jax
22 Mar 2009
Travel / WE ARE BACK FROM POLAND AND HERE IS OUR REPORT [96]
Nice post Rjrogalla ; ) I am also from Wisconsin. Just moved to Olsztyn permanently from Milwaukee. Of all things that u made mention of. . the no-smile factor was the toughest thing for me to get used to. In fact. . its still tough and I'm not quite used to it yet. Milwaukee is one of those places where almost everyone will at least make eyecontact w you as u walk passed them on the sidewalk. I've been w my Polish girlfriend for 4 yrs now. We met in Milwaukee working at a private countryclub. As we spent 3 summers together, she always thought it was funny when i would say hello to a complete stranger walking down the street, or make small talk with a cashier, or even say "How ya doing" someone i didnt know. She also thought it was strange when i would say "Hey" Hi, w'sup. hows it going, etc to a person whom i wasnt friendly with. I remember the first time i visited PL last march and april, we went into a take out pizza place to get a pizza that we had ordered over the phone. I greeted the lady at the counter with a warm and friendly "czesc". My girlfriend blushed w embarassment and the lady almost fainted. It was then that i realised that i wasnt in Milwaukee anymore. In fact yesterday. . as we stood in the checkout line at a large grocery store, i looked around at 100+ people. It was like we were on the set of "Dawn of the Dead". 100+ ppl, 100+ frowns. It's a bit sad. . and it can be draining and infectious. But so can smiles. Sometimes. . .giving a smile will get you a smile. . .sometimes not. When the weather is bright and sunny. . spirits are high. .and smiles are bountiful. I'm fortunate that i am able to teach English in a private school here in Olsztyn. Sometimes i can't believe that i get paid for laughing for hours on end with my students. The most gratifying part of it all is when almost every student has a smile on their faces as the walk out of the classroom. Priceless. Anyways.. . it was nice to read your post. Until next time. . . . ; )
Nice post Rjrogalla ; ) I am also from Wisconsin. Just moved to Olsztyn permanently from Milwaukee. Of all things that u made mention of. . the no-smile factor was the toughest thing for me to get used to. In fact. . its still tough and I'm not quite used to it yet. Milwaukee is one of those places where almost everyone will at least make eyecontact w you as u walk passed them on the sidewalk. I've been w my Polish girlfriend for 4 yrs now. We met in Milwaukee working at a private countryclub. As we spent 3 summers together, she always thought it was funny when i would say hello to a complete stranger walking down the street, or make small talk with a cashier, or even say "How ya doing" someone i didnt know. She also thought it was strange when i would say "Hey" Hi, w'sup. hows it going, etc to a person whom i wasnt friendly with. I remember the first time i visited PL last march and april, we went into a take out pizza place to get a pizza that we had ordered over the phone. I greeted the lady at the counter with a warm and friendly "czesc". My girlfriend blushed w embarassment and the lady almost fainted. It was then that i realised that i wasnt in Milwaukee anymore. In fact yesterday. . as we stood in the checkout line at a large grocery store, i looked around at 100+ people. It was like we were on the set of "Dawn of the Dead". 100+ ppl, 100+ frowns. It's a bit sad. . and it can be draining and infectious. But so can smiles. Sometimes. . .giving a smile will get you a smile. . .sometimes not. When the weather is bright and sunny. . spirits are high. .and smiles are bountiful. I'm fortunate that i am able to teach English in a private school here in Olsztyn. Sometimes i can't believe that i get paid for laughing for hours on end with my students. The most gratifying part of it all is when almost every student has a smile on their faces as the walk out of the classroom. Priceless. Anyways.. . it was nice to read your post. Until next time. . . . ; )