Wigilia and Polish Christmas Traditions

Merry Christmas! I hope that everyone has had a very relaxing and joyous holiday. Christmas is a very important holiday in Poland, but unlike the traditions for many families in the US, the most important celebrations for the Poles occur on Christmas Eve, or Wigilia (the Vigil).



The family gathers in the evening, but traditionally the feast only begins when the first star has been sighted in the night sky. Pieces of hay have been placed on or under the table to remind of the manager and Christ's humble beginnings. Additionally, an extra seat is always left open with the place set; depending on the family, this symbolizes either Polish hospitality and the openness to any guest who may knock on the door or an open seat in remembrance of those family members and friends who have passed on or could not be present.

After the sighting of the first star, the meatless Wigilia feast begins with the sharing of opłatki Christmas wafers. Each guest at the dinner takes one whole wafer and goes around to every other person with wishes for the new year. Wishes may be as simple as "wszystko najlepszy!" (all the best) or very personalized and detailed. After saying the wish for the other person, the pair break off pieces of each other's opłatek and eat the pieces. It is bad luck to skip someone, so guests are sure to exchange wishes with every person.

The Wigilia meal proper begins, as with any Polish dinner, with soup. Red barszcz (borscht) with uszka, small tortellini-shaped dumplings filled with mushrooms, is the tradtional Wigilia choice. The soup is followed by a large number of dishes (often a symbolic number, such as 7, 12, or 13) including carp, pickled herring, pierogi (with cabbage inside), sauerkraut, a fruit compote drink, and of course, lots of pastries and other desserts. Carp has become the signature dish of the Polish feast, and fresh carp is a must! Most families buy a living carp (or several) in the days before Christmas and let it live in fresh water in the family bathtub for a few days; this will cleanse the carp of any muddy tastes. I've met a number of Poles who speak of traumatic experiences as children when they named the carp and then saw it be killed. The most innovative way I've heard of killing the carp involved a bathtub and a communist-era hairdryer.

During the dinner, Santa Claus/Father Christmas/the Christchild delivers gifts, and the family exchanges and opens the gifts after the meal. Sometimes games or played or songs are sung, but finally, the celebration concludes with the midnight Christmas mass at the local church.

Christmas day is generally a relaxing day with family time and delicious food (of course!), but the main Polish traditions apply to the night before.


Wesołych Świąt Bożego Narodzenia i Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku 2011!

Christmastime in Poland

December is, of course, a very busy time of year with all the preparations for Christmas, and I'm afraid that I've neglected my blog terribly. My days have mostly been filled with teaching, visiting as many Christmas markets as possible, and packing for a pan-European holiday week (actually, only PL, UK, and NL, but still).

I shared the American classics How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Charlie Brown Christmas, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer with my students and European friends. I've been amused to learn that apparently the media tradition in most European countries, especially Poland, is to watch a different movie on Christmas: Kevin Sam w Domu (Home Alone)!

Also, besides these American imports, Poles generally do not have secular Christmas songs or stories, and the holiday remains very strongly tied to religion. Every town has a grand nativity scene beside its Christmas market. (Though my favorite has been in Toruń, where the Christchild was surrounded by artists and other historical figures). And one of the most beautiful Polish Christmas carols that I've heard is a lullaby sung by Mary to the baby Jesus.

Merry Christmas, and Wesołych Świąt!
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Finally, on an unrelated note, the Telegraph wrote this great travel article about Poznań in a nutshell: Poznań, the Birthplace of Poland

Andrzejki - Feast Day and Fortune Telling

Today, November 30, is the feast day of Saint Andrew, the apostle who is generally considered one of the first who preached Christianity in this region of the world. Because Andrzej is a popular name, this feast day is also the name day for many Poles.

However, the feast of St. Andrew is most famous for the superstitious traditions that take place after nightfall. Generally for children (though I've also seen a lot of clubs taking advantage of the holiday to advertise special events for an otherwise dull Tuesday), these traditions form the night is known as Andrzejki in Polish. For example, young girls pour hot wax through a key into a bowl, and the shape that forms is supposed to be the face of her future husband. Additionally, if a person remembers a face from his or her dream during the night of Nov. 30-Dec. 1, this is the face of his or her future spouse. Though traditions vary by country, here's a full list of some of the Polish superstitious traditions that I've heard. No one takes the superstitions seriously, but they have a lot of fun with them.

I've yet to figure out why St. Andrew is tied with these fortune telling traditions. It might simply be the time of year. Indeed, some of the clubs are advertising that Andrzejki is "the last time to have fun before Advent." (although this year Advent has already started...)

Animated Guide to Polish Success

Humorous Depictions of History

Cross-posted from Transitions 21

For a humorous interlude...

Here's the Economist's take on what would happen if World War I were a bar fight. This is one way of understanding the complexities of WWI by applying it to a more simplified and perhaps common scene. Also check some of the links in the comments to the Economist's post.

Similarly, here's the continued version that leads to the World War II bar fight.

All of this reminded me of this excellent comic with characters for every country and a colloquial picture and humorous interpretation of World War II. Poor Poland.

Of course, wars are no laughing matter. But for all the history buffs out there, the divergence into humor can sometimes provide more illumination to the complex facts of history.

Independence Day and more

Happy Polish Independence Day!! Even Google has paid tribute to it.



Also, Poznań has another holiday today. In honor of feast day of the saint of the main boulevard, Św. Marcin, it's St. Martin's Day! There will be a big parade down the boulevard later in the day as well as other festivities.



