 Proszę Pana pójść... |
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Good Evening! Or, Dobry Wieczór ;)
Again, it's been a while since I've last found a minute to sit down and share some stories with you all. Let's see....whats new whats new...
Most of my energy lately has been spent on trying to resolve issues at the University of Warsaw. Like most establishments of higher education, UW has an internet system through which students must register for their courses. However, the system is completely over complicated and very rarely when you click on links does it take you to the page you need. So, technically, according to USOS (the internet system), I don't have any classes though I have been going to class since last week. Last week I started going to my Polish language class and just today two of my classes at the Institute of International Relations, or ISM as it's called here (Instytut Stosunków Międzynarodowych), and the other class starts tomorrow morning. I spoke with the professors of my classes today and they understood that there are always problems with the system - Polish students and professors even have problems with USOS, which, of course, makes me feel better because know I know that it's not due to my lack of computer skills or user error that I can't manage to register myself - it's all USOS's falut :) In fact, I was talking with a friend who is a student at UW. She said that among the Polish students there is a saying - when something is completely complicated and just flat out stupid, they say it's "zjebany jak USOS", or, "f****d up like USOS".
I can't tell you how many countless offices I've been in, how many people I've spoken to about my USOS issues. Each situation goes about the same. 1. Walk into office. 2. Explain that I am an international student and I require some assistance with USOS. 3. I get yelled at because I came to the wrong place, though, I was just told by the last office I was in that this is where I needed to come / this is who I needed to talk to... All of the USOS conversations end in the same way "Proszę Pana pójść do tego biura..." (Please go to this office...) I will never complain about organization at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. Ever.
Aside from University system issues, everything is going wonderfully. I love being in Poland. I was thrilled with myself yesterday - as I was walking to the metro from Polish class someone stopped me and asked me where a specific street was. I surprisingly knew :-) I've already found my grocery store "Makopol". I'm pretty sure its a chain of stores here in at least Warsaw, if not, the rest of Poland as well. Here's a little story for you (and if any of you have been to Eastern Europe before, I'm sure you've had/seen similar situations). So, one day I go into Makopol to do my grocery shopping. Mind you, the time before that I asked if I was allowed to pay with a card - the lady told me that I'm allowed to. So, with that said, I made my rounds through the store, picked up some things that I needed for around the house, and I got in line. When it came time to pay I handed the lady (a different one from the one who told me I could pay with a card) my debit card and she looked at me really funny. So I asked "I thought that here one can pay with a card?" "Yeah, you can", she told me "But I don't like it when people pay with cards because it's harder for me to close the register at the end of the day. Cash?" "Uhhh NO, card" I told her again. So I got the biggest eye-roll I have ever seen in my life and then she had to call someone else over to get some authorization code thing to ring the transaction through. Here's another tip when shopping in Poland - they really, really, REALLY like exact change. I've been to some places before where you go to buy something from the "walgreens equivalent" and let's say it costs 12.09 zł. I've handed a 20 złotych bill over and they freak out when I don't have 9 groszy (the equivalent to our "cents") How am I supposed to know that when I leave the house in the morning that I am supposed to have 9 groszy with me and, if I did know, that means I'd have no life because I would have had to memorize the prices of every single item in one particular store ;)
I'm also going to add more pictures to the travel blog - they've all made it on to Facebook but I know not everyone on the mailing list is on Facebook, so I'd like to put them in both places. If you've seen them on Facebook already, sorry for the repeats ;)
Anyhow, I hope everything back home is going well and I'll keep you all updated on the USOS adventures :D
Warm greetings from the Motherland :) (well, for some of us, the Motherland)
Nick
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October 13th 2009 - Bridget: Hello
Your email came this afternoon while I was on a website trying to research our polish ancestry, so this was perfect timing to catch up with you. With the exception of USOS it sounds like you're having a great time. Thanks for the updates!
October 13th 2009 - Ciocia:
Wow, after reading your blog ..am really beginning to appreciate life here in the States. I/we take everything for granted....exact change...I would really be in trouble. What no Visa, etc.? More trouble. Do love to hear about your adventures and the pics wow....especially love the library roof.
Do take care....keep blogging and I will keep reading.
