Once again, time has flown by and I haven't written in about 4 months. It's really hard to believe, but my excuse is that I've been incredibly busy with work, a second job, an online graduate degree program, and being pregnant. But I think it's important that I make time for this post, since it's my last one from Poland.
The past few years have been filled with goodbyes, and I'm still not really good at them. As always, I don't think it's really hit me that I'm leaving for good. I'm excited to be seeing friends and family in the U.S., but I think it will just feel like a nice vacation before returning to work in Poland. That was actually the original plan, but life has its way of making other plans.
Poland has been a really unique experience. After living in Jakarta for a year, we had an awesome honeymoon period here. We had the opportunity to build up a school from the beginning. We were able to "learn" a new language (I'm not sure if we'll ever truly learn Polish as it's probably the most complicated language with a Roman alphabet). Most of all, we met some amazing people. Since Alexander and I have been together, Poland has been our home for a longer period than anywhere else that we've lived, so it will always be special to us.
Every time I leave a country, I say it's not "goodbye", but I'll "see you later". This year, I was able to return to Germany, just as I knew I would eventually. One day, Alexander and I will make the trek back to Jakarta to embrace our friends who we dearly miss. And sometime in the not so distant future we'll bring our little one to see our Polish home.
Dziękujemy, Polska. Na razie!
Showing posts with label Living in Poland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Living in Poland. Show all posts
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Wilkommen in Polska: Life is What Happens... While You're Busy Making Other Plans
It's hard to believe that it's been about two months since my last post. It's not that there hasn't been anything going on (we went to a First Communion celebration, we traveled to Szczecin, we found a new place to live), it's just that life has been incredibly busy (planning for the Blessing and Honeymoon in England/Scotland, working two jobs, applying for a Masters program). Hopefully this post will give a full update of what's been going on.
Back in May, we were invited by one of my students to celebrate his First Communion, and the plan was to meet him and his family at the church. However, we underestimated how big First Communion is here in Poland. In simple words, it's a huge deal. The only time I've seen so many people in a church is on Easter Sunday in the Bible Belt. It was standing room only, and the nearest parking was probably a quarter mile away. Seeing as I was wearing rather high heels, we decided to just go to the after party.
There were about forty people at the house to celebrate: all of the brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, and, of course, grandma. We were informed that this was a typical Polish gathering. For holidays and birthdays the entire family always comes together to celebrate. It's actually pretty touching to see the importance of family in Polish culture. And it wouldn't be a Polish celebration without the food....LOTS of food. There was the first starter of soup, and another starter of something else. Then, there was a choice of chicken, beef or pork (or all three!) for the main dish. Then there were also some different cakes and pastries, and finally there were delicious strawberries. We were able to take home some amazing desserts!
In June, we went to a city called Szczecin, which is pronounced like "Shchechin". Szczecin has one of the largest ports in Poland, but it's still developing. A random point of interest in Szczecin is an Indian restaurant owned by a former Miss India, called Bombay. It was delicious and the interior is exquisite. Unfortunately, Szczecin didn't seem to have much else to offer. We tried finding the tourist office, but all the signs only directed us to the river.
Overall, the past few months have been pretty busy for us, and on top of it all we're getting ready for our big trip to the U.K. Although it's not my home country, there are definitely some things I'm homesick for in England. There's a special pub I'm looking forward to enjoying a cider in and I'm excited to have a Sunday roast again. Of course, I can't wait to see all our friends and family who will be celebrating our Blessing with us. Since we've been so busy, I think we'll especially enjoy our time away. Perhaps some distance will even help us better appreciate what we have here in Poland.
Back in May, we were invited by one of my students to celebrate his First Communion, and the plan was to meet him and his family at the church. However, we underestimated how big First Communion is here in Poland. In simple words, it's a huge deal. The only time I've seen so many people in a church is on Easter Sunday in the Bible Belt. It was standing room only, and the nearest parking was probably a quarter mile away. Seeing as I was wearing rather high heels, we decided to just go to the after party.
There were about forty people at the house to celebrate: all of the brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, and, of course, grandma. We were informed that this was a typical Polish gathering. For holidays and birthdays the entire family always comes together to celebrate. It's actually pretty touching to see the importance of family in Polish culture. And it wouldn't be a Polish celebration without the food....LOTS of food. There was the first starter of soup, and another starter of something else. Then, there was a choice of chicken, beef or pork (or all three!) for the main dish. Then there were also some different cakes and pastries, and finally there were delicious strawberries. We were able to take home some amazing desserts!Overall, the past few months have been pretty busy for us, and on top of it all we're getting ready for our big trip to the U.K. Although it's not my home country, there are definitely some things I'm homesick for in England. There's a special pub I'm looking forward to enjoying a cider in and I'm excited to have a Sunday roast again. Of course, I can't wait to see all our friends and family who will be celebrating our Blessing with us. Since we've been so busy, I think we'll especially enjoy our time away. Perhaps some distance will even help us better appreciate what we have here in Poland.