Also, as a special food for Święty Marcin, which is now available in Poznań only year-round, I will be eating a lot of these today:

Rogal Świętomarciński (sorry, there's no Wiki page in English)

And a Happy Veteran's Day to everyone back home! Thank you to all the soldiers for your service.

New Blog Project

Through a generous travel-grant from my university, I've been given the opportunity to travel throughout Central and Eastern Europe to examine current 21st century perceptions about the communist past and the recent decades of transition in Central and Eastern Europe. After much delay, I've finally launched a blog project for this purpose (entitled Transitions 21).

I'll be focusing mostly on my observations and studies within Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and hopefully also the Baltic and Balkan states, but I also intend to examine the perception of other countries, especially my native USA, toward this period of history and the Central and Eastern European region.

WM will continue to be my personal blog, and Transitions 21 will solely focus on this travel-study project for the next year or so.

Check it out: Transitions 21

1 Nov: All Saints' Day

Junikowo Cemetery
Poznań, Poland





Every. Single. Grave was cleaned and covered with beautiful flowers or fresh boughs and candles.



In keeping with Polish tradition, family members traveled long distances the days before (and after) All Saints' Day in order to gather at the cemeteries on Nov. 1 and pay respects to their deceased loved ones and relatives.





The cemeteries were extremely crowded, though it may not appear to be the case in my pictures. So as not to disturb the families on this solemn day, I only took photos in areas away from the other visitors.




Thousands of candles at the Katyń memorial



Coming soon: The night of candles.

Halloween Abroad

I'm sorry to say that I did not get a picture of myself carrying a 20kg (44lb) pumpkin on the public tram last night. It was quite a feat. And perhaps even funnier than seeing me struggling with the beast was the reactions from the people around me. Children were pointing in curiosity, and adults were laughing at the absurdity. It was clear that it is not every day that people walk around Poznań carrying large pumpkins, not even on the day before Halloween. Happily, we did successfully carve it (as you see on the left), though we had to use a dinner knife to do so.

Halloween is not a major holiday in Poland. Granted, many of the larger stores have a small corner for Halloween decorations, and a few of the clubs, bars, and restaurants did have Halloween-themed events or parties, but generally it is all on a much smaller scale than might be expected in the US. I have found a fair number of pumpkins in supermarkets, but most are pre-cut into quarters, and even the whole pumpkins are rather ugly and strangely shaped-- much better for cooking than for carving. Some places do have small jack-o-lanterns on display, but it seems that they are generally purchased pre-carved. I have yet to see a child dressed in costume, though a rather ghastly-clad trio of adults was handing out candy in the Rynek two night ago. I have not heard of anyone who goes trick-or-treating, though whether this is because it is an outlandish idea or whether it is because neighbors simply do not have candy on hand for the children, I cannot say.

Instead, I think one of the big reasons that Halloween is not widely popular in Poland is because of the immense importance of the day after-- November 1, All Saints Day (Wszystkich Świętych). To mark this holy day, Poles travel all over the country to visit their hometowns and the graves of their relatives. (Thus, the days before Nov. 1 are always the busiest travel days of the year in Poland). Family members visit the cemeteries, clean the graves, and add flowers and candles. To make the holiday a little bit less stressful, many cities, including Poznań, add extra public transportation services directly to and from the cemeteries to accommodate the huge crowds of people. Tomorrow I intend to join the throngs journeying to the cemeteries, but for now, have a happy All Hallows' Eve!

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

If someone has visited Poland, chances are they've been to Kraków. Perhaps they've also been to Warsaw. Maybe Gdańsk (but probably not). But the longer I'm here, the more I learn about gems that are hidden below the surface and off the beaten track (or at least, off the radar of most American and Western European tourists). The following list is a work-in-progress that I will continue to add to as I learn more. In no particular order, here's just a few of the amazing places I would like to visit:

• Przemyśl, Krasiczyn Castle, and the Bieszczady mountains (also Lviv, Ukraine, which is just across the border)
  
• picturesque Kazimierz Dolny
  
• Zakopane and the Tatra Mountains -- a hugely popular summer and winter destination for Poles, but a place I had never heard of before coming here
  
• Białowieża Forest-- huge primeval forest in eastern Poland and western Belarus. They have bison!
  
• Toruń, a red brick city from the days of the Teutonic Knights, has fantastic gingerbread. Also, Copernicus was born here.
  
• Lancut castle
  
• Gniezno, the first capital of Poland, and today famous for its cathedral doors
  
• Warmian-Masurian lake region
  
• Malbork castle near Gdańsk, headquarters of the Teutonic Knights and the largest Gothic castle in Europe
  
• Częstochowa, famous for the Black Madonna icon
  
• German bunkers in Miedzyrzecz area
  

And of course, the cities:

• Poznań, Lublin, Wrocław (whose Old Town is connected by 100 bridges), Katowice, Łódź, Szczecin, and more!

Here's a Map of Attractions from Stay Poland.com

Poznań Marathon 2010

Poznań Marathon, 10.10.10
from Aleja Niepodległości
runners from all over the world and all ages












And last but not least, my favorite participant, and the last runner of the day:

Lessons at a Polish University

Though university classes started at the beginning of this month, this past week marked the first time that I was teaching lessons by myself. Overall, though I was initially anxious about how I would get a group of Polish students to talk about the Elgin Marbles for over an hour, everything went surprisingly well. I worked on how to structure the content of a letter, and with my older students I discussed the strict format for a formal letter, especially cover letters. If you're rusty on how to use the block format, I discovered the following resources:
Letter Writing Guide.com
Using English: Letters

I'm also learning more and more about Polish Universities. For example, after being spoiled by my American University, I assumed that all universities issued their class schedules well in advance. (We typically received ours in early April for classes that started in September). However, I did not receive a finalized course schedule here until 3 days before the classes started -- and I'm told that we were lucky! Some unis only issue it the day before. (The bureaucracy sometimes reminds me of Bruno Bozzetto's comic interpretation of Italy).