Love....God Bless.....Ciocia
Ciociu,
Definitely I appreciate everything back home a lot more :) But, somehow, I appreciate the little bumps in the road along the way - its part of the Polish experience :)
Love,
Nick
Bridget,
What perfect timing! I also just accepted your friend request on Facebook :) Hope all is well!
--Nick
October 13th 2009 - Aunt Donna:
Loved getting another update. I give you a LOT of credit. Learning the language, learning the money, learning the culture.....and of course trying to learn USOS. Continue having a great time....
October 13th 2009 - anonymous:
Thinking of you being in Poland has made me a lot more patient with the international students that come into the bank here at home. I realize how different things must be for some of them here(we have a lot of asian students, but we also have a lot from all over too). It makes me a lot more patient with their communication because I realize if I'm getting frustrated just trying to understand them, imagine how they feel trying to come up with the words. So anyway, now when they come in it makes me think of you and your adventures you're having in poland.
October 14th 2009 - Britt: Harking back to the days...
Your experiences with shopping are very similar to mine in Russia/the former Soviet Union. They like to do things a certain way which has been established for centuries, there's no owner's manual, yet they expect everyone to somehow know it, and do NOT like to be "put out" to take care of customers. LOL! The trick is to roll with the punches and give attitude back as good as you get it. :) Keep posting, this is great!
Dear Anonymous :)
Thanks for understanding the difficulties us international students run into while abroad :) Sometimes its not even a matter of language barrier - it can be more a matter of getting used to the way things work and run in a different country. I'm sure they GREATLY appreciate your patience there at the bank :P
--Nick
I did give one lady attitude in another grocery store - she asked me if I had 7 groszy and I told her no. So then she started throwing a fit and I told her "I understand it would be easier if I had 7 groszy, but, I don't. And that's not my problem." lol :P
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9 Comments - Add Public Comment or Send Private Message
October 13th 2009 - Bridget: Hello
Your email came this afternoon while I was on a website trying to research our polish ancestry, so this was perfect timing to catch up with you. With the exception of USOS it sounds like you're having a great time. Thanks for the updates!
October 13th 2009 - Ciocia:
Wow, after reading your blog ..am really beginning to appreciate life here in the States. I/we take everything for granted....exact change...I would really be in trouble. What no Visa, etc.? More trouble. Do love to hear about your adventures and the pics wow....especially love the library roof.
Do take care....keep blogging and I will keep reading.
Love....God Bless.....Ciocia
Ciociu,
Definitely I appreciate everything back home a lot more :) But, somehow, I appreciate the little bumps in the road along the way - its part of the Polish experience :)
Love,
Nick
Bridget,
What perfect timing! I also just accepted your friend request on Facebook :) Hope all is well!
--Nick
October 13th 2009 - Aunt Donna:
Loved getting another update. I give you a LOT of credit. Learning the language, learning the money, learning the culture.....and of course trying to learn USOS. Continue having a great time....
October 13th 2009 - anonymous:
Thinking of you being in Poland has made me a lot more patient with the international students that come into the bank here at home. I realize how different things must be for some of them here(we have a lot of asian students, but we also have a lot from all over too). It makes me a lot more patient with their communication because I realize if I'm getting frustrated just trying to understand them, imagine how they feel trying to come up with the words. So anyway, now when they come in it makes me think of you and your adventures you're having in poland.
October 14th 2009 - Britt: Harking back to the days...
Your experiences with shopping are very similar to mine in Russia/the former Soviet Union. They like to do things a certain way which has been established for centuries, there's no owner's manual, yet they expect everyone to somehow know it, and do NOT like to be "put out" to take care of customers. LOL! The trick is to roll with the punches and give attitude back as good as you get it. :) Keep posting, this is great!
Dear Anonymous :)
Thanks for understanding the difficulties us international students run into while abroad :) Sometimes its not even a matter of language barrier - it can be more a matter of getting used to the way things work and run in a different country. I'm sure they GREATLY appreciate your patience there at the bank :P
--Nick
I did give one lady attitude in another grocery store - she asked me if I had 7 groszy and I told her no. So then she started throwing a fit and I told her "I understand it would be easier if I had 7 groszy, but, I don't. And that's not my problem." lol :P
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