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Update from Sheena
Nov. 9th, 2007 10:07 pmHey all!,
Yes, I know, it's been a while, but the last couple of weeks have been absolutely insane, INSANE I tell you! So, I've started teaching private classes as through the school as well as my classes in the afternoone. I've got thre of them and they keep me pretty busy. It took me a couple of weeks to settle into having classes during the day as well as at night, but I've settled into that now. Besides that my internet didn't work for a week for some strange reason. I didn't realise how much I relied on the 'net for stuff and for keeping in contact with people half a world away until it up and died on me.
Last week was the Day of the Dead public holiday/long weekend thingy. I had Thursday to Monday off (which was GREAT!!! 4 days of no classes ^____^). I decided that I wasn't going to sit on my butt in Mragowo for the whole time. I was going to go somewhere. So, Thursday dawned, wet and miserable (though the rain held off long enough for me to walk up to the bus station) and I headed off to an insanely long bus trip to Gdansk. It's on the baltic sea (for those of you who were like me and didn't have a clue where it was to start off). It's a much bigger city than Mragowo and it's got an absolutely gorgeous old town! (I have pictures, I just have to get them off my camera and onto the laptop to sort. It may take a while for me to post them, I'm still going through my first day in Italy!).
I nearly missed the bus. I didn't stand outside long enough to realise that the bus that pulled up, looking much newer than most of the other buses, was going to Gdansk. It said Elblag on it. I'd run inside before the sign flashed to Gdansk 'cause it was way too cold to be standing outside for any length of time. I got adopted by some sweet old lady who didn't speak a word of English (and I only speak about 8 words of Polish) but was quite happy to sit and jabber away to me for half an hour or so while I just sort of smiled and nodded at her.
Anyway, I managed to get onto the bus, once I realised that it was actually MY bus, just as the doors were about to close. It left Mragowo at 9:40. I didn't get to Gdansk until about 3:30ish. It was a loooooooong trip. I've decided that next time I'll get to the bus to Olsztyn and then get the train to wherever I'm going. Especially if it's quite a long way from here.
I had a ball in Olsztyn. I could've strangled the people staying in the B&B I was at, but the place itself was rather nice and close enough to the city, but not close enough to be noisy (save for the other people staying at the place). The bed was really comfortable, and I wanted to pack the bathroom up and take it back to Mragowo with me.
Even though Gdansk is by the sea, I didn't actually get to go and have a look at it. I wandered around the old town for the day. tHere was so much to see there. I froze, though. I now understand the concept of 'Windchill Factor'. I've decided that I hate it. The weather wasn't actually below zero or anything like that, but the wind made it feel like it was. I didn't realise and made the mistake of leaving the beanie at the hotel. I did have my jacket and a scarf with me, though, so I didn't freeze completely and I'd duck into a shop whenever I felt too cold.
Right, so I took the train back from Gdansk to Olsztyn. Decided to treat myself to a first class ticket (before you ask, I used to write and slap method to get what I wanted. I looked up in my phrasebook the words I would need to get the ticket, wrote them on a peice of paper, and then slapped it up against the ticket sellers window. It works) and ended up having a very comfortable compartment all to myself for nearly the entire trip (except for about the first half an hour). I've decided that the next town that I'm going to visit is a place called Malbork. They have the most AMAZING castle there. The train went past it and I'm telling you, that thing looks HUGE!! Oh, and I had some free entertainment on the way back too. The guy in the next compartment must've been alone as well, and I don't think he realised that there was someone in the compartment behind him, 'cause about halfway through the journey I jerk awake from my half doze to hear singing. Loud singing. In Polish. It was folk songs or something. He wasn't half bad, actually.
I got an express bus on the way back to Mragowo too. Got chewed out by the ticket seller 'cause I couldn't understand how much the ticket was when she rattles it off in Polish. Apologising in English and trying to crane my head around the glass to see the price on the computer screen didn't help much either. She didn't seem to get that I couldn't understand a word she was saying.
Enough about my trip to Gdansk. I also did a crapload of presentation classes this week. 5 schools in 2 days. I'm absolutely wiped right now. I was standing in class writing something on the blackboard yesterday (I hate chalk) when I suddenly realise that I'm actually falling asleep while I'm writing something! All I can say is thank god it's Friday!
I'm going to Olsztyn again on Sunday with Agnes, the other teacher. We're going to do some shopping (winter clothes and boots for me and maybe some books to read). She speaks Polish, so shopping shouldn't be too difficult and I may be able to eat somewhere that DOESN'T have an English menu! That'd be cool!
Anyway, that's the live of Sheena at the moment. Running around like a demented chicken on crack and having a ball doing it!
