and get to Seattle, then we will spend few days in Seattle and move to Vancouver. I still have some concerns if I will get in to Canada (where Vancouver is) because theoreticaly since 1 of March 2008 I don't need vida to Canada, but I need to have machinally readable passport and I have no idea what is that! Most probleby I have it and it will be OK:)

So Vancouver - I have heared a lot about this city, that it is nice and so one, I sill have to check what can we do there but till now looks great.

What was stressfull already - it was to buy tickets. We were buying in 3 people and we had to buy one by one. So the first one was girl from France, she manage to get the ticket very cheaply, thenwhen Mexican guy were trying to buy one it was already 3 times more expensive, but somehow on other page he did it, he bought a cheap ticket, but there was nothing left for me. ANd we were looking and looking and trying to find a solution. So the solution is that I am staying one day longer in Seattle :) missing more classes...

2. New Orleans

Being honest it is one of those places I really want to see. I think the reason why is that I am looking for a cities with specific climate, I prefere them even if they are dirty and dangerous then very good developed industrial cities like most probably Vancouver will be.
Plan to go to New Orleans is rather new but i hope I will manage. One week after the fall break there is a misic festival in this city, looks awsome, mostly rock, but as well some blues and jazz and as far as I know only very good bands are going to play, and the biggest star will be REM (I still remember their songs when I was in primary school and we were dancing to this music in the schools discos, I was maybe 10-12 yrs old).

3. Chicago and Washington

This is combine formal and informal trip. At first I am going to Chicago with my University to participate and Model UN conference:) We are going to represent India and simulate the whole conference - I am going to be a delegate to UNEP - United Nations Environmental Programme. And what is freaking me out is that I have to buy suite! Formal something and I have no idea where to find it. And most probably I would have to wear high hills! Can u imagine me on hing-hills? I can't:)

So I am going there with my university and within the group with another international student from Austra. Then after conference finished (and thanks giving starts) there are some other austrians and one french joining us to visit Chicago together, then we are all together moving to Washington.

And thats all... I still haven't seen any of those places so I cannot write more.

cheers
Aga

how fast you can accomodate to the new place

Today it is exacky one month when I am here in USA, studying in one of the colleges here, in the south, in the "natural state", middle of nowhere - Arkansas!

After this month I can say that finally I got used to, i already developed some habits, found friends and everything is already typical. Actually I didn't go through this stage when everything was new, and I wanted to see everything, be everywhere and do as much as possible (I am talking about the stage which is in intercultural shocked theory called honey moon).

So how my typical day look like?

There are few elements which are repeating quite often, and I can call them already habits.

1. Eating in the cafeteria - even before entering cafeteria and seeing what is in todays "menu" I know what I will eat today; depends on the time I have for meal it is either vegetarian meal from "home style buffet" and in addition salad (always the some, just sometimes I am trying to change dressing and after I am saying to myself it was a bad choice). Very important element of spending time in the cafeteria is of course chatting with people. Sometimes it takes us more then one hour just sitting and discussing a day; even with friends we don't have to discuss when we are going to eat, without asking I know they will be there at 6 pm everyday:D

2. Sitting in front of Burrow - almost after each meal (if we don't have classes just after) once more we are just sitting and chatting with the some people; in the mornings mostly I am reading newspaper there and afternoons we are sitting and reading, sometimes getting crazy and doing stupid things like writing on each other bodies and so...

3. Going to WAC - this is sport center where I am trying to go as much as possible. When I have a classes, it is always the some water aerobic, and then in the evening just to have a break we are going tot he gym, and once more always the some - firstly 20 minutes on bicyckle then some exercices on my belly and hands. It takes almost one hour :)

4. Libery - I really like this place, so quite and peaceful, I have already found the place where I am usually sitting, next to the window on the small couches in the very and, totally hidden.

5. VZ 101 the meeting place - I am praud that my room became kind of meeting place where we usually have parties or just meeting and talking. I have a small firdge when almost always you can find cold beer (and for US conditions even good). I have a radio which have possibility to connect it with ipod so we have nice music as well and a lot of space just perfect to have fun and chill out a bit.

And thats all - there are different people mailing me and asking whats new, how I am doing ect. I can already say nothing, it is not that fascinating that most people imagine, but it is nice to stay finally in one place and just live a simple life.

thats all - maybe only one more message to you: don't be afraid to move to some other place, it is not that bad, don't expect that living in other place will be like holidays, no it will quickly become "normal" but in a very positive sense

The role of possession

Since some time I am asking myself if it is really important what kind of car I drive, where I am buying my cloths, what type of mobile I have? Is it really like this that our social status is based on this? Are the material objects more important then feelings, moments, friends ect...

For me it is obvious that no! In my opinion it is important who this person is not what s/he has! I can buy stuff in second hands, take the bus or sometimes bike to go to my job, sleep somewhere on the floor instead of going to expensive hotel. That is for me "normal" - somehow some might say that this is kind of fad, style of life which is jazzy, maybe but for me that is normal, that is how I feel, what's more - I found it very negative attitude to think about possession.

What I observed lastly is that in some places (I am thinking here about Ukraine and Arab countries) people are overpaying attention to "possession"; my impression is that they are doing a lot to have as highest social status as possible. Well yes everything is around social status!

Let me give an example: 2 months ago I was sitting in the kitchen of my organization with guy from Latvia and girl from Egypt. Their were talking about their habits. He was explaining why he hitch-hike to Poland, she was asking - but it take so long, why? He was explaining why it is not so good to take shower to often, and she couldn't believe; he was telling about his attitude to consumerism and throwing out things, and she was asking where is the closest H&M store. This situation and many next once showed me how far we are (Europeans and Arabs) in issue of possession.

When I went to Arab countries I had the impression that people are concentrating how they looks like; all the time nice hair, good cloths, no way to go in pyjama to the breakfast! On the streets they were paying so much attention to cars, I cannot believe that someone might want to take the photo with car! And they did and me with them (btw that was cultural shock for me). What surprised me even more, they knew all the models of cars! I could see there also the americanization of way of life. Well, I have found there all types of behaviour which you can find in stupid american movies about teenagers.

I think that the point is what is our perception of social status. I think that who you are in eyes of others is very important. The aim of life is to increase your social status, be someone (read: position and possession = power). And that was the most difficult for me - I had the feeling that people are judging everyone, including me. I was feeling judge for this how I behaive, what I wear, who I am. It was difficult to be judge for 2 weeks, and I cannot imagine what kind of feeling it is to be judge for whole life.


