Weeks 1 and 2: A relatively accurate summary

Hello everyone! Good to see that you're taking an interest in Poland, because most of the people I've met thus far are convinced that Americans know nothing of Poland, and are fascinated by the fact that I chose to come here; by far, the most frequent question I have been asked is, "Why Poland?" I haven't had Internet access for very long, and was thus delayed in making this blog, but I'll have you know that I took detailed notes, for the most part, and can give a summary of my trip thus far.

The journey was eventful enough that it merits mention. I sat next to a woman named Sam on the flight to Heathrow, and wouldn't you know it, she is also a huge Who fan. She was going to London to see her son who was studying abroad, and we chatted at length about travels until the flight attendant spilled tea on me while I was sleeping. I got free chocolates and news publications. I felt kind of gypped; they usually give you a first class upgrade for that kind of thing, but the flight was almost over, so, Delta, I forgive you this transgression. Jonathan said the chocolates were good.

Dustin, our grad student, Jonathan, JP, and I got in around 6, but it looked like it was noon. We got our things unpacked at the Jowita, the student akumulatory, kind of like a dorm but with far, far fewer restrictions. We then headed out to the Stary Reynek, generally referred to as the market square and had dinner at the Brovaria, which I must say is one of the finest dining establishments in Poznan.

The food here is generally wonderful, and always cheap. At one of my favorite Chineese places, one can sit down in a very high class establishment, order half of a duck with Bartzch, a drink, and expect to pay about 40 zloty, a little more than 10 USD. And the food is so good; they do not skimp on the seasonings here like Britian. Menus are 10 pages thick, and there are at least 20 varieties under each heading. Shopping at grocery stores is amazing too. 2lbs of fish for 5 bucks? Insane! And as many of you know, frozen fruit is like candy for me. Here, they have a dearth of peaches, but they do have frozen plums for little more than a dollar. It truly is wonderful to be paid in American dollars and to be let loose on Piotr i Pawel, the quintessential grocery store. My daily stipend is about 120 zloty, and I bought food, good food, for two days with 60 zloty.

When it comes to dining in Poland, whatever you do, do not let your waiter take the candle from your table and give it to a party that appears more distinguished. Fight for that candle. It will be returned.

I am actually here for a purpose though. I'm working on a novel oligonucleotide photocrosslink in the biochemistry department of the Uniwersytet Adama Mickiewicza, under the wonderful, Professor Bohdan Skalski. The bulk of my time is currently spent in the lab, though, as I was warned beforehand, it is nigh on impossible to get things done here. When we walked in, all of the Polish researchers decided to book the lab equipment for weeks in advance to thwart us in our endeavours. At least that is what it feels like. All in all, though, our project is moving along fairly well, and we are on track thus far to publish by the end of the ten weeks. I end up working 10 hours a day and going in on weekends, but I've learned a hell of a lot of lab techniques, including ion-argon laser photoexcitation.

Christies, there's so much more to write about, but already this post is waxing lengthy. I've met several people whilst here, including the presedent of the university, a Polish rock band, a guy who is breaking into the printed shirt business and has amassed a multi-million zloty fortune, my amazing Polish neighbor, her Dutch boyfriend, and all of her Polish friends, a Portuguese Political Science major who is a lover of electronic music, a Turkish Opera performer, a group of 6 guys from Spain who all started hitting on me, a pregnant Irish DJ (Who also shared my love of classic rock), several history professors at the university who were able to provide me with a little bit of information about traditional Slavic beliefs and the Magic Belt of Poland, a guy who cooks amazing Polish barbecue and called me out on my stereotypical American Dress (when you're wearing a lab coat all day, you really have to tak a break sometimes and wear your shorts and flippy-floppies), and his husband who is fluent in Polish, English, German, Russian, Spanish, French, and Japaneese.

I've seen Prussian castles with towers built for Hitler that the Russians tried to blow up with tank shells, salsa line dancing in an Irish pub to American pop tunes sung in Spanish, typical Polish revelry after Poland won an improtant football game, an impromptu concert that the cops let me into for free, garbage trucks that come right below my window at 3 in the morning just in time to wake me for the 4:30 sunrise, people giving me sour looks as I was out for my daily run, getting freaked out an errant peacock from the zoo right next to the dorm, a piece of fish on a plate that was looking back at me, and all of the crap that floats in Polish tap water.

There have been several other adventures, but I don't want to go on too long. I'll probably end up mentioning them retroactively. As for pictures, I really want to augment the number I have taken, but I don't want to feel like a tourist. JP recommended that we all dress up with suspenders and mustaches, speaking in random German phrases in order to disguise ourselves.

I'll also post a compilation of thoughts and opinions I've heard concerning America and Americans, as well as my opinions of those opinions. Society, Society, Society!