Gold Coast, Australia

Views from Marina Mirage, Main Beach

A bit of uneven tanning going on here. Must stay away from the strong sunblock.

A dragon lizard on our walk at Burleigh

Back on the Gold Coast

I love the Gold Coast. It's got to be one of the best places in the world. The sun shines, the people are friendly and it's such a relaxed atmostphere that there's no better place to be. I'm back. Back home in Australia and loving it. While for now it's only for a three week holiday, it's a much needed break. Two days in I'm already red and sun burnt. The weather is great and there's so much to do and see.

Already been out for a delicious pizza at Alto's in Broadbeach, yummy. And ice-cream at Baskin & Robbins. I've caught up with my best friend and relaxed on the beach. Three more weeks of sleeping in, swimming, sunbathing, eating delicious food, and having a great time - and hopefully coming up with article ideas. Gotta love holidays.

Choices

Everyone has a choice. Young. Old. Rich. Poor. We all have a choice. Sometimes we like our choices. Sometimes we don't. Either way, the choices we make are our own. Often external factors influence our choices, in the end we are left with making a decision. Occasionally our choices are limited or unsatisfactory, however we are still responsibility for making them, regardless of whether we like or dislike them. This was another one of my TEFL topics today and it made me think about some of the choices I have made.

Then comes the issue of good and bad choices. Is there such a thing? Or does each choice inevitably lead us towards the same direction and destination just via a slightly different path? I'm not an expert so I'm not sure, but what I like to believe that is if we want to achieve something, the choices we make along the way are extremely important.

Today I made the choice to get up, go to work and teach all day. I also made the choice to do more work and write for this blog late at night when I should be going to sleep. Why did I make these choices? Probably because no one is going to do these things for me. If I wanted the standard of living I have, it's necessary for me to do this. If I want to achieve my goals, I have to do these things. Result? Job satisfaction, money, one step closer to achieving my goals.

On the other hand I could have not gotten out of bed and decided it was much more pleasurable to stay under the warm duvet and forget about work. I could have spent the day in front of the television, drinking or eating too much or simply not doing anything at all. The choice was mine. Result? Possibility of job loss, less money, a backwards move.

Obviously, each choice would come with a consequence. This consequence could have dramatic effects on my life, as it can on yours, thinking about the consequences I was able to make the choice that would have the more positive result.

Our circumstances do influence the choices we have to make. However, we can always change our situations in order to have a different set of choices. Certain individuals choose to work hard and keep going until they succeed, while others give up and think it's all too hard before they've even tested the playing field. That's why they say that the only difference between the published writers and the unpublished ones, is that the published are those who never gave up and chose to persevere. I'm going to choose the same. How about you?

Busy, Busy, Busy

Busy. Busy. Busy. Now that's got to be the understatement of the month. I have no idea where November disappeared to. One thing I do know is that it has been a busy month with lots of things happening and even more getting done. At the beginning of the month I set off to complete the NaNoWriMo challenge and write 50,000 words in 30 days. Well I am pleased to say that I managed to reach this amount today. Just. I slacked off a little bit halfway through but managed to pick up the pace near the end of last week. While the story still has a little bit go before it's actually finished I plan to complete the rough draft by next week. It'll be a struggle but I'm willing to put in the effort.

This month has left me running around a lot. I'm going back to Australia next week for a long overdue holiday. I'm so excited. I haven't been back for two and a half years. Wow. I can't believe it. It feels like only a month ago that the plane touched down in Warsaw. My intended holiday turned into an indefinite stay. But it's been enjoyable and a huge learning experience. I'm not going alone. My partner is coming, and his younger cousin. It's going to be exciting for them both to discover a new country.

We've had to get passports sorted, visas, tickets and insurance. I have to say that organising the visa was easier than I imagined. It took ten minutes to complete the application on-line and seven hours later we had an emailed visa approval. Simple and free of any hassles.

Now that's all organised I've still got presents to purchase and last minute things to get done before we live. Even though we are only travelling for three weeks I am completely stressing out. Technically I am going home. Australia is my home. It'll always be my home. But I'm scared. I can't predict how I am going to react. It's bizarre but a part of me is a little bit afraid. While there are no expectations, there are definitely many things on the 'to do' and 'to see' list while we are over there.

So what keeps us motivated?

I have friends who are self motivated, and others who have no idea what they want to achieve in life. While we all go through phases where we don't have goals or we're not really thinking about anything ambitious, but then comes a time when it's necessary to shake things up a little bit and go further. Achieve something. Do something that matters to you. That's why I find it difficult to understand how someone doesn't have goals, the only thing that explains it is that they haven't yet found what they're passionate about.

How does one get motivated to do great things? To set goals and work to achieve them? Keep going even when faced with obstacles that appear impossible to overcome?

The things that motivate me might not be motivating for you or someone else. On the other hand your own motivations may have little or no influence on me. That's fine. We all have to find what works for us.

My goals motivate me because they are my own. I've always wanted to be a writer. This fact alone makes me want to keep writing, keep sending out queries and working towards a career as a freelance writer. I've made a few mistakes this year and I hope to amend them and become a successful freelance writer. This motivates me. When I see my name in print it motivates me. When someone says something positive about my writing, it motivates me. When I make some money from my writing, it motivates me. When my writing touches someone, it motivates me.
At the beginning of the month I had a goal to complete 50,000 word novel for NaNoWriMo. How have I stayed motivated? Well, the goal is important to me and I want to prove to myself that I have it in me to achieve the 50,000 mark and beyond. If I don't finish I know that I'll be kicking myself. My motivation is the desire to make a full time living from being a writer. I know that if I don't do it, no one is going to do it for me. The same goes for your own goals. No one is going to achieve them for you. But the best thing is the sweet feeling of success in the end. Nothing in the world can buy that. Unfortunately throughout the past couple of weeks I've had limited writing time and lots of wasting time. Now I'm playing catch up.

Another thing I want to do is run a marathon. How do I stay motivated to train and actually do it? Yesterday I tested myself whether I was capable of running for over an hour. I am. I managed ninety minutes and 17.5km. That's the most I've ever run. This also tells me that I am capable of running the half marathon. I've set myself a goal to run one in March. My motivation is that I've set a goal, I've made it public and now I got to do it. It's also a way to keep me in shape and allow me to eat reasonably what I want without worrying about weight gain. It's something I always wanted to do because it's within my control. Once I complete that I'll start training for the full marathon.

It's important to have goals that mean something to you personally in order to stay motivated and keep going with something. These goals also need to be achievable. Thinking that you'll write a novel in a month when you've barely finished a short story isn't going to keep you motivated, it's going to look overwhelming and impossible. Writing five hundred words a day on the other hand may be achievable. The same goes for running a marathon. To stay motivated for the long term it's vital to have short term goals. Run three times this week. Include interval training next week. Start in a 5km or 10km to practice running in large groups. These goals are less overwhelming but they bring you a step closer to the final goal. Running a marathon. Writing a novel. Or achieving whatever else you want to achieve.

So now I'm going back to my writing, I've got a goal to reach and story to finish.

Plain or Sophisticated?

There's something relaxing and motivating about sitting in cafés and writing. They're one of my favourite places to write. The only prerequisite is a comfy table, good coffee and quality sandwiches. Whether what I write is legible, decent or crap is irrelevant. The most important thing is that I manage to put words on paper. I can worry about coherence later.

In one of today's TEFL lessons my students and I discussed the issue of communication. For writers communication is very important. That's what we do. Our purpose is to communicate information across to our reader in the most comprehensible way while trying to avoid jargon and verbose prose. Instead we want brevity that will transfer all the information necessary as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Should we use plain or sophisticated language?

I found there's a mixed argument when it comes to deciding on an answer. It all depends on your audience. Are you going to communicate with doctors, lawyers, and business professionals? Or students, housewives and the general public? If you have a look at most consumer magazines, they are written in plain language that a primary school student is likely to understand. Trade magazines on the other hand use more technical terminology. Once you're clear on that you can safely decide whether throw in a bit of sophisticated jargon or stick to the plain, intelligible stuff. My language use is usually very plain. I talk to people who sometimes try to throw in fancy words to sound intelligent but unless it serves a larger purpose it downright sounds silly. Personally, I don't see the point in using terminology that makes you sound smart but no one understands.

