Covered in the next articles of this blog will be these titles :
Tatry, the adventures in the south Polish mountains
Warsaw, the city i am glad i didn't skip !
What's the point in traveling ?
Stay Tuned !
Monday, October 12, 2009
Krakow
Some controversy was issued about my visiting of Krakow, it is the most touristic city of the country and i was even encouraged to skip Warsaw for it, the problem is it's hard to couchsurf if you don't plan it at least a month ago for such cities, so i spent a long time requesting and i postponed my visit twice because of that, at the end i had a positive answer right when i started looking for hostels !
My host was not yet available for the first half of the day so it was my first occasion to be what i would call a free visitor. A free visitor has the chance to make his own way through the streets, at times paying the most attention to how he would retrace his steps back, at others being totally taken by some wild envy to wander the simpler possible, staring at things and people here and there, being foolishly happy.
But the free visitor that i was didn't take long to get bored. In the morning i took the bus for the famous salt mine in Wieliczka, there i found one can only make his visit with a guided group. It was the first time, and i will make my best it be the last, that i make part of a group of people, or should i say a group of tourists, that carefully follow the steps of a guide, or should i say a person whose talks have been carefully recorded and kept tirelessly playing in loop forever. The place was impressive at moments and the sensation of being 135 meters below the ground didn't go unremarked. But to tell the truth it was a real pain, to belong to the group, although i'm glad i know what it is at least !
My host was not yet available for the first half of the day so it was my first occasion to be what i would call a free visitor. A free visitor has the chance to make his own way through the streets, at times paying the most attention to how he would retrace his steps back, at others being totally taken by some wild envy to wander the simpler possible, staring at things and people here and there, being foolishly happy.
But the free visitor that i was didn't take long to get bored. In the morning i took the bus for the famous salt mine in Wieliczka, there i found one can only make his visit with a guided group. It was the first time, and i will make my best it be the last, that i make part of a group of people, or should i say a group of tourists, that carefully follow the steps of a guide, or should i say a person whose talks have been carefully recorded and kept tirelessly playing in loop forever. The place was impressive at moments and the sensation of being 135 meters below the ground didn't go unremarked. But to tell the truth it was a real pain, to belong to the group, although i'm glad i know what it is at least !
Once back to Krakow i walked endlessly to see only a small part of the big views that offers the city, and was impatiently waiting to meet my host. Marek was a very caring guy, i enjoyed his company and he was a very good host. On sunday we cycled through the city and headed to a nice lake where i couldn't stop myself from swimming, and then up to a famous beautiful hill overlooking the whole region, the day was remarkable, and ended by a warm goodbye at the bus station, as i resigned from taking the train, and i couldn't have done a better choice, the bus was cheaper, very comfortable, and i was sitting in a good company with a girl from Torun, so i didn't get bored neither from silence nor talking.
Alcohol !
Disclaimer:
To all the big alcohol lovers, the following holds potentially shocking contents that may hurt your feelings, pride or dignity. If you doubt your emotional strength please skip this section or close this window. The writer is in no place to be hold responsible of the consequences of your decision to continue reading, do it at your own risk.
I've been told before i travel that poles drink a lot, it was a good thing as my mind has been long well formatted to go against the waves, so it was a nice occasion to prove myself a new time; it was with that spirit that i headed to Poland.
In fact, so far i never got "in touch" with the alcohol world, i just always had the rule in mind, rooted by religion and social habits: not to drink. It seemed reasonable and was a simple and easy rule to follow. Then was the time to land on the real mine field and get past theory.
To all the big alcohol lovers, the following holds potentially shocking contents that may hurt your feelings, pride or dignity. If you doubt your emotional strength please skip this section or close this window. The writer is in no place to be hold responsible of the consequences of your decision to continue reading, do it at your own risk.
I've been told before i travel that poles drink a lot, it was a good thing as my mind has been long well formatted to go against the waves, so it was a nice occasion to prove myself a new time; it was with that spirit that i headed to Poland.
In fact, so far i never got "in touch" with the alcohol world, i just always had the rule in mind, rooted by religion and social habits: not to drink. It seemed reasonable and was a simple and easy rule to follow. Then was the time to land on the real mine field and get past theory.
The first impression was by far relunctancy ! That drink smelled really bad, in fact, now that i think back about it, no wonder it stinks; it's rotten material ! So i couldn't get how people stand drinking it... That, already, has definitely been my big no no to me even thinking about trying it.
