Much to Celebrate

There is much to celebrate and one of those things are cultural differences!

I've been wanting to share a funny story that recently happened this past month.  Remember me telling you about the invitation to learn how to make pirogies?  Well, it happened, but we all had a good laugh.  When I was invited by my friend (Alicjia, the school's principal... a family we've grown to love here) to come on a Friday night, I showed up at her house and the first question she asked me was, "Where is Josh and the girls??!!"  To which I promptly started laughing and said, "OH!  I thought you just wanted "ME"!!"  Cultural difference # 1:  When "you" are invited to someone's house, it is "you" plural, meaning the entire family... not "you" singular!  We had a good laugh and I promptly drove back into town to get Josh and the girls.  Now this leads to cultural difference #2...

Josh had just finished making soup for dinner when I buzzed our door and told them to just throw on coats and boats, since we ALL were suppose to come (she was going to teach me and then everyone would enjoy the goods we made!).  Of course, everyone is in casual clothes.  We got back to her house and when we walked in... another couple (including their son whom I teach) was there!  The fact that there's another couple isn't the cultural difference, but the fact that they are all dressed up is!  Typically, Poles get dressed up when invited over to other people's homes.  This is very common... even among friends.  So here's Josh, in sweats and sweatshirt and the other man, who we are meeting for the first time... is all decked out in a suit and tie!!!  We all had another good laugh as we got to talk about cultural differences once again!  We didn't offend anyone of course, so that was a relief!  The whole "dressing up thing" was experience again a week later when we (FINALLY) had the PE teacher (Bartek, whom I've mentioned before) and his family over.

Having Bartek and his family over with another close family we know here was long overdue.  We planned on an "American" dinner with tacos.  It was a night full of laughter again, because, well, it was just so American!  First, we ate on paper plates because we only own a small number of real plates... so we truly gave them a taste of how we do things in America!  But it wasn't until later that we learned that Bartek had called our good friend (she's Polish, but married to an American) to ask what they should wear (she said casual since that's pretty much how we operate!) and then what they should bring (Josh had told him juice- that's the drink of choice typically... not milk!- at school).  So, they showed up... very nicely dressed and showered us with wine and a dessert!   I love learning cultural differences!

So- that's why I say we have much to celebrate!

Side note- we are now entering a two week Winter Break from school.  We have the privilege to head with a group from Proem to a place called Malenovice in the Czech Republic all of next week.  They go skiing and sledding.  It will be a week filled with much relaxation... which is greatly welcomed.  This past week I was in overload since Josh was sick with bronchitis (now he knows what being indoors for a month is like!), both girls got sick and I had to carry an additional two classes a day because it was Winter Camp out at Zakosciele for Warsaw students and the other gal had to be there all week.  Sadly, Josh had to miss being at camp and working there because of being sick.

So- we head into a holiday on the mend... another enriching camp out at Zako, and I have a lot of fond memories of my last day of school yesterday (before break) because it was a carnival (western themed).  I got to teach a line dance to the children and it was just a great time having fun with all the other teachers.  NO language barrier when you are laughing and smiling and just having a great time.

May this post find you all well!