I know that what is cool for me (green life style) for people from Arab countries is socially unacceptable. What is socially expected is to earn money, have a good job, own something (possession). Even I know examples that people who do not possess enough they cannot get married! And here is a gap, and here is I think the reason why the role of possession is so high. Somehow I can understand that, but for me it is not normal.

watch parties - Obama speech

One of the very interesting things which I am all the time in touch with in US are presidencial elections. I like that on my campus they are organizing something calles "watch parties" so meeting where people can watch some interesting events connected with elections and as well discuss it and eat something:)

Last Thuersday we were watching Obama first speech after he was formally choosen for an official candidate for president of United States by Democrats. His speech was very good and a lot of people were aplauzing it all the time during our small party, including the huge ovations in the end.

What he was talking about...

The speech was focused mostly on the domestic policy. There is a big interests in the society in economy and he spend a lot of time on this issue. For me the most controversial was his idea of reducing the taxex for families. In US they have bracket taxes, which according to my ideas is not equal at all. As well everybody knows that if one taxes will be reduced there should e ones which will increase, so why to do it?

It was talking about a lot of social issues like health care for everybody and the easier acces to education. He mentioned that everybody who is serving country or state should have possibility for collage education.

What I have really enjoyed it was his focused on sustainable development, we was talking a lot about new soursec of energy and the need of environmental protection. Afterwords me mentioned about such an issues like reducing poverty and disises and climate change.

Why I think the speech was very good one

Firstly we have to focuse on the aim of this speech, so has to get the votes of around 20% of poeple who are in the center and who are not convinces who to vote. Therefore he had to make his speech more conservative as usually and he did. For example he toucht the topic of gay and lesbians and their rights. He said that maybe there is not yet the time for gey marridges but it is the time to give rights for the partners to visit each other in hospitals or pay taxes together. What might be interpretated as his agreement on formal legalization of partherships. As well he said "we will not agree on abortion but we could agree on reducing a number of unwanted pregnencies".

So here you can see that this difficult topics he addressed to both conservative and liberal voters.

Secondly the aim for sure was to show the difference between him and McCain. What he have done is he address his speech to avarage Americans, via showing that he is one of them. We was speaking a lot abbout his family and his background (he was from devorced family raised just by working mother), which makes him understanding more needs of people. HE said as well that he doesn't have "Washington background", he didn't have any careere there and McCain did have. With this he showed that we want to be a politician who will change the country and not just make a careere in Washington.

He finish his speech with words "Elections are not about me, it's about you" and "change will come to Washington"

Lastly, the speech was not negative, he didn't want to make black campaing. As well is was very gender correct.

What I didn't like

There was once sentecne which made me angry on him. It was: "Keep nuclear weapons out of hends of terrorists". We can ask each other who has nuclear weapons? Just countris like USA, France, Israel, India, Pakistan, North Corea and Iran (and maybe more more which I forgot right now). So telling keep the nuclear weapon out of hends of terrorists is for me statemen that there are some countries which he thinks they are terroristic. Abd abviously even if in some countries terrorists live we can not say that all the people living in the country are terrorists. Because in all those countries I mentioned avarage people wants just peace!

Maybe he said that because Americans expected it. I have no idea if it was with purpose or not. If saying that it was mistake or he wanted to make this statement to fulfil americans needs.

I am looking foreward for McCain speech. I will comment is as well...

cheers
Aga

First weeks in USA

There are already amlost 2 weeks since I came to study in USA. There miht be a problem here to write about different places, where I am travelling because actually I am in the middle of nowhere, where is no public transportation and I have classes everyday, so most probably I wont travel a lot. But... still I can write my about my "Hendrix experience".

Till now I can say that everything looks different. You might say that USA belong to the some civilization as Europe and we are not so different, but living here shows something totally different.

There are a lot of differences, starting from the obvious ones like food, ending on the way of life.

Some things that surprized me:

1. People here can go in pijama to the classes - can you imagine? Well in Europe maybe full make-up is not required but some dress code has to be; is it really so big problem to put jeans and t-shirt in the morning?

2. Still to the dress code - yesterday we had rock concert on our campus, and that I saw: girls wearing very nice dresses and high-hills!!!!!!!!! on the rock concert? how they can dance in high-hills:)

3. Food - well everyone who have seen any of american movies knows that americans are eating fast foods and food is usually very sweet and fat. I was expecting that and of course I have seen, but fortunatelly thay have as well very good vegetarian food, a lot of salads so it is not that bad, but... what is totally surprizing - there are a lot of events and the obligation is to serve free food (maybe to encourage people to come). In each invitation there is written that free food will be available :) even there was some christian event (I don't know promoting what) but it was all about ice-creams. It sounds like we are Christians, we are inviting you for free ice-creams, and maybe via eating ice-creams you will start elieving in GOD :)

4. I didn't expected either that all the parties here are particulary about getting drunk and facking. I was trying to have party few times but mostly I was ending up in such a places that I didn't want to stay at all...

OK... maybe it sounds vary bad, but it is not. My first impression was "what am I doing here" but witt the time it is getting better. With the paprties I realized that mostly freshmens (first year) are behaving like that because that theirs first year far from parents, and even not all of them, because I have already met some amazing people. I started enjoying free food and drinks, becase when the event is long it is nice to be able to take something to drink, and not to go to the shop and miss part of the event. And with the dress code, it is good to know that if I wont make my loundry on time I can enjoy walking in pyjama (but I doubt I will ever do it)

I am looking forward for upcoming weeks...

Screaming party

So I am having my intercultural shock right now:D

On eof the first things to understand and analyze the culture is to look on facts. After you can start tryingg to understand what each behaviour means. Like in one very ince ICL game: girls were sitting on the floor and guys on the hairs, girls were feeding guys and so one. Those are facts but many people in this game misunderstand them, telling that it is gender discrimination, and knowing the story why they are doing those things, change totally the undestanding of situation.

Therefore I will try to present just facts from last night, without any judgement, maybe I will understand it later...

We were asked to move to the gym, like everyone on the campus. Around 300 people were walking together for some time, what was characteristic it was a scream. One person starts screaming, then the next one, and next one... It was generally laud. All the freshmens were told to move to one gym, after standing there around 15 minutes, we were told to go to the other one, I followed the folk, it was so laud. Next to the gate to gym in two lines there were a lot of people in the some shirts standing and screaming and showing either right or felt hand.

When all the people get in to the hall, people in the some t-shirts started running around us and screaming, lauder and lauder. Finally all the poeple in the some shirts went to the stage and all the others sit down on the floor.

