Skipped Polish class today (sorry everyone--you're on your own...I'll be back next week when we will hopefully have new vocabulary to learn!) to visit my sister's college and meet the ambassador and secretary of tourism from ZAMBIA! (Yes, there are sometimes things more important than Polish class...)

Why did the ambassador decide to leave D.C. to visit a small school in Ohio? Well, my sister and some of her classmates are going to South Africa and Zambia for two weeks in May!!!(Lucky ducks!...I wish I could go with them, but unfortunately, I am broke and I am heading off to graduate school in the fall, which may leave me even more broke when I am finished, but that's another blog another time). I don't know who has connections with whom at that school, but it's really cool that they took the time away from their busy lives in D.C. (having lunch with Harry Belafonte yesterday) to visit us.

They were extremely beautiful, dignified, articulate, and intelligent women. I just sat for two hours in awe of them! I wish I could be like them, but I will gain more experience in time. There is so much that I don't know about Zambia, but hearing them speak made even more fascinated about Zambia, and Africa, in general. They taught us simple phrases in one of the dialects, showed us how to shake hands and greet people (bowing as a sign of respect), taught us appropriate body language, and other current events going on in Zambia. Interestingly, the ambassador told us that if you were going to meet people in a rural village, women cannot wear pants because it would appear that we are tough and mean. Instead, women should wear long skirts and dresses. (I knew that women should wear more conservative clothing, but I didn't know that pants were not considered acceptable in some cultures...interesting).

Throughout the talk and lunch, I tried to mantain a low profile. I didn't want to say to them "Sorry, I would love to go, but I am actually not going to Zambia this summer!" Just being there only makes me want to go teach abroad even more. Plus, if this teaching thing doesn't work out in several years, I think I may go into international relations as well....

Happy New Year everyone! Well, this is my first post of the year 2006! It's so hard to believe that it's already the beginning of the year!

I just returned from Poland and I had a marvelous time! I already miss everything about Poland immensely (the food, the people, the sights, just about everything!). I cannot wait until I get a chance to come back someday soon!

Here are some highlights from the trip (which I may elaborate more in future blogs):
*Stayed in a convent (our family friend is a nun) in the center of Warsaw. Visited all of the touristy attractions including the Royal Palace, the Royal Baths, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, Vilianov Palace, etc.)
*Got sick for the first few days. :(
*Always, the focus was on my weight. I am either too fat or too skinny and then I never eat enough!
*Attended the military ceremony component of the inaguration of the Polish President, Lech Kaczinski. Such an amazing sight and we were in the first row!
*Visited my mom's university--it's so great to have her reminisce what it was like growing up in Poland and to have her share her memories with us!
*Attended an interesting lecture about solidarity which I will remember more for the audience's antics more than any thing else. How they couldn't hear and they adjusted microphones, arguments over certain dates of certain events (not if the events happened or not), who suffered more during Marshal Law, and how no one can remember the lyrics to certain songs.
*Visited some of mom's friends, including one friend who waited for us with a ski (because he was going to go skiing in Slovakia with his son). Had an adorable cat and we went hiking on Christmas Eve
* Spent Christmas Eve with the sisters. Imagine trying to say "Wszystkiego Najlepszego" at least 50 times with limited accuracy. Also trying to speak French and Spanish to the sisters, while trying to communicate in Polish
*Visited one of my host families, had a marvelous time playing "Bishop's Ass" and visiting old friends as well. Got sick on New Year's Eve, had an interesting car ride with one of my host brothers on the way to Warsaw.
*On the flight back home, had an opportunity to sit next to the most gorgeous man I have ever seen in a long time! He is from Sweden, was tall, had brown hair/brown eyes, had the scruffy look (which I adore in men!), and was reading the Financial Times! (so he is intelligent and is interested in what is going on in the world!) Unfortunately, my mother asked to trade seats with him so she could sit next to me! (Thanks, mom!)

Now, I am back home in boring Ohio. I am so sad because now I have to resume my life here (no job, more classes), but I am starting to become more optimistic. I received word that I got accepted to one of the graduate schools I applied to! This school is located in California (so, at last, I may finally leave Ohio!). Hopefully, I will get accepted to the other school as well.

2006 is starting off on a good note. I am optimistic that the rest of the year will be great!