Came then the phase in which i realize how widely and commonly spread the drinking was, you could hardly conceive a friendly meeting without alcohol, and you barely find someone who settles for just one glass or can. It was not irritating to me as long as they remained sober and rational in their acts, but there happened many situations in which some friends were so drunk it was first funny to stare at them and then they raised some pity inside of me... How can one cause his mind to lose control while it is the one thing that distinguishes him from the animal reign ?
That, without mentionning all the crazy money spent behind it, i was lucky and proud to not only be called juice man, but also to be the one who spends the less money on the soft drinks ^^
Came then the phase in which i realize how widely and commonly spread the drinking was, you could hardly conceive a friendly meeting without alcohol, and you barely find someone who settles for just one glass or can. It was not irritating to me as long as they remained sober and rational in their acts, but there happened many situations in which some friends were so drunk it was first funny to stare at them and then they raised some pity inside of me... How can one cause his mind to lose control while it is the one thing that distinguishes him from the animal reign ?
That, without mentionning all the crazy money spent behind it, i was lucky and proud to not only be called juice man, but also to be the one who spends the less money on the soft drinks ^^
My other days in Lodz
Manufaktura, the biggest attraction of Lodz, is a big compound of malls, restaurants, two museums, a hotel, clubs, and Cinema City. We once went to watch a movie in Cinema City, althought the film was not especially nice, it was good to see what a real cinema is, the screen was so huge one couldn't cover the whole of it in his field of view without moving his head ! Yet the sound was disturbing in some action scenes, a bit of normalization would've done better.
There are things i will not forget about Lodz, all are naturally linked to the cs_ers i met. I've been taught juggling in Lodz, it's one of the things leaving such good impression on you that they make you take decisions such as i will do my best to highly improve my skills and go back there someday especially to impress my masters.
In Lodz i also learned to play Poker, in the dorms i was heading to my room some night and found a group of IAESTE friends having placed two tables in the hallway and were playing Poker. I had some idea that there were tactics in that game, but i have been deceived when i realized it was just another card game highly and essentially based on luck. We surely didn't play on money, but i developed some possessiveness over my nice looking tokens during the game, and it helped feeling how easy, stupid and irresponsible it was to lose one's real money over such an infantile game.
There are things i will not forget about Lodz, all are naturally linked to the cs_ers i met. I've been taught juggling in Lodz, it's one of the things leaving such good impression on you that they make you take decisions such as i will do my best to highly improve my skills and go back there someday especially to impress my masters.
In Lodz i also learned to play Poker, in the dorms i was heading to my room some night and found a group of IAESTE friends having placed two tables in the hallway and were playing Poker. I had some idea that there were tactics in that game, but i have been deceived when i realized it was just another card game highly and essentially based on luck. We surely didn't play on money, but i developed some possessiveness over my nice looking tokens during the game, and it helped feeling how easy, stupid and irresponsible it was to lose one's real money over such an infantile game.
We once gathered a group and went to a forest bordering Lodz, it was a rainy day so it was brief and then we decided to have lunch. We were all very hungry and agreed we won't wait to return to the city, instead we would try that fancy restaurant in the middle of the forest. The fact is among the many times i decided to try spending unreasonable money on food in the hope it would be worth it, i was never satisfied. Turns out the more the food is expensive, the less valuable it is. That fancy Polish restaurant did make no exception, so what was worth was making sure of it. There was a Swiss among us, he said the prices were comparable to a Mc Donalds in Switzerland ! No wonder it was a very good thing i went to Poland and not a western european country, as it happens, later i found out even Italy was already very expensive.
But all in all, i wouldn't say i'm habilitated to comment about the polish food being established it's mainly based on meat and that i couldn't eat meat back there.
Wroclaw, Poznan
Contrarily to what i was used to in Tunisia, there is no control when entering the quay or train in Poland, you only get asked for your ticket during the travel. Trains were fairly nice, and i liked those with compartiments, non existant back home, another difference is the rails are rationally wide in Poland, i always thought they were unreasonably narrow in Tunisia, no wonder it influences stability, speed and comfort. What is comparable on the other hand, is how much crowded the trains can turn to be; after the compartiements get busy, it gets even hard to find your place in the cold narrow and noisy hallway along the wagon, where many don't hesitate to spread their sleeping bags on the floor and take a set of naps regularly disturbed by those people walking over their heads back and forth along the corridor, at times accidentally stepping over their feet.