IN the next 2 hours we were told to do many different things like get in groups of 3 people, 6 people and bigger, stay in the circle and sit down on our knees, shake the ass, there was a lot of jumping as well and of course a lot of screaming; quite often we were asked to say our name or sometimes even where are we from and what we like.

All this finished with staying in to big circles and shaking hands with a lot of people.


to be continue ... (after I will charge my battery)

one more airport story :)

I am finally in US - healthy, tired and really happy that I ma finally here, becasue it was not easy!



The travel was so long and complicated. Till Paris it was ok, I was sleeping almost all the way, I have even overslept my meal in the plane, then in Paris CDG I realized that my flight is delayed, but still I was not that worried about it. Problems has started in the plane...

Firstly, I was so hungry and it appeared that I am not on the list of vegetarians! There was really nothing to eat; finally after a long conversation with the craw they brought me someting, but nothing hot.



Secondly, I realized that our delay will be rather big and I can miss my plane. I decided to do my best to cath the plane. Just after landing I was the first person who get out of the plane, then RUNNING i got to know what I have do next. Immigration! there was already a line, but I asked people and they let me in first, the guy from immigration was looking through the papers quite long but he was helpul telling where to go next.

Baggage! It looked so good, I had 35 minutes to take my laguagge and to to the plane. But... my lagguage was not there, and I was waiting and waiting... In the meantime I have met guy from Austria going to the some university as me. He was the first who had found his lagguage and run:)

Finally!! 10 minutes before my plane I got my lagguage! I was still hoping to catch plane. So I run through customs, then I was trying to find a right gate, then there was scanning hand lagguage. I had to take off my shoes, so i did continue without them:D I didn't have time to put them on!

While I was running i realized how big is this airport. And I had to catch the train to move to my gate. I was not the only one - plenty of people were screaming that they might be late.

OK, totally tires, sweting so much and stinky I finally got to my gate and I have meet the austrian guy over there. Of course we both missed the flight.

But this small chenge of plans had some advanteges as well. I had time to have some beer on the airport and meet some funny people (with whom we almost missed the next flight - because they changed the gate and there was no information)

ohhh... here is totally different, I will try to write next posts soon, one about americans in general because I have already a lot of observation and the second one aout Hendrix itself (thats name of college)

cheers
Aga

Almost on my way

It is sooooo boring sitting at home with the feeling that everything is packed and ready for me to go. I still have around 2 hours and I have no idea what to do with myself.

My suitcase is about 21 kg - I hope I will not have problems on the airport. But I have all I need - including my magic box with shisha, 1 kg of tabacco (different flavours) and a bit of cols (I was looking for some more in Wroclaw but I couldn't find any, maybe because it was Saturday). I have as well vodka - of course Zubrowka and one beer for "american friend" :)

I am so happy because finally I have poncho finally. I was looking for the new one since I lost somewhere mine 2 years ago.

So what next, I was reading forum of my new university and there was nice topic: ow much are you taking with you. And people are writing about 5-6 boxes, full cars, a lot of stuff including TV, fridge, microwave and even chair to the computer:D hmmmmm.... I am happy with my limited stuff :) and I am happy about my shisha

One week to go

Unbelievable, next week this time I will be already in the plane going to Arkansas, USA. Today I decided to start with preparation and what I realized it that I have already 3 working days (because in Friday we have national holiday) and too much things to do, as always.

few days later...

I wanted to write someting for few days but I couldn't find time to do that. Right now I can say I am almost prepared. I was thinking quite long what I have to take, how to pack, shell I take my backpack or rather suitcase? I decided not to take a lot of stuff, just I will take those cloths which i like and rest I will buy in US. Right now when US dollar and euro are so wick everything seems soooo cheap!

So Monday morning I am takin my plane from Berlin, then stop in Paris and Atlanta. I shiould be in Little Rock Monday evening local time. Then I can say I will start new life I hope...


any goals?

there are plenty of things which I am expecting after this stay in US. I am not sure if they are possible to realized but I will try. Those goals are:

--> chill out - I want to have few weeks without stress, running all the time and being overworked, I know that I am workoholic but I will try to change it
--> take care about myself - I hope it will be the next step after chilling out, I want to have more time for myself, rest, start eating more healthy lost weith
--> experience how it is to be a student - I realized lastly that I have never been thhe normal student, always studies were in addtiion to someting, maybe know it will be different, I really want to study
--> visit New Orleans - I have as well some expenctations about travelling, one of them is New Orleans, I will do my best to go there...
--> my master thesis - one of my main goals is to collect materials to write my master thesis, I want to work on this as much as possible to have less work coming back to Poland

Am I excited about my travel?

No I am not. For me travelling, changing places where I live is just "normal", I am not getting excited about that, just like that. But I am afraid that I will have to force myself to be excited or just lie to everyone about it.
I had already a lot of contact with different people from the university, both students and professors. In each e-mail I was getting there were a lot of expressions how excited are people...

"I am very excited that you all will be arriving at Hendrix in just a few days."
"We hope you are looking forward to a great year at Hendrix"
"Again i'm excited that your coming to Hendrix and can't wait to get to know you"
"Hey, i am so excited aout hte new semerster, and you?"
"I’m very excited to meet you! I just wanted to send you a note, telling you a little bit about myself. "

...and many more:) Just I am not sure how it will be over there when I will not show so much excitement as the others... but it can be fun:)

Am I stressed?

No, I am not. For 5 years I was taking care about people who are going to live abroad for one year and I think this gave me a lot fo experience. That's so wired but I cannot be stressed!!!!!!!!
But there are some things which are scaring mea bit, firstly I am afraid that I will be the oldest one over there and it will influence me a lot, and thats all:)

I hope to have nice time over there

Wadi Rum - places that amazed me

I wanted to write few articles about places that amazed me the most. I was thinking about my different travels, sightseeing, places, monuments and what I realized is that mostly I am getting impressed by nature.

One of that places I have found in Jordan. We went from Amman to the south - to Petra and Wadi Rum. At first we got to Petra - one of the new 7 Wolrd Wonders.

Petra is a rose-stone city built in the 3rd century by Nabataenas, who carved palaces, temples, tombs, storerooms and stables from the sandstone cliffs.
I had there a very nice walk (what is quite difficult in Amman) and spend a nice afternoon, but if you want to go to Petra book the whole day for that. I was all the time said faster, faster we don't have time. And unfortunately I even didn't have time to make a good photos and fully enjoy. MAybe therefore I will say that this place was just nice...



