Saturday's Night Fever :)

Oh yes, it was a fever :) First, I think I have to explain you why... There is such a strange tradition in Poland, that we don't really celebrate birthdays (exceptions: untill you are "young" - so 18, maybe a bit more... and the special ones, like 50...) - maybe because we don't want to admit that we are getting older? This slavic soul feels young forever, so telling every year to the whole world - "I'm older" is unacceptable. Noone looks at that as gaining the experience, growing up, but everyone sees it as the process that maks you closer and closer to death... grrr... Well, anyway, not to discuss WHY, the fact is that we DON'T (ok, I do. Just another reason to have a party :) like many young people nowadays... are we changing the tradition? let's see...) So anyway what do we do? There must be a reason to party for sure. So we gather our friends at least once a year to celebrate... name's day. Good reason, and so neutral, isn't it ;) There is a stereotype about such a celebration (remember, when you are young you have your birthday party...) - as a kid you always participate in "Aunt's Name's Day" which consists of - always a dinner, always SITTING around the table and talking, really horrible boredom (come on, parents are talking and drinking, and you have THE delicious apple juice and all that strange food when all you need is just a sandwich wih ham!:)). Anxiously waiting and waiting for... "you can go and play in the second room" - those are words that start tornado- all the kids suddently run as fast as they can (my gosh, someone might change his mind!) to the other room, finally free, finally happy, finally away :) Of course there is this thought in their minds "this lovely expensive shirt my mommy loves, I cannot destroy it" but who would actually care about it when there are at least two other devil cousins next to you ;) ... I didn't mention one very important part of the party... MUSIC... I cannot describe it, you should listen to it. There is very specyfic kind of music adults are listening on such a party... So this time, on Saturday, I decided to make such a party. Actually, it was my Name's Day, so why not to laugh about it... Of course we changed few things, but slowly, now having fun, we are simply getting used to this kind of celebrating that day... I can't disappoint my friends' kids in the future!! So what happened... My friends came after 7 to my place, with a pack of "Katarzynki" (those visiting me should know, the rest.... will know ;)) and with some booze :) and we started a party, with good food and "shitty" music. The music slowly changed to "normal" with some hits from the past :) we were talking, but not sitting around the table :) rather on the floor, trying vodka with lemon and coffee ;) I still have marks on the carpet ;) I finished the party at 6 a.m. And then, after few hours of sleep, time to meet new day :) I had such a great time with my friends that day. Had to get rid of my parents, but it was not that difficult... so maybe soon we will repeat that? :)

A little bit of....

To communicate. What an easy thing to do! :) We just put the right words and say it aloud. Nothing more... difficult. Nothing more complicated. Nothing more complicating things. There is not only saying, there is also interpreting things. Right words? We can say one thing, the other person hears something completely different... We expect things, we have our own experiences standing behind the words and giving different meaning to them. We react. We feel. We think.
But does it mean we have to pay attention to our words all the time? We wouldn't be ourselves then... This is not the way...
How about observing? Our words have a big impact on others... and this is something we can notice. Many times, but of course, not always.
I do have problems with communicating sometimes. I know, some would say "but you study this" but it is just the fact. We are all only human beings. I am only a human being. I do make mistakes. And sometimes I am focused more on me then on the other person. But I'm trying. Trying to see the possitives, trying to say compliments since I know how much possitive vibration they are bringing with, I wish I could more often say "stop" when I feel angry. But in the same time, to say what I want, to get what I want, to show my emotions :) People say it is possible to combine. And I think it is. And that from time to time we have to make mistakes. To learn. To move on. To get to know each other in also "difficult moments".
Today I was taking part in the workshop "Mediation in the family". Very useful 7 hours. I went out tired like hell (working with people, using your emotions is really absorbing and tiring!) but with this feeling that there is a country where everything is possible. That this country is in every single one of us. There are no problems that cannot be solve. It is just that in that very moment we are not able to see the solution, the other option, we are concentrated on US and OURS. Or maybe to say it better - on the only one solution we have in our mind. It is a solution, the matter is, that there are some more. We can change the situation. There are times we need help to do it, but so many people are doing it themselves, when the first anger disappears,when we stop accusing and start listening. To the partner, and to us, our needs. Of course there are some tricks. But so many people are using them even not knowing they were named and put into theory.
How we communicate is for some more important of what we communicate, and that sometimes the misunderstandings are based on what we want to hear and what we think we heard. What meaning we give to things, and what is important to us, and what we want others to know "because they love us, they should know". They won't unless you tell them. So do it :)
And to end... this is what I have heard:
"Don't fall asleep with the things that you thought are not possible to reach, you might be awaken by the noise of someone who achieved them"

