It's hard to believe that a country so similar to the U.S. in some ways is so different and how those differences effect everyday life. I suppose for those who live in a large city Poland may not seem so different, but coming from a fairly small southern town....Let's just say we're not in Kansas (or ARkansas) anymore. Sean Stevenson, our supervisor, once told us that life just takes longer here. I wasn't really sure what that meant, since he told us that when we were here on a short term trip, but I'm beginning to realize what that means.
First, taking the bus is always interesting. Coming from the south I can't help but notice that while you ride the same bus everyday with the same people no one greets anyone, much less actually has a conversation with anyone. (The man from our previous story is the one exception. Even then I felt like everyone on the bus was listening and watching.) Riding the bus adds time to any trip since you have to time the trip with when the bus picks up. Remembering to plan the timing of the return trip can be tricky. Overall the bus is a pretty stress free way to travel, and it certainly eliminates the need for parking!
Shopping is also time consuming since it has to be done so often. This is due to several reasons. A small refrigerator and freezer are among the biggest reasons for frequent shopping trips. Food has fewer preservatives, which is good, but the shelf life is definitely shorter. We're also limited to what we can carry since we don't have regular access to a vehicle. We also have to carry shopping bags with us since most grocery stores don't provide them free of charge. We still haven't developed the habit of always carrying a bag with us, so we usually have to go home and get shopping bags. The store is right next to the bus stop, and our home is only 200 meters from the stop. Forgetting to bring bags when we leave for the day just adds a few extra minutes to the shopping experience.
Finally, laundry is a major time eater. Two hours ago I began a load of clothes...When they finish washing I will steam them for a few minutes before hanging them up to dry in the basement. I said steam because we have a washer/dryer combo. Now I realize that many of you now have an image of a compact washer and dryer stacked on top of each other, but no. You should be picturing a small front loading washing machine with multiple buttons and knobs. This machine both washes and "drys" clothes. This machine works about as well as you might imagine it would, which is why I said I steam the laundry. Things come out hot and moist, but never dry! Hanging laundry takes some time, but it allows for some good stretching!
I almost forgot. We finally figured out how to use the oven (thanks to a team mate). We had been using only 1/2 power and couldn't figure out why it took so long to preheat and then would not maintain a constant temperature. Pictures really didn't help.
I think my favorite thing to do in a store is to see how long before I can draw a crowd. I don't get crazy or anything. All I have to do is stand quietly looking at something - anything- today it was cheese. Slowly someone will stop and peer over my shoulder, then someone else will stop to see what I'm looking at. It doesn't take long before several people are looking along with me. Remember, no one speaks to anyone else. I always wonder what people are thinking as we stand there looking at something. I'm trying to figure out whether the cheese is smoked or not, which of course they all know since they read Polish!
Our days are full with language, shopping, laundry, and other things. Lest this sound ungrateful, we truly love living here and meeting people. We are part of a wonderful team, and we look forward to watching God move among the people of northeast Poland.
P.S. It's been half an hour and the laundry is still going!!
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