Then we moved to Wadi Rum (Rum Valley). It was already the night when we got there and we was enjoying the sand storm, after it was raining. I haven't seen a lot. When it finished in the middle of the night with my firends we decided to walk around. There was nothing to see, but we claimb up some rocks and we have a very nice view on our camp. The plan was to wait until the sun rise. It was cold so we moved to our camp to wait there till the morning.

Of course we oversleep the sun rise, but when I woke up and went out of the tent I was shocked. I was so impressed, so amazed. The surrending was so wonderful, the rocks all around, the colours, the shapes... breath taking...





Then we decided to take a jeep trip through the desert. As well we didn't have enought time for that, and we took one of the shortest trips just 2 hours, but it was worth. Driving on the desert with the jeep, seeing amazing views ot that extraordinary desert, claimbing sand mountain and the rolling down the hill :) climbing the rocks over there and taking too much sun!



Yes - Wadi Rum it is this place I have to come back :)

Egyptian boyfriend

hmmm... how to start, I want to write about my observation done during my "touristic" stay in Egypt.

Do you remember very old movie called "dirty dancing"? It was about a girl who went to summer resort for her holidays and fall in love with guy from stuff, in the background you can observe other girls, who were flirting with guys from stuff as well. For some of them it was the main aim of the holidays.

I was staying in the hotel in Hurghada just few days and still I do not know how to understand that, but I had the impression that all the people from stuff were flirting with me. I may find few reasons of this behaviour:
1) it is a hotel policy to flirt with guests as much as possible to make them leave with "amazing memories" and come back next year (lets call it PR purpose)
2) they just want to be nice, and saying to guests "e ya moza", "hello, how was your day" all the time, and trying to talk with you as much as possible it's part of they culture
3) they are counting for a cheap affair or fall in love
4) they think that girls are expecting summer romance with egyptian guy

How it looked like in my hotel in Hurghada

Besides a lot of people saying you all the time "hello, how you doing" there was few other people which I memorized very well (either as funny or very anoying).
For example two guys who were cleaning rooms. After we come back to Hurghada thay have noticed that we was not there, they asked as for our names, and they were remembering them! Also guys who were sitting on the corridor (i dont knwo why) they were all the time starting the discussin with me, but if you are quite often going from and to your room it starts to be anoying to say all the time hello, and they have a lot of questions prepared, smiling and flirting all the time. The some during meals. I was wondering why waiter was coming to me and saying that I look tired, or asking also some personal questions.
That was not os offensive, but I really had the impression that a lot of them were counting on something. Or maybe they were just bored with their job.

Improper behaviour

But some the behaviours were not accaptable at all. Once I was sitting after the dinner with my two egyptian friends next tot he pool. Suddenly I have heard "E ya mozza" what means "hola guapa". I know that sentence because I was overusing it when I was in Jordan, but only towards friends. It was the first time when I have heard that in Egypt to I started laughing so much. They guy got embaressed and run away. Afterwards he came to one on my friends and asked if I did understand that. He was so sorry. I didn't mind until it happened again. Then I answered that it was totally not professional and as a stuff he shouldn't behave like this. He was trying to shirk, but I was in the bad mood and I complain about that in the end of my stay.
But it was not the worsed. First 2 days we were in Hurghada with our egyptian friends. Guys who were sitting on corridor noticed that and started commenting. Once (after they kick them out of the hotel) they asked me where they are and said that we should "use the room", can you imagine?

Mixed cupples


I think I was the only person who didn't enjoy that. The whole Hurghada looked like dating spot for Easter European girls with Egyptian guys. While walking down the street in downtown you can see a lot of white girls in arms of Egyptians. It looked like picture of the perfect "summer love".

...Summer love or more...

Are the relationships between girl-tourist and guy-local only the summer flirt? Does it have a future? Staying just 2 days in Hurghada I got to know few love stories.

1. Diving instructor got merried with polish girl. They were living in Poland, but as he said they are not together any more because of her family who didn't accept him. (he was not typical Egyptian, with long hair, looked like rasta who is smoking weede all the time)
2. Waiter in one bar, who fall in love in the Slovak girl and was afraid that he will not get visa to visit her in Slovakia

I am sure that there was a lot of that kind of stories. Love stories. Asking why? Maybe you should see typical polish boyfriend :))) I do not give them big chances. I think I don't believe in the summer love. I think it is more about finding some attractions and experience something exotic.

Why I think that?
Conversation between 2 polish tourists in the bus to plane coming back home:
Girl1: Did you like your holidays?
Girl2: Yes, Hurghada is amazing. Let say I have met native (local inhabitant) [smile] you know what I mean, maybe I will come here next year.

Hurghada - another polish city on the world map

Few months ago one of my egyptian friends has visited me in Poland. Her first impression was - "What a hall - everything on the streets in polish language!". Well somehow it was understandable, she was in Poland.

What I realized lastly - that not only in Poland everything on the streets might be in polish. I experienced that last two weeks in Hurghada in EGYPT. Somehow I was going to Egypt with expectations to experience egyptian everyday life, to have a problem with communication with people, to see everything on the streets written in arabic...

I got dissapointed. Firstly I came to the hotel ful of polish tourists. Noone there was even trying to use English. I was shocked when I have seen people saying "excuse me" to the foreign people in polish in the dinning room.
Then going out of the hotel. Walking down the street. Entering first shop to buy some juice. And... I heared Egyptian asking me in polish "hello, are you looking for water?". Afterwards it was happening all the time, everybody on the street was saying to me "dzień dobry" (good morning/hello).

It took me also some time to realize that almost everything is translated in to polish (or even worser written only in polish). While walking around the city I have seen I lot of advertisments in polish, information in the toilets not to put toilet paper into to toilet and many other differet important information.

Very popular was to write on the doors of travel agency - "here we speak polish". And they did! We entered one tourist agency to buy a diving trip. Altough we were there with egyptians friends over there guy who was talking with us was drinking out vodka and complaining about polish embassy in Cairo, because he didn't get visa and he was planning to go for language course in Warsaw.

It was before our trip to real Egypt, but after coming back I still have found some shocking polish accents. In da hotel we were having a nice dinner next to pool and of course what I have heared - the very old polish song;) And lastly in the airport - I went to the bar and there were two TVs with - polish channels!

Well maybe it shoudn't surprize me, maybe with polish people is the some like with spanish, they are not able to learn English so everybody around is learing their language.

Welcome to Cairo

Finally I am in one of the biggest cities in the world (more then 20 millions) and you know it doesn't look so big. I have to say it is quite east to get used to busy streets and people all the time saying "Welcome to Cairo".