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Willkommen in Polska: A Trip to Krakow and Auschwitz, and Exploring Polish Pride
Today is our 7-monthiversary here in Poland. Part of me feels like it has gone so quickly, but another part of me has felt the drag of time. It's more like some days fly by, while others never seem to end. However, this past week seems to have gone so quickly that I can hardly believe it's over.
Last week, we had a four-day weekend, so we decided to visit the cultural capital of Poland: Krakow. Krakow is an immensely beautiful city and home to a vast history. There is a wide array of different cultures and nationalities represented and it's easy to see why Poles are so proud of it. We were there Thursday and Friday, and we saw the Old Town, had lunch on the Old Market Square, toured the former Jewish Ghetto, saw Tadeusz Pankiewicz's Apteka pod Orlem (Under the Eagle Pharmacy), went to Schindler's Factory (notable from the film Schindler's List), and walked around the Wawel Castle. It was enriching for our minds and good for our health (with all the walking). The weather also helped us enjoy the city. Thursday and Friday were gorgeous, sunny days, with temperatures in the mid to upper 20's C (upper 70's/low 80's F).
During our tour of the former Jewish Ghetto, we were talking to our guide. He asked where we were from and was shocked that we wanted to live in Poland. He had previously traveled the world working on a cruise ship, but he was originally from Krakow. It was hard for him to believe that an American and an Englishman would want to live in Poland. In his head, we must be crazy. Perhaps we are, but I don't think it's because we want to live in Poland. Poland really is a beautiful country. It has forests, mountains, a coast, large cities, small towns. Between natural beauty and an emerging economy, Poland does have a lot to offer.
On the Saturday, we went to Auschwitz.
I never imagined I would go to Auschwitz. I didn't personally feel strong enough to face such horror. However, I felt a moral obligation to go. Since I was able to go, I felt it was my duty as a human being to see the history of the terror. It wasn't easy, but I'm glad I went.
By the time we got to Auschwitz, the weather had changed drastically. It was now cold and dangerously cloudy. Since it was a holiday weekend, we were standing in line for about an hour and a half to get into the museum. Once inside, we were shown a short video to give some background about Auschwitz 1, Auschwitz 2-Birkenau, and Auschwitz 3-Monowitz. After the film, we went outside to start the tour. It had started raining, so we had to buy some ponchos from the gift shop. The temperature had also dropped to 6 C (43 F). It was a sobering experience to go through Auschwitz it such miserable weather, knowing that the prisoners would have experienced the same weather in little more than pajamas and a thin pair of shoes, all the while starving and being forced into labor.
For me, a great tragedy of Auschwitz is the silence about the Polish prisoners. I remember learning in my history classes about the Jews, the Gypsies, and even the Soviet POW's, but I was never told that the first victims of Auschwitz were the Poles. The second largest group of people in Auschwitz were the Poles, and they were actually forced to build Auschwitz in the beginning. And it wasn't only in Auschwitz that the Poles were terrorized.
Under Nazi occupation, Polish was banned. Speaking Polish was punishable by prison, or even death. The greatest minds of Poland were sent to camps. The intention of the Nazis was to completely crush the Polish culture, Polish traditions, and Polish people. By the end of World War 2, the United Kingdom had lost 1% of its population to the war, Germany had lost 7-10%, and Poland had lost 16-20%. Poland had the greatest impact on its population due to the war. And after the occupation of the Nazis ended, the occupation of the Soviets began.
Poland had declared its independence November 11, 1918 and just over 20 years later it was occupied by the Nazis. From 1939-1945 the Nazis were in charge and then the Soviets took control starting in 1945. In 1989, the Soviets began their fall, and Poland had its first democratically elected leader, Lech Wałęsa, in 1990. In the past 90 years, Poland has spent 50 of them under occupation, and this is reflected in the mindset.
Most Poles that I talk to seem to have no pride in their country. They think because their economy is weaker than the U.K.'s or the U.S.' that their country isn't as good. They don't understand why anyone would want to move here and they're fighting to move out. But I think the Poles have so much to be proud of.
History has proved that the Poles are a strong, resilient people. They have fought for their freedom and have retained their culture in the face of adversity. In just the past century, there was the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943, the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, the Cursed Soldiers who resisted both the Nazis and the Soviets, and the Solidarity movement which helped bring down the Soviet rule in Poland. Against all odds, the Poles have rose up and taken charge of their fate. Even when they lost, they got up again and kept on fighting. This is a tradition that every Pole should take pride in. And I hope someday soon they will.
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| St. Mary's Basilica |
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| Gate at Schindler's Factory |
During our tour of the former Jewish Ghetto, we were talking to our guide. He asked where we were from and was shocked that we wanted to live in Poland. He had previously traveled the world working on a cruise ship, but he was originally from Krakow. It was hard for him to believe that an American and an Englishman would want to live in Poland. In his head, we must be crazy. Perhaps we are, but I don't think it's because we want to live in Poland. Poland really is a beautiful country. It has forests, mountains, a coast, large cities, small towns. Between natural beauty and an emerging economy, Poland does have a lot to offer.
