food

9/7/13

Finally, I got to sleep in past 8 am. I slept until 11 am which makes me finally well rested. When I walked to the bathroom, my host parents were cooking in the kitchen and my host mom didn’t seem happy that I slept in so late. My dad was shocked though when I woke up so late.

I did my laundry, converted my bed back into a couch, and put away any things I had laying around. My room is on the main floor so my room is sometimes used as extra seating areas. Having my bed as a couch is more convenient for my parents.

After chores I went to the cafe where Agata works and there I ate a chocolate, banana, strawberry crepe while waiting for Agata to finish her shift. It was super delicious.

Then my mom picked us up at the cafe and we went shopping. I got to buy a Nikon Coolpix Camera, camera case, and 16 GB Sony memory card. It all cost me 863.97 ZŁ which equals $287.99. In my eyes, this is a good deal for all this expensive things.

After shopping, my new family came over. I met my Aunt Agnus, both sets of grandparents, Michał (my dad’s godson), and a few family friends. Everyone was super warm and welcoming. My grandparents understood I didn’t speak Polish so they just smiled and got Agata to translate for me. My laugh was of course delayed to all their jokes.

The funniest thing at dinner was when my dad and uncle we saying “fuckin shit,” and my grandma Maria asked, “co to shit?” (Meaning what is shit?) Everyone laughed, including me, and my grandma laughed so hard when she found out the meaning.

For dinner I ate so many popular Polish dishes. My favorite dish was made of pure raw meat, peppers, onions, and pickles called tartare. It sounds gross and disgusting but I had 2 helpings of it because it was very tasty. Another dish that was delicious was the potato salad that was mixed with mayonnaise, eggs, bacon, and parsley. There was one sausage that was disgusting!! It was black on the outside and had dried blood meat on the inside. I smothered it in ketchup to cover that fact I was eating a blood sausage.

The one thing that shocked me, even though I was warned about it, was the amount of alcohol Polish people consume. My grandfathers each drank 8-10 shots of vodka at dinner. It was straight pure vodka that went right down their throats without them even wincing. My grandmothers had multiple shots of rum. My aunt had a few glasses of wine. My mom drank vodka with half a lemon. My dad and uncle each had multiple cups of coke and rum. I had trouble finishing one glass of rose wine. Agata practically finished the bottle herself. My grandmother Maria questions me on why I didn’t drink. When my dad asked me if I wanted wine, I hesitated because I wasn’t sure if I should say yes or no. My grandmother Maria questioned my actions which made me nervous.

At the end of the night my grandmother Maria was so drunk which shows me now that it is totally okay to drink at family functions.

While the adults talked at the table, the kids went into the other room. Ania played guitar while Uncle Peter, Aunt Agnus, Agata, and Monika sang Polish songs. Then Agata turned on the song “Bound to You” by Christina Aguilera. This made me want to sing really bad because back at home I sang this song to my friends and they loved it. Even though I didn’t start singing until the song was halfway over because I was completely nervous…Ania and I ended up singing a duet. My cheeks were bright fire engine red the entire time I sang. By the end, Ania had stopped singing and my whole family came into the room to listen to me. When the song ended everyone was giving me complimenting saying I am very talented. I guess I never realized I have true talent in singing. Ania inviting me to the city center to sing with her in a group of other singers. Now I am super excited for next week!

For the first time since I’ve gotten to Poland, I Skyped with my parents today. It wasn’t that hard until my mom blew a kiss into the camera. Her hugs and kisses are the major things I miss the most about home. We talked on the phone for almost 2 hours and I was smiling the whole time. They said I sound happy and look happy too. I talk to them every day now because they are my best friends. I don’t really talk to any of my friends from home because they are busy with college. My parents on the other hand are nothing but free so I talk to them about everything every day. Even though I feel like I am missing out on my friends’ lives like Nicole, Rachel, and Adrian’s first days of college but I am also enjoying myself here.

Stephanie Raquel

9/7/13

The bus ride was unbearably long! I couldn’t wait to get to the school and head back to my house. When my host mom picked me up though, she wasn’t even comforting or warm. Usually my mom would hug me and ask me how I my trip was, even if she already knows, but my host mom just said “let’s go.” I got back to the house ready to ball my eyes out. I texted my dad back in NJ begging him to let me come home. I am emotional all the time on exchange. Whenever something happens, my emotions flip on the drop of a dime. I feel like I am bipolar because my feelings keep flip flopping. I am fine then I am upset then I’m fine again.

I decided to Skype with my best friend Ashley (NY) because she was also homesick and talking to a friend always helps. And I was right, after talking to her I felt so much better. I need to learn while on exchange to deal with my mixed emotions instead of wanting to just run home when times get tough.

Around 8:30 pm my host cousins Ania and Monika came over along with their father, Peter. We all sat around the table eating cheese, York’s, Reese’s, chips, and apply pie. On television played the Polish soccer game. My uncle and dad drank multiple beers which helped my dad really get into cheering for his team. Agata helped translate their conversions for me so I didn’t feel left out. Uncle Peter and Monika speak very little English which creates a block when trying to communicate with them. Ania agreed to teach me Polish in return for me to help her with English. Her major English exam to get into college is this year so being around will help her improve her skills.

Half way through the game Ania, Agata, Monika, and I bonded over making a cheesecake. I had to find an American brownie recipe but with European conversions like cup to grams. It was a little difficult for me to figure out the conversions because I am not familiar with grams. In America we also have brownie mixes in boxes from Betty Crocker but in Poland you have to make everything homemade. It is definitely a challenge. Maybe I will gain some productive skills instead of the American skills of being lazy.

I learned while baking that Ania, Agata and I have a similar taste in music. I hope we all become really good friends. Maybe so close that they will invite me to come back to Poland after I leave. Next week we agreed to go see the new movie “Jobs” in the city center movie theater. Making future plans with my new family is really exciting.

Stephanie Raquel

Officially a Choduń

New Family. New Skills.