First day I spent in the nice hotel recommended by our friends. From outside it doesn't look like hotel - at first you have to enter from one of the busy streets and take a lift to the third floor to get to that place. from inside - amazing:) It was really nice especially during the breakfast where we went in our pijamas and we were explaining to other guests that they have to take everything by themselfs (what was of course not true - we just didn't know).

Then we had to move to other place - youth hostel. There were few options - to call a international cap (expensive one) or to go out on the street and try to take normal cap. Of course we decided to the second option. In the beginning it was not so easy because the drivers asked for 20 EGP and we were told that it should cost 10! but the third taxi driver took us for 10:) He was trying to speak to us in arabic:) it was really nice but I didnt understand anything.

Next - hostel. Very nice place. I was really surprised that you can get to good quality room for only 140 EGP for 2 people for 2 nights:) but we done it.

What I like the most in Cairo are small cafes, the local one where there are only egyptians smoking shisha:) And after having so long walk from out hostel to egyptian museum we decided to chill out in one of those cafes.

Well people are friendly, food in the local fast foods on the streets good, still the city looks a bit exotic, so what can I need more...

You would never believe - airport story

Amman airport - people are waiting for flight to Istanbul, Aga is not there


People are getting into the place to Istanbul - Aga is still not there


All the people who were waiting are on the bord - Aga is not there


Amman Airport is sorry for Aga, she will not flight home tonight


But no!!! Aga is coming!!! How come? What happened?

read the whole story...


After two amazing weeks in Amman it was time to come back home. I went to the airport (with 4 more polish people and 4 swedish) to catch the plane Amman-Istanbul and then Istanbul-Warsaw. We came to the ariport with few friends but only people with tickets and passports could enter the airport so we say goodbye and went into the building.

Of course there was a lot of controls in the very baginning. First showing your passport and ticket to get into the airport, then lagguage and personal control. All females went to the special cabin and were searched (instead of going through the gates). After that my hand lagguage was marked that I have to go to the more detailed control.

Well that moment I was still having my passport in my hand. I went to the special table - IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AIRPORT WHERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE - and I have started taking out everything from my backpack (small one but I have a lot of things). The officer told that everything is OK and I have started packing.

Suddenly...

I realized my passport is gone. I am loosing a lot of things so I started looking for that. I was sure that it is in my backpack. Then I have asked polish group to help me, because I couldn't find it, and it is always better when someone else will look for that. After few minites the atmosphere was getting more seriuos and everybody was running around and looking for my pass. After around 30 minutes, after checking every lagguage by everyone, checking the movie from cameras on the airport - we didn't know where my passport is.

I am not flying with you...

Time for check-in was ending. I couldn't come so I told to my companeros de viaje that they have to check in, and take care about themselfs. In my head there was only one question - what next? I was trying to talk to those officers, but their English was pritty bad and they were saying all the time "don't worry" but not what to do.

After Polish Group came back from check-in we prepared they for going back and me for staying:
- i gave Ania all important documents - train tickets, other tickets and all I thought they might need
- I gave Ania all money thich we got for travel reinbursement
- I took the simcard with Jordanian number (I thought I will need that)
- I took from Grzes postcard to his Grandmather, he forgot to send
- I gave them all unnessesary stuff I had
- i ensure myself that I know what to do (with going to embassy, police and so one)

Looking on that from this perspective I was very calm and racional. I was freaking out only once, when I realized that I might not go to US for my exchange. Well of course staying longer in Jordan it will cost me a lot of problems in my University and my boss at work would freak out (especially that I was in the last phase of preparation to the next project, and only I knew whats going on). But from the other hand having a bit more holidays in Jordan it was tempting:)
I was laughing from to things - firstly we said with my Jordanian friends few hours ago - see you soon, and it was very soon, that noone was even dreaming about:) Secondly I had a lot of contacts with polish embassy in Amman already this year and it would be funny to go there and visit them and say that yes it's me the person who was anoying you for almost 2 months with calls, faxes, e-mail and so one:)

Splitting with the polish group

It was already time for me to go to police station and for polish group to go to transit. I have found some helpful people on the airport (especially the manager of Turkish Airlines - he was amazing! and so helpful thank a lot) and also that time I got SMS from one of my Jordanian friends, so I answered (I think not so polite) what happened and I was exchanging with him SMSes till everything was fixed.

I went to the police station on the airport, I was there not alone, of course I had to wait, but finally one policeman who could speak English came:) So some people were making the report and I was sitting and chatting with this one who could speak English. The guy from Turkish Airlines ensure me that I will not pay for a new ticket. I took some contacts where to call in order to rebook my ticket, I was getting my papers confirming that my passport was stolen (or I lost it - or something in between).

My phone start calling.

In the police station someone was trying to reach me. I was answering but there was no connections. Different numbers were calling finally - I have heard Ania, "We found it" - she was screaming - "We are next to the gate 12". I told it to this policeman who was standing next to me, so he run to take my passport, I took all my documents from the desk of policemen and the guy from Turkish Airlines start calling someone.

I still didn't know what is happening, it was late, I didn't know if I can fly tonight or not. But they stopped the plane and were waiting for me. This policeman who had my passport told me that he will not give it to me and he will company my till my plane. So I went with him to check-in. Noone was there but manager from Turkish Airlines was already calling someone who can open check-in (they even toom my backpack), when we went to border control, but there was no officer and they were also calling for someone, the funiest thing was that this guy even didn't have a pen and I had to borrow him.

And like that waking through the airport we afound gate number 12. Som eof my friends were already waiting for me. Big hug at first, then we started laughing. I couldn't stop. Last SMS that I am on bord, I sit down and felt that all the emotions are gone, totally! And not even connected with this situation, but also with all stay in jordan. It took me few seconds to put my Jordan's experience behind me, into some nice memories.

I was tired...

And where was my passport?

I still do not know how did they found it. They told me that my passport was in the pocket of one German guy. He realized that he has one additional passport and he gave it back. He told that he has no idea how this passport get into his pocket!

.

"You would never believe" - series

Lastly I am laughing that everything that might happen it will happen to me. I hope that this series of articles will not me to long, by this I understand that nothing unusual will happen in the future.

First 3 articles will be about situations I faced all of them within one month. One story it is "elevator night" the next to you will see:)

Perfect holidays

I have booked my holidays finally, everything is fixed, everything is paied - I have a plane on 10th of July 7p.m. from Lodz. I am flying to Egypt.

It was not easy to find something, especially when there are a lot of things to do inbetween. I have a bit more free but my friend with whom I am flying is so f**ing busy that even on our perfect holidays we will have to hurry up.

