Leaving, Leaving, Left.

Hello all who read my blog. I just realized that I should have blogged BEFORE I got to Poland, but I didn't. didn't think of it, because it only became real the morning I got my visa. Let me tell you a story.

It was Monday, August 19, 2013, I knew when I woke up that I was leaving soon, If lucky. While lying in bed, trying to wake up, my rotary adventure suddenly became real, when I realized that in two days I would be in Poland, thousands of miles away from my home and family. you know the breaking glass sound in "How I Met Your Mother" when they are realizing things about each other? I heard that loud and clear. That day i spent with my family, although it was interrupted around noon when, out of the blue, FedEx FINALLY arrived and with them, my Visa. we immediately jumped into action, getting all sorts of papers faxed to and from the travel agency, and, finally, my ticket confirmation. I packed my stuff, double checked everything, and then settled in for the night. i watched some Big Bang Theory with my parents before going to bed so that I could be up the next morning for our drive to JFK Airport in New York City.

We left my dads house at 8:05 AM, and started the long drive. we stopped few times, for food and toilet breaks. we arrived at JFK Airport around 12:30, where we were told that the check in counter would open at 2:30. we went to the food court and hung around, each of us getting lunch when we were hungry. my parents and sister got food first, and I got food much later. I called my grandmother, and got some last minute things I needed. Aka, luggage tags, a book, and some tissues. we went down to the check in a couple of minutes early, but they opened around 20 minutes late. after paying for my extra bag, checking it in, and receiving my boarding pass, I went said good bye to my parents and headed through security. For some reason they swabbed my hands, but this security was almost easy. It was easier than I expected for sure. I immediately found my gate, and sat down on the floor, as all the seats were taken. When there was a mass exodus for one of the flights, I sat in a chair and plugged in my ipod. There was a gate change, which I only knew because I got up to get dinner (a banana, a panini, and a water bottle). I waited at the new gate, occasionally getting up to stretch my legs. We boarded about 40 minutes late, about 15 minutes after we were supposed to take off. On the plane, I sat next to a man who lives in Poland, and who has family in the US which he visits often. He was really nice, and helped me when they did not repeat announcements in English. On arrival, I was met by my host mother and one of my host sisters (Helena, 14). My host mother speaks very little English, however everyone else in the family speaks English fairly well, and so my host sister translated for us.

First, we visited their house, and I dropped off my stuff and unpacked a few things. I met their dog, who after about 7 hours stopped barking when she heard or saw me. After I had my stuff there, they took me on a quick driving tour of Warszawa, as it was raining. After the quick tour, we ate at a Polish restaurant near their house, where I had real Pirogi, which were delicious. We then went home, and I unpacked some more, before giving Helena the Cooperstown t-shirt I had gotten her, and then showing them my school, and hearing a bit about schools here in Poland. Helena's class is extremely small compared to any school classes I have heard of in the US, and in one of her schools there was a class of one student. After this, Helena and I started Skyfall (although we did not finish it).My host father arrived just as we were starting the movie, and Helena and my host mother left for their estate in the Masurian province, and my host father and I visited the mall, the Arkadia, where he got a few things he needed, and I got some of my money changed. Afterwards, we went back home and continued Skyfall. I fell asleep, so my Host father told me to take a nap. When he woke me, we ate dinner and finished Skyfall. That night I slept well until 1:30 Warszawa time (7:30 New York time). I was up until 4:30, and slept until my father woke me for the bus to the language camp in Bydgoszcz. we left and got to the train station, and without much incident I arrived in Bydgoszcz, where I have been for the past few days.

Until next time, readers.
~Robert