On the Saturday, we went to Auschwitz.
I never imagined I would go to Auschwitz. I didn't personally feel strong enough to face such horror. However, I felt a moral obligation to go. Since I was able to go, I felt it was my duty as a human being to see the history of the terror. It wasn't easy, but I'm glad I went.
By the time we got to Auschwitz, the weather had changed drastically. It was now cold and dangerously cloudy. Since it was a holiday weekend, we were standing in line for about an hour and a half to get into the museum. Once inside, we were shown a short video to give some background about Auschwitz 1, Auschwitz 2-Birkenau, and Auschwitz 3-Monowitz. After the film, we went outside to start the tour. It had started raining, so we had to buy some ponchos from the gift shop. The temperature had also dropped to 6 C (43 F). It was a sobering experience to go through Auschwitz it such miserable weather, knowing that the prisoners would have experienced the same weather in little more than pajamas and a thin pair of shoes, all the while starving and being forced into labor.
For me, a great tragedy of Auschwitz is the silence about the Polish prisoners. I remember learning in my history classes about the Jews, the Gypsies, and even the Soviet POW's, but I was never told that the first victims of Auschwitz were the Poles. The second largest group of people in Auschwitz were the Poles, and they were actually forced to build Auschwitz in the beginning. And it wasn't only in Auschwitz that the Poles were terrorized.
Under Nazi occupation, Polish was banned. Speaking Polish was punishable by prison, or even death. The greatest minds of Poland were sent to camps. The intention of the Nazis was to completely crush the Polish culture, Polish traditions, and Polish people. By the end of World War 2, the United Kingdom had lost 1% of its population to the war, Germany had lost 7-10%, and Poland had lost 16-20%. Poland had the greatest impact on its population due to the war. And after the occupation of the Nazis ended, the occupation of the Soviets began.
Poland had declared its independence November 11, 1918 and just over 20 years later it was occupied by the Nazis. From 1939-1945 the Nazis were in charge and then the Soviets took control starting in 1945. In 1989, the Soviets began their fall, and Poland had its first democratically elected leader, Lech Wałęsa, in 1990. In the past 90 years, Poland has spent 50 of them under occupation, and this is reflected in the mindset.
Most Poles that I talk to seem to have no pride in their country. They think because their economy is weaker than the U.K.'s or the U.S.' that their country isn't as good. They don't understand why anyone would want to move here and they're fighting to move out. But I think the Poles have so much to be proud of.
History has proved that the Poles are a strong, resilient people. They have fought for their freedom and have retained their culture in the face of adversity. In just the past century, there was the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943, the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, the Cursed Soldiers who resisted both the Nazis and the Soviets, and the Solidarity movement which helped bring down the Soviet rule in Poland. Against all odds, the Poles have rose up and taken charge of their fate. Even when they lost, they got up again and kept on fighting. This is a tradition that every Pole should take pride in. And I hope someday soon they will.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Willkommen in Polska: Personal Space and Lines
In 5 days, we'll be celebrating our 6-monthiversary here in Poland. There aren't nearly as many culture shocks as we had in Jakarta, but there are still a few things that take some getting used to. One of these things is personal space.
As an American, personal space is VERY important to me. I have strict cultural rules concerning personal space. This cultural programming is especially acute when in certain situations, such as at a doctor's office or the check-out line at a grocery store.
Here in Poland, there seems to be a different expectation when it comes to personal space in lines. A few weeks back, I went to the doctor's office to renew a prescription. I was standing at the reception counter talking to the receptionist, when someone else came into the office. While I was still talking, the person came up and stood next to me. I still don't know enough Polish to speak my mind, but I was incredibly flustered at the situation. I didn't feel it was the business of a complete stranger to know what I was doing at the doctor's office.
This could have been written off as a one-time experience, but I've also had issues at the grocery store. I'll admit, there isn't a large amount of space between the aisles and the check-out, but when a complete stranger bumps me in my rear end not once, not twice, but three times, I get kind of frustrated. Actually, very frustrated. After the third time, I didn't care about speaking Polish, I just turned and exclaimed, "Stop touching me!" (I may have included an expletive as well).
Even today at the post office I had an issue. When I entered, the two open windows were already occupied, so I stood several feet away in the middle of the two windows. When one window became free, I approached the counter. During my time at the counter, a line formed behind me. Well, not behind me so much as next to me. Right at my shoulder and old lady was inching closer and closer to make sure she was served next.
I honestly have no idea why Poles are generally more comfortable with less personal space, but I'm not the only one to notice it. And although there are things I can easily get used to, such as shaking hands every time I come across someone I know, personal space is something I value dearly. So, please, if you're a stranger, just don't touch me.