Yes, I know, it's been a while, but the last couple of weeks have been absolutely insane, INSANE I tell you! So, I've started teaching private classes as through the school as well as my classes in the afternoone. I've got thre of them and they keep me pretty busy. It took me a couple of weeks to settle into having classes during the day as well as at night, but I've settled into that now. Besides that my internet didn't work for a week for some strange reason. I didn't realise how much I relied on the 'net for stuff and for keeping in contact with people half a world away until it up and died on me.
Last week was the Day of the Dead public holiday/long weekend thingy. I had Thursday to Monday off (which was GREAT!!! 4 days of no classes ^____^). I decided that I wasn't going to sit on my butt in Mragowo for the whole time. I was going to go somewhere. So, Thursday dawned, wet and miserable (though the rain held off long enough for me to walk up to the bus station) and I headed off to an insanely long bus trip to Gdansk. It's on the baltic sea (for those of you who were like me and didn't have a clue where it was to start off). It's a much bigger city than Mragowo and it's got an absolutely gorgeous old town! (I have pictures, I just have to get them off my camera and onto the laptop to sort. It may take a while for me to post them, I'm still going through my first day in Italy!).
I nearly missed the bus. I didn't stand outside long enough to realise that the bus that pulled up, looking much newer than most of the other buses, was going to Gdansk. It said Elblag on it. I'd run inside before the sign flashed to Gdansk 'cause it was way too cold to be standing outside for any length of time. I got adopted by some sweet old lady who didn't speak a word of English (and I only speak about 8 words of Polish) but was quite happy to sit and jabber away to me for half an hour or so while I just sort of smiled and nodded at her.
Anyway, I managed to get onto the bus, once I realised that it was actually MY bus, just as the doors were about to close. It left Mragowo at 9:40. I didn't get to Gdansk until about 3:30ish. It was a loooooooong trip. I've decided that next time I'll get to the bus to Olsztyn and then get the train to wherever I'm going. Especially if it's quite a long way from here.
I had a ball in Olsztyn. I could've strangled the people staying in the B&B I was at, but the place itself was rather nice and close enough to the city, but not close enough to be noisy (save for the other people staying at the place). The bed was really comfortable, and I wanted to pack the bathroom up and take it back to Mragowo with me.
Even though Gdansk is by the sea, I didn't actually get to go and have a look at it. I wandered around the old town for the day. tHere was so much to see there. I froze, though. I now understand the concept of 'Windchill Factor'. I've decided that I hate it. The weather wasn't actually below zero or anything like that, but the wind made it feel like it was. I didn't realise and made the mistake of leaving the beanie at the hotel. I did have my jacket and a scarf with me, though, so I didn't freeze completely and I'd duck into a shop whenever I felt too cold.
Right, so I took the train back from Gdansk to Olsztyn. Decided to treat myself to a first class ticket (before you ask, I used to write and slap method to get what I wanted. I looked up in my phrasebook the words I would need to get the ticket, wrote them on a peice of paper, and then slapped it up against the ticket sellers window. It works) and ended up having a very comfortable compartment all to myself for nearly the entire trip (except for about the first half an hour). I've decided that the next town that I'm going to visit is a place called Malbork. They have the most AMAZING castle there. The train went past it and I'm telling you, that thing looks HUGE!! Oh, and I had some free entertainment on the way back too. The guy in the next compartment must've been alone as well, and I don't think he realised that there was someone in the compartment behind him, 'cause about halfway through the journey I jerk awake from my half doze to hear singing. Loud singing. In Polish. It was folk songs or something. He wasn't half bad, actually.
I got an express bus on the way back to Mragowo too. Got chewed out by the ticket seller 'cause I couldn't understand how much the ticket was when she rattles it off in Polish. Apologising in English and trying to crane my head around the glass to see the price on the computer screen didn't help much either. She didn't seem to get that I couldn't understand a word she was saying.
Enough about my trip to Gdansk. I also did a crapload of presentation classes this week. 5 schools in 2 days. I'm absolutely wiped right now. I was standing in class writing something on the blackboard yesterday (I hate chalk) when I suddenly realise that I'm actually falling asleep while I'm writing something! All I can say is thank god it's Friday!
I'm going to Olsztyn again on Sunday with Agnes, the other teacher. We're going to do some shopping (winter clothes and boots for me and maybe some books to read). She speaks Polish, so shopping shouldn't be too difficult and I may be able to eat somewhere that DOESN'T have an English menu! That'd be cool!
Anyway, that's the live of Sheena at the moment. Running around like a demented chicken on crack and having a ball doing it!