So the conclusion I've come to is;

- avoid rambling
- limit the use of jargon because it's likely you won't be understood
- use brevity to get your point across effectively
- verbose prose with technical terminology will not necessarily make you sound more intelligent
- effective communication is important whether you're speaking or writing
- in the end do what feels most comfortable for you

For me this shows that I need to be more aware of my audience, and keep jargon, buzzwords and slang to a minimum. Yes, sometimes it's nice to use fancy words, just make sure they work with your topic and its purpose. In the end, which you choose to use will depend on what you're writing, who you're writing for, and your personal writing style.

Evaluating Ourselves

Once again it's grey outside. The sky grows darker with every minute and at about 5pm it's going to be nightfall. While it isn't as cold as usual for November, about five to ten degrees throughout the day, it's been a wet month so far, and I can't remember when I last saw some sunshine. Two weeks ago, maybe three. The only thing worth doing when it's like this is snuggling under a warm blanket with a good book and a hot cup of tea. Sounds lovely, if there wasn't so much work to do.

Yesterday's post left me thinking about a lot of things in my life. This morning I stumbled upon an interesting post from Scott H Young about failure and success (www.scotthyoung.com/blog). He talks about rushing for our goal, but not being patient enough to get a taste of success. While we underestimate what we are capable of achieving, when it comes to time frames we're always rushing and wanting immediate results. We want everything right now. It's like that with money. It's like that with success. We want it all at electrifying speed. That's how I've always wanted things to happen too.

I've been writing since I was a little girl. I recall writing short stories at school, a small illustrated children's book at age ten. Poetry later in primary school, and lots of journal writing. At about twelve or thirteen I began writing longer stories, then I attempted numerous novels which ended up in the trash can. I wanted success quickly. I wanted it right away. What I didn't realise though was that I could be a writer. Even when people didn't take my dream seriously, I knew that it was possible. What I didn't know was how long it was going to take me.

Sixteen years later I am still writing. My apprenticeship continues. I have learnt a lot but there's still so much that I must learn. Only two years ago did I build up the courage to send my writing out to magazines. And guess what? I got published. Not right away. Not always paid. But I got published. My only regret is that I didn't start out sooner. That I was afraid of showing anyone my writing. I suppose this blog is also helping me over come that fear. That's why it's important to follow your dreams, work hard towards success and don't just think about the end result, enjoy the progress and sooner or alter success will follow.

It's still grey outside but I'm inside doing what I love doing most. Creating stories, coming up with article ideas and writing away. It takes time but it does happen. It's one step closer to making a living as a writer.

In hindsight...

It's become difficult to believe how quickly this year has passed. I remember it felt like only yesterday that we were preparing for Christmas and New Year's Celebrations. Now it's all due to happen all over again. The year draws to an end, and we're all a little bit older, and hopefully a little bit wiser.

Every year gains speed on us, and the older we get, the quicker time disappears. That's why it's important to make the most of every day, to follow our dreams, and spend time with the people we love. It's equally important to be grateful for all the wonderful things that are in our lives. Our families and friends above all, but also the small things that we forget to be grateful for like clean water, food on the table, a roof over our heads, a good job, any job, education, freedom of speech, the ability to choose – to some extent at least.

This year I've been learning a lot about myself. I've realised that over the past decade I have focused on material things and keeping up, rather than following my own dreams. There's always been that inkling feel that my dreams and goals are not good enough. Now I realise that it doesn't matter what someone else is doing, I have to decide what is important to me regardless of the opinions of others.

I've made many mistakes by not thinking things through, and in hindsight I would have done things somewhat differently. I would have thought more before I spoke, considered numerous options before committing to serious decisions. Unfortunately I was blinded, and my common sense wavered. I hope that has changed. In the coming year, I hope to pay back my dues and become more satisfied with what I am doing.

As a writer, optimist and workaholic, I wonder about our actions a lot. I'd like to understand why we do certain things, why I have chosen to do certain things. Why I like what I do, and why I don't like what I don't. These things are important to discover along the way and they make us better human beings, more in tune with who we are and what we want out of life. I hope it's also something that will help me become a better writer.

The next several weeks are going to be about thinking about the decisions I have made in the past and where I have gone wrong, where I've made the right choice, how I could have done things differently, and what I have learnt from my actions. The idea of America's Thanksgiving Day appeals to me, and it's coming up this month. I'm going to think about all the people and things that I am grateful for, and try to show my gratefulness through my actions towards them. As they say, actions really do speak louder than words.

Friday 13th and other irrational beliefs

For many people Friday 13th marks an unlucky date. It's superstitious but for many it seems the case. What's the point in ruining your day from the very beginning. Sure the trains may have been late today, I didn't win on the lottery, and my inspiration is waning but that's no different to a couple of days ago, last week or last month. It happens from time to time. That's just a normal part of life. I'm not superstitious, at least most of the time. Then I think about all those other superstitions that I've come to know whilst being in Poland. Many have found international homes and are shared among cultures.

- An itchy nose can mean anger is on the way, or love
- Walking under a ladder brings bad luck so try to avoid it by walking around it instead
- Wear red underwear for an interview, test or meeting to bring you luck and success
- Spill some salt and you're likely to end up quarraling with someone
- Never buy shoes for your loved one because they will quickly walk away from you
- If you're a woman, avoid leaving your handbag on the floor unless you don't want money
- Avoid getting out of bed with your left leg as it will mean you'll be in a bad mood all day

Poland is filled with superstitutions, many are still strongly believed by the older generation and continues to be passed on to the younger generation. Superstitions are about belief. You either believe them or you don't. Some are fun, others are silly, and many more sound downright outrageous.

XXI Bieg Niepodległosci

Yesterday marked the 91st anniversary of Poland's Independence. Many people celebrated on the streets and at home. Millions of homes hung the Polish flag out in front of their homes as a sign of patriotism and pride. Others took part in the parades. While seven thousand Poles, along with hundreds of their family and friends, took part in the XXI Bieg Niepodległości (21st Independence Day Run).

The 10km run takes place every year on 11/11. Thousands of people join in to run around Warsaw to celebrate Independence Day. This year Jarek and I took part as well. All the runners were dressed in red or white tshirts to represent the colours of the Polish flag. The aerial view would have been amazing.

I was very pleased with my result as I beat my last year's record for the 10km (56mins) by over five minutes, this years' 10km result was 50:51. I am extremely pleased especially considering the weather - overcast, cloudy, 6 degrees and raining. But it was fun.

NaNoWriMo, Up for the Challenge?

National Novel Writing Month comes every November where over a hundred thousand people participate in the challenge of writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. The prize being the satisfaction of completing and achieving such a huge goal and word count. For those who write, this is an impressive feat, for those who don't may not appreciate the challenge so much. Nevertheless, writing 50,000 words in thirty days isn't the easiest of tasks. Of course this doesn't mean that it has to be a perfect final piece. It's free writing. A draft. Messy is OK.

Last year I took on the challenge but didn't sign up. I completed it and was pleased with the effort. This year I've signed up and hopefully will once again manage to write 50,000 words or more this month. It's day two and the word count is rising, slowly, but it's rising. Second day and I'm over the 3000 word mark.

Check out www.nanowrimo.org for more information.

'All Saints Day'

The day of dead has been celebrated for centuries all around the world. In Poland it's an important day of the year. Families around the country prepare days in advance travelling to cemeteries where their loved ones are buried, lighting candles, saying prayers, leaving flowers. It's a day when we remember the people who have passed. Where they've gone is not something anyone can say. Some believe they've gone to heaven, others claim that they continue to live amongst us, while others still think they have reincarnated and come back to live another life. Either way, it's important to remember that they were here among us once upon a time. The event has been celebrated since around the second century A.D. and has continued until today.

All Hallows Eve is a celebration that is by most believe to be Pagan, others, especially the Church believe it is Christian and began when the peasants in the middle ages begged for cakes in exchange for praying for lost souls, hence the term 'trick or treat'. Some people regard All Hallows Eve or Halloween as an American holiday but it's a nice way to celebrate a sad day. Dressing up as monsters, witches, fairies and fireman gives children and adults an opportunity to be light hearted, have a bit of fun and enjoy a special holiday together. I think that we could take example from the Mexicans who really know how to celebrate the 'Day of the Dead'.