However, there is some sense to this. Whereas many American Universities follow the liberal arts structure and encourage students to take classes in all different disciplines, regardless of major, most Polish universities (and perhaps the majority of European universities in general) require students to join a specific department and degree program when they begin their studies. Thus, there are specific classes that all the students in that degree program must take every year and very few (if any) electives. Many students in the same degree program have identical schedules and move from class to class together as a group.

However, it is becoming increasingly popular with Polish students to study with two separate departments -- or even at two separate universities! (Polish unis are free). This is where the problem comes in. Because these departments have no communication with each other, it is possible, and sometimes likely, that courses will conflict. Thus, a Polish dual-degree or double-major student may spend the entire year missing a class every other week in order to attend the conflicting class, or leaving one early and arriving at the other late. There seems to be no easy solution to this, and it requires a lot of hard work and dedication to be successful! This may explain why many of the dual-degree students that I've met wait to start the second program until the 3rd or 4th year of the first program; thus they only have a few years of these frustrating conflicts and double work, but their university experience may be extended from the usual 5-year program (for a Master's) to 8 or 9 years of study!

Packages from Home

Dear Mom and Dad,

Thank you for the box. There's something special about receiving a package; it feels like it's Christmas or your birthday even when it's the middle of October. Even though 99% of it was things that I had set aside to be included, it was still a joy to open it up and see the contents. Contact solution! Warm clothes! Winter boots! PEANUT BUTTER! (which, contrary to popular belief, is not impossible to find, but it's not popular. And I haven't seen Peter Pan anywhere, so thanks!)

However, the shipment was much bigger than expected. A lot bigger. I thought I'd have no trouble carrying this box by myself, but luckily the nice lady in the office arranged for one of her colleagues to drive me back. So now the box is opened and the contents are scattered around my room, and I've realized again that, though I needed a lot of those things, I have SO MUCH STUFF.

So dear friends and family, please do visit me in Poland. But when you arrive, please bring an extra suitcase. I'll show you around Poznań and Poland in exchange for you bringing some of my stuff back to the States. Great deal, huh? You might also want to bring one of those luggage scale-hangers. And while you're at it, perhaps bring some American candy or non-perishable foods (cranberry sauce!) that you can leave here. ;)

Otherwise, I'm not sure how I will get a lot of this back. I'm already planning on leaving a great deal behind next summer, but even still. We'll tackle that when we get to it.

Love,
L

P.S. To my Polish students-- this is an example of an informal letter!

Chilean Rescue

In the midst of all the tragedies and bad news that usually fill the cover stories, it is a relief to see that one that ended happily. As the world watches with joy today, Chile is slowly and carefully bringing each of the 33 miners who were trapped under the earth for two months back to the surface. Watch BBC's live feed here.

XKCD on Social Networking

XKCD cartoonist Randall Munroe has created a brilliant map of the current activity, number of users, and popularity of just about every social media, online community, or other web 2.0 site that you can think of. Definitely click the image to view it in detail: http://xkcd.com/802/

Spotted: Kraków

Famed 19th century Polish actress Helena Modjeska (Modrzejewska) is trying to get more Facebook friends, so she's asking all of Kraków to search for her (or to "facebookować" her).


Billboard across from Kraków's main train station

Pa Pamericano

One of the most popular club songs in Europe right now, and an amazing hand-tapping/dancing video to go with it:



"Pa Pamericano", Yolanda Be Cool

First Day of School

Yesterday was officially my first day of school in Poland, though it feels like that first day stretched from 7am Monday until about 3pm this afternoon. Six classes, an orientation, an exam, a welcome party, and several meetings later, I am ready to hibernate until the spring. And this is only Day 2?!

Did I mention that yesterday I left at 7:45am and didn't get back until 11:45pm? But I'm not complaining. This year's Erasmus program was officially inaugurated yesterday, and between meeting my students and meeting international students from France, Sweden, Romania, Turkey, Finland, and so many other countries, it was worth it.

Technically, the academic year for Polish universities, like many of the universities across Europe, starts October 1. Because October 1 fell on a Friday this year, inauguration festivities were held on this day, as the Rector and other Deans in traditional academic garb officially opened the school year, but classes did not begin until after the weekend.

As an English TA, the six classes that I have attended so far are all English courses for second and third year students. (Previously all Polish university students would study for 5 years and graduate with a Master's, with no intermediary step for a Bachelor's. Now, due to the Bologna Accords, students receive a Bachelor's degree at the end of 3 years and can either choose to graduate or to continue their studies for 2 more years for the Master's). Tomorrow and Thursday I'll meet the last of my classes. Hopefully by next week, I'll also be able to organize my schedule so that I can attend classes myself as a student, namely in the fields of politics, history, and Polish language.

It Gets Better

Columnist Dan Savage has launched the It Gets Better Project in response to the disturbing numbers of recent teen suicides related to sexuality and bullying. GLBT individuals from across the world are sharing their stories through YouTube in an attempt to encourage young people to hold on.

The tragic story of Tyler Clementi, musician and Rutgers freshman, has probably received the most international media attention, but he is only one of many. These are only the names that we know about, and from September alone, and four within the last week.