As an American, personal space is VERY important to me. I have strict cultural rules concerning personal space. This cultural programming is especially acute when in certain situations, such as at a doctor's office or the check-out line at a grocery store.
Here in Poland, there seems to be a different expectation when it comes to personal space in lines. A few weeks back, I went to the doctor's office to renew a prescription. I was standing at the reception counter talking to the receptionist, when someone else came into the office. While I was still talking, the person came up and stood next to me. I still don't know enough Polish to speak my mind, but I was incredibly flustered at the situation. I didn't feel it was the business of a complete stranger to know what I was doing at the doctor's office.
This could have been written off as a one-time experience, but I've also had issues at the grocery store. I'll admit, there isn't a large amount of space between the aisles and the check-out, but when a complete stranger bumps me in my rear end not once, not twice, but three times, I get kind of frustrated. Actually, very frustrated. After the third time, I didn't care about speaking Polish, I just turned and exclaimed, "Stop touching me!" (I may have included an expletive as well).
Even today at the post office I had an issue. When I entered, the two open windows were already occupied, so I stood several feet away in the middle of the two windows. When one window became free, I approached the counter. During my time at the counter, a line formed behind me. Well, not behind me so much as next to me. Right at my shoulder and old lady was inching closer and closer to make sure she was served next.
I honestly have no idea why Poles are generally more comfortable with less personal space, but I'm not the only one to notice it. And although there are things I can easily get used to, such as shaking hands every time I come across someone I know, personal space is something I value dearly. So, please, if you're a stranger, just don't touch me.
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Willkommen in Polska: Doctors, and Bloodwork, and Pills, Oh My!
About a month ago, I started getting horrible pains in my stomach and other discomforts in that area, so I decided to go to the doctor. This is not as simple as calling for an appointment, seeing as my Polish is still incredibly limited. Thus, I had to have my boss call around and find a doctor that could communicate in English, or German, or Spanish, or French. He managed to find a doctor who claimed he had a decent knowledge of English and an appointment was made.
I arrived at the doctor's office and told reception, "Jestem Jacquelynn Ayton. Mam 'termin'." They responded in fast Polish that I could barely decipher, so I added "Przepraszam, jestem z Ameryki", to which they used some hand motions for translation. I went through to the waiting room and expected to hear my name.
As I sat waiting, I noticed people were just going into the doctor's office one after another. The time of my appointment had come and gone, and I realized that, apparently, people were in line and the appointment was superfluous. Unable to communicate in order to find out the order, my husband assured me that he knew who I was supposed to follow.
When I entered the doctor's room I greeted him with a polite "Dzien dobry" and then "Jestem z Ameryki", to which he responded, "Ah, USA, very good" through and incredibly thick accent. He motioned for me to sit down and then waited for me to start talking. I explained my problems using slow English and small words, and then he asked me a few things such as, "Drugs?", "Pregnancy?". I deduced his meanings of 'Are you on any medication?' and 'Are you pregnant?' and responded with a "No... I don't think so?" (isn't HE supposed to tell ME if I'm pregnant? But I'm not, so it's okay, and I digress) After the broken English questions, he asked me to stand up.
He said "prendre votre chemise", which confused me, but my husband quickly translated the French and I raised my shirt. Then he said "tief atmen" and I was again startled by the change in language, but understood the German command to breath deeply. He then had me lay on the bed. "Where hurt?" and I directed him to the general location. At that moment, his cell phone rang. I thought he would ignore it. He didn't. I thought he would quickly say he was with a patient. He didn't. While I was laying on the bed with my shirt up and pants unzipped, the doctor had a good 5-10 minute conversation before informing the person on the other end he was with a patient.
After some very painful poking and prodding, the doctor had me get dressed again and sit down. He suspected something called gastritis, prescribed me three different medications, and gave me referrals for blood work, urine analysis, and a gastroscopy.
The first thing to deal with was going to the Apteka to get my medication. I easily handed over the prescription and paid with little incident...until I looked in the bag. I had three different medications and no clue as to how much or how often I was supposed to take each one. We hurried back into the pharmacy, only to discover the person I had dealt with had disappeared, and so I had to try to communicate my situation to a different person. I started with "Przepraszam, jestem z Ameryki" and then attempted to continue with "Mam trzy i nie wiem...uh...nie wiem..." before I gave up and explained the problem auf deutsch. Luckily, one of Alexander's students works there and she came over to assist us.
After my first experience at the doctor's office, I was prepared for a line when I went to get my blood work, and I had learned how to ask about the order. We arrived just before opening time, but there was already a line for the blood work, so I asked "Kto jest ostatni?" and an old lady informed me she was. Shortly thereafter, an old man asked who was last and I said I was. It seemed to work fairly painlessly, until old lady 2 came and got it a little confused. The order was supposed to be old lady, me, old man, and then old lady 2. However, old lady 2 didn't think she needed to wait. So after waiting for nearly an hour, when it was time for old lady to go in, she let old lady 2 go in front of her, even though old man had argued with them about the line order. Regardless, I was able to get in for my blood work, which took no more than two minutes. I'm still fascinated as to why it took them an hour to get through 10 people.
