8/22/13
It is my first night in Poland. I had my fair share of tears already. I didn’t sleep at all on the plane rides. I am exhausted but my body doesn’t even know it.
I’ve been dreaming about this day for 4 years! I hear other exchange students’ stories about the time they stepped off the plane to finally meet their host families. I was hoping it wouldn’t be a horrible first meeting and this is how it went: After I got my luggage in Warsaw, it took me about 15 minutes to finally build up the courage to walk out of the exit towards town. My biggest fear was for me to go outside and end up standing there for hours with my luggage just waiting. I was freaking out that maybe they forgot about me. But when I finally walked through the doors, I was overwhelmed by a huge crowd of people. Everyone was waiting for someone who also just got off a plane. I walked down the roped off aisle and saw my host dad walk up to me with a sign that read “STEPHANIE”. I said, “Yea! That’s me!” We both had huge smiles that went from ear to ear. My host dad stuttered and eventually said, “Hi, I’m Darek.” We shook hands then walked over to my host mom. She gave me a huge hug and a kiss on each cheek. She said, “Hello! Do you have to use the bathroom? Are you thirsty or hungry?” I was fine. All my nerves went away in that very instant.
At lunch I tried multiple traditional Polish dishes. There was a spicy soup that was extremely delicious! There was an egg/sausage soup in a bread bowl that wasn’t so good. There were potato/cheese perogies that were also delicious! Then there were meat/cabbage perogies that weren’t so good. NOTE: Tap water is gross!!!
On the 2 hour car ride to the language camp, I mainly slept the whole way. I was plenty exhausted. My host dad now calls me “Stephula” just like my mother back at home. I have to get used to calling him “Dad/Tata” also. We have one thing in common, we both listen to Michael Buble!
So tonight I made the decision not to talk to my parents for a few weeks unless I really need to talk to them. (I’m tearing up right now just thinking about it.) It upsets me too much to hear their voices because I keep reminding myself I won’t be with them for a year.
Anyways, my roommate Ashley is super sweet! She is a junior in high school from Maine, USA. We will be living in the same town, Lublin, together. We will be each others’ support system for the next 10 months. Thank goodness!! She is going through a rough stage of homesickness as well.
REMEMBER STEPHANIE: I know you would love to go home now but you will regret it later in life. It will be the biggest regret of your life. Seeing the world through this opportunity is something not many people ever do. You might be freaking out about the 10 months ahead but it will fly! You can do this!!
Stephanie Raquel
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