Billy Lucas (15) September 9, 2010. Indiana
Cody J. Barker (17) September 13, 2010. Wisconsin
Seth Walsh (13) September 19, 2010. California
Tyler Clementi (18) September 22, 2010. New Jersey
Asher Brown (13) September 23, 2010. Texas
Harrison Chase Brown (15) September, 25 2010. Colorado
Raymond Chase (19) September 29, 2010. Rhode Island
Felix Sacco (17) September 29, 2010. Massachusetts
Caleb Nolt (14) September 30, 2010. Indiana

A number of projects are being launched across the US. Celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres are speaking out (here's the resources she mentions), the Chalk Messages project has declared that Monday 4 Oct will be the next nationwide event to write these public messages of love and support, and The Trevor Project continues to offer help via a professional and anonymous hotline for GLBT who may be contemplating suicide.

Regardless of what you may think of the gay, lesbian, bi, or trans lifestyle, no one can argue that teen suicide is a tragedy and an epidemic to which thousands of young people lose their lives every year, often triggered by bullying. And while the projects listed above are specifically geared toward GLBT youth, as they are often the most at risk, many of the messages of hope, such as the stories from It Gets Better, are universal for anyone who has experienced bullying.

Polish Lesson

It's come to my attention that many readers of this blog might know absolutely nothing about Polish. In the interest of encouraging you to visit Poland, here's a very basic lesson to help you get started.

Pronunciation
This may be the hardest part for English-speakers who start learning Polish. Polish has a number of longer words with sounds that might often tongue-tie English-speakers. Here are some VERY basic approximations to help you start reading Polish words. This should not be considered an exact replication of the sounds, it's only meant as a start. (For example, there is a difference between cz and ć, but it's hard to hear when you start learning). I'll try to find audio files as well.

cz = "ch" (like "chalk")
ć or ci = "ch" ("cheek")
sz = "sh" ("shark")
ś or si = "sh" ("sheep")
drz or dż or dzi or dź = roughly "j", but best to listen to audio of the different z's (z, ż, ź) to hear the difference
rz = "rj" (similar to a strong rolled r; BBC compares it to the "s" in "treasure")
c = "s" or "ts" (NOT /k/)
j = "y" (i.e. Jakub is pronounced more like "Yakub")
ń = nasal "n"
ł = "w"
w = "v"
ą = "on" (think French)
ę = "ehn" (like French "bien")
ó = "oo"


Now that you've mastered many of the basic sounds, take a look at this chart from the BBC. They do a more precise job at explaining some of the sounds, and they also include helpful phrases. For those of you who might know the IPA or just want more info about the history of the Polish language, here's the Wikipedia link with phonology and orthography.

EDIT: And because BBC continues to be amazing, here's their link for audio files to pronounce the Polish alphabet.

Powodzenia! (Good luck!)

Blackcurrant Juice

Dear Blackcurrant juice, how have I missed you all of these years? How on earth do you not exist in the US?

Well, according to Wikipedia, because of an out-dated ban on growing blackcurrants thanks to the logging industry that states are only just beginning to repeal (NY state repealed it only in 2003). So I suppose it's not surprising that no one in the States realizes the liquid joy and health that they are missing out on.

What is this, you say, it's delicious AND healthy? According again to the all-knowing Wikipedia, blackcurrant juice if STUFFED with essential vitamins and nutrients. 100g of this water of life is packed with 6 vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and more! Also, this baby includes not just 100% but 302% of the daily value of Vitamin C! Eat your heart out, OJ. It's very possible that blackcurrant juice was the key medicine in helping several members of our group stave off the Fulbright Flu during orientation, or so claimed AB. (Either that, or it was prior extended exposure to Poland, according to MP's hypothesis).

Also, it mixes very well with banana nectar, which is also widely available here. In an average food store, you can expect to find *at least* one whole wall devoted to simply juices--everything from the traditional apple, orange, and tomato juices to the exotic kiwi, apple mint, and multivitamin (ok, not exotic for Europe) juices. It's rather amazing.

In a nutshell, I'm not sure what I will do when I return to the States and no longer can enjoy this juice regularly. Perhaps I will make my millions by making blackcurrant juice popular in the US, as it well deserves.

Wedding Photos at a Soviet Memorial

Wedding pictures at the Heroes' Monument of the Soviet Soldiers' Cemetery (Pomnik Bohaterów na Cmetarzu Żołnierzy Radzieckich). The Citadel, Poznań.

For the record, this monument does offer a great view of the city. Also, I have seen A LOT of weddings in the two months that I have been in Poznań-- such as my favorite, this day in late August when 20-some fancy cars filled with brides came honking into the Rynek; it's a popular tradition to drive around (especially a central place like the Marketplace) and loudly honk the horn after the wedding, but we'd never seen so many (we later learned it was some sort of radio show promotion):

Earth from Above

Earth from Above: A stunning collection of aerial photographs from around the world. Absolutely gorgeous and really makes you want to travel!

Public History

From my ex-pat perspective, the people here (here being Europe) seem acutely aware of place and of history. Sometimes this takes the form of celebrating ancient anniversaries, sometimes more recent anniversaries, sometimes just celebrating the history of a building or the evolution of a public space. My Russian studies professor used to joke that in Europe, there were so many anniversaries that you could find something appropriate to commemorate for any possible date on the calendar. Indeed, dates are very important (just ask the Obama administration, who made the mistake of announcing the changed missile defense program in Poland on the anniversary of Russia's WW2 invasion of Poland). Regardless, the public administration seems very keen to provide such celebrations and commemorations and the public seems apt to take part.