I still have to wait a few weeks before I can have the gastroscopy. I've done a lot of research in an attempt to prepare myself for what to expect, but I'm not sure if research will completely prepare me for what Poland has to offer. I've experienced a doctor's office in the US, the UK, Spain, Indonesia and now Poland, and I must say, Poland is quite unique. But at least they get the job done.....I hope.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Home
After this news, I talked to my grandma about our current plan, which is to stay in Poland indefinitely. My grandma did NOT take the news lightly. She hates the thought of her grandkids being bullied, and that is effectively what is happening by the UK Border Agency. We can't live where we want to live because because my passport isn't from the "right" country, so we're being bullied into staying somewhere we never intended to live. I'm not complaining about Poland, it's a nice place, but it's not where we saw ourselves settling. So, through tears and sobs my grandma cried, "Why can't you just come home?"Home.
Dictionary.com defines this noun as:
a house, apartment, or other shelter that is the usual residence of a person, family, or household.By this definition, my home is Kostrzyn nad Odra, Poland, so, grandma, I am home. Of course, that's not what grandma meant. The second definition is:
the place in which one's domestic affections are centered.
By this definition, my affections (fond attachment, devotion, or love) lie with my husband, who lives in Kostrzyn nad Odra, Poland, so, once again, I am home. Yet, this was also not what grandma meant.When my grandma made her tearful request, she meant I should just take myself and my husband and move to the U.S. The problem is, quite simply, that's not our home. My husband is British with family in the U.K., his parents live in France, our first home as a married couple was Indonesia, my family lives all over the U.S, and we now live in Poland. What is our home?
Excuse me, dictionary.com, but I have my own definition of home, which can't be summarized with a cursory handful of words. Home is waking up to my husband's kisses and a cup of coffee. Home is teasing my husband about losing his British vocabulary after time away from his native country. Home is trying new recipes and having my husband devour each one of them, even when they don't turn out quite right. Home is arguing over who should wash the dishes or take out the trash and then laughing over such silly arguments (perhaps after a few hours of moping). Home is falling asleep next to my husband and grabbing him in the night when I have a bad dream. Home is happiness, laughter, and love.
And I beg your pardon, U.K. Border Agency, but you have no right to separate a home.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Willkommen in Polska: Driving Myself Crazy
The last time I got my driver's license renewed was on January 15, 2010. I was living in Arkansas, so I got my license there. Within eight months, I had moved to Germany to work for a year, after that I moved to Washington, DC to work for a year, then I move to England, where I got married, and then I moved to Jakarta, Indonesia for a year. All that adds up to three years, eight months and a name change. Since Arkansas licenses expire every four years, I needed to return to Arkansas to renew my license and change my name...but I didn't.
When I looked into renewal, the information I found stated that only military personnel could renew their licenses by mail. I have since discovered that is not entirely accurate, but I decided that I should just get a Polish license since I am now living in Poland. I figured it would be a simple exchange of my American license for a Polish one. However, there was nothing simple about the process of getting a Polish license.
The process started about a month before my license was due to expire. We went to the local version of the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) and asked about how to renew. I had to fill out a two-page form, turn in a copy of my driver's license, Polish residence card and a picture showing my right ear (no idea why they don't do biometric photos here). It seemed to be straight-forward enough and I expected my new license in two weeks.
A few days later, we received a call that an American driver's license can't be transferred so easily. The U.S. is not one of the 67 contracting parties of the U.N.'s Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, which was put in place to make road traffic safer and more uniform. In layman's terms, Americans don't know how to properly drive in a country outside of their own (some would argue Americans don't know how to drive, period). What did all this mean for me? It meant I had to take a theory test here in Poland.
There are many steps involved before you can take your test here. First, I had to get a physical done. Of course there was an eye test, but they also checked my blood pressure, blood sugar and medical history. I was asked about diseases, drinking, smoking and other things that my translator struggled with. Then, I had to take the form I got from the physical to my local DMV. Two days later, I received a number. I had to take that number to Gorzow, which is about 45 minutes away, in order to book an appointment for my test. While there, we found out that I needed an official translator for my test, even though it would be in English. So I had to book a translator for the test as well. Finally, I had to order materials to study for the test.
When the materials arrived, I was honestly shocked to find a 110 page booklet +DVD-Rom that had 1290 practice questions. This is not an exaggeration. There were 1290 questions. I answered all of them. And I read the book. Twice. I did all this over the course of 10 days. I was ready for my test.
The test consist of 32 questions. Twenty questions are yes/no and twelve are multiple choice. You are given 25 minutes to complete the test and you have a set amount of time for each question. The questions range from 1-3 points and the total amount of points is 74. You are required to get 68 points. This averages to about a 92%. When I took the test, I got a 91%. I failed by ONE point.