It was a tight schedule i planned for my first tripping week; one day and a half for Wroclaw and the next day and a half for Poznan. When i arrived to the first city i was nicely welcomed by by my host Marta. My first positive impression about her was enhanced by she asked me whether i like walking; we spent that whole day striding almost non stop ! Couldn't be better. At night i am very warmly welcomed by the parents, mother is interested and asks a lot of questions, in polish ! but Marta was a good interpreter. In the morning we were supposed to visit some other places. Instead, we more worthily spent it chatting at home and teaching languages. Time passed so nicely that for a while i reconsidered my plan and thought of staying instead of going to Poznan, but at the end i did leave.
Among the interesting topics raised in our discussions was the question about the point in making brief couch surfs; you get to meet wonderful people, spend magical time together, but then you leave as soon, settle for keeping it as a simple memory, and return to your daily routine. How disappointing is that ?
I believe it's not for nothing that it's meant to be so; what makes the visit good is justly its briefness, in a short time you can only get the ephemerally enthusiastic state of mind of the newly encountered person; the best of him. In a short time you are yourself excited about your visit and can only see the best of the place: this is how great a couch surf can be. If you make it long, well, if you make it long it will be different.
What is sure is that later, comes the time to make the effort of keeping in touch, and depeding on its reciprocity, you will know the extent of the friendship.
I still remember the goodbye at the train quay as if it was yesterday, it was definitely a very good first surf.
Wroclaw was beautiful, Poznan was different, was quiet and peaceful. Ania, my host, accentuated that feeling. Our many discussions were mature and calm, and to my big pleasure, there have been of those mutually comfortable silences, i always loved the people who appreciate silence. We did not spend a lot of time touring the city. At night we went to meet Ania's friends, cs_ers as well. Happened then an effect i would name The Turtle Effect !
I will unexpectedly not develop that ! Although i know you are greatly interested in getting details ^^ I can yet hint that a story can only be related after it ends.
No wonder Poznan was a highlight in Poland.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Touring Poland
Tourist: a person who travels for pleasure.
That word, tourist, repulses me.
It's one thing to visit a country, but one another to know it.
To visit : go to see and spend some time with (someone) socially or as a guest, go to see and spend time in (a place) as a tourist or guest.
The first definition was referring to visiting a person, the second to a place. I am thinking if you combine them both and extend the time, you can start talking about knowing the place.
If it wasn't for couchsurfing, my stay in Poland would have been completely different. IAESTE, the international association that arranged my training had local committees in the main cities of the country, and they arrange trips during the weekends, including fridays. But it was group trips, not that attractive for me. Yet i went once with them, for the sake of trying. All my other trips i planned alone, with couchsurfing.
Friday, July 24th, at 3am i leave the dorm, i think it's enough time to catch the 4:40 train for Wroclaw. I was wrong.
I took the N4 night bus in the wrong direction, i was sure of that after 10 minutes spent in the bus, the landscape was changing, we were getting out of the city and entering countryside ! so no possibility to leave, i thought i'll remain in the bus until last station and then return with it. But it was taking such a long time to reach the terminal, and we were so far from the city by then, catching the train was being under review, i wasn't panicking, but i was deeply considering the situation, why is this happening ?
That went along with my tendency to always try to understand the wisdom in the different noteworthy stories happening around me, i do believe everything has a reason and a purpose to happen, and understanding it helps building confidence, sagacity, patience and faith.
I thought i'm quite advanced in that subject, and it did allow me to keep my calm and refrain anxiety during this troublesome situation. Troublesome because that day meant a lot to me, it was going to be my first trip alone, and first time to surf (couchsurfing dialect), and yet it was starting in an unconvinient way.
So those were the reasons making me reconsider myself and the situation.
Terminal station !
The few people still there left, and the driver turns off the lights inside the bus, turns to me and says something in polish, i understood he was asking me to leave, so i showed him my transportation card to say that i can stay in the bus to return back, but he didn't seem to agree and persisted in asking me out. I was very confused, and at last he managed to explain me that this bus had its last lap and won't return !
