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!