For the Catholic Church, All Saint's Day is one of the most important holy days every year. People gather together in churches for Mass which follows into the cemetery. Families, friends and acquaintances visit cemeteries near and far. Once the sun sets and dusk is upon us the cemeteries look extraordinary all lit up.

The downside is that it's another day that commercialism and marketing has touched. This afternoon as we were going to one of the cemeteries, beside ever-burning fires (znicze) and flowers, I saw people selling tea and coffee, and fairy floss. What are they going to start selling next year? Balloons and hot dogs?

Stress, tickets and holidays

Getting organised can sometimes prove to be rather difficult especially when it's cold and raining outside and the only thing you want to do is snuggle up in bed, read a good book and drink a cup of hot chocolate. A nice thought, but just because it's freezing doesn't mean work is going to stop.
Six more weeks until holiday time. I can't remember the last time I had a decent holiday, one that lasted more than four days anyway. Over two years ago at least. So this year I am taking three weeks of at Christmas to go to Australia to visit my parents and friends.

Buying tickets has caused me more stressed than I anticipated. I can't believe how much the tickets flactuate on a day to day basis. Seven thousand, ten thousand, sixteen thousand zloty and more for an economy class ticket. Each week I checked the price was going up, up and up again. At one point I thought my holiday was not going to happen.

Luckily last week I found normal priced tickets at 5000zloty per person return via Frankfurt. Unfortunately from Warsaw they cost a ridiculous amount more which is difficult to understand because a flight from Warsaw to Frankfurt return costs approximately 500 zloty per person.

Next time I will be better prepared and book the tickets far in advance in order to make the most of the savings available. It's very helpful to use an agent to organise the tickets but it might be even cheaper to get them online direct from the airlines. The best places to look for ticket prices is skyscanner.pl, individual airline websites and using search engines to type in what you're after if you're not sure of specific sites.

The holiday is long overdue. I can't wait to relax and bathe in the sun. It'll be a hot Christmas this year. Now with the tickets purchased I can stop worrying and start preparing for my trip.

And the electricity strike continues

Third day without electricity is starting to suck. Rumour has it that we're going to get it back on Monday. That's a full weekend without power. A large part of the country is affected but I'm crossing my fingers and hoping we get it back tomorrow. I'm spending too much on meals and coffees on the town to make use of their electricity and power up my phone and laptop.

I'm curious about the amount the birth rate will go up in nine months time from all this lack of electricity.

Two days without power

Two days without electricity. A blessing and a pain the backside. It's amazing how much we rely on electricity every day and it's difficult to imagine life without it. However, the past two days the town I live in hasn't had power due to extreme weather conditions, snow, and strong winds. Luckily our heating and cooker is run on gas which means we can stay warm when it's 2 degrees outside. Those who use electricity for everything aren't so lucky.

The weather yesterday was strange to say the least. And while weather forecasts did warn us that snow was coming our way, no one expected it to be this bad. With power cuts all over the country, traffic congestion and angry citizens were to be expected. Many tragedies took place and it was very difficult for the many homeless people and those without heating.

But when something bad happens we should try to find a positive side to it.

* No electricity means romantic candle lit dinners for two
* Talking as a family instead of locking yourself in separate rooms to watch reruns of your favourite television programs
* Reading a book instead of surfing the Internet
* Writing a letter instead of using the phone
* Being grateful for all the wonderful things we have that make our lives so much easier
* Appreciating life and the people around us
* Slowing down for just a moment

Two days without electricity is frustrating. No email check ups. No news watching. You can dry your hair, or put the kettle on. The fridge defrosts ruining all the frozen meat inside. Dirty clothes well hand washing becomes your only option. Credit and debit cards can be cut up because cash is the only thing that works. Using a computer isn't an option, and the trusty lap top's battery life has it's limits, as mine is showing me right now.

There are so many things that we use electricity for, that it becomes difficult to function when we don't have it. The other great thing is there's time to relax and catch up on some lost sleep. It's nine pm on my side of the world, and for the first time in a long time, I'm off to bed.

October 14, 2009 - It's snowing!

Only last week i was walking around in a short sleeved top and a jacket and today it's woolen hats, winter jackets, boots and scarves. It's only the beginning of autumn but the weather has given us a taste of winter today. It's snowing heavily, well it's snow, rain and sleet. But it's rather darn cold and not everyone is prepared for such drastic weather changes. There'll be transport issues, train and bus delays and lots of frustrated drivers out there all day.
For me it's time to go shopping for some warm winter gear, munch on some garlic and ginger to boost the immunity, and enjoy a hot cup of lemon tea while snuggling under a blanket and watching a good film.
Here are a couple of photos of today's extreme weather from my living room window.

Smoking in Public Places

Smoking kills. Well duh. Unfortunately the Poles are yet to fully take countries like England and Australia and ban smoking in shopping centres, bars and restaurants. It's a free country after all. So smokers can pollute others and what can the non smokers do? Not breath?

Many smoking Poles are against banning smoking in public places. It'd be like taking away an important freedom they feel entitled to. Since they hadn't had much in the past, they refuse to agree with it. But why do non smokers have to suffer in the process? Don't they have rights too?
A friend informed me the other day that a woman at her workplace asked for a lighter and when my friend replied with a 'No. Sorry I don't smoke', the women responded rudely, 'Well maybe you should start,' and stormed off to find someone else to lend her a lighter for her cigarette. The mentality of some people continue to leave me in awe.

I commute by train and bus. Last week a man blatantly lit up a cigarette on one of the lovely air conditioned trains without giving it a second thought. Of course there was no security or conductor to tell him off.

Sitting in a café between lessons, sipping a yummy Chai Turtle Latte – green tea, honey, steamed and frothed milk – and trying to write as the table across from me lights up for a second round in five minutes, while I suffer and inhale the fumes. Yes I can pick up my latte and disappear but shouldn't I have a right to enjoy my coffee without worrying about someone else's cigarette smoke damaging my health?

According to the European Environment and Health Committee, tobacco control is one of Poland's top health priorities. It mentions that the health protection authority is responsible for ;
“ - protection of non smokers rights to live in an environment free from tobacco smoke...
creation of legal and economic conditions conducive to reduction of tobacco product use...”

To my understanding, banning smoking in public cases should be the next logical step in order to fulfil these responsibilities, not just in and around educational institutions but also in shopping centres, all buildings, bus stops and other public areas. Making a ban is not enough. Someone needs to control the ban and make certain that it is adhered to.

While it's prohibited to sell tobacco products to people under the age of 18, it's clear and evident that this law is not adhered to. Only at the weekend I witnessed a women cashier in one of Warsaw's exclusive supermarkets selling two packets of Marlboros to a young buy who was clearly under the legal age. She didn't even bother to check his identification. All three parties involved, the shop, the cashier and the boy, should be charged for this minor offence. They won't be. Every day young people are damaging their health because even though there are laws in place, they are not followed nor are they controlled.

„In 2000 34% of the total population e.g. 10 million Poles, (24% of Polish women and 44% men over 15 years old) smoke cigarettes. It is alarming that an increased proportion of young teenagers start smoking. In Poland every day about 500 juvenile boys and girls start smoking, and every year about 180 000 children try smoking. 52% women are passive smokers at home, and 27% - at work. 15% of Polish smokers smoke in the presence of children. Every year 100 000 deaths in Poland are related to smoking.”
http://www.euro.who.int/eehc/implementation/20050525_1

These statistics are shocking, however in recent news announcements, smoking bans are in the works. While smoking will be banned from schools, shopping centres, bus stops and airports among others, when it comes to restaurants and bars, the owners will be free to decide when they ban smoking completely or provide smoke free zones separated by closed doors in their venues. When this will be in place, and whether it will be adhered to and controlled, is something different altogether.

October Reading List

'No Second Chance' by Harlan Coben – I was hoping it would take a week to read but after purchasing the book, two days later it was finished. It was one that brought me to tears at the end. This guy can write. I love it when a book has that affect on me. I read it so fast that I'm sure I'll benefit from reading it once more. Might learn something too.

'Flat Earth News' by Nick Davies – This one's a non fiction book I picked up about a month ago. There's a lot of interesting stuff about newspapers. A lot of the news we read is false, rewritten and the sources aren't completely checked nor verified. Things that should be reported on are ignored, and most newspapers are run by conglomore multinationals with their own agendas – that means not informing the public of the latest news but making big bucks. Of course no surprise there.