I freezed for a while... I was in the middle of nowhere, in the countryside, at the suburbs of Lodz, with no one around but a bus driver who doesn't speak english, and whose bus won't return to the city, and in 20 minutes my train was leaving.
But i fastly pulled round, i got my train ticket off my wallet, showed it to the driver and named him the train station, Lodz Kaliska.
I think he understood my situation, but he kept blabbering in polish and trying to understand him didn't succeed me, as he saw i'm completely confused he asked me to follow him, we went to a nearby bus station and he told me to take a bus that was there, but the bus didn't seem to be about departing. I felt bizarre but pleased at the same time, i was trusting a person that i didn't know, in doing something that i wasn't sure of, while i wasn't even sure he understood where i want to go ! I was enjoying it because it was such a great exercise of faith in the future and of trust in people's kindness.
In my way i saw a van nearby with two men putting boxes inside, i had a sudden crazy hope that they would be going to the city and i could ask them to take me along ! Not surprisingly they didn't speak english, so once again i get my train ticket out, and they take me to the driver whose bus i was supposed to take earlier. They talk together, and i try to talk with them (it felt like being a child trying to insert himself into an adult conversation), and at the end i got asked to sit down in the bus and wait. Minutes later the bus left, and i kept looking up the time and imaging the train leaving...
I ended up believing that what was happening is a test to my attitute and faith.
I gladly realised we're getting back to the city, we arrived to Fabryczna bus station, and the driver very kindly quits his chair and takes me to out to show me the bus timetables and tell which bus i take next, when it arrives, and how many stops to wait before getting out, all of that in polish, and i understood ! (his body language though). So i turned to be enjoying the situation.
At 6am i finally reached Lodz Kaliska train station, there i gladly found out my ticket was available for the whole day. And then, after such adventures, so many confusing thoughts and feelings, there happened the absolute, the pinnacle discovery : my 4:40 train was delayed by 90 minutes, and was still at the quay !!!
Dear reader, take some time to enjoy that as i did...
That word, tourist, repulses me.
It's one thing to visit a country, but one another to know it.
To visit : go to see and spend some time with (someone) socially or as a guest, go to see and spend time in (a place) as a tourist or guest.
The first definition was referring to visiting a person, the second to a place. I am thinking if you combine them both and extend the time, you can start talking about knowing the place.
If it wasn't for couchsurfing, my stay in Poland would have been completely different. IAESTE, the international association that arranged my training had local committees in the main cities of the country, and they arrange trips during the weekends, including fridays. But it was group trips, not that attractive for me. Yet i went once with them, for the sake of trying. All my other trips i planned alone, with couchsurfing.
Friday, July 24th, at 3am i leave the dorm, i think it's enough time to catch the 4:40 train for Wroclaw. I was wrong.
I took the N4 night bus in the wrong direction, i was sure of that after 10 minutes spent in the bus, the landscape was changing, we were getting out of the city and entering countryside ! so no possibility to leave, i thought i'll remain in the bus until last station and then return with it. But it was taking such a long time to reach the terminal, and we were so far from the city by then, catching the train was being under review, i wasn't panicking, but i was deeply considering the situation, why is this happening ?
That went along with my tendency to always try to understand the wisdom in the different noteworthy stories happening around me, i do believe everything has a reason and a purpose to happen, and understanding it helps building confidence, sagacity, patience and faith.
I thought i'm quite advanced in that subject, and it did allow me to keep my calm and refrain anxiety during this troublesome situation. Troublesome because that day meant a lot to me, it was going to be my first trip alone, and first time to surf (couchsurfing dialect), and yet it was starting in an unconvinient way.
So those were the reasons making me reconsider myself and the situation.
Terminal station !
The few people still there left, and the driver turns off the lights inside the bus, turns to me and says something in polish, i understood he was asking me to leave, so i showed him my transportation card to say that i can stay in the bus to return back, but he didn't seem to agree and persisted in asking me out. I was very confused, and at last he managed to explain me that this bus had its last lap and won't return !
I freezed for a while... I was in the middle of nowhere, in the countryside, at the suburbs of Lodz, with no one around but a bus driver who doesn't speak english, and whose bus won't return to the city, and in 20 minutes my train was leaving.
But i fastly pulled round, i got my train ticket off my wallet, showed it to the driver and named him the train station, Lodz Kaliska.