For example, at the beginning of this month, posters appeared in the Stary Rynek (old marketplace) and Adam Mickiewicz Square of Poznań, marking the 30th anniversary of Solidarity. In Kraków this past week, I observed the final celebrations of the 600th anniversary of Grunwald, the battle between the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Teutonic Knights. Celebrations took place across Poland, but some of the highlights were in Malbork, the former castle of the Knights, and in Kraków, the seat of the Polish dynasty at that time. And today, walking past the Zamek, I noticed a new set of posters chronicling the 100 years of history of this castle.

However, what surprises me most of all is not merely the initiative of various groups to mark such commemorations and arduously piece together the past and display the history, but the eagerness of the public to take part. The posters outside of the Zamek were completely surrounded today, so much so that I gave up trying to find a space to read them myself. Similarly, for the first week or two, there were always at least 5 people reading the Solidarność posters at any given time (the collections of about 30+ posters in each location are still outside on display). And the Grunwald ceremonies of Kraków were packed! It's not that I don't think that Americans would enjoy these commemorations and exhibits of information, but I doubt that many would take the time to gather to read, observe, learn, and participate.

Maybe America is still too young of a nation to have many public commemorations of places or events. But at the same time, 234 years is a longer history than many of the states of the world. (Though whether or not the nations of people trace a longer history of statelessness is another story). More plausibly, we are still too young to have become comfortable with our cohesiveness as a nation. Or maybe we're just not interested in (or the public administration does not think we're interested in) our own history?

Yet as I walked back today, I found myself wondering about many of the buildings in the cities where I have lived, and how I know next to nothing about them or what has happened in those spaces. I might be able to tell you the year for certain major events in American history, but almost never the exact date. (Whereas in Poland and in Europe, it seems like there's a different anniversary for every week!) I know nothing about the history or places of my home town, besides that it used to be all farmland and earned a spot in a footnote of history as a sometime stop on the Underground Railroad. I can tell you a little more about Rochester, NY, but that is mostly from ventures in urban exploring (be sure to visit the abandoned subway!), conversations during long car rides with older professors, and flipping through the tan Images of America paperback books. And even during my short stays in NYC and DC, my awareness of the history of each place was mostly only supplemented by what I had learned in schools or a paragraph in a tour book.

Friday marks the 2-month anniversary of my departure from the USA, but as I learn more about Poznań and Poland and Europe, I find myself seeing America in a new light, and wondering things about it that I hadn't considered before, perhaps giving me a new appreciation of home from afar.

Smacznego!

From Poznań's Bread Festival this past weekend. Bakers from across Poland displayed their wares, including some of the most creative decorations on bread that I have ever seen. More pictures to come, I'm sure.



Enjoy your meal!

"There is No 'Ground Zero Mosque'"

Thank you for some common sense at last, Mr. Olbermann



Countdown with Keith Olbermann, MSNBC, 16 August 2010

Almost a month later, and this over-politicized issue remains blown out of proportion, affecting even the mourning of yesterday's 9th anniversary, as stereotypes, prejudice, and misinformation continue to dominate. When will we learn?

Zapraszamy do Poznania

Welcome to Poznań, Poland! Here's the second of two videos that provide an artistic tour of the city.

Words for Family

Here's an interesting discussion about language and how different languages express familial relations. (For example, in Spanish concuñado is "the brother of the spouse of my sibling" (my brother-in-law's brother?), easily expressing the connection without having to worry about such a mouthful).

English seems quite bland and simplistic in comparison to some of the examples given. I recently also learned about Bininj gun-wok, an indigenous Australian language, which has a collection of familial terminology so complex that it can take more than 20 years for native speakers to fully acquire them all!

Today's Photo: Rondo Kaponiera

Things I am not looking forward to: When this entire intersection, one of the busiest in Poznań (though I know it doesn't look it here), is practically shut down and remodeled beginning in 2011. The morning commute is going to become a nightmare.

(This also happened while I was in Wien and they were extending the U2 to reach the stadium. Looks like it's under construction again).

Oh, the things that a city will do for the Euro Cup 2012. Such as christening the stadium with a Sting concert. It's quite a big deal. There's even a countdown on the website for the number of days left. I'm trying not to make it known that I'm not the biggest Sting fan.

Perceptions of America

I recently signed up for a week-long human rights program in Poznań, to attend lectures and meet with other students and professionals who are active in the field of human rights. While the lectures have been very illuminating, perhaps the most interesting aspect of the program for me is interacting with the other individuals. Like the language training class, I am the sole American; in this case, I believe that I am also the only native-English speaker.

As such, my classmates have had a lot of questions for me regarding what America is actually like. They have seen many American movies and TV shows; what I found most interesting was the questions that I am most commonly asked. Here's just a few:

• Does everyone in America own their own house?
  
• Does everyone own a car?
  
• Does every American own a handgun? (This was actually a 13-year-old in Vienna. Yes, we are all cowboys).
  
  
• Is American high school really like it is in the movies?
  
  
• What about those clubs/groups at universities, with all the crazy parties? (After some confusion, I realize he/she is asking about fraternities and sororities. Apparently such organizations do not exist at European universities).
  
  
• How on earth do Americans pay the university prices? (Leading to a long discussion about the frustrations of financial aid, scholarships, and loans).
  
  
• Does everyone go to university in the U.S.? Is there no standard for entrance? (Leading to another long discussion about SATs, GREs, NY Regents, etc. and how this compares to the Polish or German Matura or the French Bac).
  
  
• What do Americans think of Obama, especially as compared to Bush?
  