First problem we have to face it - if we will get on the airport on time. It is a bit risky. Why? Our plane take off at 7pm. It means we have to be at 5 pm on the airport. The airport is in another city around 250km from Wroclaw, where I live. There is no hiway connecting this two cities, there is even no fast way. There is only one road through a lot of vollages with a lot of cars:)
We cannot take any train or other public transport, because Ania (my friend) has exam that day and using any of the public transport she wont be able to go to exam. So there is only one possibility - take a car and go by car and be hopefull that Ania will finish fast and there wont be any traffic on the road.
And there is one more problem, someone has to drive this car. Ania has no driving licence, but she is claiming that she is a perfect pilot. It means I have to drive. Well - I am kind of unexperience driver. Well I have my lincence since 7 years already but i have never drive. I need to make 250 km one way and I think I haven't driven for more 250 km total in my life :) I have never overtaken a car and I am kind of fraid of other cars. But if Ania is not afraid to go by car with me I will do it:)

Plan for perfect holidays

Maybe at first some technical info - we are going to Hurghada, it is on the Red Sea. We took last minute offer Fortuna - what means that we have provided plane, 2 meals and insurence and a hotel, but we do not know where - someone will tell us after landing. We can get 3* hotel somewhere in the middle of nowhere or we can get 5* hotel in the beautiful area. I don't mind, most probably I will not spend there more the one night.

Still I do not know a lot about my perfect holidays - but till now plan is:
a) go to Hurghada and check out the place we got (to fulfil curiousity)
b) have fun with friends on the red sea (around 3 days)
c) move to Cairo - have fun, go shopping, absorb the culture (around 3 days)
d) move to Alex - meet old friends, go to JiJi, have fun, make a party, swim in the meda sea
e) go back to Hurghada - swim in the red sea for the last time and come back

So what ir the recipe for perfect holidays?

Take:
- a lot of free time
- nice places with palms
- nice places with water
- a bit of alcohol
- good friends (old friends and new friends)
- a bit of adventure
- a bit of lasyness
- a bit of fun
- a bit of partying
- a bit of flirting
- something exciting
- a lot of resting
- some luxury
- some backpacking
- a lot of pleasures
- some surprises
- something unknown
- obligatory spa and good massage
- feeling of being free
- photocamera

mix it all together - and you have your perfect holidays!

Getting the US visa

"Visa is a really bad thing, there is a bad word for that" - told once my friend - "remove all borders, remove all borders please" - contunued.

I totally agree with that statement and I am thinking why countries are issuing visas? Only one answer is - money!

Well how it was with me. I had to take a train from Wroclaw to Krakow, because over there was a consulate. I went out home at 1 am, I got to train station where I was waiting almost one hour. Then I got into the train, where of course there was no places, only on corridor. So I was over there watching people who were fighting with themselfs. Well train had delay because in almost all stations police were coming, until finally they kick few people out of the train.

Coming to Krakow

Finally Krakow - I like this city, but I was a bit afraid to go there, becasue always when I am coming back I am totally sick! Anyway, this time I am still feeling OK.
I went to american consulate, there was a lot of people standing in front of the door. I came there and ask if I can come in when I still have around 30 min to my appointment. What I got to know that I have to join to the huge group of people standing in the opposite side of the street - there were some consulate emloyees who ON THE STREET were checking all the documents and giving numbers - I really couldn't believe of such a treatment.

Waiting, waiting and one more waiting

There was to much waiting, at first long time to scan my fingersprints and then waiting for a meeting with consul. Yhe waiting room was very small and very cold. There was not enough places for all the people and all the time someone were comming to say that people cannot go out from the room. I was at first sleeping a bit, then chatting with people. There were only or young or very old people. What surprised me it was that people was scared!

Meeting with Consul

Finally after long waiting I have heard my name. I went to other room where there was one person sitting in the small box, there was a window between us and we both were talking to microphone. "Hello, how are you" he started, he asked me why I want to go to US, and what I want to study; I answer shortly, he add that it will be interesting for me because of elections and he said that I am qualify for the visa and I will get my passport in 5 days. Thats all the meeting take like 5 minutes.


Ehhhh it took me one whole day to get there and come back just to have 5 minutes conversation with consul.

And someting about costs:

Travel to Krakow and back: 60 PLN
Fee for a meeting: 300 PLN
SEVIS fee: 250 PLN
Calling consulate: 20 PLN
Photo: 16 PLN
DHL fee: 23 PLN

TOTAL: 669 PLN what is about 200 euro!

Last minute - only one possibility

You might think that I will write about "last minute" as the only one option to go finally for my holidays - thats of course true, but that's not what I mean.

"Last minute" thats the way of leaving. Why? I am asking myself simple questions and there is only one answer - last minute.

1. When do I send applications for new projects - always last minute (fortunately the post-office on market place in Wroclaw is open 24h
2. When do I go to my exmas - of course last minute (if it's not to late)
3. When do I send personal documents (like insurence...) - last minute
4. When do I pack myself when I am traveliing - last minute
5. When do I charge my mobile, computer and other stuff - last minute
6. When do I realize that I have to do something - last minute
7. When do I catch plane - last minute
8. even when do I think - always last minute :)

and so one... there are a lot of examples. I cannot do anything earlier. It makes my life very fast, stressfull and active. I don't like last minute, I want to stop that, but - well I guess it is impossible

I need holidays

I need holidays sooo much. It doesn't matter that one month ago I came back from Jordan. This month was so intensive that I have to chill out and have a rest. So whats the plan?

1. Things to do before holidays

- pass all the exams
- get US visa and buy ticket to US
- write to final reports after youth exchanges
- prepare publication after project Time for Dialogue
- write final report after POKL project (from my work)
- be sure that I finished my work, clear my desk and made a final party
- write two new projects of youth exchanges - one in Spain (Malaga) and second in Latvia

well... looks not so easy, but after completing everything connetced with studies everything else seems like fun to me

2. Ideas for holidays

Since one week with my friend we are thinking what to do. One of the most often coming back idea is trip to Egypt, but we wanted also to go somewhere to the lake in Poland for camping, to go to Mano Chao concert in Wroclaw, hitch-hike to Paris, hitch-hike to Malaga, fly to Malaga, somehow move to Lisbon to find nice concert over there, and I have also promissed one of my firends from Latvia to visit her over there...