I think he understood my situation, but he kept blabbering in polish and trying to understand him didn't succeed me, as he saw i'm completely confused he asked me to follow him, we went to a nearby bus station and he told me to take a bus that was there, but the bus didn't seem to be about departing. I felt bizarre but pleased at the same time, i was trusting a person that i didn't know, in doing something that i wasn't sure of, while i wasn't even sure he understood where i want to go ! I was enjoying it because it was such a great exercise of faith in the future and of trust in people's kindness.
In my way i saw a van nearby with two men putting boxes inside, i had a sudden crazy hope that they would be going to the city and i could ask them to take me along ! Not surprisingly they didn't speak english, so once again i get my train ticket out, and they take me to the driver whose bus i was supposed to take earlier. They talk together, and i try to talk with them (it felt like being a child trying to insert himself into an adult conversation), and at the end i got asked to sit down in the bus and wait. Minutes later the bus left, and i kept looking up the time and imaging the train leaving...
I ended up believing that what was happening is a test to my attitute and faith.
I gladly realised we're getting back to the city, we arrived to Fabryczna bus station, and the driver very kindly quits his chair and takes me to out to show me the bus timetables and tell which bus i take next, when it arrives, and how many stops to wait before getting out, all of that in polish, and i understood ! (his body language though). So i turned to be enjoying the situation.
At 6am i finally reached Lodz Kaliska train station, there i gladly found out my ticket was available for the whole day. And then, after such adventures, so many confusing thoughts and feelings, there happened the absolute, the pinnacle discovery : my 4:40 train was delayed by 90 minutes, and was still at the quay !!!
Dear reader, take some time to enjoy that as i did...
Work
The way a man shakes your hand tells a lot.
All with a genuinely happy smile, my training tutor grasped my hand and shook it firmly for a trace of time more than what is usually needed to shake one's hand. Perfect.
Pity it's not as simple as that to decipher girls !
The building of the electronis and informatics department was very nice, and i liked the laboratory in which i was going to work, there was a board too, great. We were in july, it is summer holidays for nearly everyone at the university, so i almost had the whole lab for me. Once the introduction to my job done, i was assigned the first task, and i was so enthousiastic that i spent the whole 6 hours at one hundred percent into the work, no daydreaming at all, and i finished right on time to write my daily report. Day one, task successfully completed, I was very pleased.
The rest of the days at work were a real enjoyment, as i'm writing this i got excited just by thinking about it. Trying to solve a problem is a pure pleasure, you're putting in question your intelligence and there is no way you fail yourself, you feel those neurons burning, creating your solution from scratch.
A beautiful thing is the human mind, a beautiful thing is using it. Yet all the while so repelling is to think about forsaking it to ignorance and passivity...
I made of each task i was given a personal matter, it was either me or the problem, i put my personal pride in question, it was not a fact of completing a task or working, but a constant challenge to my mind, what only matters is i never give up to any problem.
I got heated up writing about this, and i'm currently making of my personal mission pushing myself to the limits and knowing what my borders are, if ever they exist.
I will keep in memory one sentence my tutor said : "we want to imitate the human vision".
I thought: sure Mr, why not, give me just a minute !
At the term of my trainig i was praised to embarrassment, and i promised myself and my tutor to continue my last unfinished task in Tunisia.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
My first days in Lodz
At the night of my first day in Poland and Lodz was a weekly Salsa party, for my great pleasure, i was very excited for i finally would get in touch with some latino dancing.
Not yet not yet Houssem, you're way too tired tonight you should get some deep restorative sleep for tonight and you'll have a lot of other wednesdays for salsa.
In the morning i had to be at the reception at 8 and someone would accompany me in my way for my first day at work. But once down i've been told my employer called telling he'll only be there at 1pm. So i had the morning free to walk around and take the first pictures of the area.
At 1pm, another phone call, i will start work next monday ! Cool job, i'm having 5 days off before even starting. 5 days in which a lot of things happened.
I've been to Piotrkowska street, claimed to be the longest commercial street in europe, i was amazed at how expensive the stores were in there.
Surprisingly when i got my polish phone number, they did not ask for any personal informations. Communiation fares were comparable to those in Tunisia except for international sms, that were twice as expensive. Price was also good for the monthly transportation card, including trams and buses, 44 zloty.
The cost of living in Poland is very similar to Tunisia, except for eating out and lodging where it's twice as expensive, or more.