  
• Why of all places did you choose Poland?
  

Another K'NAAN video

Because even though the World Cup is long over, I still can't get enough of this song.

Snapshots from Poznań IV

Mechanical goats butting heads above the City Hall clock at 12 noon each day... a Poznań favorite!

Pakistani Floods

Are we tired of hearing about natural disasters this year? Earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, floods across Europe, countless other disasters that have not been given mainstream media attention, and now floods in Pakistan with destruction considered "greater than the damage from the 2004 Asian tsunami, the 2005 Pakistan earthquake, and the 2010 Haiti earthquake combined." The hard work to build up the infrastructure of this failed state has been washed away. And yet the donors have kept their purses closed. Why doesn't the world care about Pakistanis? If this were a different country, despite the recession and all the other disasters in recent years, it's likely that if would have received media attention more comparable to Haiti or the tsunami, and it's likely that we would all be more generous. Don't get me started on the mosque near the WTC site debate.

For what it's worth, here's yahoo's list of How to Help.

Snapshots from Poznań III

Sto Lat: 100th birthday of the Zamek Castle, 21 August 2010

Restaurant prices

Prior to my arrival in Poland, I was told that it was often more less expensive to go out to eat at a restaurant than it was to buy your own food and cook. I found this hard to believe, but now I'm beginning to see that this is very true.

The other day, I enjoyed a delicious meal on the Rynek, with a beautiful patio view of the marketplace--prime real estate for a restaurant. My meal of a large hearty crepe, a specialty drink, and a large water came to less than $10 USD. This same meal in the States or elsewhere in Europe could have easily cost $25-30 USD. Furthermore, during my grand venture to Ikea yesterday, I paused to have lunch (and enjoy free wifi). In the Polish way, I ordered a dinner-style lunch, complete with soup, a large hot entree, and tea. Granted, Ikea is famously inexpensive, but this rather tasty meal was only 11PLN or about $3.50! When I did the math, I could hardly believe it.

Granted, I've only just begun to cook for myself, so I don't yet have a clear sense of the costs in the supermarket. But I guess I'll have to use this as an excuse to try out all the cafes and restaurants in the area.

Snapshots from Poznań II

National Festival of Good Taste

Wrapping things up

It's hard to believe, but I've already reached the final days of my Polish language training. I can't claim to be fluent in Polish (no where near!), but I do feel more comfortable with the language after these three weeks. Though the real test begins next week, when I won't have the structure of a summer program to support my language learning.

Polish summer courses are fairly popular with students across Europe and across the world. The most famous is the program at Jagiellonian in Kraków, which some semesters enrolls hundreds of students of all ages and nationalities. Smaller programs, like that in Poznań, also exist, as well as at certain universities and in major cities in the U.S. (for example, Washington, D.C.).

Aug. 15: St. Mary of the Herbs

On this date each year, Catholics around the world celebrate the feast of the Assumption, a holy day when Mary was taken up to heaven. In Poland, they also call this day the Blessed Mother of the Herbs or St. Mary of the Herbs Day (Matki Boskiej Zielnej). Bunches of flowers, herbs, and fruit are available everywhere-- outside churches, on sale in the street, etc. Many churchgoers bring a bouquet of these herbs (zioła, or matką ziół) to the church for a blessing and for an offer of thanksgiving. At a parish I attended, it was a children's mass, and at the end of the (rather noisy but lively) service, all the children and families and indeed most of the parish clustered around the altar for a final blessing, holding these herbs and singing songs. They brought these herbs home again after the service, and in olden days they were believed to have heightened powers for seasonings and curative abilities.

This blog also has some interesting additional information regarding Our Lady of the Herbs and harvest festivals.

Bambergian Festival

Today Poznań and the surrounding Wielkopolska region celebrated the annual festival of the Bambergians. The Bambergians were Germans who were invited to live in Poznań in the mid/late 18th century. The population of Poznań and of all of Poland had declined drastically due to so many wars, plagues, and floods. This festival celebrates their unique roots. Though still celebrating their ethnic German background, the Bambergians sided with Poland during both world wars, and these soldiers reaffirmed their loyalty to Poland during their parade today. Here's a few snapshots:

Musicians walking around the Rynek to open the festival at noon


Soldiers




The "bamberka" statue in the middle of the Rynek, decorated in flowers for the day.


And, as I was not able to get a picture of the Bambergian women in their elaborate festive wear, here's some photos from Poznań's website:

Snapshots from Poznań

Notes from PL: Things I Have Learned So Far

As part of a summer language program, I've been gradually learning more about Polish, Poznań, and the local culture. I am the only American enrolled in the program and while English is the language of instruction, I am one of the few native-English speakers. (I've had a lot of fascinating conversations that involved explaining colloquial phrases in English--why do we sometimes address small children as "pumpkin" anyway?-- and learning about similar phrases in German, such as "Mäuschen" and "yaco taco" (not sure about the spelling there...)). Here's some things I've noticed so far:

-"Googlować" is a verb in Polish (also "googlen" auf deustch). So is "facebookować".

-There are only three reasons to learn Polish: 1) For your studies, 2) To reconnect with family or distant Polish roots, or 3) (the most popular reason by far) your boyfriend/girlfriend is Polish.

-Poznań's football team is currently the best in Poland. But they still lost to Praha tonight. (Also, their nickname is "Kolejorz", which roughly translates to railroad workers).

-Poznań's stadium is currently the best stadium for the EuroCup 2012 (but that's because it's the only one that is completed). I believe tonight's match (loss) was the first game in that stadium.