This meant that I had to take the test for a second time. I had to pay for a second test, and I had to pay for the translator to come back. By the way, the translation I needed was basically, "This is a driving test. The rules are on your computer. Good luck." So after a weekend of moping, I went back for the second test 3 days later.
When I showed my passport, the test proctor noticed I was from Arkansas and Bill Clinton was mentioned. Many other test-takers requested a different computer number from the one they had previously failed on. In the exam just before mine, everyone failed. It is a very difficult test. So, once the test started, I read every question two or three times. One of the questions was even a repeat of a question I had missed on my first test. My result on the second test was positive. I received a 70/74.
In the coming week I should receive my Polish driving license. Between that and my marriage certificate, it seems I'm slowly becoming more Polish and less American. I must say that I am happy to receive a license which will be recognized in 67 countries. However, with hindsight I would advise other Americans to just go home for a renewal!
The process started about a month before my license was due to expire. We went to the local version of the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) and asked about how to renew. I had to fill out a two-page form, turn in a copy of my driver's license, Polish residence card and a picture showing my right ear (no idea why they don't do biometric photos here). It seemed to be straight-forward enough and I expected my new license in two weeks.
A few days later, we received a call that an American driver's license can't be transferred so easily. The U.S. is not one of the 67 contracting parties of the U.N.'s Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, which was put in place to make road traffic safer and more uniform. In layman's terms, Americans don't know how to properly drive in a country outside of their own (some would argue Americans don't know how to drive, period). What did all this mean for me? It meant I had to take a theory test here in Poland.
There are many steps involved before you can take your test here. First, I had to get a physical done. Of course there was an eye test, but they also checked my blood pressure, blood sugar and medical history. I was asked about diseases, drinking, smoking and other things that my translator struggled with. Then, I had to take the form I got from the physical to my local DMV. Two days later, I received a number. I had to take that number to Gorzow, which is about 45 minutes away, in order to book an appointment for my test. While there, we found out that I needed an official translator for my test, even though it would be in English. So I had to book a translator for the test as well. Finally, I had to order materials to study for the test.
When the materials arrived, I was honestly shocked to find a 110 page booklet +DVD-Rom that had 1290 practice questions. This is not an exaggeration. There were 1290 questions. I answered all of them. And I read the book. Twice. I did all this over the course of 10 days. I was ready for my test.
The test consist of 32 questions. Twenty questions are yes/no and twelve are multiple choice. You are given 25 minutes to complete the test and you have a set amount of time for each question. The questions range from 1-3 points and the total amount of points is 74. You are required to get 68 points. This averages to about a 92%. When I took the test, I got a 91%. I failed by ONE point.
This meant that I had to take the test for a second time. I had to pay for a second test, and I had to pay for the translator to come back. By the way, the translation I needed was basically, "This is a driving test. The rules are on your computer. Good luck." So after a weekend of moping, I went back for the second test 3 days later.
When I showed my passport, the test proctor noticed I was from Arkansas and Bill Clinton was mentioned. Many other test-takers requested a different computer number from the one they had previously failed on. In the exam just before mine, everyone failed. It is a very difficult test. So, once the test started, I read every question two or three times. One of the questions was even a repeat of a question I had missed on my first test. My result on the second test was positive. I received a 70/74.
In the coming week I should receive my Polish driving license. Between that and my marriage certificate, it seems I'm slowly becoming more Polish and less American. I must say that I am happy to receive a license which will be recognized in 67 countries. However, with hindsight I would advise other Americans to just go home for a renewal!
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Willkommen in Polska: 'Tis the Season
The Christmas tree is up, the Christmas music is playing and the Christmas presents are being bought. It's once again the most wonderful time of the year and this year will be much different than last. As I wished for last year, this year I'm experiencing a real winter at Christmas time, which is exciting since I haven't seen snow in nearly two years.
Since Poland is predominantly a Christian country, everyone seems to be getting into the season. The street lights are decorated and stores are dedicating half their shops to Christmas products. Next door in Germany, there are Christmas markets selling gifts, ornaments and, of course, Glühwein.
Although I'm thousands of miles from my hometown of Fayetteville, Arkansas, I have to admit that the Christmas experience is quite similar on this side of the Atlantic (even though the southern part of the U.S. is experiencing more wintery weather than Poland at the moment).
With this flurry of life, joy and celebration, I have to pause a moment to think of the other side. There are plenty of people who don't partake in the festivities of Christmas. Some because they don't want to, but an enormous amount because they aren't able to. Children who don't have access to proper education or warm meals can't possibly expect to experience the joy of the season. In a world full of instant gratification and exuberant luxuries, I just can't go along with the idea that there will be children without something as simple as something to eat on Christmas.
So, for this holiday season I've decided to raise money for World Vision. From now until my birthday, on January 15, I have set the goal to raise enough money to feed 15 families for one month. This breaks down as £30 for one family for one month, so over the next 5 weeks I plan to raise £450. That means for one month a family won't have to worry about where the next meal is coming from. For one month a child will receive the necessary nutrients for survival. For one month there will be joy that people have come together to make life for another person a little easier.