In Lodz I got lost twice in the tram, first trying to find a supermarket, second going back home from work, it was a nice occasion watching some areas of the city, and then the tram drivers were very kind, although they did not speak enligsh we managed to understand each other and they helped me find my way. It's one of the highlights of my visit to poland, most times i ask for directions poles did not speak english but were so much willing to help that they kept talking in polish so energetically expecting me to understand them somehow, and i kept staring at them trying to decrypt their body language, happy and very enjoyable moments.
Later i discovered not all the other trainees share my point of view, some found poles rude and unhelpful. I think if you are decent, smiling, and shining enough positive waves around you, you can only get the same in return.
Not yet not yet Houssem, you're way too tired tonight you should get some deep restorative sleep for tonight and you'll have a lot of other wednesdays for salsa.
In the morning i had to be at the reception at 8 and someone would accompany me in my way for my first day at work. But once down i've been told my employer called telling he'll only be there at 1pm. So i had the morning free to walk around and take the first pictures of the area.
At 1pm, another phone call, i will start work next monday ! Cool job, i'm having 5 days off before even starting. 5 days in which a lot of things happened.
I've been to Piotrkowska street, claimed to be the longest commercial street in europe, i was amazed at how expensive the stores were in there.
Surprisingly when i got my polish phone number, they did not ask for any personal informations. Communiation fares were comparable to those in Tunisia except for international sms, that were twice as expensive. Price was also good for the monthly transportation card, including trams and buses, 44 zloty.
The cost of living in Poland is very similar to Tunisia, except for eating out and lodging where it's twice as expensive, or more.
In Lodz I got lost twice in the tram, first trying to find a supermarket, second going back home from work, it was a nice occasion watching some areas of the city, and then the tram drivers were very kind, although they did not speak enligsh we managed to understand each other and they helped me find my way. It's one of the highlights of my visit to poland, most times i ask for directions poles did not speak english but were so much willing to help that they kept talking in polish so energetically expecting me to understand them somehow, and i kept staring at them trying to decrypt their body language, happy and very enjoyable moments.
Later i discovered not all the other trainees share my point of view, some found poles rude and unhelpful. I think if you are decent, smiling, and shining enough positive waves around you, you can only get the same in return.
Monday, August 24, 2009
In Poland
First thing i did in Warsaw airport after exchanging some money was heading to the tourist information center and filling up with maps and all sorts of useful papers that i never used later. Was only useful the info about the bus to take to the train station.
The first contacts with poles was when asking about directions, it seemed not too much of them speak english, and in the bus, i was lucky to be approached by a canadian guy who happened to go to the same stop as muyself, surprisingly, he studies in Lodz, the same city i'm going to, so he gave me a first glance about what i'm going to find there, yet i kept my mind completely open about that.
The train station seemed to be huge, i turned around for a while before finding the right place to get my ticket from, and it was not in english that i spoke with the man behind the window, but in french ! The ticket was expensive compared to tunisia, twice as expensive, and my ISIC card was not accepted for the student reduction. Later on in the quay, i was for the second time lucky to meet an english speaking guy, he revealed to be from the UK, and happened to be working in Lodz, i don't remember what we talked about during the one hour and a half of the train ride, but i remember it was a pleasing discussion.
During the time spent in the bus and train, i have noticed the first major difference between Tunisia and Poland ; the latter is a lot more green and is tidy, which, added to the roughly constant presence of rain, gives an impressive intensity of contrast between the colors, felt like the eyes have a lot more to devour than back home. And yes, it's raining and i'm happy, i escaped right on time all the summer heat of Tunisia !
The train arrives to Lodz Fabryczna station, and it's time to call my iaeste contact who would take me to the dormitory, a little bit of waiting, and there he is. He, at last, speaks english, oh how glad i am ! It was with his car that we headed to the dorm, and during the ride it seemed to me Lodz has a quite complex network of roads and i thought this guy knows well his city. Now that i spent a month and a half there it's less fascinating: the distance station-dorm as the crow flies is just two kilometers, and the ride seemed long just because there are a lot of one way roads in that area. Now i have the impression i can walk all Lodz without getting lost.
My roommate was from england, i was so optimistic about him that he could in no way be able to deceive my expectations. The room was fine, i unpacked my bags and suitcase, and went out for a walk.