-A (traditional) Polish lunch is HUGE. We're talking soup, meat, potatoes, salad, and vegetables required at each meal with lots of other side dishes to complement. However, dinner/supper is basically the same thing as breakfast (breads, cheeses, lunchmeats, tea), so be sure to eat up.

-Poznań is also famous for its rogale swietomarcinki, or St. Martin's croissants. They're traditionally eaten on Nov. 11, but bakers now often carry them year round. (I can't testify if this recipe is accurate, but it's a good image).

-Like much of the rest of Europe, about 90% of the city center of Poznań was destroyed during World War II. (Poznań was actually part of Prussia for a century, and there was much debate when drafting the Treaty of Versailles if it would be included in the newly resurrected Poland or not). The majority of the buildings were rebuilt using detailed replicas, but the decorative city hall (which is not actually a city hall) located in the center of the Stary Rynek, or old marketplace, was not rebuilt until 1999. During communist times, such a ornate building was not considered necessary.

Hello from Poland!

After two years, I'm back on Central European time (currently 5:33 PM)! Cześć, from a rather rainy Poznań, Poland. I will be living, working, and studying in Poznań for the next year, and I look forward to getting to know this city better.



Few non-Poles know much about Poznań, so here's some quick facts: Poznań is located in western Poland, and it is the capital of the Wielkopolska region. It's about a 2-3 hour train ride from Berlin, located about equidistant between the German and Polish capitals on the Berlin-Warsaw line. Poznań is Poland's 5th largest city (after Warsaw, Kraków, Łódź, and Gdańsk), and its Adam Mickiewicz University is regarded as the third best in all of Poland (and it was also the first founded after Poland reemerged as a state following WWI). If my population estimates are correct, Poznań is roughly the size of Portland, Oregon. It's a beautiful city that really mixes old and new.

Internet access will be limited for the first few weeks, but I will share more pictures, observations, and stories as they happen.

For now, do zobaczenia!

**Maintenance Note**

Time stamp changing again. For all posts prior to this that were written in Eastern Standard Time, subtract 6 hours from the stamp listed. This blog is now on Polish time. :)

Mission Impossible

I'm attempting the impossible. Due to new airline fees and restrictions, I'm attempting to pack for a year abroad using one suitcase, one carry-on, and a satchel bag. Nothing else. It's well-documented that I hate packing, but this is just ridiculous.

If it were just clothes, that would be one thing. Clothes can be left behind or replaced. But then add in a year's worth of medications, contact solution, and other heavy items, many of which are liquid and thus need packed in the checked bag. 44lb. 22kg. Seems like I'm only started to pack, and I've already passed the weight limit.

All my winter clothes will be shipped, but that only scrapes the surface of this packing monster.

We have a Verdict

Looks like the International Court of Justice (ICJ) was a bit more clear-cut regarding the Kosovo ruling than expected: World Court Rules Kosovo Independence was Legal (also: the NYT initial release)

China, Spain, Russia, and others fear that such a ruling might encourage their own secessionist movements. However, though the media often forgets about this small European nation that is still rebuilding, lessons can also be learned from the long nation-building process in Kosovo.

Twittering Diplomats

I tend to usually fall into the category that mocks all the fuss and "twouble" with Twitters, but the antics of Jared Cohen and Alec Ross might make me rethink this position. As highlighted recently by the NYT, Cohen and Ross are policy advisers to Secretary Hilary Clinton, and they're personally bringing old-fashioned diplomacy into the new digital age. DoS has had an offical blog and official Twitter for a couple years now, but the tweets of 140 characters or less directly from the policy advisers seem to have a fresher, more candid or direct take. Not to mention that the official Twitter has only a fraction of the followers of Cohen or Ross.

Street pianos

Here's a beautiful project by artist Luke Jerram to bring a little more music into our everyday lives. Recently installed in New York City, Jerram and his piano concept have been traveling the world and enabling ordinary people to sit down and create music amidst the city cacophony. Artists decorated over 60 pianos and placed them in public places across the five boroughs--and don't worry, music enthusiasts, I can personally testify that the pianos were covered during rainy weather (which sadly prevented me from playing). After the installation, the pianos were donated to local schools and community groups.

Next up, Belfast, Pécs, Cincinnati, San Jose, and Grand Rapids will get to enjoy this communal masterpiece.

Bookmark Dump

1000 Awesome Things: For when you're feeling down and want reminded of the amazing little things of life.

What English sounds like to foreigners: An Italian's imitation of American English prosody through rock music; I can't help trying to understand the words, even though it's all gibberish.

Paris in 26 gigapixels: Enjoy a detailed, zoom-able panorama of the city of love as if you were there.

Kodak's blog: Filled with beautiful pictures. Also see National Geographic's Daily Dozen Your Shot submissions. Beautiful images of the world!

Antique Photo Generator: Have your photos instantly turned into antique-style prints! This is quite fun to play with.

Last World Cup post (for this year)

The World Cup has been quite a ride this year, and soon this largest sporting event in the world will be over until 2014. Well done, South Africa.

With the first half of the final well under way, the question on everyone's mind is not only who will claim this year's title, but will the octopus remain undefeated?

Unless you've been living in a box, you've probably heard of Paul the Octopus by now. This "psychic" cephalopod lives in an aquarium in southern Germany, and he has a knack for determining the winner in German matches. His fame skyrocketed when he correctly predicted the upset victory of Germany toppling Argentina in the semis. The octopus makes his selection by choosing a tasty mussel treat from one of two boxes, each with a national flag on it. His record is currently 7 for 7, correctly predicting each winner in every match Germany played.

