Our New Home....

Just kidding!  : )

Time Flies...

It's hard to believe that we have been here just over two weeks.  In some ways Tom and I are already feeling very comfortable and right at home.  And, we are excited to really get to exploring the city and all that it has to offer.  Our past week has been a packed one.  Here are a couple of highlights:

- Friday night we ordered in pizza to the hotel.  It was really good and was just like the brick oven pizza in Italy.  Tom made sure to save their phone number.

- Over the weekend we met up with some new friends to watch England vs. France in rugby.  Apparently, this was quite a big game.  The sport seems very confusing, but I am sure we will catch on eventually.  I didn't mind watching the attractive and buff rugby players and Tom had fun comparing it to American football.  As part of the game the players pick each other up to get in the air higher to get the ball.  I told Tom it looked just like a cheer leading pose...he did not find it as funny as I did. After watching the game we went out for great Indian food for dinner.  It was a good time!

Rugby Players in Cheer leading Pose

- Unfortunately, Tom got some sort of stomach bug over the weekend so we took it easy on Sunday and watched a couple of bad movies on the European HBO channel.  Luckily, it was only a 48 hour thing and he is feeling much better.

- Tom got his first haircut here in Warsaw and asked me to join him.  Once he sat down he was trying to communicate with the hairdresser who spoke very little English.  At one point, he turned to me and said, "Hun, can you help me explain to her what I want?".  Sure Tom, because my Polish is so advanced and so much better than yours...not quite.  Fortunately, one of the other hairdressers spoke some English so it all worked out in the end.

- We met with our new Polish teacher on Tuesday night and are probably going to start lessons next week.  They recommend taking lessons twice a week and they start off with a program called "Polish Survival"...exactly what we need.  The Polish instructors come to you, which is super convenient.

- Monday I attended a coffee meeting for the Warsaw Women's International Group.  It was great meeting other expats from around the world who are all living in Poland.  I even met a woman from the Cincinnati area whose husband is over here working for P&G....small world.  I am excited to become more active in this group.  And, these women are invaluable for their essential information like...where to get your haircut, who the best doctors are, and which stands at the fruit market sell the best produce.  I am forever grateful for this important information.

- We are still on the apartment hunt but are really close on closing in on the right one.  Good news....our belongings have made it and they have cleared customs!  They came into the Northern port city of Gdansk, Poland last week, went through customs, and came down to Warsaw by truck earlier this week.  They are sitting in storage until we are ready for them.

- And, last, but most certainly not least, my mom and dad are planning their first trip to Warsaw...and we cannot wait!  They will be here in late May/early June.  

Fat Thursday

Today is Fat Thursday in Poland, a traditional day of gorging on paczki donuts prior to lent.  Paczki aren't a completely unfamiliar site to Tom and I.  Living in Chicago we would hear of this tradition over the years, especially with the large number of Poles living there.

While out walking Charlie this morning it seemed like everyone I passed was caring a bundle of fresh donuts.  Tom was warmed by his colleague in Southern Poland that it was assumed that being the manager, he would be the one bringing the warm donuts into the office.  And, that it was crucial that he order the donuts in advance.  So, he did just that with the help of a very kind co-worker.  : )

Wikipedia defines "Fat Thursday" (Tłusty czwartek) as a traditional Polish, Greek and German feast marking the last Thursday before Lent and is associated with the celebration of Carnival. Because Lent is a time of fasting, the next opportunity to feast would not be until Easter. It is similar to, but should not be confused with, the French festival of Mardi Gras ("Fat Tuesday"). Traditionally it is a day dedicated to eating, when people meet in their homes or cafés with their friends and relatives and eat large quantities of sweets, cakes and other meals forbidden during Lent. Among the most popular all-national dishes served on that day are pączki , fist-sized donuts filled with rose marmalade, and plum jam, topped with lots of powdered sugar.

It's fun learning about the Polish traditions and partaking in them.  Although, we won't be taking part in this one 100% since neither Tom nor I like jelly donuts.  I hear that next week is Women's Day in Poland...a day devoted to celebrating how great women are....I think this one is a must to celebrate.  ; )