Monday, snowy Monday

Snow. The first thing I saw today when I looked outside was snow! The world is white today. Seems to be so quiet and calm. So peaceful. And we have Monday today. The beginning. Will it stay like that?
I remember it was always such an important moment for me when I was a kid - to wake up one day and see that there was snow! That I could make a snowman and that maybe the Christmas ... "I am dreaming of a white Christmas" would become true. :)
This autumn in Poland was incredible. so sunny and warm, and then, suddenly, in few days - snow. No gloomy, grey period... Well, it might come. I hope it won't. Because my heart jumped today, like when I was a child :)

About life here :)

My normal everyday life. It is not bad, but I have my moments that I miss Finland a lot. Maybe more my life there, my friends, and the way of spending time. The lake and the possibilty to go for a walk, sit there and just listen to the sound of waves.
And then I open my eyes and I am here. Poland, Lodz. Trendy city as I've heard. Maybe. I go to the university, try to learn some language, struggle with my thesis (can someone give me a gun?).
The most precious thing - meetings with my friends :) Sounds so similar to what I was doing in Finland, but everything is different! Maybe the way we spend time? (I am not sure.. with that hangover today...) Maybe the things we talk? Just different.
I am not really able to compare those things and say which is better. I just have two hearts.
The life here is not "adventure" anymore in the same sense as it was in Finland. I am not a foreigner. But I am not a stranger in the same time (hmmm... this one I think I could argue sometimes ;)) I discover new things in my city, in my courty, about the people I know for ages and people I've just met. And I try to see it as in the eyes of foreigner (Caroline will help me in that, as well as my guests!) :) When I started to write this, I didn't realise I will get to this point. There is something magical everywhere we are. We miss things wherever we are. But we can make our lives our fairytales...

When the holidays end...

Still two days in Poland... It is a pity that I cannot spend more time with you, Miia... I wish I could, but the university stuff takes me away :(
Anyway... sightseeing and shopping. There are places in Lodz worth discovering :) And beer in the evening, after our long day... Hope you liked it :) For me, it was such a pleasure to have you here. Almost like having a bit younger sister! :) I don't want my brother anymore :P Can you two just change?? :) Please :)
And we managed to see Kasia the last evening! :) well, and Miia had a chance to see how Polish karaoke looked like :)
Miia, leaving Poland hope you put to your bag not only many bottles of vodka ;) beer ;) chocolates and other, but also the strong promise "I will come back" :) You are always welcomed :) I do think my parents were impressed by your knowledge of Polish :) you have to start studying Polish :) Thank you very very much!! :)
Waiting for you and other guests.... :)

Smok Wawelski i smoczek ;)

Tuesday, my day off :) We decided to go to Krakow (Cracow) - city with castle and legends :) The huge disadvantage of that trip is - the time of the train there - 5.20. Killing hour!! :) I had even my critical moment when I had to get up ;) But we did it and at 8.30 we arrived to Krakow. walking on the streets of the Old Town, going to the castle, called Wawel, saying "hello" to the Dragon :) Our Smok Wawelski :) and in Miia's case- SMOCZEK :) Ask her what I mean :)
I left Miia to be a real tourist in the castle, and went to see my friend Maciek, that moved to Krakow to study there. It was really nice to see him :)
When after 2 hours we met with Miia, our tummies told us one thing "wa want to eat!!" :) I knew very nice little place in Krakow to eat something. Place almost like a fast-food bar, where you just go, sit, eat and go :) The difference is - the food (delicious) and people there. But I cannot decribe it, you have to experience that ;)
Ok, so time for a walk, I can see that Miia is delighted with Krakow, and I am not surprised. Our cultural capital ;) Streets that were built in Medieval Ages, the atmospehere of something incredible in the air... But time to go back to the "city of workers" :)
Oh, I can't forget about the incident in the train. The example of Polish logic. You go to the office, ask if international students id is valid for the trains in Poland. You give the id to check(in case someone doesn't have the glasses). The answer is possitive. So you buy the ticket with the discount for students. ok. You travel one way. Everything is just perfect. You want to go back. And the guy in the train tells you - this id is not valid in Poland, the discount applies only for Polish citizens, that study abroad (in that case, than need to have international id, id from home university and passport!!). You have to pay additional money. No comment. :)