'How to Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer' by Jenny Glatzer – I picked this one up from Amazon after reading Jenny Glatzers websites as well as all the reviews about this book. I'm half way through it and I have to say, I am impressed. It answers a lot of the questions I've had about freelancing and getting an editors attention. Now I have to start using some of her advice when it comes to my own querying. I'll definitely be reading and rereading this book more than once or twice.

First Day of Autumn

It's warm, sunny and the flowers are still blooming. The start of autumn is perfect. Hopefully the weather will be nice to us this autumn and it will stay warm for the rest of September and October at least but in Poland anything is possible.

For the past few months everyone is heading for the forest to pick mushrooms which they than either cook in a creamy sauce, they dry them for the winter to add to Christmas dishes or they marinate them. Their delicious in all three varieties.

Just another gorgeous day...

It's a gorgeous day outside, about 25 degrees and perfect for a long outdoor run. Unfortunately I have a bout of the flu and running is out of the question, instead I am stuck inside on the couch trying to get over the annoyance with a box of tissues by my side.

Summer officially ends here in Poland in about five days. Fingers crossed that this lovely sunshine will continue into autumn. The leaves are already starting to change colour and there's a range of reds, oranges, yellows, greens and browns of different shades. Let's hope it'll be a golden autumn.

Fifty percent surcharge on coffee

Sometimes I wonder about the decisions I make. Like coming to the Marriott for a conference by Oxford Press for TEFL teachers, having forty minutes to spare and deciding to have a coffee at the lobby café where I can see delicious looking sandwiches and tasty coffees making my mouth water. 'La Pallesiere' in the lobby on the right as you enter, offers takeaway and eat in options. I order a café mocha, something different from my usual large black Americano. The price is 9.50zloty. Not a problem.
The lady behind the counter is middle aged. She's kind enough to smile which doesn't happen as often as I'd like or I'm used to. There's a sense of warmth glowing from her, which makes her a good candidate for working with people there.
'You know that if you have it on the spot there's a fifty per cent surcharge.' she informs me.
I try not to sound shocked and contain my laughter, telling her that it doesn't matter. I still want the coffee.

I sit down at the marble table and a few moments later the same lady brings over my Café Mocha in a medium sized cup. No revelation there. It's just cacao, coffee, milk and water.
This is Poland, I shouldn't be surprised. I am paying extra for the pleasure to sit in the Marriott lobby where business man chat, young pretty girls are interviewed for positions in the hotel, and parents try to contain their loud children. Nothing different from the regular Coffee Heaven or Starbucks down the road, so why the surcharge? Ah, yes I forgot. I'm at the Marriott sitting at a marble table and leather chair. The patrons flash their gold watches and expensive tailored business suits. Tapping on lap tops on speaking on their phones about another boring meeting or conference, making excuses to their wives or husbands as to why they are going to be late home again.

So why did I agree to pay 15zloty for a Café Mocha when I could have brought half a kilo of coffee for that same price and had it for a month or two at home? Well, it's all about the experience. Travelling is about experiencing the destination you are at. I've never been to a hotel where they surcharged for eating or drinking on the spot. It's a first. Is this normal? If someone can let me know I will be grateful. If it wasn't for the conference I would have not been there.

I still have time to enjoy my coffee and observe the vanity of individuals, young and old, who come here. I was supposed to go without coffee today and for the rest of the week but how could I resist. I may not have a reason to come here again. Or maybe? But I like the Marriott. I love hotel lobby's and restaurants just as much as airports. People watching is fun, and I notice I'm not the only one doing it. I am here to observe, write and enjoy the Cafe Mocha.

Time to finish up and had to the third floor for the conference, after all that is what I came here for.

70 Years Since the War Began

Today marks the 70th Anniversary of WWII. In Poland, and many other European countries this is a special event that needs to be remembered. Leaders from Russia, German and other European countries have arrived in Poland to remember the past. Who started the war? Who died in the war? Who survived the war?

On this day, seventy years ago one of the most brutal and deadly wars began. WWII took the concept of war to the next level. Once upon a time it was soldier against soldier, that has changed since WWII, now it's soldier against citizen, citizen against soldier. The battlefield is no longer limited to those in the army, navy or air force, it now fully includes the individual. Men, women and children are all victims, they've all become targets.

There has been a lot of blame thrown around about WWII, and while it was a tragic event that even words can not describe, blame is not going to change what happened. It's not going to bring back the brave and innocent people who were lost. It's not going to punish those responsible seventy years ago. Yes, we need to remember the past and the history, but not at the expense of teaching hate or announcing that revenge is OK. Neither hate nor revenge are OK.

For someone who was not there to experience WWII, it's difficult to find words to describe what people may have felt or how they should now react. My great grandfather, a policeman, died in Katyn. His son, my grandfather, along with his siblings and mother were packed up in the middle of the night by German soldiers and sent to the outskirts of Russia in areas now known as Kazakhstan. Whether they lived or died, no one cared. It was up to them. They were lucky. They survived, and I am lucky to have my wonderful grandfather in my life today.

We need to remember what happened to make certain that it doesn't happen again. War is an unnecessary evil. Power makes us want to do terrible acts to achieve higher status. Our power should not come at the cost of someone else's life. We should remember our heroes, our loved ones and the people who suffered. We should remember that war is not the way. We should understand that it's possible to live in peace and harmony. We are all the same regardless of our country of origin, our race, religion, or status. We all have the same basic needs, emotions and dreams.

War is the answer only to a person who is afraid, lacks confidence and needs to feel superior by tormenting, terrorizing and weakening others. Just like the school bully, except this time it's a grown up who should be wiser.

We all humans. We should all be able to live together, help each other, and fill our hearts and lives with love. History should not repeated itself. It should teach us to live together in peace.

Weekend in Wladyslawowo, August 2009

Third year in a row I found myself for a weekend in Wladyslawowo on the Baltic Coast. The first time I arrived with a group of new friends for a week of relaxation and getting to know new people. It was also where I met my partner of two years, through a mutual friend, that was two years ago. Last year I took the 'Sunshine Train' on my own to meet my partner after he finished his week long Krav Maga Training Camp in Ustka. This year we spontaneously decided to go up to Wladyslawowo for a relaxing weekend with another couple.

With the nasty roads, the journey took us over seven hours and 420 km. Sitting upright in the Suzuki Jeep was not the comfiest beginning to the trip and I was gritting my teeth, furious at the fact that we should have taken our car and driven up in much more comfort, but as the journey moved on, I realised my back didn't ache, the posture improved and even though I was cramped at the back with little leg room or breathing space, it wasn't so bad.

Once we reached Wladyslawowo, the four of us were wondering about our accommodation. It was a place I managed to find through the Internet at the last minute. Unfortunately no one wants to give rooms for only two nights, but luckily after about twenty phone calls, one nice lady informed us that she had two room for those nights. We were stoked.

The GPS led us into a dark narrow street with factory buildings, lack of lighting and barking dogs. No way could this be the street we were staying on, it looked and felt like something out of a horror movie away from civilisation and the rest of the tourists. Sitting at the edge of our seats we drove further, our apprehension and uncertainty increasing. A few hundred metres ahead the street we were meant to be staying on appeared and we turned into it. Two storey houses advertising accommodation with 'Wolne Pokoje' or 'Brak Wolnych Pokoji' on their gates or fences followed. We drove on not sure which part of Wladyslawowo we were in.

Finally the green house I saw on the Internet appeared. We all breathed a sigh of relief when we found it on the other end of the street with lighting, a few corner stores which a young crowd had already surrounded shopping for booze, and away from the unpleasantness of the other side.
The accommodation was fantastic. For 40 zloty (about 10 euro) per night per person we had a comfortable room with en-suite, balcony and satellite television, with only a ten minutes stroll to ul. Sportowa and the beach. It was much more than we had anticipated at such short notice. The owner gave us the keys and returned to the comfort of her own house to retreat for the night and get ready for the next day when more guests would arrive.

At midnight, we left our belongings in the room and headed towards ul. Sportowa and the beach. As expected even at this hour the youth holidaying in Wladek were partying in the streets and in the bars, drunk, dribbling, boisterous, throwing tantrums and parading around in tinsy outfits that barely covered their privates. The night was warm, a welcome difference to the previous weeks cooler evenings. The end of summer was nearing so we were pleased with the weather. We sat down on the board walk, digging our feet into the sand and stared out into the blackness of the sea, youngsters strolling hand in hand, half drunk, some sober, and others intoxicated beyond control.