Now he'll try his knack with other teams. Paul's picked Spain as today's winner. Experts have carefully calculated that Paul has a 50% chance of being correct, so let's see how it goes.

If my team is out (though bronze again is better than nothing, I suppose), I guess I'll cheer for the German octopus instead.

USA v. Ghana

It's been an interesting World Cup. The French couldn't win, the favored Spanish lost to the underdog Swiss, and the Italians, the defending world champions, were ousted by the small nation of Slovakia, in their first World Cup since independence. The quote that has been circulating the internet jokingly claims, "This World Cup is like World War II. France leave early, USA turn up at the last minute, and England is left fighting the Germans."

I'm very excited for the USA. I'm thrilled that this is the first time that they've won their group (and possibly the first time they've made to it Round of 16) since the first World Cup in 1930. But the Americans will be playing Ghana. As the last African nation in the first African World Cup, I think that I agree with this NYT commentator. The USA has dominated countless sports for decades. We consistently top the medal records for the Olympics, an American just won Wimbledon, and the US has won the women's World Cup in 1991 and 1999. Our first love remains (American) football. Another FIFA loss would be frustrating, but most of America probably wouldn't even care. In contrast, imagine the morale boost for the entire country of Ghana, and for all of Africa, if their team gets to advance. Perhaps it's an idealistic notion, but perhaps sports bring healing and progress.

I hope the Red, White, and Blue play well, and I will be thrilled if they do advance. But patriotic allegiance aside, I'll be cheering for the Red, Yellow, and Green. Let's go Ghana, and let's go Africa!

May the best team win.

World Cup Again

The World Cup starts this Friday in South Africa. So excited! Here's another "official" theme song... how many are there now?

Museum Mile Festival

The annual Museum Mile Festival is tonight in New York City. From 6-9pm, gain free access to nine of the museums in the Upper East Side--including the Met, the Neue Galerie, the Guggenheim, and more--and enjoy live music and art everywhere in between. This festival is usually held each year on the second Tuesday of June.

Frugal Travelers

NYT Frugal Traveler Matt Gross has passed the baton to a new FT, Seth Kugel. Kugel will be traveling across South America on a tight budget this summer.

One of Gross' final columns was regarding a journey from Vienna to Budapest by foot. The Danube hike sounds beautiful, though walk steadily for so many days can take its toll. In Vienna proper, the NYT today is highlighting the resurgence of the Karmeliterviertel and Jewish life.

Worldwide World Cup Frenzy

FIFA World Cup 2010 starts in two weeks in South Africa!! Listening to K'naan, I can't help but get excited.

Turning to a New Chapter

Transitions can be a very difficult time. They bring excitement, but also terror. Anticipation, but also nostalgia.

And so, friends, as I find myself standing on this latest threshold, at this metaphorical bend in the road, hovering on the brink of the abyss before attempting flight, I cannot help eagerly craning forward, while simultaneously dragging my heels and looking back.

Change is in the air, and it is a good thing, but change is a fickle beast. It comes when it is unlooked for or unwelcomed and creates endings while also bringing freshness and new beginnings. You are never ready for change, but you never have a choice but to continue moving with the shifting winds.

Thus, apologies for my rather sporadic postings for the past few months; I'm afraid that this trend may continue for a few months more. So as a quick recap, here's a few things that have been happening in the world:

• We're in a new decade.
  
• Obama has been in office for a year and a half (wow, already?).
  
• Many of the "flower" revolutions seem to have reversed, as many former-Soviet countries seem to be leaning toward Moscow.
  
• But Washington is friendly with Moscow now.
  
• Many of Poland's top leaders died in a tragic plane crash (on Russian soil, on their way to commemorate the Katyn massacre of Polish officers by Russian soldiers).
  
• But Russian-Polish relations seem to have improved, in part because of this tragedy.
  
• There's an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
  
• Antigovernment protests are spreading in Thailand.
  
• The Brits elected a hung parliament! panicked! and then formed a coalition government.
  
• The Euro is imploding.

Additionally, this blog passed it's two year anniversary with absolutely no fanfare. Instead, it's two and a half year anniversary approaches. So a very happy belated birthday, dear WM. Thank you to everyone who has read, everyone who continues to follow regularly, and everyone who will find this blog in the future. New adventures coming soon!

The Opposite of Lucid Dreaming

Maybe it simply stems from my having seen Waking Life at a young age, but I am fascinated by the study of sleep. REM sleep and lucid dreams are fairly common topics these days, but what about dreams that seem so realistic that the dreamer confuses them for a memory of reality? (Or is that just me...)

Where is this line between dream and reality? And in the end, what is sleep?

From Paris with Love

Google continues to not only create innovative services and products, but clever and adorable ads. This one aired during the Super Bowl 2010, and it strikes the heart of anyone who has studied abroad, anyone who has traveled, and anyone who has been in love.

A couple links from the news

It's been a month without posts again. Just a few links to share tonight.

Krugman insightfully provides some much needed perspective (and common sense!) to the current impasse in the Senate: America is Not Yet Lost

Also, looks like Viktor Yanukovich is poised to win the presidency in Ukraine. When's the last time we heard his name on the world stage? During the so-called Orange Revolution in 2004, when Viktor Yushchenko (complete with a blotched face from conspiracies) won in Ukraine's first truly democratic elections. Some have called Yanukovich's success a reversal of this Orange Revolution. Yet the elections were judged to be fair and very successful, so the perhaps democratic legacy continues despite the election of a Russia-leaning candidate. Perhaps this is the balance that Ukraine needs.