First days in the city

Moving anywhere probably has its share of complications, but moving to somewhere in a foreign country can be especially frustrating. Getting my phone set up with people who don't speak English was an especial challenge. A challenge that was made even worse by the fact that my pre purchased, quad band, unlocked phone was neither quad band nor unlocked. Now I have the cheap phone that I will hopefully adjust to in a week or two.

Our internet was supposed to be set up on Monday, but it was delayed until Thursday. This was especially unfortunate because I didn't look up all the bus routes before I left. The trip planner is online, so it seemed kind of unnecessary. Luckily, I am incredibly brave. I managed to find my way to the metro with vague directions and no map. I managed to use the metro and the bus system. There were a couple of hiccups, of course. Like, never again will I assume that the bus runs along the same streets in both directions. I ended up walking two miles in a residential, heavily wooded area of Warsaw uncomfortably close to nighttime because there were no bus stops to be seen. Luckily, when I did find a bus, it intersected with a metro stop, so I was able to find my way home. Granted, finding the way out of the metro and to the right direction was a challenge.

The other transportation difficulty came with my attempt to pick up roomie from the airport. I saw a taxi stand at the mall, so I decided to go there and just pick up a taxi (since my phone was not operational yet). Surprise. The mall opens at 9 - the same time roomie's flight lands. So, the taxis would not be waiting there. I worked up the courage to approach a stranger.

"Prosze, pan. Nie mam telefon komorka i chiablym taksowka."

Which, I thought was a very good attempt at saying "Please, sir. I don't have a cell phone and I need a taxi." in my broken Polish. Luckily the man I approached (wearing a shirt that proudly sported the British flag), was a fellow ex pat who wanted to know why I needed a taxi to get to the airport when I could catch the bus less than a block away. Unfortunately, BritishBoy didn't count the stops correctly, and I had to get off on the fourth stop, not the third stop. Thus, I walked through a dirty construction zone with my formerly shiny black dress flats on my way to the fourth stop where I could transfer to the airport bus.

I got a taxi with roomie, and I filled her in on the complicated system of locks that we use to get into our apartment. Then I met with my professor. I'll be teaching GRADUATE STUDENTS. Older than me. And I'm teaching academic writing. I think that isn't the worst, but it's not an AMST class, like I dreamed. Prof took me to traditional Polish lunch, and he invited me to wear academic robes (because I'm faculty) at the opening ceremony! So excited. Expect photos.

Orientation soon. Lunch at the Ambassador's house! Then onto Wroclaw. Can't wait.