After half an hour of chatting, laughing and eavesdropping on the conversation of intoxicated youth, the sky opened up and rain started to drizzle on us. We quickly gathered our things and made our way off the beach and back into the main street and towards our accommodation. We still had the full weekend ahead of us to enjoy the beach, the sea and our surroundings.

Your Home Town

Most of us don't consider our home town as a place for inspiration or story ideas. Who would want to read about the boring places we live in? Well, someone lives in all those places written about in the most glamorous travel magazines, in newspapers and in-flight magazines that the locals might find dull but to you it's paradise.

The same goes for your home town. A lot of professional writers suggest to write what you know. This may seem rather limited but the advice is good. Who is a better expert on your home town than the local who's lived their most of their life. You. If you mention this fact to an editor they may be more willing to offer you a story about your local town. Of course it's not enough to just offer a story about your town, you need to find a good angle to capture the attention of your editor and your readers. Even a general story about the Himalayas or Bora Bora won't sell if it doesn't have an interesting slant.

'Write what you know' is something I have heard and read about a lot. But it's not something I wanted to believe or do. I wanted to write about interesting things, fun things, about stories that weren't necessary a part of my life just yet. But than I realised writing about what you know isn't just writing about your interests, experiences and location. It's also being able to do the right research to expand your knowledge base and write about anything and everything that is of interest to you.

I've been living in Warsaw for two years now. The city is a blend of contradictions. Combined with the new and old, it's come a long way but it still has a long way to go. There are many stories here. Travel stories. Human interest stories. And much more. I'm going to try to focus on my local area and see what happens. Well, I'm off to look for some interesting story slants.

Writing Travel Stories

I've always wanted to travel and write. The notion seems so romantic and glamorous. Who wouldn't want to travel the world, see new places, meet interesting people, writing about it, and making money doing it all. Yeah right. Well it's true many people do make money from travel writing. But which came first? The travel or the writing?

I think this is like the question about the chicken and the egg. It's difficult to say. Some people have been lucky enough to spend a lot of their time travelling, and than decided to write about it. While others have been writing all their life and have stumbled upon a travel story or decided to give it a go. Whichever works for you is the way to go.

Travel stories about faraway places, hidden islands, exotic towns and foreign people sound like the type of stories you find in magazines like Conde Nast Traveller, CNN Traveller and Wanderlust. But what happens if you want to write a travel story and don't have the cash or the connections to get to that faraway place. How do you become a travel writer?

This is something that's been on my mind for some time. Do I have to travel to faraway places to sell travel stories to the right magazines? Where can I find the magazines that want the type of stories I write? How do writers find the time and energy to write all those travel stories? Do they really travel to all these places? How do they break into the right magazines and sell their first piece?

I did it. It wasn't planned. I was sending out queries to magazines and happened to send one out to a travel magazines. A stab in the dark. A magazine that I had never read in my life but stumbled while searching for markets on the Internet (this is not recommended, you stand a better chance getting your writing accepted if you've actually read at least one copy of the magazine).

My first travel story was 'Learn Through Travel' for Real Travel (UK) magazines' May 2009 issue. A 2000 word feature with photos. First I was excited and than petrified. How in the world was I going to come up with a 2000 word feature about learning foreign languages while travelling? And quotes? Who was going to give me quotes? And with only three weeks to get it all done. How?

The Internet of course. I started searching for language schools in Europe and sent them email asking if any current or past students were interested in being interviewed for an article. One day passed, two days, three. It was over. And than I got a response and a few interviews. I remembered I had a friend from high school who spent two years in Italy, another who planned on learning in France and one who spent some time in Japan.

The interviews were done via email. If you're on difference continents with different time zones I think this is the easiest way to do this. I emailed the questions and gave them a time frame as to when I needed their responses. Easy. The interviewees were even willing enough to provide some cool photos to go with the story, making my life a hell of a lot easier.

In the meantime I started working on the outline and an initial draft. Once the questions arrived I managed to put it all together. Five or six rewrites later I had a feature article to send to the editor. A month later, my story was published.

The first one was a fluke. The second one is going to be a little bit more challenging. In the next couple of days, I'm going to write how I plan to tackle landing my next travel story assignment.

One of the ski jumps in Zakopane

On the way to Morskie Oko

View along the walk to Dolina Pieciu Stawow

At the top of Kasprowy Wierch

Tatra Mountains, Zakopane

The moment I stepped off the train at 6:30am at the PKS Zakopane station after a nine hour train journey from Warsaw (only 56 zloty one way) excitement rushed through me. I love exploring new places and while the stories I heard weren't all positive, I liked the smell and what was awaiting me during my three night stay. I couldn't wait to start climbing mountains and discovering new peaks. There was so much to do and see and so little time. People advertised available rooms as people departed the train, we managed to quickly snagged one even though there was no rush, there were plenty available. The place was about 1.5km from the PKS Zakopane and up a hill. I didn't mind, we were there for an active holiday, the daily walk up and down the hill would be a great warm up and cool down for what was ahead of us.

After settling, and stopping off for breakfast at one of the Karchma's (Inn) in Krupówki, we decided to go on our first mountain climb. We did take the rail (30 zloty) to the Kasprowy Wierch and decided that we would make our way down on foot. The views were spectacular even for the unfortunate fog. Luck was on our side that we hadn't walked in both directions because we would have got stuck halfway down in the middle of a storm and downpour. We made it in time before the rain really pelted down and returned into town to purchase some very (un)trendy plastic rain coats that were more like garbage bags with holes cut out for the head and arms but it worked and only cost 5 zloty, most of the tourists were parading in an array of colours – blue, green, pink, yellow, red and orange. It did look quite funny but than again the alternative was getting saturated because an umbrella would be useless.

The second day we headed to Morskie Oko (Marine Eye), for an 8 zloty bus ride we were there within thirty minutes lining up to follow the other hundreds of tourists keen to enjoy the sites regardless of the weather. The entry fee to the national park was 4.40 zloty. Instead of following the easy winding but flat cemented road for 9km to Morskie Oko, we decided on taking another route towards the 'Dolina Pięcu Stawów (The Valley of the Five Ponds), which was a two hour walk up hill. We didn't realise how uphill it was until we reached the last forty minutes of our journey and it was a steep climb up a set of stairs made of rock and stone. With the rain falling, the mist blocking our view we were a little worried as to what was awaiting us at the top. But we had come so far and there was no going back now. Each step higher seemed harder and harder, there seemed to be no end. At times it felt like we were the only ones doing this walk, it was rare to pass one person let alone a group. That was at least until we reached the top. We had made it 1670m to the Valley of the Five Ponds. We were there, but because of the fog we couldn't actually see any of the ponds, and from what I've heard and seen on pictures, it rather lovely. After a hot cup of tea with lemon we decided to keep going, this time back in the direction of Morskie Oko. This time it was a two hour climb down with some hills thrown in between. Following a group, we weren't alone and I felt a little bit safer. With such uncertain weather the last thing I wanted was to be alone in the mountains. Two hours and twenty minutes later we were in Morskie Oko. The unfortunate or maybe fortunate thing about the place is that you can not go into the water. It's forbidden. No swimming, fishing or boating allowed and that's what keeps the water so clear. You can see the bottom and it's incredibly clean. Definitely worth a visit. There's even a bar/restaurant where you can enjoy a meal or hot drink during your journey. All round we wandered around for about 8 hours.

On the third day it was overcast and raining once again. Rather disappointing since we only had four days and three nights. However, no amount of rain was going to deter us from seeing some more sites. The plan was to visit Gubałówka and than spend an hour or so at the Aquapark on Jagielońska Street (turn right at the PKS Zakopane). If it wasn't for the fog once again, we would have had marvellous views of Zakopane. We enjoyed tea, coffee and a delicious apple pie with whipped cream, strawberry ice cream and poured over with chocolate sauce. Yummy.
For me, the Aquapark was rather disappointing. Firstly, it was crowded and overrated. Changing rooms, lockers and showers were unisex which for some people may cause a degree of uncomfortable feelings. Lockers didn't work properly and there was really no room to swim. Any designated lanes for swimming were being used up by kids playing games, making lots of noise and splashing about. Swimming laps was out of the question. We did enjoy fifteen minutes in the thermal pool outside, with the outside temp. at about 14 degrees and the water at 30 degree, it was pleasant.