3. Trip to Egypt - is it realistic?

Yes it is... once with Ania we said, why not? and since then we keep looking for some nice offers. The plan is to find last minute - go there for 2 weeks and try to move all around Egypt. All of my friends know that our final destination will be Alex of course (Alexandria - city on Mediterranean sea). So how the preparations are going on? we were looking for last minutes, charters and normal flights. People last minutes is something amazing! it took me a lot of time, but I have found 2* hotel for two weeks with breakfasts and dinners and flight of course for 860 PLN what is 250 EURO! I am not sure if in this date we are interested this prize will be avaiable but we will see.

4. What is my dream holidays?

Spontaneous... I don't want to plan. I just have some golas, things I have to do being in Egypt, but when, how, it doesn't matter. So what are those things?

a) I want to ride a camel - I know maybe it's funny and typical, but I always wanted to do this
b) shopping in Cairo - well there is one scarf I really want to have:) I just want to have time and spend one day for shopping (the whole day)
c) Swim in meda and red sea.
d) Spend one night in JIJI in ALEX, from sunset to sunrise! I want to see them both one night
e) Make sightseeing trip one day - which main rule will be: don't take any map, don't look for monuments, go wherever you want to, and look for interesitng places by yourself
f) make one reunion party, with as many people as possible
g) tougch Abdallah's hair
h) don't be in hurry, don't rush, take time for youself, if you want to spend more time in the bathroom - spend it, if you want to wear makeup - wear it, if you don't want to - don't do it. Feel free
i) and the last think - I am looking foreward for many interesting conversation with people about politics, life, habbits, differencies, culture, everyday life

Well - there is one more thing, I want to do it spontaneous, I want to have some small globetrepping trip, because I want to check how it is to travel with Ania, we are planning one year trip to Asia soon, and before that I just want to check her:)

ending

I am really courious what will happened? if I would have my dream holidays?

My theory of being homeless

Since long time already I am jocking that I am homeless. And I really believe it. How do I understand this term "homeless"? Thats the person who doesn't have home and is sleeping in different shelters or in the fresh air. For me being homeless is the situation when you have hause, or some place in any building but you don't have home.

Am I homeless? you can judge it yourself.

Starting from my sleeping place - well I have place to sleep, I have my bed, I have even my "own room". This place where I am sleeping quite often has one bed, one window, one desk, few closets. You can find there a lot of papers on the floor (my study materials), cloths mostly laying somewhere on the floor too. Wardrobe is always open, and cloths are hanging in it. I would say that I am using only things which are on the floor, rest... well I have no idea where is what. In all the closets you can find some wired toys from my childhood, cloths from times when I was 120 cm and much smaller, and some things which are only taking place. I dont remember when I lastly done my bed. I even don't have any sheet, and I am sleeping under the blanket.

How much time do I spend there in my "house"

I am working, studying, doing some voluntary work, organizing different stuff, answering a lot of phone calls, travelling - let's say I don't have time for anything. My typical day looks like that I am going out at 7am, at 8 I am already in the office, I am starting my day in the office from make-up and then breakfest. I am finishing my work at 4 pm. "Finishing" ! because usually I am staying there much longer. Mostly in the evening I have some meetings (either working in the bar on new project, either organizing film festival or simply I just want to dring a beer). Because my "place for sleeping" is quite far from everywhere. Because of that it is not worth to come back to this place during the day... and sometimes during nights too.

Places for sleeping

My motto is "you can sleep everywhere". This is very practical, especially if you normally don't have a lot of time for sleeping. In past few years I follow my motto. Quite often I used my friends flats, then of course offices (different kind of), university (I can recommand staircase), train stations (including Wrocław PKP), airports (in Amsterdam they have even beds), parks, bars, cinema and many others.

There are two my favourite places: first one it was really nice park in the city center of Lubljana. We hitch-hike with few friends over there, very spontaniusly and we didn't have any place. We bought some alkohol to warm up, we went to see nice concert and then we went around the city to find a nice place to spleep. And we found it. It was very nice park, and we were sleeping under the tree which was almost like a tent. Just in the morning there was a lot of people with dogs going around us:)

Second place it was cinema. It was kind of exciting because we broke in to the cinema. It was during film festival, and we were renting cinema - so it was not so illegal, we had keys, but I am not sure if we could be there. Well got into the place, it was not easy to force the door (even when we had keys), but finally we manage, just w couldn't close doors. Just in the morning people in the cinema were quite shocked.

Travelling

In my room in the corner there is a backpack. Still there are some cloths inside. I have also beautician already packed. It looks like this because I am travelling a lot. Sometimes I can go in 3 different places during one month. I already wrote how exhausting it might be, but also there are once more a lot of places to live, new roomates. Right now I am preparing myself for leaving in one place for 4 months! (of course abroad) and I think it is long enough to prepare a cosy place... what can I take to my new room?

Ending

I don't know if you also think that I am homeless, I feel like that. Sometimes I am dreaming to have place and time to make some cosy place, to invite friends over, organize party or just chill out. Maybe someday I will find this place...

Best practicies

If you are planing the life like that, always on the way, always in hurry remember about some important things.

1. Always have tooth-brush in every bag (you never know when you will need it, and bags you are changing quite often);
2. Buy a small and light laptop - you never know which data you will need, having laptop always with you is very useful;
3. You have to feel good, if you feel like stinking find place where you can take a shower - don't be shy, you can always call your friends, it wont be a problem if you will use a bit of theis shampoon
4. If you need clean cloths borrow or buy them:)

wish you all the best...

Open Your Borders It's Time for Dialogue

"Open the Borders, it's Time for Dialogue" - this beautiful quote were singing participants of the project I have done in Wroclaw (Poland) in April 2008. I like this quote even more now, it gain for me new meaning, deeper one, more personal.

The first idea behind this quote was to speak up about problems we faced while preparing for exchange. We wanted to make euro-med youth exchange about intercultural dialogue; we have invited people from 6 countries (3 EU and 3 meda) and we were so close not to have our time for dialogue, because people from meda countries couldn't get visa. We were fighting for 2 months with administration, finally the group from Egypt didn't come and group from Jordan got visa in the last moment, one guy went to the embassy in the day when he flew to Poland.

But there is something more then just the borders we cannot cross because of visa. To have intercultural dialogue we need to cross our personal, mental borders. What's that?

1. Lack of knowledge about "others"
2. Personal stereotypes
3. Prejustices
4. Being ashamed of asking
5. Lack of patient and forbearance
6. Being self-oriented

I realized plenty of times that intercultural dialogue is not easy. When you are meeting someone cultural different from you, first days are amazing, you are learning each other, having fun. But later on you are starting freaking out, you don't know why. There might appear some situation, that you don't know why but you are getting into some conflicts with people. There are a lot of misunderstandings between people, which build conflicts. Most of us, instead of try to solve problems, they are building theories. Misunderstanding some behaviours of "others", some expressions and basing on this they are building the negative impression about this person.

