On the hunt....

For most of you reading this, you know that I definitely love a good bargain!  Paying full retail price just about kills me and I get a deep satisfaction knowing I got a deal on something.  My latest shopping hunt has proven a bit challenging here in Poland. 

I have been on the search for a basic chair for our guest bedroom..nothing fancy - a simple place for guests to throw clothes, make themselves comfortable or to sit and put on their shoes.  Ideally, I wanted to get a vintage or used chair for cheap and have fun "modernizing" it with a bright paint color and a reupholstered seat.  So, I started keeping my eyes open for furniture stores in the area.  Charlie and I started varying our route looking for places...a new side street or secret alley to head down.  We discovered that, Yes, there are a number of furniture stores in Warsaw but you pretty much have two extreme ends of the specturm... Ikea or super expensive, high end stores. 

After our search didn't turn up anything I turned to my "experts".  Who are these experts you ask?  My Polish friends.  These friends are amazing resources, but are also probably so sick and tired of being an "expert", so I try to only use them when I have to.  I knew Warsaw had to have a Goodwill/Salvation Army type of store somewhere in the city. 

I was happy to here that my two experts had the exact same response, but I was not quite happy with their response.  They told me that unfortunately, there are no thrift/used furniture stores in Poland.  That the people in this country use something until it completely wears out.   They do not often replace things like furniture and if they change the style of their house they simply have the furniture refinished to match the new decor.  Poles keep their furniture for decades and many times it gets passed down to the next generation.  A part of me felt naive for simply assuming that people wanted to dispose of their used furniture as we do in the states.   And, the other part of me remembered that there are many more cultural differences than those that meet the eye...this one included.  The more I thought about the Poles and their furniture the more it naturally made sense.  These are people who have lived through a horrible history of war, poverty and destruction of their country - then followed by a number of years under communism.  Living under such a horrible past makes you hold on to your posessions tightly - chairs as well as extra money. 

So, I am going to have to rethink my chair hunt looks like Ikea might be it!  : )

The Hills Are Alive...

Five years ago today, I said "I do" to the love of my life.  I am a lucky lady to have such a wonderful partner in my life.  Who ever would have thought that a chance meeting in Rome ten and a half years ago would have led us to so many wonderful adventures in life together?  Can't wait to see what the next ten and a half+ bring.

We are off to celebrate for the weekend...headed to the hills of Austria! 

Snow...

We got one last Valentine's Day surprise when we woke up to beautiful snow this morning.  Charlie is in heaven!



The park behind our house





Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day now has an added meaning to us --Since it was on this day one year ago Tom, Charlie and I arrived in Warsaw with five suitcases and a new life awaiting us.  We were filled with a quarter of excitement and three-quarters of nervousness as we had no idea how our new life would unfold. 

After arriving we were tired and hungry and set off to get a bite to eat.  This proved to be quite a challenge as we did not have a reservation and it was Valentine's Day!  And, to top it off we definitely weren't dressed up and looking our best after the long trip.  After trying to get into four different places we gave up and headed back to the hotel bar to grab a quick dinner and then get some sleep.

I still remember those first few sleepless nights...my mind buzzing with a million thoughts.  Will we ever find an apartment to call home?  Will our furniture and belongings get here in once piece? What will Tom's job be like?  Will I get used to not working in the corporate world?  Will Charlie like it here?  How will I ever learn this difficult language? 

As they say, "It's amazing the difference a year makes" and these words could not ring more true for us!  I am proud of  our transition over the past year and all that we have learned about the culture, ourselves and each other.  We now call Warsaw home and have built a great and balanced life. 

So on this Valentine's Day we will take a minute to reflect on our path over the past year and want our friends and family to know "Kochamy Cie!"  (we love you) on this Valentine's Day and always!

Pretty Crazy...

There is major construction going on through the city of Warsaw as they are expanding the metro line.  The current subway has one line that goes north and south covering a distance of about 17 kilometers.  The new line that is being developed will go east and west and will cross underneath the Vistula River.  This is quite a feat and is a very labor intesive project that will take a few years to complete 

One of the stops that they are expanding for the new line is a few short blocks from our house.  Imagine our surprise this week when we heard that the entire metro line had been shut down for hours at this particular stop. 

Why you ask?  Well, during their excavation the metro workers found an unexploded World War II bomb buried underground.  Pretty crazy!  Kinda cool...also a bit scary! 



The metro station near our house where the bomb was found. 
Can you pronounce the name of the station?





Two Breakfasts?

We've come across a wonderful blog that shares great information about Poland.  This past entry was one I wanted to share.  It discusses the schedule and way that the Poles eat, including their two breakfasts.  This is one of those things that I should have written about sooner as it is an interesting cultural twist.  Enjoy, and thanks Polish Language Blog for perfectly describing it.

When you’re abroad, never assume that your habits are the same as those of your business partner or client. In Poland, as in many other countries, even mealtimes are different.

Breakfast, Second Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Supper  - that’s usually the order.

Many British business people are caught out by the Polish second breakfast tradition. They decline the first because it’s too early and are ‘faint with lack of nourishment’ by the second. It’s just the Polish way of doing things. After a light breakfast, called śniadanie, before leaving home for work in the early morning, Poles eat a second breakfast any time between 10 am and 1 pm, which replaces the British lunch, and then work straight through until they finish work.

In fact, most people stay at the office during the British lunch hour and are not in the habit of going out to buy something to eat; they bring whatever they fancy eating for ‘second breakfast’ from home. The lunch culture is spreading more widely now, because there are more representatives of foreign businesses, particularly in large cities, where business culture is changing and more people work with foreigners.

Lunch, in fact called “obiad”, is usually eaten at home with family any time between 4 pm and 5.30 pm, and the hours depend on how quickly one gets back home. Some non-Polish business people admit to being caught out by this. The answer, when you know it, is simple. Have a good breakfast and take a piece of fruit or a snack to keep you going. Poles have another meal after their lunch “obiad” meal, called “kolacja”, which means supper. It is a light meal, usually a small sandwich or snack with tea any time in the evening.

So, in fact, if you are invited to a restaurant for a meal it could be either “obiad”, a midday meal ( a substitute for a late lunch) or “kolacja”, supper in the evening , both of which will be very elaborate and rich, as Poles are known for their hospitality not only at their homes but also when inviting guests to restaurants.

Awesome Thing About Living in Europe #19

Awesome Thing About Living in Europe #19: Winter Fashion Accessories

It is unseasonably cold over here in Warsaw right now.  We have highs of -17 degrees Celsius (which is about 0 degrees farenheit).  Although I braved ten Chicago winters I have never quite felt a cold like this one.  It is bone chilling and gets to the core of your body.  Its so cold that the minute you step outside and take a breath you can feel ice crystals forming in your nose.  And, the cold weather has shut down the outdoor fruit and veggie market near our house as the produce (and workers) cannot be outside in this weather for long periods of time.  Needless to say Charlie and I are taking quick walks and hoping this bitter cold ends soon. 

One of the only bright spots of the cold is watching all of the Poles dress for it.  They are seasoned pros and bundle up.  I have never seen such an amazing variety of fur hats before.  They come in every shape and color you can imagine and there seems to be one rule - the bigger the better.  And, even all of the men wear them too.  While at first thinking they looked a little over the top they are really growing on me. I might have to invest in one for the winters over here.