We decided to check out the sauna to ease the muscle aches from the previous day. There were a few to choose from, ranging from very hot and dry, to warm and humid, a cold room and a relaxation room. For me, it would have been better value for money to pay for one hour in the solarium (about 18 zloty or 0.60zl per minute depending on the entry option). It's definitely great for children who want to play around a bit, there's a few pools -two indoor and one thermal outdoor, a few spas which were heavily packed with people, and slides for the kids and teenagers. They have full day packages that include pool entry, changing rooms and sauna for 60 zloty per day or 18 zloty per hour for adults and 12 zloty for children.

Finally on the day we were leaving the sun decided to show up. We were pleased that we managed to get at least one day of sunshine. After breakfast in our room and checking out, we took our baggage to the 'baggage hold' area at the PKS and left it there for the day (about 5 zloty per baggage). Strolling around the streets we talked, checked out the architecture and watched how the city prepared for the Tour de Pologne that was arriving that afternoon. We saw the ski jumps, than moved on to the main tourist strip, Krupówki to do some souvenir shopping, have our last dinner in Zakopane and browse through the shops for the remainder of the day before we had to get on the train.

Zakopane is a fantastic place for the traveller after a relaxing escape, an active retreat, or a party getaway. Zakopane has something to offer every traveller, regardless or age or gender. It's definitely one of the places to see when visiting Poland.

Exchange rate as at 8.8.09 – 1 Euro = 4.11 zloty
1 USD = 2.90 zloty

Krutynia in Photos

Krutynia

Last Sunday I spent the day in Mazurian territory. Krutynia to be more exact. It was my first time in this part of Poland and I have to admit that I enjoyed it immensley. I can't wait to go back.

We left around 5 am, and after a three hour drive and 200km, we arrived ready to pick up our kayaks and head for the water. Luckily we got there in time, from 120 kayaks there were only 7 left and it was only 8am. We took four, packed our stuff and were driven to our starting position.

The aim for the day was to cover 21km down the Krutynia River. This time there was no flowing with the river, we had to paddle hard. We passed many camping sites, tourists paying a visit to the Mazurian Lakes, and many mini bars waiting to serve exhausted and hungry travellers. If you like oily and fatty meals while you're away than you have a choice of 'placki ziemniaczane' (potato fritter) or 'naleśniki' (crepes). 'Flaki' (tripe soup), hamburgers and hot chips were also on the menu. I have to be honest I stuck to my home made sandwich and only got a black coffee but all my friends devoured everything they had ordered and claimed it was delicious. It probably was, Polish food usually is but for me it's a little bit too hearty to consume in the summer. The other option was sausages and 'kaszanka' (blood sausage) off the barbecue.

Five hours later we reached the finishing line just as it was starting to rain. We hid under the cover of a 'Karczma' and waited for our transport to arrive. We didn't have to wait long, the company we used was efficient and well organised. In Krutyn most of the residents have kayaks for hire, so there's little chance of missing out.

Krutyn is great whether you're taking a day trip, long weekend or an extended stay.

Warsaw's KDT Hall

Warsaw just doesn't know how to get it right. Today Marszałkowska Street, in Centrum, was saturated with protesters, onlookers, police in armour and rowdy security guards. KDT (a hall with discount shopping) was being shut down and all the sellers were asked, maybe demanded, to take their stock and disappear.

Disappear where?

Had they not been given an alternative venue to run their business?

According to the President of Warsaw, they had, but they had failed to respond to the options given to them. Were these alternatives adequate or were these innocent people whose jobs were secured in the KDT hall.

The city of Warsaw claims that the area will be used for the metro system (there are already two entry & exit points) and they plan to build a future museum – there's enough museums in Warsaw, instead they should focus on restoring and modernising the present ones. Warsaw's Museum of Technology in the Palace of Culture and Science leaves much to be desired, it's at least twenty years behind.

Priorities are not straight in Warsaw. People do not take priority. Instead they are treated worse than animals and when harm is done to them, there's no one to come to the rescue.

Warsaw may be the capital of Poland but it sure isn't the leading or most prosperous one. The decisions made by Parliament and other governing bodies are questionable to say the least. My question is what are they really trying to achieve because it sure doesn't look like they want to help anyone but themselves.

If you don't have money, you don't have a say. Without the right income you can forget about health, education and a normal standard of living.

Where: Bory Tucholskie, Poland
Kujawsko-Pomorski Region of Poland

What: 238km Kayak Route (it's not necessary to do the complete route, you can start almost anywhere along the route as long as you have organised transport. Once you reach your destination and are ready to go home, you can call the transport company which will come and pick up your kayak.
The river starts at Świeszyno and flows down to Bydgoszcz.

Attractions: Charming 'Piekiełko', situated 3km from Tuchola, it's one of the nicest parts along the route. It has a natural habitat and is touched by the sun that makes it almost magical and serene. Along the route there are a few obstacles in the form of rocks and fallen trees but they can be passed with a bit of paddling and manouvering you can get across. The flaura and fauna is also something not to be missed, Piekiełko with five 700 year old oaks (dąb s / dęby pl).

Gołąbek, which runs along 3.5km of the route is rich in flaura and fauna, wild life and bird life, and is one of the cleanest rivers there. If you've been travelling for long, there's a camping ground here where you can stay for about 7 zloty per person (about US$2).

Flaura & Fuana: borówka bagienna, mącznica lekarska, bożyca czarna, wierzba lapońska, chamedafne północna, żurawina drobnolistkowa, wyblina jednolistnego, wątlika błotnego, grzybieni północnych, and much more.

Wildlife: bóbr (beaver), jeleń (deer m), sarna (deer f), łoś (elk, moose), daniel (fallow deer), dzik (wild boar), ryś (lynx), wilk (wolf), lis (fox), kuna leśna (marten), tchórz (polecat), łasica (weasel), wydra (otter), wiewiórka (squirrel), myszki leśne (forest mouse), zając szary (grey hare), cietrzew (black grouse), dzięcioł (woodpecker), bażant (pheasant), kuropatwa (partridge), myszołowa (buzzard), jastrząb (hawk), krogulec (sparrowhawk), gołąb (dove), orzeł (eagle), sokół (falcon), puchacz (eagle owl), sowa (owl f).

Accommodation: camping sites start at about 7 zloty (about US$2), including your tent. Facilities are usually portable toilets, a spot for a fire and a water pump. In certain places there will be a shop to purchase necessities like food, drink, toilet paper, etc.
private rooms can cost around 30 zloty (about US$10) per night
hotels upwards from 30 zloty per night.

Website: www.borytucholskie.pl
www.park.borytucholskie.info/

www.borytucholskie.com
www.pokojekajaki.pl

Weekend of Kayaking

The River Brda

This swan was swimming alone and moved into the tall grass when it saw us approaching. We were lucky to see a few of them along the way.

My boyfriend working hard paddling down the river I took photos. I can't go anywhere without the camera, even when I risk losing it in the water.

Our camping site. There were about one hundred people who were also kayaking throughout the weekend. I hadn't slept in a tent in years. Unfortunately we forgot to take a blanket and only had one sleeping bag, but we managed to get through the night. Next time we'll be better prepared.

We enjoyed a short break and snack halfway through the first day. A couple of people had an unfortunate splash and fell out of the kayak into the cold water. Only a bottle of Nestle was lost.

This tree had been attacked by a beaver and we couldn't help ourselves. The tree was at least ten metres high, and it was amazing that it was still standing

One Polish Summer Day

It's summer. Hot, humid and sunny.

And than it rained.

The weather here is so twisted. It's worse than a woman on PMS. Today it felt like a combination of summer, spring and winter. The wind blew like crazy, I had to fight with my umbrella on the way home from the train station, rain poured from all directions.

Ten minutes later, the sun shone and if it wasn't for the puddles and grumpy faces, you wouldn't know it had rained.

Twenty minutes later, the horrid weather reappeared.

By five o'clock, the sun was shining bright, forcing me to squint as the sunglasses stayed at home, and it was summer once again. Gotta love Polish summer. Let's hope it stays nice and warm for tomorrow and the weekend, I'm supposed to be going kayaking.

