"Bosko!" (I No Ruskie Spy)

Just a quick observation that I had this afternoon when I was eating the Texas Pete that I brought back (I brought back 6 things; Texas Pete, Tostidos Salsa, Cookie Crisp, Kool Aid, extra strength Benedryl, and a bag of resturant chips. One of my carry on bags was a big bag of chips. I got looks, but I managed to get them back to Poland completely intact. You are all in awe, I'm sure):

Polish people love foreigners; the impression I get is that Poland has been insular for so long (By influence of Governmantal Regime, oppression from external powers, lack of investment, a unique and incredibly difficult language, and general absence of knowledge from the rest of the world) that Polish people are tired of each other. My neighbors all want to know me, and they are especially excited to see an American; apparently not too many of those here, as most of the foreigners are EU, most of the students Erasmus. And thus, you don't even have to try to be liked by the general populace of Poland (Excluding the skin heads who wait on the corner outside of the Jowita. Actually, I'm wrong; they think we're British). It's as if just picking Poland as a country to come to is good enough; by choosing Poland, you become family.

And if you go out of your way to learn a bit of Polish history or culture, the Poles will dote on you. I spent 4 hours talking with a guy who conned me into buying him a beer, even though he spoke only Polish and a few words of Espanol. He never seemed to realize that I didn't fully understand, he was just happy that I was a foreigner and that I was listening. But buying him that beer paid off, since I was able to pick up a fair amount of Polish after the 4 hours in the rain and darkening skies (I could have been arrested. I was told last night that drinking in public is illegal, and that it doesn't even matter if you were the one drinking. I mean, seriously?! In Poland?!!). So, when I throw out random words of Polish into conversations with my neighbor, she always seems ecstatic. I can actually string some sentences together now; I wonder how she would react to that.

One guy told me that to know a little bit of Polish is great; people are very appreciative of your interest in the culture and truly value your attempts to learn one of the hardest languages on earth (Possibly the hardest). But if you know too much Polish, people can get suspicious. This is why, if you become fluent in Polish, you should be living here so that your abilities to navigate social customs are up to speed with your lengual skills and Poles assume that you are one of them, and not a Ruskie spy. Also a good tip; I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again: don't speak Russian or German.

So in the end, this should be encouragement for other to follow in my footsteps to this country. Here is a place that is on the cusp of a technological and cultural revolution that loves foreigners, values their opinions, and makes a place for them in society. While Poland is not one of the frequently toted "emerging powers" (And I think this is mainly because everyone forgets about them. Maybe when they go on the Euro in 2012, there will be more notice, but that's worse for those that use the dollar. My chicken will suddenly become expensive!), it is going to be important soon.

It's my last week here, and I know already that passing from these borders will lie heavy on my heart. When I was in France, I was thinking about returning "home", and it dawned on me that the home I was thinking about was my little one room in the Jowita. Going back to the states, I knew that I was returning to my family and the place I lived, but once again, when I left, I was leaving for "home" in Poznan. To pharaphrase my friend from Portugal with my own vivid diction, "Ah, that Polonia. 'Aye, she is a fiesty beast. Those who travel amongst her bounties are oft trapt by her wily ways. They come and never return to their home ports. Their hearts are repainted Red and White." I'm not that bad off, but Poland will always have a place in my heart, as will the bonny banks of Loch Lomund.