I hope you can find it in your heart to spread the joy of the season and donate to this cause.
Since Poland is predominantly a Christian country, everyone seems to be getting into the season. The street lights are decorated and stores are dedicating half their shops to Christmas products. Next door in Germany, there are Christmas markets selling gifts, ornaments and, of course, Glühwein.
Although I'm thousands of miles from my hometown of Fayetteville, Arkansas, I have to admit that the Christmas experience is quite similar on this side of the Atlantic (even though the southern part of the U.S. is experiencing more wintery weather than Poland at the moment).
With this flurry of life, joy and celebration, I have to pause a moment to think of the other side. There are plenty of people who don't partake in the festivities of Christmas. Some because they don't want to, but an enormous amount because they aren't able to. Children who don't have access to proper education or warm meals can't possibly expect to experience the joy of the season. In a world full of instant gratification and exuberant luxuries, I just can't go along with the idea that there will be children without something as simple as something to eat on Christmas.
So, for this holiday season I've decided to raise money for World Vision. From now until my birthday, on January 15, I have set the goal to raise enough money to feed 15 families for one month. This breaks down as £30 for one family for one month, so over the next 5 weeks I plan to raise £450. That means for one month a family won't have to worry about where the next meal is coming from. For one month a child will receive the necessary nutrients for survival. For one month there will be joy that people have come together to make life for another person a little easier.
I hope you can find it in your heart to spread the joy of the season and donate to this cause.
Friday, November 15, 2013
Willkommen in Polska: Lingua Franca
Our monthiversary in Poland was this past Sunday. We have been able to pick up some basic Polish vocabulary (I'm American/British, numbers 1-10, some food), but, unfortunately, Polish is a very complicated language to learn for native English speakers. On the plus side, our German background tends to give us a lingua franca, since we are less than 5 kilometers to the nearest German town. That being said, I have had a Polish friend get upset about me speaking German when my native language is English, and there have been several people around the town who pretend they can't speak German although they accidentally let a few German words slip when they have tried to communicate with me. So, it isn't always recommended to automatically ask, "Sprechen Sie deutsch".
Why?
Well, it takes some historical explanations. For those who don't know much about Polish history (myself included until about a month ago), here's an incredibly brief breakdown. The first establishment of a Polish state was around 966 AD and the Kingdom of Poland was created in 1025. Over a few hundred centuries, several empires rose and basically demolished what was once Poland, with each empire taking various bits of the metaphorical Polish pie. Then, World War I happened, and Poland claimed it's independence with the end of the war on November 11, 1918 (the Second Polish Republic). After that, things were cool for a few decades until the jerk called Hitler came along and invaded Poland. That was the start of WWII, "The Big One" (as my grandma used to say). After the Allies defeated the Axis, Poland was given over to Communist Russia (even though they didn't like it), and Fawlty Towers was given a punch line. Fast forward to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, and Poland was once again independent and established the Third Polish Republic. If this was so fascinating that you want to know more, ask Wikipedia.
So, back to the original question of why we shouldn't jump to German in our daily conversations in Poland, and the answer is, well, Hitler invaded Poland. I am a strong opponent of stereotypes of any sort, but unfortunately for Germany, Hitler claimed to be acting on their behalf. I know some people would say, "That's ancient history. What's done is done. Let's move on." and the sentiment is nice enough. However, the wounds still seem to be quite fresh. Let's not forget that Auschwitz is located in Poland and there are still people alive who can remember the atrocities of the war.
With all that, I'm very happy to have a language with which I can communicate with the people where I'm living, but I also try to be as patient as possible when they lie about speaking or understanding German. It's a very touchy subject and I'd rather not be responsible for opening up old wounds.
Why?
Well, it takes some historical explanations. For those who don't know much about Polish history (myself included until about a month ago), here's an incredibly brief breakdown. The first establishment of a Polish state was around 966 AD and the Kingdom of Poland was created in 1025. Over a few hundred centuries, several empires rose and basically demolished what was once Poland, with each empire taking various bits of the metaphorical Polish pie. Then, World War I happened, and Poland claimed it's independence with the end of the war on November 11, 1918 (the Second Polish Republic). After that, things were cool for a few decades until the jerk called Hitler came along and invaded Poland. That was the start of WWII, "The Big One" (as my grandma used to say). After the Allies defeated the Axis, Poland was given over to Communist Russia (even though they didn't like it), and Fawlty Towers was given a punch line. Fast forward to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, and Poland was once again independent and established the Third Polish Republic. If this was so fascinating that you want to know more, ask Wikipedia.
So, back to the original question of why we shouldn't jump to German in our daily conversations in Poland, and the answer is, well, Hitler invaded Poland. I am a strong opponent of stereotypes of any sort, but unfortunately for Germany, Hitler claimed to be acting on their behalf. I know some people would say, "That's ancient history. What's done is done. Let's move on." and the sentiment is nice enough. However, the wounds still seem to be quite fresh. Let's not forget that Auschwitz is located in Poland and there are still people alive who can remember the atrocities of the war.