An Indirect Uni Experience

Walking into the noisy hall my senses are bombarded with students voices – low, high pitched, in the midst of laughter or a yell. Everyone is talking over one another, but being in Poland, this should not come as a surprise. The commotion is due to the fact that it's the end of the school year, for some it's the end of a chapter in their lives that they are to dearly miss.

My partner is one of these people, he has just spent the past three months working on his dissertation. After 95 pages, and many late nights, it's finally done. We arrive in hope and anticipation that he can finally submit the professionally bounded document, be given a date to defend it – answer questions in front of a board – and feel a sense of relief that it's finished, that soon he will have his diploma and he can move on.

If only it was that simple.

First he has to stand in line, three actually, each crowded with thirty plus students there for the same thing. It's hot outside and I can feel sweat running down my spine, there's no air conditioning and outside it's close to 30 degrees. The multitude of bodies standing side by side, in front or behind each other is only intensifying the heat. The queue continues, pretty boys try to push in, thinking they are too good to stand in line, but no one dares to tell them to head back in line, it reminds me of the tuck shop line (school canteen) back in secondary school with students waiting and pushing in for their pies and sausage rolls.

We progress to the window forty minutes later only to be informed that there's even more paperwork to complete, documents to sign and stamp. Red tape. There's plenty of it here. Everything works against the citizen, student, patient, parent, employer, pupil, teacher. No one has discovered that if you help someone out and make their life easier, you are in fact also helping yourself.

I like to think that things will change. That future students and citizens are going to have it easier. More sweat trickles down my thigh as I stand in the queue for the cashiers desk while my partner rushes to the library to sign off that there's no overdue books (if there he might not get his diploma), and to sign off his practicals, even though they have little relation to his degree. I've come across this before, where psych graduates are working in accounting and handyman as bakers. I suppose everyone here goes for whatever they can get.

Two hours later we're back at home, sending emails to satisfy the schools requirements in relation to even more documents. He will have to go back and go through it all again. Stand in the lines, chase up his grades, paperwork and anything else that he needs in order to fulfil expectations, requirements, and graduate.

Two days later it's all submitted. I breath easier. I swear I've been stressing and worrying more than he has. I'm proud of him. After months of hard work it's all done, and now we can both relax.

I've been thinking about going to do a Masters degree in Warsaw as they offer courses in English, my Polish is advanced but not advanced enough to complete two years of university and pass. This experience, however, is making me rethink the issue. Unless I can find a university that is computer orientated, has organisational skills and is with the times, I will bypass the idea and wait till I return to Australia.

Taxes Rising, but Minimum Wage Hasn't Budged

According to 'Polska Times' newspaper (6.7.09) the government is fighting with the crisis. The only problem is that Poland hasn't been really hit with a financial crisis like other parts of the world, but the government feels that we need to raise taxes in many areas, while it gives itself a pay rise (which has been noted on the front cover of newspapers like Fakty & Dziennik.pl in recent months). That to me or anyone else, is not smart governing. Don't they realise that if they put the citizens first they would be better off in the long term and their career would not be cut short due to greed and foolishness. The problem here is that most of the politicians present, past and future, go into office in hopes of making themselves rich. At least that is the view from the outside.

The Times Poland, mentioned rises in excise tax (akcyzy) for fuel [why when the cost has dropped three fold per barrel do Polish petrol prices continue to be ridiculously high? – to put into perspective, the average Polish citizen will have to work 1 hour for 2L of petrol, someone on minimum wage, will work for 1hr for 1L of petrol].

A tax is planned for alcohol and cigarettes. Because I am a non smoker and rarely drink alcohol, I think this is a good idea. But the reason behind it should not be for the government to make some extra money to hoard into their pockets but to encourage people to stop poisoning and killing themselves. More and more people are dying from smoking and drinking related causes all over the world, yet governments are doing little to outlaw smoking which kills more people than illegal drugs like cannabis. But that's another issue.

The government doesn't seem to understand that by continuing to raise taxes they are not going to make more money, because people are going to stop spending it as they won't have enough. Instead of driving, they are going to use public transport, walk or cycle. Duh. But of course this is not relevant because by the time they get out of office, they will already have set themselves up for life. Something the majority of Poles don't have a chance to do.

I'm not saying that all politicians are like this here, however, the decent ones who actually want to help Poland, are being pushed aside, stomped on, and removed from parliament by any means possible.

It's rather disappointing to see the leaders of our country not learning from their mistakes in the past. Will Poland ever experience the reality they deserve and get themselves out of this slump that has been present for decades?

Have I been unfair in my comments? I'd like someone to tell me I'm wrong and that our politicians and ministers are doing everything they can to make this country better, more prosperous, safer, cleaner and wealthier than it has ever been. I just can't see it.

Who deserves a pay rise?

Minimum wage is about 850zl (US$280 per month). This is not enough to cover rent, pay monthly bills, put food on the table and have a life. While ministers are earning ten or twenty times this amount and regularly demand pay rises because they claim that they should be earning similar amounts to people in their positions around the world. Well, so should teachers, doctors, nurses, waiters, chefs, and shop assistants.

Minimum pension for someone who has worked for forty odd years is about 600 zloty (US$200 per month). How is an older person who needs to pay bills, buy food and medicine support themselves? The older generation have built Poland, they have lived through its horrid history and survived, and this is how they are being repaid for their efforts.

The last few pay rises that I have seen for pensioners on the minimum have been 10 zloty, maybe 15 zloty. Is that really going to make a difference, especially since they have to pay tax from these meagre funds?

This is disgraceful for a country who is a member of the European Union, has been a democracy for twenty years, and has the potential to be something great.

Thank you for listening to my venting and any comments are appreciated, afterall this is just my opinion.

A love of bookstores

Monday and Wednesday nights are best times to spend in Empik in the city centre. My favourite one is in Galeria Centrum. It's a three level store with books, magazines, cd's, dvd's, school supplies and games. Best of all, on the top level is a café, with power points and a view of the Palace of Culture and Science.

I love to come here and write, among other people, among the books which I can reach out and read. Café's and book stores in one are a weakness of mine.

I always take the escalators to the third floor, browse through the English books, sometimes I make a purchase, but most of the time I read the back covers and move on.

Taking a seat by the window, overlooking Marszalkowska Street and the Palace of Culture and Science, with Central Station and Zlote Tarasy just over in the distance.

Traffic zooms past in both direction, people rushing home to their families, while many others – tourists and locals alike – stroll the streets, browse through shops – Zara, H&M, Reserved and Sephora – a couple buy flowers from the old man selling tulips and forget-me-nots. He's so sweet looking, I wonder how long he's been standing there for, and I remind myself to bring some change next time and buy a bunch from him. He's always smiling.

Warsaw with it's bustling lights, the place has come so far and still has such a long way to go. I reach over and bite into my Byron Bay cookie (I loved them in Australia), and I take a sip of green tea. This alone is proof that Warsaw is emerging from its 20 year post communism era, into the globalised future and may one day soon form its place as a modern state in the EU.

One Unfine June Day

Summer has started in Poland, yet it feels like it's autumn instead. It's wet, raining and so depressing I can't stand looking outside, might have to change my desk around to face a wall with a pretty picture painted on it.

Middle of June and it's about 12 degrees outside. Yesterday it was 30. This rapid change of weather is driving me crazy and everyone else around me. There's a continuous run of the sniffles, shivers and it's difficult to plan what to wear to work when the weather is this awful. All I want to do is sunbathe a little, work on my tan, and relax in the sun, that's what one is supposed to do during the summer. Right now I'm wondering if we're going to get any at all.

Luckily I took my washing in last night. But that's another story, not meant for today. And my aunt's cat gave birth for the fifth time in the last 24 months, to four brand new kittens. I'm not a fan of cats but my younger cousins are pretty excited.

So what is one to do in Poland when it's cold and wet outside? One thing is to snuggle in a warm jumper, watch a good movie or snuggle up to your partner. He's at work, darn it. Oh well, I guess I just have to keep on working and hope that tomorrow the sun will shine and I won't be freezing my butt of in summer.

The internet connection isn't working very well either. Bummer. I've got some many emails to send and pictures to put up. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm ever going to be able to put up photos again.

OK, now that I'm done with the complaining it's time to start writing again, and TEFL lesson plans for tomorrow. Might be a good idea to get started on report writing too, all the students reports are due next week. So much work and so little time.