Surroundings were quiet and pleasant, with a park-like atmosphere, tramway station was close, also a nearby shop, and pizzeria were i had my lunch, there they talked english, and were very kind, i was enjoying my first day in Poland.
There were a lot of revelations in the dorm, and the effect was quite positive. It took me a while to know my way around effectively as each time i discover some hidden area, but all in all, the dorm where i will spend 6 weeks was fine, good for me.
The first contacts with poles was when asking about directions, it seemed not too much of them speak english, and in the bus, i was lucky to be approached by a canadian guy who happened to go to the same stop as muyself, surprisingly, he studies in Lodz, the same city i'm going to, so he gave me a first glance about what i'm going to find there, yet i kept my mind completely open about that.
The train station seemed to be huge, i turned around for a while before finding the right place to get my ticket from, and it was not in english that i spoke with the man behind the window, but in french ! The ticket was expensive compared to tunisia, twice as expensive, and my ISIC card was not accepted for the student reduction. Later on in the quay, i was for the second time lucky to meet an english speaking guy, he revealed to be from the UK, and happened to be working in Lodz, i don't remember what we talked about during the one hour and a half of the train ride, but i remember it was a pleasing discussion.
During the time spent in the bus and train, i have noticed the first major difference between Tunisia and Poland ; the latter is a lot more green and is tidy, which, added to the roughly constant presence of rain, gives an impressive intensity of contrast between the colors, felt like the eyes have a lot more to devour than back home. And yes, it's raining and i'm happy, i escaped right on time all the summer heat of Tunisia !
The train arrives to Lodz Fabryczna station, and it's time to call my iaeste contact who would take me to the dormitory, a little bit of waiting, and there he is. He, at last, speaks english, oh how glad i am ! It was with his car that we headed to the dorm, and during the ride it seemed to me Lodz has a quite complex network of roads and i thought this guy knows well his city. Now that i spent a month and a half there it's less fascinating: the distance station-dorm as the crow flies is just two kilometers, and the ride seemed long just because there are a lot of one way roads in that area. Now i have the impression i can walk all Lodz without getting lost.
My roommate was from england, i was so optimistic about him that he could in no way be able to deceive my expectations. The room was fine, i unpacked my bags and suitcase, and went out for a walk.
Surroundings were quiet and pleasant, with a park-like atmosphere, tramway station was close, also a nearby shop, and pizzeria were i had my lunch, there they talked english, and were very kind, i was enjoying my first day in Poland.
There were a lot of revelations in the dorm, and the effect was quite positive. It took me a while to know my way around effectively as each time i discover some hidden area, but all in all, the dorm where i will spend 6 weeks was fine, good for me.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Departure
Packing was a real challenge, what will i need ? what to take, what to not ? But i managed, and now that's it, along with my luggage, papers are ready, and i'm finally good for going to Poland for my IAESTE summer training.
It was a real excitment in the airport, i was impatiently looking forward to reexperience that very powerful acceleration sticking you into your seat right before the plane takes off, a feeling that i kept in memory from a long time ago. Later it did not reveal to be as powerful as i wanted it to be, but i managed to convince myself it was, and was feeling an enormous exaltation; i'm really going, it's happening ! The dizzinees i felt during the flight did at no time succeed to take my joy away, and then the flight was brief, we're landing in Rome, and i have one hour and a half to transit.
One hour and a half are enough, i thought, until i lost more than half an hour waiting in the wrong queue, i did not want to ask because it was obvious to follow where everybody was going, also the direction signs were saying "Transit". Once i arrived to the head of the queue, i decide to ask this police officer, i show him my ticket, and he surprisingly prompts me to go all the way back and take my luggage first ! Move Houssem move, sms from my dad; i can not miss my flight, else the ticket is lost and i'm stuck in Rome !
So, luggage taken, i have to go to another Terminal, and surprise, once there, not only the check in has closed, but there is also a long queue ahead. I'm not yet panicking, and i show my ticket to a kind man from the check-in personnel, and he is the one to be alarmed at how late i am, he gets me past al the waiting queue, to which i embarassedly try to apologize. Once the check in done, time to run to the boarding gate !! Feels like i'm in one of those movies...
And i arrive sweating to the departure lounge, boarding is not yet done, mission accomplished, sigh.
Rome-Warsaw was a lot longer, felt like eternity, and to my surprise, Alitalia was not that good compared to Tunisair.
I'm in Poland !
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