With all that, I'm very happy to have a language with which I can communicate with the people where I'm living, but I also try to be as patient as possible when they lie about speaking or understanding German. It's a very touchy subject and I'd rather not be responsible for opening up old wounds.
Friday, November 8, 2013
Willkommen in Polska: Bureaucracy
As a non-EU citizen coming into the EU, things can be pretty tricky. Since I'm married to an EU-citizen, things are a bit easier, but, nevertheless, still incredibly complicated. This post is meant to be a bit of a warning for any other couples about to enter the process of EU bureaucracy. Keep in mind that it is different in each EU country, which is a large part of the issue.
Once Alexander was registered here in Poland, it was my turn to go through registration. We had to fill out a 4-page form in Polish (luckily with the help of our boss) which included information about my parents, my physical characteristics, my residence, my citizenship and various other tidbits. I had to take 5 passport size photos which showed my left ear and we had to turn in copies of my passport, Alexander's passport, Alexander's work contract, Alexander's registration documents and our marriage certificate. Things went smoothly with all but two things.
Firstly, the people at the regional registration office were pretty clueless about how to deal with a non-EU citizen wanting to register. It's not something that happens often in this area, and I'm guessing it would have been much smoother in Warsaw. The second issue was with our marriage certificate. According to EU law, there should be no problems if documentation is in English. Apparently, we've researched more about EU law than the people at the office have, so they wanted it in Polish. The other problem with the marriage certificate was the validity. They explained that since it was dated July 14, 2012 (the date of our marriage), there was no way to confirm we were still married. They needed confirmation that we were STILL married. Yeah...
We were able to go to the next step without proving our marriage (I was contemplating staging a make-out protest), although it took borderline hysterics on my part. We then had to register me in our local town, Kostrzyn, where we live. Once again, there was a problem with the marriage certificate. This time, they insisted we translate it to Polish. So, we went to a local translation place and went back to the office to get registered. Everything was in order, I got registered locally and received the necessary documentation to officially register with Warsaw, and before leaving the office we asked for our marriage certificate. The answer was they keep our marriage certificate. THEY keep OUR marriage certificate...
This time it was full-blown hysterics, which did nobody any good. In exchange for our British marriage certificate, we were given a Polish one. A Polish marriage certificate for two people who aren't Polish, don't speak Polish, and weren't married in Poland. My honeymoon bubble had official burst at this point. On the bright side, we were informed that if we got an official copy from the UK, then they would give us back our original copy...but I still find the whole process utterly ridiculous.
In the end, I am officially registered in Kostrzyn and awaiting my Polish residence card from Warsaw, which should be arriving in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, I'm hoping to learn enough Polish to understand what my marriage certificate says.
Once Alexander was registered here in Poland, it was my turn to go through registration. We had to fill out a 4-page form in Polish (luckily with the help of our boss) which included information about my parents, my physical characteristics, my residence, my citizenship and various other tidbits. I had to take 5 passport size photos which showed my left ear and we had to turn in copies of my passport, Alexander's passport, Alexander's work contract, Alexander's registration documents and our marriage certificate. Things went smoothly with all but two things.
Firstly, the people at the regional registration office were pretty clueless about how to deal with a non-EU citizen wanting to register. It's not something that happens often in this area, and I'm guessing it would have been much smoother in Warsaw. The second issue was with our marriage certificate. According to EU law, there should be no problems if documentation is in English. Apparently, we've researched more about EU law than the people at the office have, so they wanted it in Polish. The other problem with the marriage certificate was the validity. They explained that since it was dated July 14, 2012 (the date of our marriage), there was no way to confirm we were still married. They needed confirmation that we were STILL married. Yeah...
We were able to go to the next step without proving our marriage (I was contemplating staging a make-out protest), although it took borderline hysterics on my part. We then had to register me in our local town, Kostrzyn, where we live. Once again, there was a problem with the marriage certificate. This time, they insisted we translate it to Polish. So, we went to a local translation place and went back to the office to get registered. Everything was in order, I got registered locally and received the necessary documentation to officially register with Warsaw, and before leaving the office we asked for our marriage certificate. The answer was they keep our marriage certificate. THEY keep OUR marriage certificate...
This time it was full-blown hysterics, which did nobody any good. In exchange for our British marriage certificate, we were given a Polish one. A Polish marriage certificate for two people who aren't Polish, don't speak Polish, and weren't married in Poland. My honeymoon bubble had official burst at this point. On the bright side, we were informed that if we got an official copy from the UK, then they would give us back our original copy...but I still find the whole process utterly ridiculous.
In the end, I am officially registered in Kostrzyn and awaiting my Polish residence card from Warsaw, which should be arriving in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, I'm hoping to learn enough Polish to understand what my marriage certificate says.
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