Corpus Christi

The Feast of Corpus Christi or Boze Cialo as it is named in Poland is one of the most important Roman Catholic traditions celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. It began in around 1247 in France and has continued to this day throughout the world.

The purpose of this custom has changed throughout the years, initially it was a celebration for adoring Jesus Christ. A specific 'adoring prayer' was said, but now the 'begging prayer' has also been added, where the people ask for good weather and harvest for the upcoming season. Worshipers range among men, women and young children. It is also popular for tourists who may not have a similar celebration in their home town or country.

This year Corpus Christi fell on 11 June. It's one of the prettiest Catholic celebrations where young girls in their First Communion dresses walk the streets with other believers and church goes, sprinkling rose petals and other flowers on the street. As they walk around the towns, they stop at temporary shrines to pray and take a twig of birch back to their homes for luck.

Here are some photos of the celebrations in a small suburb of Warsaw, my current home town.

Why Visit Poland?

Earning in the zloty is not the best. Especially when the exchange rate is not your favour. Even though I earn above the average income most months of the year, it's a lot less then I was earning in Australia. This isn't great if I want to send money to my account back home. Sometimes it doesn't seem worth it.

Poland is an interesting place, but unless you're taking up a managers position and going to be earning over 20,000 zloty a month, don't come here for the money. So why would you bother?

- A different culture. Poland is different, the people are different. Life is different. Two years later, I am still getting used to the attitude and behaviour of the majority I have come in contact with. It's always good to open yourself up to new ideals, a new way of life. While the place has been modernised over the past 20 years, they still have a long way to go.

- A sense of history. Poles have battled it out for centuries. Wars, uprisings and having their land taken away from them, given back, taken away again, and once again restored. Since World War II, Poland has changed somewhat, it has lived under Stalin rule, Military Rule and Communism, and survived. Get a taste of the history by visiting some of the famous sites like Auschwitz, Krakow, Warsaw Uprising Museum and much more.

- The exchange rate. If you're coming from England, Australia, America or anywhere that has the Euro. 1 Euro = 4.54 zloty or 1 USD = 3.25 zloty (6.6.09). Not bad if you want to have some fun.

- The spring time. This has to be the best part of the year. All the flowers are blooming, the sun is shining and I wake up with a smile on my face, especially when I can go for a nice long morning run in the forest.

- Vodka. Polish folk are big drinkers. Young and old. Unfortunately many don't know their limits and will end up sleeping at bus stops, on the side of the street or in front of the shop. However you will have a good time if you go out. Just be ready to down those shots (and remember your limits, no point in getting so plastered that you forget the experience).

- Natural habitats. Polish is rich when it comes to beautiful places to visit. Zakopany and Tatra Mountains is one of the most popular destination but Poland has much more to offer than that. Check out Bieszczady and Lake Solina, Bialowierza National Park in Hajnowka, Wieliczka salt mine, and much more.

Fourth of June

4 June 1989 marked moments in history that changed the lives of many people.

Beijing's Tianenman Square protests, China

The Russian Railway Catastrophe

Fall of Communism in Poland and the start of a democracy, first elections are held
All significant events that changed the course of history. Each one important to people around the world. Tianenman Square people were massacred for voicing their opinions. In Russia, people died from a catastrophe that could have been avoided. In Poland, the people were given a choice.

Twenty years on, what does it all mean?

4 June 2009

The date marks 20th Anniversary of several significant moments in history.

European Parliamentary Elections are held

20 years democracy in Poland celebrated

Twenty years is a long time. It's one generation. Poles had huge expectations back in 1989, or maybe they had no idea what to expect and that is why Poland is the way it is to say. I can not be completely negative about the country's position, for it is beautiful, filled with good souls, and opportunities for all. The potential for growth here is enormous. Maybe the next 20 years the right things will happen.

Twenty years ago Poland entered into a democratic state without adequate guidance to be successful, without the right support which would lead them in the right direction to health, wealth and prosperity. Now, Poland knows that many things have to change in order to make up the losses in the next twenty years, and so that 2029, people will be proud to call themselves Poles.

This morning I was reading the 'Metro' complimentary newspaper, handed out to around 500,000 individuals on the streets of Warsaw. They mention five goals for Poland for the next twenty years -

1 – Educational Reform with the intention of teaching trust and open mindedness while using modern and innovative methods of teaching.

2 – Creation of strong centres of science and innovation.

3 – Realistic democracy with a free market, and the protection of human rights, laws and the
rights of citizens. Politicians have been looking after themselves far to long and in turn neglecting
the needs of their citizens.

4 – Development in infrastructure for roads, railways, airports, and energy. These are important elements for the development of any country.

5 – Family friendly politics in order to guarantee access to kindergartens and pre-schools, for mothers not having to choosing between motherhood and a career.

Education, infrastructure, politics, science and innovation, human rights among others are critical for a successful society, without them a state is incapable of providing today's basic needs of their citizens. Let's hope that these goals will become priority for the country, the politicians and it's people.

Warsaw's Palace of Culture & Science by Day

Warsaw's Palace of Culture & Science after sunset

Things I love about Poland

Poland is one of those places that it's easy to be judgemental of, at least for me. There are so many things that I don't like, that I'd love to change, that drive me absolutely bonkers. So, I've decided to come up with some things I love about Poland. I figured there has got to be something.

The fresh farmers markets
Every Thursday, my grandfather gets on his bike and goes to the farmers market for our weekly fruit and vegetables. Sometimes when I have time off work, I join him, especially in the spring and summer time. The colours of the tomatoes, cucumbers, apples and strawberries make my mouth water immediately. Usually we end up getting a bit of everything.

Strawberries
Come the end of spring, around the 1st of June, and the strawberries are in full season. I'm not talking about strawberries that have been genetically modified or ones that have been imported. These are fresh and deliciously sweet strawberries from Poland. Everyday, hundreds of people, sell them from the back of the cars, at the markets and on the side of the street in extra large punnet of about 2kg for 4-5 zloty per kilo. That's about $3 for a kilogram of strawberries. I can spend the season eating strawberries with everything – on my breakfast cereal, in my salad, and with noodles as a sweet dish, or in dumplings mixed with white cheese. Yum, yum, and yum again.

Spring time
This has to be the best season of the year. My grandma's garden blossoms with flowers, tulips, forget me nots, daisies, roses, and many more. It's a pleasure just to sit on the balcony and look out at the beauty. She can spend ten hours a day, grooming and tending to the flowers and shrugs she adores, they are like her little babies. The effects are clear, just one look, hers is the most gorgeous garden in the street, if not the town.

Poland's' EU Entry
OK, so the country is yet to see the full positive effect of being a part of the European Union, the best thing is that people can travel freely in between the countries without worrying about passport checks and border control. This has given people who wouldn't normally travel the opportunity to see more of the world, at a lower cost.

Opportunities & Potential
Poland is still far behind other EU countries and the rest of the world. There are so many opportunities here for new business ventures and expansions. I've noticed that many people here lack the initiative to do something, to make things work, and instead much of the country is being privatized. While privatization is healthy, the Polish government is going to extremes. Here, there are growth opportunities in the health and fitness sectors, services, education and retirement sector. With the right people, the right funds, the country and the people have a chance to really prosper. If only someone was willing to lead them in the right direction, and they were willing to listen.

Another side of Warsaw

This morning on my way to work in Central Warsaw a man lay passed out at the bus stop. Crutches leaning against the bus stop wall, while he was sprawled on the cold concrete.
I did not see his face. Didn't know who he was.

This isn't a rare sight. Rather, an every day occurrence. A continuing problem in Warsaw.

Sitting on the bus 517, passing Ochota, an older woman, maybe in her sixties, maybe older, it's difficult to tell these days. Kneeling on the hard ground, a tin for money placed at her knees, hands held in front in prayer position, eyes shut, begging for a few measly groszy. Where was her family? Where were her friends? Her brothers, her sisters, sons and daughters, grandchildren. How did she happen to end up in this position, on the side of a busy street at 8am.
This is reality. It's not a one off. There are hundreds of homeless people on the streets of Warsaw, passed out drunks old begger's dropped off in flashy cars, and mothers with babies scouting the trams for generous and naive souls. It's big business, and I'm wondering who's raking in the profits from these innocent individuals who have lost their way in life.