Solution? Don't try to guess what other person think. Don't over-react! Respect what people are saying! OK, it was quite general and ideal, but from my personal experience if you are talking about something and it looks that conflict may appear or you feel that the second person doesn't understands you - DEFINE WORDS YOU ARE USING! and in what context they were used.

Be aware that if you say to someone "you are stupid" as a joke, for some it can be funny, but some can be really thought. And there is many other examples...

Open Your Borders, It's Time for Dialogue

elevator night

One of the purpose why I have started writing this blog is "save memories" mostly from my travels (I think that this word "travel" will appear in this blog quite often). I still haven't decided if I want to share those "saved moments" with my friends or not, we will see. Besides those moments are important for me, I will not say that they changed my life, but they were somehow enriching, funny, unforgettable and simply worth remember and sometimes come back to them.

One of those moments I would live to save is "elevator night" - the name was created just after "the moment" by it's participants. But let's start from the very beginning. I would say "elevator night" has started in the place called "beer garden" in Amman, Jordan. I was spending some amazing time over there with my friends. I enjoyed that evening because I have spent time with people I really wanted to spend time with, I had few interesting conversation for example about implementing communism in Palestine, I have found other traveller (pilot) with whom I was talking about our best journeys and I was helping him with bottle of vodka, ordered just for him. In gerenal, very nice evening.

We were coming back home as the last ones. I think we were around 12 people, all willing to continue the party. Because in Amman everything was already closed, we decided to move to hotel, to room number 309. We arrived to hotel, got out from the car and get into the elevator in order to continue party on the 3rd floor...

Door closed, elevator moved, then the information to which floor we are going, disappeared and we stucked in the elevator. I am trying to remind myself reaction of people. There was no panic in the very beginning, just all started screaming and calling to ensure that someone will take care about us. Fastly we came up with en idea to open the door to get more air. Ehab, guy from Palestine was communicating, rest was patient - very racional reaction.

Somehow the atmosphere wasn't that nice. In the beginning we was starting hugging and cooperating, but then there was rather feeling of stress around. I was hiding quite often and laughing a bit and I have seen a lot of people wanted, but "society" didn't accept such a behaviour, so we didn't. We were serious.

The crutial moment was when one person fainted. That moment I realized that situation might be somehow serious, but I was not afraid: from one side one guy explained how lifts are build and there is no way that something would happened, from the second hand we had 2 doctors with our.

I was very surprised with reaction of many people. One girl told that she will call her parents after getting out, and she was afraid that we might not get out, one guy was about to faine too, someone wanted just jug someone else.

In the meantime someone came to us. They were trying to lift elevator to the first floor, then put it down to the ground floor; sometimes light was disappearing.  Finally something had happened. Someone jumpped on the elevator and remove the ceiling. It was almost like in the movie "Die Hard". There were firemens and Jordanian Civil Defense forces telling: "give us hands, give us hands", and they were taking one by one out of the elevator. It this moment I gos scared. I really didn't want to go that way, I was thinking, maybe to wait until they will fix the lift. But finally my friends lifted me, then I catch someone's hands and went up. When I was standing on elevator there was not so much climbing anymore, I don't remember exackly how far was that, but far enough to get totally dirty.

When we got out finally - everyone was hugging us, supporting, like after the huge tragedy. There were firemans, jordanian civil defence forces, ambulance and even psychologist! Someone asked me if I am ok, I said: yes, they put something on my finger and said: "yes, you are fine". I didn't want to be over there. Someone was crying, people were in so bad moods, and I was just afraid what have we done! We were to much in this elevator.

But fun started in front of the hotel. We were taking photos with ambulance and with each other; we were just sitting and chilling out, that's what we really needed.

Night ended finally in 309, where we planned to go in the very beginning. Whole night we were sitting, chatting listening to music; being honets it was amazing time, and so integrating for us. We had to fight with our fears together, we needed to cooperate and be helpful for others. This episode change the whole project. We become elevator group hanging around together.

What was interesting: in the elevator there was 10 people, we had gender balance, but within this 10 people 5 of them were Poles!

I need to decide where to live

traveling... isn't it interesting, tempting, exciting... Of course it is, I am addicted to traveling, since I remember, and for sure since last 6-7 years I am traveling a lot. One day Warsaw, second Amsterdam, them maybe Philippines, but I cannot stay there longer after the training because I am starting another one somewhere in Poland and of course in the mean time I have few "important" meetings. I love this life. I do. Small problem is that Europe is a bit to usual for me right now and I need something more. I cannot get excited when I see something, even beautiful, even interesting, even when I have never seen it before. I am just going to another country, another place and feeling like at home, isn't it wired? The most important thing in travelling are people. Mostly I am attending or leading different seminars, youth exchanges or other type of meetings, which aims are: intercultural learning, dialogue between cultures and so one. So mostly I am going to different country to meet people. And fuck!, I have to say that those who wanted integrate me with "others" (here I understand just other people, not from my city, those to whom I don't have easy access to) has really succeeded! Because of that when I want to complain of my university I am opening msn and chatting with friend from Egypt, when I want to talk about guys I am writing to friend from France or Latvia and in one moment it's better. I didn't know what to do during new years eve - I took the train, went to Prague and realized that there was much bigger group of friends who done the some. It was amazing. But sometimes I am asking myself how is my life here, in the city where I live? Do I have life here? I would say yes, it's not that bad. I have work and amazing people over there, I have some groups of friends from the "old times", I have university, but I will not call them friends. The problem is that I don't care; I don't care about those people as much as about my "others", foreigners. I am afraid about myself. Lastly is even worser. I have two intensive months of travelling and most of the time I was with the some people (just different places). It was so intensive, we were living together, having stupid problems together, falling in love with each other, sharing our secrets (btw. this is easier with people whom you will not see again, therefore it is so integrating). And now I came back home and I cannot come back to my normal life. That life move to facebook. So in the office I am checking what's new. After school I am coming back home and looking on people's profiles. I can still see the conflicts which we had somewhere away. I am following how people are still flirting with each other (maybe even without knowing about that). There is our second life! I cannot believe. And what is the worse - it takes too much time!!! When I am looking forward, I know that next year will be the some. I will get to know new people, spend with them few amazing month, doing everything with them and then I would move out to some other place. Shall I just avoid getting closer with people or shall I go like this and then miss "the moments". How to deal with it? NEXT TIME: most probably I will write my theory about being homeless:)