Half year

Well, I have now passed the halfway point on my exchange. and what a time it has been! Again, I haven't written in forever (blame my love of Poland), but this post has been long in the making, and I think I can finally write down differences between the US and Poland with confidence.

Some differences you will notice right off are most noticeable on the street and in public places. Unless they are a group of friends, or people in their teens, most people on the street and in public places will not be smiling. Polish people are very reserved. They are quiet, and generally stony-faced, unless with people they know. However, once you break through the outer shell, Polish people are very friendly, and just like other people (though they still don't say Hi to strangers on the street).

Another difference noticable on the street is the street signs. In Poland, most signs are pictures, and very few use words. Street names and Places are generally the only words you will see on signs.

Noticable to anyone who visits a Galeria Handlowa (mall), or walks around on the street enough, will be another fairly large difference (it can also be noticed by watching enough polish film and television). Polish people have very little nudity taboo (noticable by the number of underwear and lingerie stores and advertisements and etc.). In my opinion, this shows that they feel the Human body is a beautiful thing that should not be hidden away under layers of clothes. I could be wrong though, as to their reasoning.

A difference noticeable after spending some time in poland is the food, and how Polish people eat. The Polish people eat four or five small meals a day generally, unlike in the US where the norm is three large meals a day. You may think this would make the Polish people less healthy than people from the US, however, their way of eating is actually healthier, and what they eat, though it may seem heavy or hearty or whatever you want to call it, is healthier because of this; Here, it is very easy to find fresh food, food without all the preservatives and without the growth moderating hormones and all that other stuff that makes US food processed. Here, also, people eat a very balanced diet. For breakfast, I usually enjoy an open faced sandwich or two (slice of bread or half a bun, cheese and meat or white cheese, sometimes nutella with banana slices), sometimes along with eggs. Then at school I will eat one or two closed sandwiches and a tangerine, or a bannana, or a tangerine and a banana. When I get back from school, or after polish lessons before chorus on mondays, i will eat a meal that is usually some type of meat, usually pork, and some type of vegetables, and sometimes a bowl of soup too. then, before bed, i may have another sandwich. (in my first family, it was always open faced sandwiches for breakfast and sometimes eggs, closed faced sandwiches for second breakfast, soup, a meat, and a vegetable for late lunch, and sometimes i would eat dinner)
Some favorite foods of mine are Pierogi and Gałombki. Polish people generally really like Italian food (pastas, pizzas) and they have burgers here that will knock your socks off.

These are the main differences. There are others, of course, but these are the ones you will notice most readily, and the ones which i still notice. The others I have grown accustomed to.

OH, and I KNOW MY RETURN DATE! On 20 July i will be returning to the USA.

until next time,
~Robert